Harvard Summer School
Degree credit will be granted only for summer school courses offered by the Harvard Summer School, except that under special circumstances credit for course work done at other institutions may be awarded provided that advance approval has been obtained (see Procedures for Earning Degree Credit for Study Abroad). Students enrolled in the Undergraduate Teacher Education Program (UTEP) may receive credit for summer courses taken in the Graduate School of Education in order to satisfy UTEP program requirements. Harvard undergraduates may not earn credit for courses taken through the Division of Continuing Education's Extension School.
All numbered or lettered courses announced in the Harvard Summer School catalog count as work done in residence if taken prior to graduation under the “credit” category, unless stated otherwise in the Harvard Summer School catalog (see the section "Harvard College Student Guidelines" in that catalog). These courses and grades are always entered on the student’s College record and counted accordingly, provided one or more of the courses taken can fulfill degree requirements. Note the following exceptions:
- Courses taken before matriculation as a degree candidate in Harvard College will be added to the College record only by vote of the Administrative Board; such a vote is final and the Board will not subsequently approve a petition to remove such courses from a student’s College record. Students should ordinarily petition for such credit during their first year. Note: Petitions granted by the Administrative Board after the deadline for the student’s degree application will postpone the student’s degree until the next date on which degrees are voted by the Faculty.
- Courses taken after the last term in residence will not be added to the College record unless one or more are necessary to meet degree requirements.
- Students may not receive credit toward a degree for a Summer School course that is essentially the same course as one taken previously for credit, either in Summer School or during the academic year, whether or not the two course numbers or titles are identical.
- Note that Harvard College students may not count online Summer School courses toward their Harvard College degrees.
Students cannot be relieved from academic probation on the basis of Summer School work, but courses taken in Summer School are subject to academic review by the College.
The minimum Harvard Summer School program is 4 credits and the regular Harvard Summer School program is 8 credits. Only with the prior permission of the Resident Dean may any undergraduate enroll in 12 credits in Summer School. The Resident Dean who grants this permission submits the approval directly to the Summer School.
New first-year students, admitted for September, are strongly urged to consult with their Resident Dean about the content of their summer programs. New transfer students are likewise urged to consult with the Transfer Student Adviser.
The Summer School does not attempt to provide courses that Harvard College students might be required to take in order to meet degree requirements. For example, courses to meet particular concentration or General Education requirements may not be offered by the Summer School.
Students who plan to complete degree requirements (including “lost degree” candidates) in the Summer School are required to so notify the Registrar of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at graduation@fas.harvard.edu. These students are reminded to be certain that the courses in which they are enrolling do, in fact, complete their remaining degree requirements.
No student may enroll in Independent Study during the summer, but students may petition to enroll in Supervised Reading and Research courses or tutorial courses (90- and 900-level courses) in the Harvard Summer School. These courses require a special enrollment form, obtainable in the Summer School Office, which must be signed by the Head Tutor or Director of Undergraduate Studies (or equivalent officer) in the field, by the instructor who is to supervise the course, and by the Registrar of the Summer School. The usual Summer School course fee is charged for all courses taken in the summer, and the work in the course must be completed before the end of the Summer School Examination Period.
Non-Completion and equivalent grades received in Summer School courses will be converted to “No Credit” (NCR), a failing grade, unless an extension has been granted by the Administrative Board of the Harvard Summer School.
Students who register for Harvard Summer School who are on leave of absence or who have been required to withdraw from Harvard College for any reason must submit to the Summer School a Resident Dean Approval Form signed by their Resident Dean. No student who for disciplinary reasons has been required to withdraw for the second and final time, dismissed, or expelled from Harvard College may ordinarily enroll in the Harvard Summer School.
Any violation of Harvard Summer School academic and disciplinary policy is subject to review and disciplinary action by the Summer School Administrative Board and in addition may trigger action by the Harvard College Administrative Board or Harvard College Honor Council as appropriate.
