Harvard Extension School

[cookderosa]

I thought I would post an update since my private message box is getting 2 or 3 messages each week asking for information about my experience at Harvard. I'm happy to share, and happy to respond to PMs also. But, here is a general overview of the program and what I'm doing and how it's going. I'm taking a psychology course, and toying with the idea of a psychology or anthropology concentration.

My background- I'm a chef by trade and hadn't been to school for 18 years when I found IC. I completed my AA and BA at TESC through a combination of testing, online courses, and credit for courses taught (I teach culinary arts at a community college and you can earn credit for that through TESC). It took me 18 months from start to finish. I'm not especially bright, but I'm a motivated adult who was star-struck by the idea that I could attend Harvard at my age :eek: I'm 38. My highest CLEP score was a 69, but I averaged about 55-60 on my tests. I graduated high school with about a 3.0, I graduated culinary school with a 3.1, and graduated from TESC with a 3.87.

Harvard University (the real one) offers open enrollment courses to anyone through their Extension (community education) college. You don't even need a degree to register. You simply sign up and pay the fee. These courses can be taken for no-credit, undergrad bachelor level credit, or master's degree graduate level credit. In a nutshell (for the long version, go to Welcome to Harvard University) you must take 3 classes in the degree program you wish to complete with a B or better and then you can apply to the program to earn a master's degree. (so, the CLASSES are open enrollment- but you must apply for the DEGREE program after you prove yourself in the classes).

The master's program does not take transfer credit, but some of the courses are offered online. You need 10 in all, and 5 can be online. Of the remaining 5, one is your thesis requirement- which you don't really need to be on campus for, so realistically, you can complete 6/10 of your degree at a distance. The remaining 4 courses must be completed on campus, but can be completed through the Harvard Summer School. The summer sessions are 7 weeks long, and you would have to do 2 summer sessions to meet the requirement. They offer on campus housing for those sessions. You have 5 years from start to finish. My pace is 1 per semester, and I plan to complete 2 summer sessions (14 weeks in all) in Cambridge starting the 2010 summer.

It's not cheap. Each graduate level course is $1700, and some have a lot of books (my class has 3, but one I looked at required 14 books). You can't apply for financial aid unless your in the degree program- so the first three classes (minimum) are out of pocket no matter what. One you get in, you can use student loans like anyone else. In all, your looking at about $18,000 for a master's degree. I find the cost very reasonable, but not all will agree. To each his own, but I spent about double that for my culinary degree- and that was in 1988-1990.

What's the degree?
ALM
The Latin translation is Master of Liberal Arts
Your degree would be: Master of Liberal Arts in Extension Studies.
Your transcript would have your concentration. (there are many to choose from)
The FAQ suggests you can list it on your resume this way:
Harvard University, Master of Liberal Arts, concentration in X

Also, Harvard isn't really doing "distance" learning the way more experienced (or online) schools do it. It's really an after thought for them. Like "oh, you missed a lecture, well, we can put it online for you- and you can turn in your homework electronically...oh, since we are doing that anyway, let's call it online learning" but they really only have a few classes that are exclusively online (mine isn't one of them). My class offers what they call "distance option" which really just means you can turn things in electronically. You don't get any special privilege, in fact, the class is on Tuesday, but lecture isn't uploaded to the web until Thursday- so technically, I get 2 fewer days to do my weekly homework than the on campus students.

How hard is it? It isn't hard, but there is a lot of work and the semester is long (Sept 15 - Jan 20) this one lasting almost 20 weeks. They are closed for holiday break, so it's a 16 week semester.

a weekly reading assignment of about 100-150 pages.
a weekly response paper, 2 pages
a weekly forum requirement, 2 questions
a weekly video lecture (2 hours)
weekly lecture notes (slides) to be printed out for lecture
an optional weekly movie related to the subject

That's the basic work load. Everything above amounts to only 15% of my grade. The rest is on your exams and final paper.

You do have to participate in the psychology department study pool. You must complete 2 hours before the close of the term. This can be done online or in person.

Then for exams, you have a mid term and final which are to be proctored. Huge down side- they have to be taken on the same day/time as everyone else, they are very strict in that way. Proctor must fax them back in after your test.

Lastly, there is a final term paper. 10-15 pages, APA style, lots of references.

Now, this is just my class. I am taking PSY1240 Abnormal Psychology. If you sign up for a different class, your requirements will vary. Also, within one class, you may have people with different requirements. For example, if you take it for undergrad credit, you don't have to do the term paper. Grad students have their papers graded by the professor, undergrads by the teaching assistant.

If you are interested, go to the Harvard site, and enter the "continuing education" link. Search for a class, and many will allow you to view the syllabus or even preview a lecture and/or visit the class web site.

The format is open, so you get to choose the 10 classes you would like to fulfill your degree requirement- there isn't a "list" of classes for your major. Also, they add and remove classes like crazy- so if you see a class today, it might never run again. That said, there are likely to be dozens of new classes added each semester,so there are a lot of opportunities to get an exciting blend.

Well, that's all for now. I'm finished with my second week- so far so good. It's not intimidating at all. I'll post another update when I take my first exam.

I mainly wanted to say that even with a bachelor's degree from one of the big 3, or a less-than-perfect GPA, or even a lot of CLEP exams- this IS an option. Not only an option, but an Ivy League option.

[candothis]

You are a true inspiration to us all Jennifer. I wish you the best of luck and lots of success in your endevours. You make it sound so easy and doable.
Keep us posted and motivated..

D

[Old Rusty Pipe]

You inspire envy, and I do not covet much.

Congratulations and good luck. I may stear some people to this route as well.

[Lindagerr]

You are Mom, Student, Professor, and home schooler. When do you find time to sleep?

You are an inspiration to all that anything is possible if you want it and are willing to work for it.

[Sunshine]

You are Mom, Student, Professor, and home schooler. When do you find time to sleep?

I was thinking the same thing

Thanks for posting this! We are all rooting for you!

[cookderosa]

Ok, I appreciate the positive strokes, but that's not my intent! I just wanted everyone to see that you can do it too!!!!

P.S. I usually go to sleep at 11

[PeteDude]

Great post, Jennifer, thanks for the update!

About the degree citation. . .

The FAQ suggests you can list it on your resume this way:
Harvard University, Master of Liberal Arts, concentration in X

This also looks like a good way for a COSC student to list theirs, aka:
Charter Oak State College, Bachelor in Liberal Arts, concentration in X

After all, if Harvard students can do it, why can't COSC students?

[NJMedic]

A couple of additions since this thread will hopefully help students thinking about HES.

Over the summer housing is offered, but dorms at Harvard are not up to par with the reputation of the school, or even other College dorms. My room had extensive peeling of the paint, moldy showers, broken furniture etc. (Adams House).

The summer term is almost entirely populated by high school students present for the summer program (SSP). They will seperate college aged students into the houses, while the SSP are in the yard dorms. Also last summer they designated one house to be 24 years +. All meals are in the main freshman dining hall, which is beautiful, but one will feel incredibly old surrounded by 16 year olds.

Summer sessions for 09 will be 7 weeks. For 08 they were 8 weeks; Harvard is changing to a standard academic year so who knows about '10 and beyond.

Reading load is a bit rough over the summer, but doable with time left to be touristy.

Speaking of touristy - most of the college age and older students over the summer are international, which was a good thing in my opinion.

Many of the summer teachers are not in fact Harvard faculty, but rather visiting faculty (though for degree req. they will count a s Harvard faculty). As to be imagined some are better than others.

Overall its a bit pricey, but I greatly enjoyed the summer and would advise anyone interested to go for it.

[cookderosa]

A couple of additions since this thread will hopefully help students thinking about HES.

Over the summer housing is offered, but dorms at Harvard are not up to par with the reputation of the school, or even other College dorms. My room had extensive peeling of the paint, moldy showers, broken furniture etc. (Adams House).

The summer term is almost entirely populated by high school students present for the summer program (SSP). They will seperate college aged students into the houses, while the SSP are in the yard dorms. Also last summer they designated one house to be 24 years +. All meals are in the main freshman dining hall, which is beautiful, but one will feel incredibly old surrounded by 16 year olds.

Summer sessions for 09 will be 7 weeks. For 08 they were 8 weeks; Harvard is changing to a standard academic year so who knows about '10 and beyond.

Reading load is a bit rough over the summer, but doable with time left to be touristy.

Speaking of touristy - most of the college age and older students over the summer are international, which was a good thing in my opinion.

Many of the summer teachers are not in fact Harvard faculty, but rather visiting faculty (though for degree req. they will count a s Harvard faculty). As to be imagined some are better than others.

Overall its a bit pricey, but I greatly enjoyed the summer and would advise anyone interested to go for it.

>>

THANK YOU so much for posting that information!!!! I'm a little intimidated at the idea of summer session, it's good to "know" someone who's been there.
Would you be so kind as to share some of your classroom experiences too? I'd love to have a nice thread here for anyone considering the program.

[twosidneys]

I'm booked up until fall of 2010 but I would love to have a thread established. You can be a guide for those of us who come later.