Harvard Extension School

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Harvard University
Extension School
Established 1910[1]
Type Private
Dean Michael Shinagel
Location Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
Campus Urban
Website extension.harvard.edu

Harvard University Extension School, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is one of the thirteen degree-granting schools of Harvard University and is part of the Division of Continuing Education.

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] Origins

The Extension School was founded in 1910, one year after the founding of the Harvard Business School[1] by President of Harvard University Abbott Lawrence Lowell. The school was originally an academic program designed to serve the educational interests and needs of the greater Boston community, but it has since expanded to offer undergraduate and graduate liberal arts degree programs to both traditional and non-traditional students, alike. It is the only Harvard school to offer an associate degree. It is also the only Harvard school to grant both undergraduate and graduate degrees. Students who wish to earn degrees must be formally admitted to Harvard University through a detailed process that can take a year or longer from start to finish such that the student must enroll in three classes and finish with at least a certain letter grade such as expository writing requiring a B minimum.

Due to the direct academic engagement Harvard Extension students have with Harvard College, Harvard Graduate School of Education, and others (i.e. Special Student Status and enrolling in selective courses of the listed schools) combined with academic rigor of a Harvard University degree, graduates of Harvard Extension School programs have gone on to attend many of the most prestigious graduate programs and professional schools in the world, and have become leaders in fields such as business, medicine, education, law, and politics.[2] On-campus courses are held in and around historic Harvard Yard, in the heart of the Harvard University campus.[3]

[edit] Accreditation

Harvard Extension School is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges as one of the thirteen schools of Harvard University.[4]

[edit] Undergraduate

The Harvard University Extension School offers two undergraduate degrees: the Bachelor of Liberal Arts (ALB) and the Associate in Arts (AA) in Extension Studies.[5] Both undergraduate degree programs are aimed at both traditional and nontraditional students alike.

[edit] Bachelor of Liberal Arts Requirements

ALB Degree candidates must successfully finish 128 credits (Harvard courses are usually 4 credits each) and maintain good academic standing (3.0 GPA) in order to graduate. Upon admission into the ALB program, candidates may petition to transfer up to a maximum of 64 credits from other accredited post-secondary institutions; these must be mainly Liberal Arts courses.[6] However, 64 credits must be completed at Harvard University. (Extension School, Summer School, or the Faculty of Arts and Sciences). Students also select concentrating in one of three 'Areas of concentration': including Sciences; Social Sciences; or Humanities and must pass 40 credits with B– in their chosen area of concentration.[7]

Fields of study

Degree candidates have the option to pursue one of twenty 'Fields of study', (akin to a traditional 'major'). In order to successfully complete a field of study, students must earn a B– or higher in 32 Harvard credits in one field, and maintain a B average in the field.

Students can also earn a maximum of one liberal arts citation (similar to a minor). For example, a student pursuing a field of study in economics could earn a citation in government or mathematics. However students are not permitted to count a course toward both a field of study and a citation. In order to pursue a citation without a field of the study, the citation must be specific. For example, students cannot earn a citation in anthropology, English, history, or psychology, but they could earn a citation in Mesoamerican culture, Shakespeare, Boston history and culture, or animal cognition. Also students can earn a citation in skill areas such as a foreign language, public speaking, legal studies, and statistics

[edit] Associate in Arts Requirements

AA Degree candidates must successfully finish 64 credits (courses are usually 4 credits each) and maintain good academic standing in order to graduate. Upon admission into the AA degree program students cannot transfer any credits from other accredited post-secondary institutions and all credits must be completed at Harvard.

[edit] Undergraduate Admissions

Although many classes allow enrollment under open admissions, undergraduate degree programs require a formal application process. Students applying to be undergraduate degree candidates must successfully complete three 4-credit liberal arts courses exclusively at Harvard with at least a B grade or higher; obtain at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA, including a specific course in Expository Writing, EXPO E-25; and be proficient in English in order to be considered for admission. (These criteria reflect a change in admissions guidelines initially announced during the spring 2010 semester and are currently in effect: The admission policy can be found at http://www.extension.harvard.edu/degrees-certificates/undergraduate-degrees/admission).

[edit] Graduate

Harvard Extension School's Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) in Extension Studies includes 19 Liberal Arts Programs and seven Professional Degree Programs.[8] ALM candidates must complete a thesis or capstone project pending on their degree program, which must be crafted under the direction of an instructor or Harvard faculty member holding a teaching appointment in the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences at the rank of senior lecturer, assistant professor, associate professor, or full professor, or an appropriate teaching appointment at another Harvard graduate studies school.[9]

[edit] Graduate Admissions

While classes are open to the public, the graduate degree programs require formal admission. Admission to the Master of Liberal Arts in Extension Studies (ALM) program requires completion of three pre-admission courses with A's and B's and a minimum of 3.0 GPA* and an A or B in the Proseminar or equivalent required course, along with an accredited bachelor's degree (or foreign equivalent), and two essays. Some programs require specific classes to be part of the initial three before formal admission.[10] Students will be denied admission indefinitely if they fail to earn a grade of B after twice enrolling in the course. Candidates must also write two essays to demonstrate critical thinking abilities. The admission committee also requires a resume and undergraduate transcripts from all ALM applicants.

Many programs have additional requirements, including specific pre-admission courses and supplemental application materials. For instance, the Literature and Creative writing candidates must submit original manuscripts [11]. Professional programs, such as information technology, require additional skills such as solid background in programming and mathematics.[12] The Graduate Program in Management, offering a concentration in either General Management or Finance, requires a higher coursework GPA for admission than other ALM degree programs. A minimum GPA of 3.33 (B+) must be maintained while obtaining no lower than a B in three (economics, finance, general management) classes taken before being considered for admission.[13]

[edit] Special Student Status

Undergraduate and graduate students of the Harvard Extension School who maintain a minimum GPA of 3.33 or 3.5 respectively (3.7 for those enrolled on the Graduate Program in Management), and have completed the required course credits at the Harvard Extension School, may apply, with the required recommendations, for Special Student Status. If granted, Special Student Status allows a student to take two 4-credit courses per semester, for a total of four courses per academic year in the Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.[14][15][16] This is especially important for ALB undergraduates, who like their Harvard College counterparts, hold this as an opportunity to enroll in advanced level coursework.

[edit] Distance Education

The Harvard Division of Continuing Education is greater Harvard University's only school to offer degree candidates the opportunity to earn course credits and complete specific degrees requirements on campus or off-campus by attending recordings of the on campus course. The courses offered via off-campus distance method are taught by Harvard faculty and industry professionals. For example, Harvard College and Harvard Graduate School of Education lectures are provided for credit via Harvard Division of Continuing Education. [17]

[edit] Student Life

Harvard designed the Extension School for the commuter population.[6] Extension students do have access to Harvard University's Housing Apartment Listing[18] and ALB candidates enjoy access to Harvard College's Student Organization Center at Hilles (SOCH). Harvard Extension students can attend athletic events, join many Harvard College student groups, and attend other events.[19][20] Degree candidates at HES are eligible for membership in the Harvard Extension Student Association (HESA) and for other opportunities at Harvard University. Established in 2001, the association's stated mission is to build and maintain a sense of community among students. In partnership with many other organizations on campus, HESA provides a variety of social activities, educational events, and forums that enrich student life and experience. All degree and diploma candidates in good standing at Harvard Extension School are voting members of HESA.[21] Upon graduation, students are eligible for membership in the Harvard Extension Alumni Association (HEAA), the Harvard Alumni Association (HAA),[22] and any of the Harvard Alumni Clubs. Graduates also take part in the commencement ceremonies with all other schools of Harvard.[23]

[edit] International Students

The Harvard extension school accepts international students. To be admitted to courses or degrees, a student must be proficient in English. If English is not his/her native language, a student must submit an official TOEFL or IELTS score with a minimum score of 100 for the TOEFL or a minimum score of 7.0 for the IELTS. If an international student lives in the area of Boston, he/she may meet this requirement by taking the Harvard English language placement test and earning a score of 76 or higher. However, this last test does not meet the English proficiency requirement for degree program admission.[24]

An international student may complete the residency requirement by completing 1 or 2 summer sessions through the Harvard Summer School. For instance: • Associate degree requirement: complete at least 8 credits in on-campus-only courses [25]; • Bachelor’s degree requirement: complete 16 credits in on-campus-only courses[26]; • Master of Liberal Arts: at least 2 semesters in residence, to take the proseminar, the field seminar, and at least 1 other on-campus-only course at Harvard Extension School or Summer School.[27]

The Extension School does not issue I-20s for the F-1 visa but the Summer School does[28].

[edit] Academics

Harvard Extension School maintains a rigorous academic environment. The ALB program is intended to be equivalent to the traditional Harvard AB in terms of academics,[29] while the ALM program is "in every way as challenging as that of graduate degree programs in other Harvard schools"[30] For those students registered in individual courses, the school offers an opportunity to experience an Ivy League classroom. Students are allowed to explore subjects that interest them or build skills to advance their career. The Extension School has almost six-hundred course offerings, taught by Harvard instructors[31] including Nobel Laureates, a Mallinckrodt Professor of Physics, Roy J. Glauber and Bass Professor of Government Michael J. Sandel.[32]

[edit] Admission Policy

The Harvard Extension School is one of the thirteen schools that make up Harvard University. A student does not have to be officially admitted into a program in order to register for individual courses. However, in order to be admitted into a degree-granting program, a student must meet specific requirements and officially apply for admission to the university.[2] Harvard Extension School's aim, as President Lawrence A. Lowell deemed it to be, is "systematic popular education".[1] As a result of the school's aim of accessible education, the Extension School has enrolled more than 500,000 students and currently enrolls about 14,000 per year in individual courses.

[edit] Notable Alumni

  • Mark Plotkin, ALB ’79 - Ethnobotanist; President, Amazon Conservation Team [33]
  • Sarah Buel, ALB '87 - Attorney
  • Allan Crite, ALB '68 - Artist
  • Kumiki Gibson, ALB'85 - Chief Counsel to 45th Vice President of the United[34]
  • Bradley Jones Jr, AA ’87, ALB ’88 - Massachusetts House Minority Leader[33]
  • Ann Romney, ALB '75 - Former First Lady of Massachusetts
  • Jenny Allard, ALM '99 - Sportswoman
  • Álvaro Uribe, CSS ’93 - 56th President of Colombia[33]
  • Francisco Santos Calderón, CSS - Vice President, Republic of Colombia[33]
  • Rory Cowan, ABE ’79 - CEO, Lionbridge Technologies Inc[33][35]
  • Linda Attiyeh, ABE ’61 - Director, McKinsey & Company Inc[33]
  • Latanya Sweeney, ALB ’95 - Associate Professor of Computer Science, Technology, and Policy, Carnegie Mellon University; Editor in Chief, Journal of Privacy Technology [33][36]
  • Robert J. Allison, ALB - Professor of History, Suffolk University[37]
  • Suzanne Koven, ALM '08 - Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School[38]
  • Sal Perisano, ALM ’87 - CEO and Chairman, iParty[33][39]
  • Shawn H. O’Day, ALM ’04 - Major, US Air Force[33]
  • John Sullivan, ALM ’01 - Associate Professor of Administrative Sciences, Boston University[33]
  • Robert Maginn, ALM ’81 - CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors, Jenzabar Inc[33][40]
  • Richard Peisch, ABE ’76 - Founder and President, Medical Data Processing, Inc[33]
  • Levani Lipton, CSS ’05 - Executive Director, Ananda Foundation[33][41]
  • Elias Reichel, AB ’82, CSS ’99 - Vitreoretinal Surgeon[33]
  • Charles Harper, CSS ’97 - Executive Director and Senior Vice President, John Templeton Foundation[33]
  • Martha Rose Reeves, CSS ’98 - US Administrative Law Judge[33]
  • Bruce Berg, CSS ’04 - Director of Development Research, Northeastern University[33]
  • Janice Shields, ALM ’05 - Managing Director and Co-Founder, Shields and Company, Inc[33]
  • George Krupp, ALB ’95 - Co-founder, The Berkshire Group[33]
  • John Vermilye, ALB ’80 - Founder and CEO, Travel Sentry, Inc[33]
  • Todd Rideman, AA ’99, ALB ’02 - Entrepreneur[42]
  • Francesca Aguilar, CSS ’98 - Manager, Global Sports Partnerships, The Coca-Cola Company[33]
  • Matthew Ruggiero, AA ’82, ALB ’84 - Bassoonist, Boston Symphony Orchestra[33][43]
  • Jane Margolis, ALM ’85 - Author[44]
  • T. Rose Holdcraft, CSS ’95 - Conservator and Administrative Head of Conservation Department, Harvard University Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology[45]
  • Marian Woodward, ALB ’00 - Miss Black USA 1995–96; Miss North America 1999[33]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c http://www.extension.harvard.edu/2009-10/about/welcome.jsp
  2. ^ a b http://www.extension.harvard.edu/2009-10/about/
  3. ^ http://www.extension.harvard.edu/2009-10/forms/ext_map.pdf
  4. ^ http://www.extension.harvard.edu/2009-10/policies/transfer.jsp
  5. ^ http://www.extension.harvard.edu/programs/undergrad/help/#diploma
  6. ^ a b http://www.extension.harvard.edu/undergrad
  7. ^ http://www.extension.harvard.edu/programs/undergrad/requirements/alb.jsp#concentration
  8. ^ http://www.extension.harvard.edu/2009-10/programs/
  9. ^ http://www.extension.harvard.edu/2009-10/programs
  10. ^ http://www.productivity501.com/harvard-masters-degree/6463/
  11. ^ http://www.extension.harvard.edu/degrees-certificates/master-liberal-arts/admission/how-apply
  12. ^ http://www.extension.harvard.edu/2009-10/programs/it/overview/qa.jsp
  13. ^ http://www.extension.harvard.edu/programs/management/admission/
  14. ^ http://www.extension.harvard.edu/programs/undergrad/options.jsp
  15. ^ http://www.extension.harvard.edu/programs/master-liberal-arts/options.jsp
  16. ^ http://www.extension.harvard.edu/programs/management/options.jsp
  17. ^ http://www.extension.harvard.edu/DistanceEd/
  18. ^ http://www.hres.harvard.edu/RRE/NewWeb/brochure/housing/about.htm
  19. ^ http://www.college.harvard.edu/student/index.html
  20. ^ http://www.extension.harvard.edu/2009-10/programs/perks.jsp
  21. ^ http://hesa.dce.harvard.edu/
  22. ^ http://www.extension.harvard.edu/alumni/
  23. ^ http://www.extension.harvard.edu/commencement/
  24. ^ http://www.extension.harvard.edu/registration/registration-guidelines/english-proficiency
  25. ^ http://www.extension.harvard.edu/degrees-certificates/undergraduate-degrees/online-options-residency-requirement
  26. ^ http://www.extension.harvard.edu/degrees-certificates/undergraduate-degrees/online-options-residency-requirement
  27. ^ http://www.extension.harvard.edu/degrees-certificates/master-liberal-arts/degree-requirements/enrollment-residency
  28. ^ http://www.extension.harvard.edu/international-students
  29. ^ http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=178975
  30. ^ http://www.extension.harvard.edu/2009-10/programs/management/admission/
  31. ^ http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2006/5/8/extension-students-seek-ivy-degrees-on/
  32. ^ http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F00E2DF1E3EF93BA25752C1A9639C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=2
  33. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w http://www.extension.harvard.edu/alumni/about/notable.jsp
  34. ^ http://www.jhu.edu/~gazette/2003/15dec03/15gibson.html
  35. ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lionbridge
  36. ^ http://dataprivacylab.org/people/sweeney/cv.html
  37. ^ http://www.suffolk.edu/college/10433.html
  38. ^ http://suzannekoven.gather.com/
  39. ^ http://people.forbes.com/profile/sal-v-perisano/45391
  40. ^ http://www.jenzabar.com/aboutus.aspx?id=80
  41. ^ http://www.dce.harvard.edu/pubs/alum/2005/28.html
  42. ^ http://hebs.dce.harvard.edu/?cat=10
  43. ^ http://www.dce.harvard.edu/pubs/alum/2002/08.html
  44. ^ http://gseis.ucla.edu/faculty/members/margolis
  45. ^ http://www.extension.harvard.edu/alumni/publications/chord/08jan/#holdcraft

[edit] External links

Coordinates: 42°22′27″N 71°07′18″W / 42.3743°N 71.1216°W / 42.3743; -71.1216
Leadership
BostonTrip-91.jpg
Faculty of Arts and Sciences
Other Faculties
Undergraduate houses
Athletics
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Harvard_Extension_School&oldid=475315819"
Personal tools
Namespaces
Variants
Actions
Navigation
Interaction
Toolbox
Print/export