What majors and programs are available at Harvard University?
I’m starting to look at colleges and Harvard is super high on my list, but honestly, I’m a little confused about what students can study there. I know they have super strong programs across the board, but I’m not sure exactly what majors or concentrations (I’ve heard they call them that?) are offered.
For example, are there specific majors in business, engineering, or computer science? Also, can you double major, or is it called something else at Harvard? If anyone could give me some insight or share resources, that would be awesome. I'm interested in both humanities and STEM, so I'm trying to get a sense of how flexible the curriculum is, too.
For example, are there specific majors in business, engineering, or computer science? Also, can you double major, or is it called something else at Harvard? If anyone could give me some insight or share resources, that would be awesome. I'm interested in both humanities and STEM, so I'm trying to get a sense of how flexible the curriculum is, too.
1 week ago
•
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Luis Nario-Malberg
• 1 week ago
Advisor
Harvard College offers a wide range of academic options for undergraduates. They are known there as "concentrations" instead of majors. Harvard College recognizes over 50 different concentrations spread across arts, humanities, social sciences, and STEM fields. Most concentrations also offer various "secondary fields," which are Harvard's version of a minor.
For STEM, you'll find concentrations like Computer Science, Engineering Sciences (with tracks such as Electrical Engineering, Environmental Science & Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Bioengineering), Applied Math, Chemistry, Physics, and more. Computer Science at Harvard is especially popular, and you can tailor it toward topics like AI, cybersecurity, or software engineering, depending on your interests. Engineering programs are housed within the John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS), and Harvard has ABET-accredited options for those wanting a traditional engineering track.
In the humanities, you can study English, History, Philosophy, Classics, Comparative Literature, Linguistics, and a number of languages. Harvard is also well-known for its Social Studies concentration, which takes an interdisciplinary approach, and for fields like Economics, Government (Political Science), and Psychology.
Harvard doesn’t have an undergraduate business major. However, Economics is a very popular concentration for students interested in business, and there’s an active undergraduate scene with clubs for finance, consulting and entrepreneurship. Some students focus their Economics electives in areas like finance or pursue secondary fields like Statistics to boost quantitative skills.
It's worth noting that Harvard generally doesn't offer what you might call "professional" majors/concentrations. So, no specific pre-med or pre-law concentrations either. Typically student with ambitions of attending medical school will concentrate in things like Biology or Chemistry. You can of course complete coursework required for medical school admissions, as well as a variety of courses to prepare you for law school (anything from philosophy, to history, to government).
Amongst secondaries that are not tied to a specific concentration, you can find programs like "Mind, Brain, and Behavior" which tie together classes from disciplines such as neuroscience, computer science, psychology, philosophy, and more.
Double majoring isn’t exactly what Harvard calls it. Instead, students can pursue a "joint concentration", similar to a double major. However, you must create a unified academic plan that connects the two concentrations, and there's usually a joint thesis. Alternatively, you can have a concentration and a secondary field (minor) without connecting the two. Combined with elective flexibility and the Harvard Core Curriculum, students have a lot of freedom to explore different disciplines.
If you want more detailed info, Harvard’s undergraduate admissions website and the Harvard College Handbook of Academic Programs detail every concentration and secondary, with program requirements and sample plans. Many students there mix STEM and humanities. For example, a Computer Science concentration with a secondary in Philosophy, or Government with a secondary in Astrophysics. It’s friendly for people with broad interests.
For STEM, you'll find concentrations like Computer Science, Engineering Sciences (with tracks such as Electrical Engineering, Environmental Science & Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Bioengineering), Applied Math, Chemistry, Physics, and more. Computer Science at Harvard is especially popular, and you can tailor it toward topics like AI, cybersecurity, or software engineering, depending on your interests. Engineering programs are housed within the John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS), and Harvard has ABET-accredited options for those wanting a traditional engineering track.
In the humanities, you can study English, History, Philosophy, Classics, Comparative Literature, Linguistics, and a number of languages. Harvard is also well-known for its Social Studies concentration, which takes an interdisciplinary approach, and for fields like Economics, Government (Political Science), and Psychology.
Harvard doesn’t have an undergraduate business major. However, Economics is a very popular concentration for students interested in business, and there’s an active undergraduate scene with clubs for finance, consulting and entrepreneurship. Some students focus their Economics electives in areas like finance or pursue secondary fields like Statistics to boost quantitative skills.
It's worth noting that Harvard generally doesn't offer what you might call "professional" majors/concentrations. So, no specific pre-med or pre-law concentrations either. Typically student with ambitions of attending medical school will concentrate in things like Biology or Chemistry. You can of course complete coursework required for medical school admissions, as well as a variety of courses to prepare you for law school (anything from philosophy, to history, to government).
Amongst secondaries that are not tied to a specific concentration, you can find programs like "Mind, Brain, and Behavior" which tie together classes from disciplines such as neuroscience, computer science, psychology, philosophy, and more.
Double majoring isn’t exactly what Harvard calls it. Instead, students can pursue a "joint concentration", similar to a double major. However, you must create a unified academic plan that connects the two concentrations, and there's usually a joint thesis. Alternatively, you can have a concentration and a secondary field (minor) without connecting the two. Combined with elective flexibility and the Harvard Core Curriculum, students have a lot of freedom to explore different disciplines.
If you want more detailed info, Harvard’s undergraduate admissions website and the Harvard College Handbook of Academic Programs detail every concentration and secondary, with program requirements and sample plans. Many students there mix STEM and humanities. For example, a Computer Science concentration with a secondary in Philosophy, or Government with a secondary in Astrophysics. It’s friendly for people with broad interests.
Luis Nario-Malberg
Mooresville, North Carolina
Harvard College, Class of 2018, A.B. in Philosophy
Experience
5 years