Harvard University offers one of the world’s most diverse and academically rigorous landscapes, with hundreds of subjects spanning humanities, sciences, and professional fields. This overview highlights how students navigate requirements, core options, and interdisciplinary pathways within the Ivy League curriculum.
The following snapshot captures key dimensions of Harvard subjects, including focus area, delivery format, typical workload, and prerequisite expectations for new college students.
| Subject Code | Title | Delivery Format | Typical Workload |
|---|---|---|---|
| AMST 10 | Arts of America | In-person lecture & discussion | 3 hours lecture + 2 hours section weekly |
| CS 50 | Introduction to Computer Science | Live online lectures + on-campus sections | 12–20 hours assignments per week |
| ES 16 | Earth and Planetary Sciences | Hybrid with lab component | 3 hours lecture + 4 hours lab weekly |
| STAT 110 | Probability | Large lecture with preceptorials | 8–12 hours problem sets per week |
Core Curriculum Requirements
Harvard’s General Education requirements shape how undergraduates engage with subjects outside their intended specialty. Students must fulfill distribution requirements in aesthetic and interpretive understanding, ethics and civics, empirical and mathematical reasoning, science and engineering, and foreign culture.
Writing and Reasoning
Expository writing is a gatekeeper subject, where students refine argumentation, structure, and source use through multiple drafts. Critical reasoning courses introduce logic, evidence evaluation, and structured debate in small seminar formats.
Departmental Pathways and Specializations
Beyond core obligations, learners choose concentrations that align with career goals and intellectual curiosity. Whether pursuing biomedical engineering, comparative literature, or government, students build coherent thematic clusters by selecting upper-level subjects and tutorials.
Interdisciplinary Options
Joint fields and cross-listed subjects allow flexible designs that bridge School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard College, and Kennedy School. Students often combine data science with public policy or biology with philosophy to tackle complex real-world questions.
Learning Formats and Resources
Instructional models vary from large lectures to intimate precepts, enabling different levels of interaction. Access to libraries, labs, and digital platforms ensures that theory translates into hands-on practice across all subjects.
Support Systems
Office hours, writing centers, and peer tutoring foster continuous improvement. Small group work in Barker Center and Science Center encourages collaborative problem solving and deeper engagement with course materials.
Strategic Planning and Academic Success
Students who map out their semester-by-semester subject choices, balance workload across disciplines, and use advising resources maximize both learning and well-being.
- Review distribution requirements during academic planning sessions.
- Sample subjects across multiple departments before finalizing a concentration.
- Schedule demanding lab or writing-intensive subjects alongside lighter seminars.
- Leverage preceptors and office hours to address gaps in understanding early.
- Coordinate research, internships, and project work with subject timelines.
FAQ
Reader questions
How do I choose subjects if I am undecided about my major?
Start with exploratory seminars and General Education clusters, then audit lectures in departments that align with your interests to narrow focus.
Can I take subjects outside my field without delaying graduation?
Yes, by planning distribution requirements early and using summer sessions or winter term, you can sample diverse subjects while staying on track.
What is the typical workload for lab-based subjects compared to discussion-based ones?
Lab subjects generally require 10–15 hours per week for experiments and reports, while discussion-heavy courses focus more on reading, writing, and seminar participation. Approval through the Office of International Programs and the relevant concentration ensures that external study abroad subjects satisfy Harvard elective or concentration requirements.