Harvard University Courses and Academic Programs
Harvard is a multi-school university, so the right course catalogue depends on the degree you want. Harvard College is its undergraduate liberal arts and sciences school. Harvard also has 12 graduate and professional schools, each responsible for distinct degrees and programme rules. A student searching for “Harvard courses” should first decide whether they want a bachelor’s degree, a graduate degree, a professional qualification, or a non-degree course. A shared university name does not mean the programmes share admission, curriculum, tuition or credential requirements.
Harvard College: concentrations, not a fixed Indian-style major list
Harvard College calls its majors “concentrations.” The Registrar lists 50 undergraduate fields of study, and the College describes a catalogue of more than 3,700 courses. Students normally explore during first year and declare a concentration in the first semester of sophomore year. Fields span arts and humanities, engineering, history, languages and literature, life sciences, mathematics and computation, physical sciences, and social sciences. Examples include Computer Science, Economics, Government, History and Literature, Applied Mathematics, Engineering Sciences, Environmental Science and Public Policy, Molecular and Cellular Biology, and Music. The complete current requirements live in the Fields of Concentration handbook, not a third-party major list.
A concentration is not the only academic choice. Harvard College also offers optional secondary fields, joint concentrations and double concentrations. A secondary field is usually four to six courses, appears on the transcript and does not replace the main concentration. A joint concentration combines two fields into an integrated plan and ordinarily requires a thesis relevant to both. A double concentration involves separate requirements for two areas, with a limited number of credits that may count toward both. Not every field participates in a joint concentration, and the handbook governs eligibility and exact course requirements. Students may also propose a special concentration when they need an approved course of study that does not fit an existing field.
The College’s liberal arts and sciences model lets students take courses outside the eventual concentration before committing to a field. Gateway courses can help a student test subject fit before choosing a path. That flexibility does not mean every course is open at every time: prerequisites, enrollment limits, placement exams, course schedules and concentration rules matter. Use the current course catalogue and department requirements to map an actual semester rather than assuming a course title guarantees enrollment.
Graduate and professional study is school-specific
Harvard’s academic schools include the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Harvard Business School, Graduate School of Design, Graduate School of Education, Harvard Law School, Harvard Medical School, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard Divinity School, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and the John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, alongside Harvard College and other university units. Degree types include research doctorates, academic master’s programmes, MBAs and other professional degrees. The list is not a common menu where every subject is offered at every level.
For example, engineering programmes may sit within SEAS at the undergraduate and graduate levels, while a professional master’s degree in design or public policy is governed by a different school. Harvard College awards the undergraduate AB or SB; a school’s professional degree is not an interchangeable extension of that undergraduate qualification. If you want a research PhD, examine the department’s faculty, research groups, advising and funding. If you want a professional programme, verify its accreditation, clinical or practice components, work experience requirements and jurisdictional licensing consequences separately.
The university’s school directory is the best starting point for identifying the degree-granting school. Each programme’s official site should then answer: what credential is awarded, how long the normal course of study is, which campus or teaching locations apply, whether the programme is full-time or part-time, which courses are required, and what prerequisites or experiential learning it includes. Do not assume a similarly named programme at Harvard College and a graduate school represents the same degree.
How to compare a programme before applying
Start with the official programme page, then open the relevant academic catalogue or handbook. Match the credential and department to your prior education. For an undergraduate concentration, review its introductory or gateway courses, required courses, tutorial or laboratory structure, thesis rules and any joint or double options. For a graduate programme, distinguish required core courses from electives and research milestones. A curriculum may change by cohort; the handbook for your entering year is the controlling reference when available.
Check whether international applicants need prior coursework in mathematics, lab sciences, languages, statistics, writing or a professional field. Harvard College admissions requirements do not impose one universal course list across concentrations. Graduate schools set more specific prerequisites. Course availability can also be limited by enrollment or placement; the Registrar’s schedule and department advising are more reliable than an old student discussion post.
Harvard’s public listings show both Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science routes in College fields. These names do not map one-to-one to Indian B.A., B.Sc. or B.Tech curricula. In particular, a Harvard College concentration in engineering is not the same credential as an Indian Bachelor of Technology. If you need Indian equivalence for employment, professional registration or further study, ask the receiving institution or competent Indian authority to assess the exact degree and transcript. Do not infer equivalence from a subject name.
Plan a real course path
For Harvard College, shortlist two or three concentrations based on the actual curriculum, not just the title. Compare their introductory courses and requirements in the 2026–27 Fields of Concentration handbook, then check the live course catalogue for current offerings and prerequisites. Incoming students can explore fields with advisers before declaring. For graduate study, begin with one target school and degree, identify its curriculum and applicant profile, and confirm whether your academic background meets the programme’s own requirements. This keeps the search grounded in the degree you will actually earn rather than treating Harvard University as one undifferentiated course list.