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• PhD Program in History of Art and Architecture and Middle Eastern Studies

The joint program in History of Art and Architecture and Middle Eastern Studies is designed for students interested in enriching their program of study for the PhD in History of Art and Architecture with firsthand knowledge about the Middle East based on literacy in its artistic traditions. As a student in an interdisciplinary program you are a full member of the Department of the History of Art and Architecture cohort, but also have an intellectual home at CMES and access to CMES faculty, facilities, and resources.

Students in the joint PhD Program in History of Art and Architecture and Middle Eastern Studies fulfill all the  requirements for the PhD in History of Art and Architecture  in addition to the language and area studies requirements established by the Committee on Middle Eastern Studies.

Language Requirements

Each student must demonstrate a reading knowledge of English and a European language (French, German, Russian, or Italian). Students must also demonstrate a thorough knowledge of a Middle Eastern language. The expectation is that the student learns the languages necessary to teach and work in his or her chosen field, chosen in consultation with their advisor. Language requirements are fulfilled by a departmental examination that must be passed by the end of the fourth term.

Program of Study in History of Art and Architecture and MES

In the first two years, students must take a minimum of sixteen half-courses. Required courses in the first year include "HAA 310—Methods and Theory of Art History,” and one seminar in another period of art history. In the second year, students must take “HAA 300—Reading and Research,” and one seminar in another aspect of Middle Eastern Studies.

Students must take one course in at least three fields of art/architectural history other than their own, one of which must be in Western art. Non-field-specific courses may be taken in place of one of the three field requirements. In non-field-specific courses, a topic should be studied which promotes extra diversification methodologically and geographically.

A list of current Middle East–related courses is available on this site at the beginning of each semester; the History of Art and Architecture Department courses are available at my.harvard.edu .

General Examinations and Qualifying Paper

Students take a general examination of four parts: two in Near Eastern art (either different periods or different techniques, the scope being determined by the student’s committee), one in another period of the history of art and in Near Eastern studies, and a language examination in Arabic, Persian, Ottoman Turkish, or an ancient Near Eastern language consisting of a translation (with dictionary) of one or two passages from a list of sources provided at least a year before the examination, and of a commentary. Detailed information about departmental examinations can be found on the Department of the History of Art and Architecture's website.

Students propose and write a Qualifying Paper in the spring term of their second year. Specific details and deadlines for this requirement are listed on the Department of the History of Art and Architecture’s website.

Dissertation

In the third year doctoral students identify a three-member dissertation committee and topic. The final prospectus should be approved within three months of the general examinations in order for progress toward the degree to be considered satisfactory. Students ordinarily devote three years to research for and writing of the dissertation, and complete it prior to seeking full-time employment. The dissertation will be judged according to the highest standards of scholarship, and should be an original contribution to knowledge and understanding of art. More details on the requirements for the dissertation are available on the Department of the History of Art and Architecture’s website.

Timeline for Student Progress and Degree Completion

• Coursework: One to three years.
• Examinations: General exams must be passed by the end of the third year of study, or sixth term in residence.
• Dissertation Prospectus: Must be approved no later than three months after passing the general examinations.
• Dissertation Defense and Approval: The candidate’s dissertation committee decides when the dissertation is ready for defense. The doctorate is awarded when the candidate passes a defense of the dissertation.
• Graduation: The program is ideally completed in six years.

For more details on these guidelines, see the Middle Eastern Studies section of the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (Harvard Griffin GSAS) Policies site and the Department of the History of Art and Architecture’s information for prospective PhD students . Admissions information can be found in the Applying to CMES section of this site and on the Harvard Griffin GSAS website .

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Ph.d. in history of art and architecture and middle eastern studies.

The joint program in History of Art and Architecture and Middle Eastern Studies is designed for students interested in enriching their program of study for the Ph.D. in History of Art and Architecture with firsthand knowledge about the Middle East based on literacy in its languages and an understanding of its political and economic realities, its culture and traditions.

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Harvard Griffin GSAS strives to provide students with timely, accurate, and clear information. If you need help understanding a specific policy, please contact the office that administers that policy.

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Questions about these requirements? See the contact info at the bottom of the page. 

The First Two Years

• A total of sixteen four-credit courses are required for academic residence.
• One four-credit course (two semesters) must be History of Art and Architecture 310.
• At least nine four-credit courses must be chosen from the offerings of the Department of History of Art and Architecture.
• Students must take one course in at least three fields of art/architectural history other than their own. For students in Western art, one of those courses must be in Asian, African, Native American, or Islamic art. For students in Asian, African, or Islamic art, one of the required courses must be in Western art. Non field-specific courses may be taken in place of one of the three field requirements. In non field-specific courses, a topic should be studied which promotes extra diversification methodologically and geographically.
• Students may wish to develop a minor field in which a cluster of three courses must be taken. In that case, the regular field distribution requirement is waived, but one course outside the double fields is required to ensure breadth. A non-Western course must be taken if a Western field is both the primary and minor field and a Western course must be taken if a non-Western field is both the primary and minor field. As above, in non field-specific courses, a topic should be studied which promotes extra diversification methodologically and geographically.
• If a course falls between two fields, it is important to specify the field, and to clarify the arrangement with the director of graduate studies (DGS) during the term the course is taken.
• Field distribution and 200-level course requirements may be fulfilled by the same course, but may not be counted twice towards the sixteen.
• Five four-credit courses, in addition to HAA310, must be intended primarily for graduates at the 200-level or the equivalent (e.g. 100 level seminars); partial credit may be given for graduate-level courses from other institutions, in which the student participated while enrolled in HAA.
• HAA does not give credit for courses taken elsewhere, before coming to Harvard. Only in exceptional cases can the department depart from the rule. This requires: first, the consent of the intended dissertation supervisor; second, the approval of the DGS to submit the request to the Faculty; third, the approval of the Faculty.
• Two four-credit courses may be in any language(s) appropriate for the student’s field of research.
• Graduates enrolled in undergraduate lecture courses will not be required to fulfill additional requirements.
• The examination of graduates enrolled in undergraduate lecture courses will be of the same format as those for the undergraduates, but it may be tailored to graduate level, as long as this does not lead to a quantitative increase. For example: when the examination consists of a written exam, a separate set of questions might be designed for the graduate students; or the questions might be the same, but the results judged by higher standards.
• Graduate students can request a course upgrade. For this, they will need the consent of the teaching faculty member and the approval of the DGS.

Incomplete Grades (Applicable to G2+ Only)

Incomplete courses will not be accepted by the department for degree credit. A student must complete requirements for an incomplete course by the first day of the second consecutive term following that course, or file for an extension (form available in the department office). The extension for an Incomplete must be discussed with the head of the course. The practicalities involved in submitting a paper after the deadline and reasonable expectation of it being read should also be agreed upon well in advance of submitting the remainder of work. Students with Incomplete grades may not normally be employed as a teaching fellow in the department. G1 students are not allowed to receive or hold Incomplete grades.

Academic Standing and Satisfactory Progress

The necessary (but not necessarily sufficient) condition for students to remain in good standing in the Department of History of Art and Architecture is that they receive a minimum GPA of 3.5 (B+) in all departmental courses. At the end of the fall term each student’s progress is discussed by the faculty; if there are problems, a letter is sent at that time. At the end of the spring term, the faculty reviews the work of each graduate student, and students still taking coursework will receive a written evaluation of their progress from the director of graduate studies.

On the basis of grades and written evaluations (i.e., grades are not the only criteria), the department may vote that a student’s degree candidacy be terminated or that a warning letter be sent that will specify the department’s expectations for the following term or year. Suitability to the program is a major factor and may be grounds for terminating candidacy. If the student fails to meet these expectations, the department will ask Harvard Griffin GSAS to terminate the student’s degree candidacy.

Requirements for Satisfactory Progress

• First-year students may not receive any grades of Incomplete.
• No G2 and above students shall be permitted more than one grade of Incomplete per term. If not completed within the following term, the grade becomes Incomplete on the permanent record. No more than two permanent Incompletes will be permitted. A student who accumulates more than two will be required to withdraw, unless the faculty determines by a two-thirds’ majority vote that extraordinary circumstances warrant an extension, which shall in no case exceed one term.
• For students to remain in good standing, the Department of History of Art and Architecture requires that they must receive a GPA of 3.5 in all departmental courses.
• The requirements for languages should be met by the end of the fourth term.
• The completed and approved qualifying paper (QP), with signed QP cover form, should be filed in the department office not later than June 1 of the 4th term in residence.
• Students are expected to give an oral presentation in the fall of the G3 year on the research project that they hope will form the basis of their dissertation.
• A final and approved dissertation proposal is required in the 5th term of residence (first semester of the G3 year).
• Students are expected to take the general examination in the third year of residence and a final and approved dissertation proposal is required in the 5th term of residence (first semester of the G3 year) before submitting the petition to take the general examination. A final and approved dissertation proposal is required within three months of passing the general examination.
• G4+ students are required to submit a progress report to the department of dissertation research and writing by December 15 of each year.
• A minimum of one month prior to scheduling the defense, a final draft of the dissertation should be submitted to two readers (normally the primary and secondary advisors). Once the two readers have informed the director of graduate studies that the dissertation is “approved for defense,” the candidate may schedule the date, room, and time for the defense in consultation with the department and the appointed committee. This date should be no less than six weeks after the time the director of graduate studies has been informed that the dissertation was approved for defense. 

Letter Grade Conversion to GPA

A=4.00, A-=3.67, B+=3.33, B=3.00, B-=2.67, C+=2.33, C=2.00, C-=1.67, D+=1.33, D=1.00, D-=0.67.

Language Requirements

• For all fields, the department’s minimum language requirement is a reading knowledge of two languages that are relevant to the student’s field of study and research interest (excluding the student's native language). The languages will have to be deemed necessary, and approved of, by a faculty member in the field and the DGS.

Qualifying Paper (QP)

• The QP will be written in the fourth term of residence. Students entering the program in the fall will write their QP in the spring term of the G2 year; those entering in spring term in the fall of the G3 year.
• The QP will be a revised and in-depth version of a paper written for an HAA graduate seminar or any other course at Harvard in one of the preceding three terms. Papers written for courses at other institutions, before or during enrollment in the HAA program, are not admissible.
• The QP will be no longer than about 10,000 words, double spaced, with a separate bibliography, standardized references and citations, and illustrations with captions.
• The QP will be credited as a course on 300 level, fail or pass. Typically, a student will take three regular courses while working on the QP, making a total of four courses. The QP proposal form should be submitted at the beginning of the term for approval by the DGS.
• The QP will be supervised by a first and a second reader. Although the first reader will be the primary responsible faculty member, the second reader will be involved at an early stage.
• A third reader will be consulted when the first two readers cannot agree upon the evaluation of the QP.
• All three readers will be informed about, and agree to, their roles in the first week of the term. Students have a responsibility to communicate with each faculty member on their QP committee and ensure a smooth process.
• The QP supervisors (readers 1 and 2) meet regularly with the student, read drafts in a timely manner, and make comments and suggestions. Expectations for the involvement of QP supervisors who are on sabbatical should be made clear before the term.
• The first meeting should be scheduled in week 1 or 2 of the term. Meetings should take place at least once every four weeks.
• The final version of the QP will be submitted to the QP supervisor on the first day of the first week of the exam period. After the paper is vetted by the QP supervisor, it will be passed on to the second reader in the second week of the exam period. The QP cover form is submitted with the final version to the readers.
• A copy of the QP with the signed cover form should be submitted to the department by June 1.
• The final decision of the readers will be made before the end of term. The student will receive either a pass or a fail from the readers.
• In case of a fail, the student must re-enter the whole procedure, with a different topic, at the beginning of the next term. This option is only granted in exceptional cases, however, and after consultation with the advisors and the entire faculty. If this permission is not granted, the student will be withdrawn from the program. If it is granted, the first fail will put the student into unsatisfactory progress status. In unsatisfactory status, the student is not eligible for financial aid or teaching. Two fails will mean that the student has not fulfilled the departmental requirements and will be withdrawn from the program.

Ordinarily, the director of graduate studies is a student’s primary advisor for the first two years of graduate study. Should additional advising be desired, it should be sought in consultation and agreement with the director of graduate studies.

Information on advising at other stages may be found in the sections on the qualifying paper, general examination, prospectus, and dissertation.

Master of Arts (AM)

The department does not admit candidates for a terminal AM degree. PhD candidates may apply for a master’s degree after satisfactorily completing eight four-credit courses. The degree may also be offered to students unable to complete the PhD.

General Examinations

The general exam (GE) will be taken no later than the sixth term in residence, typically spring term G3. The exams should take place during reading period of the spring term. Exceptions can only be proposed by the DGS, in close consultation with the dissertation supervisor, and must be approved by the faculty during a departmental meeting.

The petition to take general exams must be filed in the department by November 25 of the 5th semester of residence.

One term of intensive study should suffice to prepare for the GE.

The proposed dissertation supervisor, in consultation with the committee, will make sure that the bibliography is appropriate, but not over-burdened.

The final bibliography will be submitted to the DGS.

The general examination is given only during the academic year and not during holidays or summer.

The examination is designed to test the students’ mastery of their scholarly fields and their ability to proceed to writing a dissertation. Students are allowed access to the library and to other resources while answering Parts 1 and 2.

The examination consists of three parts:

• Written essay(s), Interpretation- General Field: Students often have a choice of one of three questions designed to test the student's grasp of broad art-historical issues (eight hours total).
• Written essay(s), Methods and Historiography- Specific Field: Students often have a choice of one of three questions designed to bring out the student's knowledge of sources, both primary and secondary, and of methodological issues (eight hours total).
• Oral examination, Analysis of Visual Material- General Field: The student will have one to two hours prior to the convening of the full committee to examine eight to twelve works of art, slides, or photographs in preparation for an oral discussion of all but one of them with the examination committee. The discussions may involve such issues as connoisseurship, contexts, iconography, formal analysis, patronage, technique, and condition. This is followed by an evaluation and review (two to three hours total).

In Parts 1 and 2, students will be given a choice of questions, normally one or two of several questions to be determined in consultation with committee members.

Students whose performance on the examination is not satisfactory will be given one opportunity to repeat all or a portion. Students may determine which of the first two sections of the examination they wish to take first, but whatever order is decided upon, Parts 1–3 must be taken within a period of five days.

Dissertation

The dissertation prospectus.

After the completion of the G3 oral presentation, a topic and advisor for the dissertation should be chosen. Discussing potential topics with several faculty members is advisable before the student begins. Students will be expected to have a prospectus approved no later than the end of the fifth term of residence in order to be considered to be making satisfactory progress toward the degree.

Once a student has a topic and an advisor to guide their dissertation, a formal written dissertation proposal is the next step. Not including the bibliography, the prospectus should be five to ten pages in length, but not more. The prospectus should be submitted to the department.

Dissertation Defense

The Department of History of Art and Architecture requires that all PhD dissertations be defended. At the defense, the student has the opportunity to present and formally discuss the dissertation with respect to its sources, findings, interpretations, and conclusions, before a defense committee knowledgeable in the student’s field of research. The director of the dissertation is a member of the defense committee. A committee is permitted to convene in the absence of the dissertation director only in cases of emergency or other extreme circumstances.

The defense committee may consist of up to five members, but no fewer than three. The suggested makeup of the other members of the committee should be brought to the director of graduate studies for approval. Two members of this committee should be from the Department of History of Art and Architecture and one of these should be a tenured faculty member. One member should be outside the department (either from another Harvard department or outside the University).

A minimum of one month prior to scheduling the defense, a final draft of the dissertation should be submitted to two readers (normally the primary and secondary advisors). Once the two readers have informed the director of graduate studies that the dissertation is “approved for defense,” the candidate may schedule the date, room, and time for the defense in consultation with the department and the appointed committee. This date should be no less than six weeks after the time the director of graduate studies has been informed that the dissertation was approved for defense. It should be noted that preliminary approval of the dissertation for defense by the primary advisor and another reader does not guarantee that the dissertation will be passed.

The defense normally lasts two hours. The candidate is asked to begin by summarizing the pertinent background and findings. The summary should be kept within twenty minutes. The chair of the committee is responsible for allotting time, normally allowing each member of the committee twenty to thirty minutes in which to make remarks on the dissertation and elicit responses from the candidate.

When each committee member has finished the questioning, the committee will convene privately for the decision. The possible decisions are approved, approved with minor changes, approved subject to major revision within six months, or rejected. The majority vote determines the outcome.

• Approved with minor changes: The dissertation is deemed acceptable subject to minor revisions. The dissertation is corrected by the candidate, taking into account the comments made by the committee. The revisions will be supervised by the primary advisor. Upon completion of the required revision, the candidate is recommended for the degree.
• Approved subject to major revision within six months: The dissertation is deemed acceptable subject to major revisions. All revisions must be completed within six months from the date of the dissertation defense. Upon completion of the required revisions, the defense is considered to be successful. The revisions will be supervised by the primary advisor.
• Rejected: The dissertation is deemed unacceptable and the candidate is not recommended for the degree. A candidate may be re-examined only once upon recommendation of two readers. Rejection is expected to be very exceptional.

The defense may be open to department members (faculty and graduate students) and/or others at the discretion of the candidate. If applicable, travel arrangements for an outside committee member should be made as far in advance as possible. The department will facilitate video conference sessions for outside committee members. A modest honorarium will be given for the reading of the dissertation for one member of the committee outside the University.

Candidates should keep in mind the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences  deadlines for submission  of the dissertation and degree application when scheduling the defense.

Contact Info 

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East Asian Art Program Harvard University

East Asian Art Program

Learn more about the East Asian Art Program at Harvard University

The Ph.D. program in East Asian Art at Harvard consists of training in Chinese and Japanese art history with the three faculty who oversee the program – Yukio Lippit, Melissa McCormick, and Eugene Wang – as well as complementary coursework in Western art history, and the languages, history, literature, and religions of East Asia.

Offerings include introductory lectures, theme-based courses, and advanced seminars on painting, sculpture, architecture, prints, Buddhist art, modern art, museum research, and pedagogical training. The examination of objects in the Harvard University Art Museums and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, regular study trips to East Asian, European, and American collections, and instruction with a steady stream of visiting professors and scholars in residence are integral aspects of the program.

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History Master’s Degree Program

Examine the past through a variety of critical approaches.

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Program Overview

Through the History Master’s Degree Program, you’ll gain a perspective of the world today through evidence from the past. You’ll develop an understanding of why and how historical events unfolded through argument and interpretation. And you’ll build advanced critical thinking skills and historical insights using evidential, conceptual, and comparative frameworks.

Program Benefits

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Customizable Course Curriculum

Our curriculum is flexible in pace and customizable by design. You can study part time, choosing courses that fit your schedule and align with your career goals. With a wide array of courses to choose from, you can tailor your experience to meet your unique learning goals.

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You’ll complete 1 on-campus course, Engaging in Scholarly Conversation, at an accelerated or standard pace:

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• Thesis: features a 9-month independent research project with a faculty advisor
• Capstone: includes exploring a topic and completing a project in a classroom community

The path to your degree begins before you apply to the program.

First, you’ll register for and complete 3 required courses, earning at least a B in each. These foundational courses are investments in your studies and count toward your degree, helping ensure success in the program.

Getting Started

We invite you to explore degree requirements, confirm your initial eligibility, and learn more about our unique “earn your way in” admissions process.

Our Community at a Glance

With their historical and cross-culture knowledge of people, places, and political/social movements, our history students have gone on to top PhD programs.

Upon successful completion of the required curriculum, you will earn the Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) in Extension Studies, Field: History.

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Affordability is core to our mission. When compared to our continuing education peers, it’s a fraction of the cost.

After admission, you may qualify for financial aid . Typically, eligible students receive grant funds to cover a portion of tuition costs each term, in addition to federal financial aid options.

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Are you interested in learning more about liberal arts graduate degree programs at Harvard Extension School? Attendees joined us for an informational webinar where they had the opportunity to connect with program directors, academic advisors, and alumni.

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Undergraduate program.

Undergraduate Program Handbook

The History of Art and Architecture concentration offers training in the historical interpretation and critical analysis of the visual arts and architecture.   

The concentration is an effective core to a liberal arts education, and not merely pre-professional training for future art historians working in the academy or in the museum. The history of art and architecture is virtually unique among academic disciplines in studying the products of societies in every part of the world over the entire span of human history, from Paleolithic cave paintings to the works of our closest contemporaries. And the concentration develops skills of visual discrimination and verbal expression fundamental to many fields of inquiry and action.

Art history is itself a multifaceted discipline embracing many different methods, perspectives, and interests. Sometimes it deduces from works of art the time and place of their making, or the identity of their makers. Sometimes it examines how concepts, ideals, and sensibilities of people of the past are expressed in—and shaped by—their art. Sometimes it explores within large-scale fabrications (buildings, towns, cities) the dynamic between human and natural or technological worlds. These and other approaches are reflected in the teaching and scholarship of the History of Art and Architecture faculty.  

Photography by Anton Grassl    

Training in the critical analysis of art seeks to clarify the perception—and understanding—of how artworks relate to the techniques and materials used in their making, and to the environment in which they are seen. It also fosters visual literacy and the ability to make and explain judgments of cultural resonance, social impact, and formal coherence. Instruction in critical analysis is aided by the department’s partnership with the Harvard Art Museums, one of the world’s greatest teaching museums, comprising the Fogg, Busch-Reisinger, and Sackler museums. This offers students a unique opportunity of first-hand study of original works of art in many media. Other collections on campus commonly used in teaching include those of the Peabody and Semitic museums and the Houghton Library. The Fine Arts Library also boasts an expansive special collections that comprises unique books, facsimiles, albums, prints, and photographs. 

Concentration requirements ensure that students are well versed in both the historical and critical facets of the field. Generally, course work offers coverage of the history of art and architecture, while a sequence of small-group tutorials develops critical skills. For students with a special interest in architecture, the concentration offers courses on architectural history and urban planning, while also helping to advise in, and coordinate, relevant coursework undertaken beyond the department. (Architecture Studies is a track within the concentration, jointly administered by the History of Art and Architecture and the Graduate School of Design. The track has its own requirements, which are detailed below.) Students wishing to pursue other specific interests may receive advising from appropriate faculty as arranged by the director of undergraduate studies.  

Courses in the History of Art and Architecture undergraduate curriculum are structured as a three-tier system, consisting of a sequence of entry-level and field-specific introductory courses, upper-level courses, and tutorials.  

HUMAN 20, “A Colloquium in the Visual Arts,” and HAA 11, “Landmarks of World Architecture,” are general, conceptual introductions (to world art from pre-history to the present, and the history of world architecture, respectively) each of which could serve as a point of entry into the courses and concentration of History of Art and Architecture. Other double-digit lecture courses in HAA, or offered by HAA faculty through the program in General Education, are also suitable points of entry into the concentration.  

Tutorials are small-group seminars which discuss the methodology of the discipline or examine a specific research topic in the discipline. These are intended to provide increasing expertise in critical and analytical thinking and serve as a basis for independent senior research projects. The senior thesis offers a student the opportunity to apply in greater depth one or more of the methods and aims developed in courses and tutorials, although, of course, theses often deal with subjects not included in class work.  

The concentration in History of Art and Architecture can be pursued in conjunction with several other concentrations, most commonly Art, Film, and Visual Studies, English, Anthropology, a number of area studies, or Romance Languages. Together with the Departments of the Classics, Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, and Anthropology, the Department of History of Art and Architecture initiates students in the study of archaeology.

Requirements for all concentrators, joint and full, provide exposure to a variety of areas within the history of art and architecture, as well as allow for the selection of a major field focus from among the following: African, African-American, American, Ancient (Egypt, Ancient Near East, Greece, Rome), Architecture, Baroque and Rococo, Byzantine, Chinese, European 18 th  and 19 th  centuries, Japanese, South Asian, Islamic, Latin American/Pre-Columbian, Medieval, Modern and Contemporary, Photography, and Renaissance (Northern and Southern).

Students concerned with joint concentration, credit for work done elsewhere, and late transfer into History of Art and Architecture should consult with the Director of Undergraduate Studies, Professor Jennifer L. Roberts ( email | office hours ). All concentrators should arrange advising appointments with the Director of Undergraduate Studies at the start of each term. General advising about course offerings and concentration requirements is provided by the Undergraduate Coordinator, Marcus Mayo ( email ).  

For more information, please visit the HAA Undergraduate Program Handbook

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Financial Aid & Fellowships

The Graduate School of Arts & Sciences provides a five-year funding package for incoming doctoral students. The package consists of a combination of financial aid and fellowships.

A tuition grant covers the cost of tuition for five years , and depending on where students are in their progress towards the degree, the tuition grant is supplemented with additional funding.

In the first two years , students receive a stipend while they are engaged in coursework. In years three and four , students usually receive teaching fellowships, which are equal to the stipend received in years one and two. In the last year of graduate work students receive a dissertation completion fellowship. In addition to this package, a summer stipend is provided for the first, second, third, and fourth summers that students are in residence.

All see:  Financing Graduate Study (pdf) | Conference Funding |  Department Fellowships & Grants |  External Grants & Fellowships

Harvard Griffin GSAS does not discriminate against applicants or students on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry or any other protected classification.

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Master in Public Administration

Prepare for greater responsibility across sectors with this flexible two-year program

Key Program Information

Program Length: Two years (varies for students pursuing concurrent degrees)

Degree Awarded: Master in Public Administration

Admission Application Deadline: December 2024

Financial Aid Application Deadline: January 2025

Contact the MPA Program

79 John F. Kennedy Street Littauer Building, Room 126 Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138

Elevate your impact as a public leader

The Master in Public Administration Program is for aspiring leaders with real-world experience and graduate-level coursework in economics, public policy, or management.

The Master in Public Administration (MPA) curriculum is flexible. You create a study plan that reflects your academic interests, focuses on your personal and professional aspirations, and integrates across disciplines.

You may also decide to pursue a concurrent degree in business, law, medicine, or other professional fields. You’ll earn two degrees in less time and acquire even more skills you can use to make a difference in the world.

“HKS provided opportunities for me to expand the narrative of what diversity looks like in foreign policy and foreign service.” —Korde Innis MPA 2023

About the MPA Program

The MPA curriculum is flexible. You’ll create your own 64-credit study plan that reflects your academic interests and professional aspirations.

As an MPA student, you’ll take eight credits in a Policy Area of Concentration as well as four credits in each of these key areas:

• Economics and Quantitative Analysis
• Management, Leadership, and Decision Sciences
• Public Ethics and Political Institutions

You’ll select your remaining credits to support your unique intellectual and professional objectives. You can take classes across academic disciplines at HKS and cross-register into courses at other Harvard graduate schools as well as at MIT Sloan School of Management and The Fletcher School at Tufts University. 

Sample Courses

• MLD-223: Negotiating Across Differences
• API-135: Economics of Climate Change and Environmental Policy
• DPI-640: Technology and the Public Interest: From Democracy to Technocracy and Back

Concurrent Degrees

You might consider  pursuing a second degree concurrently  if you’re interested in how the world’s public challenges can be addressed at the intersection of business, law, medicine, design, or other fields.

Pursuing a concurrent degree reduces coursework and residency requirements and makes it possible to earn two degrees in a shorter amount of time.

Concurrent degree students complete 48 credits at HKS, including four credits in each of the key areas:

Concurrent degree students are not required to fulfill the Policy Area of Concentration requirement.

Degree Requirements

The MPA Program consists of four semesters of full-time coursework in residence at HKS.

To graduate, you must:

• Earn at least 64 credits
• Finish with a GPA of B or better
• Earn a B- or higher in all courses counting towards the distribution requirements
• Matriculate as a full-time, in-residence student and take between 12-20 credits per semester
• Fulfill a Policy Area of Concentration requirement by taking eight credits in one of the policy areas at HKS
• Economics and Quantitative Analysis

HKS  faculty members  are among the most influential leaders and thinkers in their fields. They have contributed vital research and scholarship to their fields. Served in U.S. administrations. Founded learning labs to assist local communities. Led negotiations to reduce nuclear stockpiles. Reported on human rights abuses. Led efforts to address climate change. Advised governments and companies on gender equality.

They are doers as well as thinkers, shaping public policy and devising entrepreneurial approaches to public problems at the local, national, and international levels.  

MPA Faculty Chair

Kessely Hong

Mpa at a glance.

*Statistics are based on a five-year average.

Employment Snapshot:  MPA Class of 2023 Employment Sectors

* The number of private sector jobs secured by MPA graduates is, in large part, a reflection of the program’s many concurrent degree graduates.

Featured MPA stories

Elevating the stories of diverse, unsung women.

Jamie Mittleman MPA 2022 launched her COVID-adapted dream job: a platform for women Olympians and Paralympians.

A long military heritage shapes a desire for peace

Clark Yuan MPA 2022 wants unique perspectives to have a seat at the table when critical decisions are being made.

From Santiago to Cambridge to Paris

For Ingrid Olea MPA 2020, a journey that started with a career change has led to remarkable achievements in education policymaking.

Applying to the MPA Program

Prerequisites.

There are specific academic and professional prerequisites required to apply to the MPA Program. You must have:

• A bachelor’s degree with a strong academic record 
• Three years of professional work experience by September 1 of the year you would enroll in the program
• Master of Business Administration
• Master of International Business
• Master of International Development
• Master of International Economics
• Master of Science in Engineering

How to Apply

A complete application to the MPA Program includes the following: 

• Online application
• Three letters of recommendation
• GRE or GMAT required
• Non-native English speakers who did not earn an undergraduate degree conducted in English must submit results of the TOEFL, IELTS, or Cambridge English exam
• Academic transcripts
• $100 application fee or waiver

Read more about how to apply . 

The application for the 2025-2026 academic year will be available in September 2024. There is one admission application deadline and one start date for each degree program per year. You may apply to only one master's degree program per admissions cycle. 

Tuition & Fees

The cost of attendance for the 2024-2025 academic year is outlined in  Funding Your Master ’ s Education  to help you plan financially for our master’s degree programs. Living expense costs are based on residence in Cambridge. The 2025-2026 academic year rates will be published in March 2025. HKS tuition and fees are subject to change without notice. 

At HKS, we consider financing your education to be a partnership and are here to help guide you. We encourage you to explore all opportunities for funding .

Learn more about the HKS community

Student life, student stories, admissions & financial aid blog.

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Harvard awards 9,262 degrees.

Jon Chase/Harvard Staff Photographer

Totals reflect the 2023-24 academic year

Part of the commencement 2024 series.

A collection of stories covering Harvard University’s 373rd Commencement.

On Thursday the University will award a total of 9,262 degrees. A breakdown of degrees and programs is listed below.

Harvard College granted a total of 1,742 degrees. Degrees from the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences were awarded by Harvard College, the Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and the Graduate School of Design.

All Ph.D. degrees are conferred by the Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

All figures include degrees awarded in November 2023 and March and May 2024.

Harvard College 1,742 degrees

• 1,686 Bachelor of Arts
• 56 Bachelor of Science 

Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences 1,293 degrees

• 326 Master of Arts
• 279 Master of Science 
• 10 Master of Engineering 
• 678 Doctor of Philosophy

Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences 649 degrees

• 347 Bachelor of Arts (conferred by Harvard College)
• 50 Bachelor of Science (conferred by Harvard College)
• 10 Master of Engineering (conferred by GSAS)
• 137 Master of Science (conferred by GSAS)
• 25 Master in Design Engineering (conferred by GSD)
• 80 Doctor in Philosophy  (conferred by GSAS)

Harvard Business School 1,010 degrees

• 869 Master of Business Administration 
• 87 Master in Business Administration with Distinction
• 54 Master in Business Administration with High Distinction

Harvard Divinity School 131 degrees

• 55 Master of Divinity
• 62 Master of Theological Studies
• 11 Master of Religion and Public Life
• 1 Master of Theology
• 2 Doctor of Theology

Harvard Law School 804 degrees

• 171 Master of Laws
• 622 Doctor of Law
• 11 Doctor of Juridical Science 

Harvard Kennedy School 659 degrees

•  87 Master in Public Administration
• 226 Master in Public Administration (Mid-Career)
•  89 Master in Public Administration in International Development
• 232 Master in Public Policy
• 5 Ph.D. in Political Economy and Government (conferred by GSAS)
• 18 Ph.D. in Public Policy (conferred by GSAS)
• 2 Ph.D. in Social Policy (conferred by GSAS)

Harvard Graduate School of Design 318 degrees

• 84 Master in Architecture
• 28 Master of Architecture in Urban Design
• 59 Master in Design Studies
• 76 Master in Landscape Architecture
• 2 Master of Landscape Architecture in Urban Design
• 27 Master in Urban Planning
• 9 Doctor of Design 
• 33 Master in Design Engineering (conferred jointly with SEAS)

Harvard Graduate School of Education 747 degrees

• 717 Master of Education
• 1 Doctor of Education Leadership
• 29 Doctor of Education

Harvard Medical School 427 degrees

• 2 Master of Bioethics
• 1 Master of Healthcare Quality and Safety
• 2 Master in Clinical Service Operations
• 56 Master in Medical Science
• 182 Doctor of Medicine
• 184 Master of Science

Harvard School of Dental Medicine 56 degrees

• 17 Master of Medical Sciences 
• 6 Doctor of Medical Sciences 
• 33 Doctor of Dental Medicine 

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health 599 degrees

• 402 Master of Public Health                                                      
• 168 Master of Science         
• 24 Master in Health Care Management                          
• 5 Doctor of Public Health                                                              

Harvard Extension School 1,501 degrees

• 170 Bachelor of Liberal Arts in Extension Studies
• 1,331 Masters of Liberal Arts in Extension Studies  

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The Department of Art History

The Department of Art History offers B.A. and Ph.D. degrees in Art History and a wide range of courses in European, American, and Asian art history with additional strengths in architectural history and film and media studies.

Apr. 25, 2024

Hart phd candidates present at smu grad conference, “crosscurrents: visualizing the arts of the atlantic world”.

Art History graduate students Lauren Lovings-Gomez and James McCabe participated in the 2024 RASC/a graduate student conference, “Crosscurrents: Visualizing the Arts of the Atlantic World,” hosted by Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas last week.

Lauren presented her paper, “Josiah Wedgwood’s Abolitionist Brooch: “Am I not still confined?” while James presented “Passing Through Parisian Interiors: Encounters with Jeanne Duval, Laure, Berthe Morisot, and Julie Manet-Rouart in the Metropole,” which received second place for the Custard Institute Paper Prize for outstanding paper and conference presentation.

The theme of the graduate student conference aimed to “explore how people of vastly different geographic regions made physical contact and participated in shaping a global visual cultures" with a focus on Black and Indigenous transcultural intervention and resistance to European regimes of vision and representation.

Lauren  is a fourth-year PhD student with research interests in British, French, and American art during the long nineteenth-century with a focus on Pre-Raphaelitism, Aestheticism, the Arts & Crafts Movement, women artists, gender representation, and material culture.  James ' current research focuses on gender, colonialism, and nationalism in eighteenth- and nineteenth-