Harvard vs. Penn: Which University Is Better for Interdisciplinary Study?

Harvard is the stronger choice for a student who wants maximum freedom to combine computer science, economics, and public policy without committing early to a formal dual-degree structure. Harvard College lets students pair a concentration with a secondary field, pursue certain joint concentrations, and take courses across the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, including Economics, Computer Science, Government, Statistics, and Applied Mathematics. Its liberal-arts curriculum leaves room for exploration before students settle on an academic path.

A student might concentrate in Economics or Computer Science, add a secondary in the other field, and build a public-policy focus through Government courses, policy-oriented research, and institutes such as the Harvard Kennedy School. Undergraduates cannot simply major in Kennedy School public policy, but they can take relevant courses and connect with policy research and programming across Harvard.

Penn offers excellent interdisciplinary options, but they are more often organized through its separate undergraduate schools and formal programs. The College of Arts and Sciences has flexible majors and interdisciplinary programs such as Philosophy, Politics and Economics, while Penn’s engineering, business, and policy resources create strong applied opportunities. However, combining coursework or credentials across the College, Wharton, and Engineering can involve school-specific requirements, application processes, and a more structured academic plan.

Penn may be especially compelling if you want business or entrepreneurship to be central to your academic experience, since Wharton and Penn Engineering make those connections unusually accessible. For broad, student-directed exploration across computer science, economics, and public policy, Harvard’s less siloed undergraduate structure provides more day-to-day flexibility.