REQUIREMENTS
The requirements for each graduate degree (master of science, master of engineering, doctor of philosophy) are summarized below.Our graduate programs are administered through Harvard's Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS). You will find information about admission, student life, and other graduate school matters by visiting the GSAS website.
S.M., M.E., and Ph.D
Students may work towards three graduate degrees---Master of Science (considered, in most cases, a terminal degree), Master of Engineering (a terminal degree), or Doctor of Philosophy---in one of four areas: applied mathematics, applied physics, computer science, and engineering sciences. The requirements for each degree are summarized below.
Master of Science (S.M.)
The S.M. degree is awarded for the successful completion of eight half-courses (one half-course runs one term) at Harvard. The S.M. degree is non-research based and is considered, in most cases, a terminal degree. Upon successful completion of the S.M. degree, any student planning to pursue the Ph.D. degree (see below), must formally apply to the Ph.D. program (see below). No preferential treatment is given to S.M. degree holders seeking admission to the Ph.D. program. As students admitted to the Ph.D. program can apply for and receive S.M. on completion of the requirements for the master's degree, we strongly encourage any student who is considering ultimately pursuing the Ph.D. at Harvard to apply directly to the Ph.D. program.Master of Engineering (M.E.)
Students who wish to pursue more advanced formal training without undertaking the research required for the Ph.D. degree may earn the ME degree by successfully completing one year of coursework beyond that required for the SM degree. The M.E. is a terminal degree. No dissertation, foreign language, or general examination is required.Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
The Ph.D. requires a minimum academic residency of two years beyond the bachelor's degree. Programs are individually tailored and approved by a committee on higher degrees. Normally, students spend one-and-one-half to two years on coursework — 12 half-courses, with at least six in a major field and four in adjacent areas. Wide latitude is allowed in the selection of adjacent areas in order to promote diversification of academic interest.Each student is assigned two advisors upon entering, a field advisor and an advisor from the Committee on Higher Degrees (who assists the student in creating a plan that meets both our requirements and the student's particular needs). A student then picks a thesis/research advisor — typically the same faculty member who serves as the field advisor. When that's not the case, the chosen research advisor typically takes over the role of the field advisor, assisting with programs of coursework, for example.
Depth and breadth of knowledge are important guiding principles in the Ph.D. program. The first year is ordinarily spent entirely on coursework, the second divided between coursework and research. After the second year, most students spend full time on research. Original research culminating in the dissertation is usually completed in the fourth or fifth year. No foreign language is required.
Oral Qualifying Examination
Preparation in the major field is evaluated in an oral examination by a qualifying committee. The examination has the dual purpose of verifying the adequacy of the student's preparation for undertaking research in a chosen field and of assessing the student's ability to synthesize knowledge already acquired.Dissertation
Upon successful completion of the qualifying examination, a committee chaired by the research supervisor is constituted to oversee the dissertation research. The dissertation must, in the judgment of the research committee, meet the standards of significant and original research.Final Oral Examination
This public examination devoted to the field of the dissertation is conducted by the student's research committee. It includes, but is not restricted to, a defense of the dissertation itself.Collaborative Programs
Ph.D. in Engineering and Physical Biology
Ph.D. in Information, Technology and Management (offered jointly with Harvard Business School)
Ph.D. in Medical Engineering and Medical Physics Program (MEMP), including a specialized tract in Bioinformatics and Integrative Genomics (BIG)