Please contact: Professor Tommie Shelby, Director of Undergraduate Studies, tshelby at fas; by appointment (617) 496-8546, Barker Center, 242, 12 Quincy Street.
Please stop by the department at any time to speak to the Undergraduate Coordinator (617) 384-7767.
There are no applicable AP scores or Placement tests in African and African American Studies.
The Anthropology Department at Harvard is composed of three distinct wings: Social Anthropology, Biological Anthropology, and Archaeology, each with its own faculty and concentration requirements. Interested first-year students are encouraged to take Anthropology 1010 (Introduction to Archaeology) and Anthropology 1600 (Introduction to Social Anthropology), Science B-29 (Evolution of Human Nature) or Science B-27 (Human Evolution), or other Core courses taught by Anthropology faculty (see Undergraduate Coordinator). All concentrators are required to take one semester of sophomore tutorial, Anthropology 97, offered in the spring term. Advanced Standing students may consider taking it in the spring of their first year.
Advanced Placement scores are not normally applicable to the Anthropology concentration.
See Ms. Elizabeth (Penny) Rew, Undergraduate Coordinator, for information on the concentration and referral to appropriate advisers in the three subfields; William James Hall 352, (617) 495-3814.
Students interested in graduating in three years or in entering the A.B./S.M. program in the fourth year should obtain the Applied Mathematics Concentration Guidelines from the Academic Office, Pierce Hall 110 or on the DEAS website. They are encouraged to meet with the Director of Undergraduate Studies between the Thanksgiving and Winter Recesses.
Total course requirements may be reduced from sixteen to no less than twelve half-courses by placement out of one or more of the following basic courses: Mathematics 1a, 1b; Applied Mathematics 21a, 21b or Mathematics 21a, 21b. Such placement is granted based on an appropriate Advanced Placement examination, the Harvard Mathematics Placement Test, or an equivalent college-level course taken elsewhere, provided this bypass is validated by successful completion of more advanced courses. Students seeking placement based on college-level work done elsewhere must petition the Director of Undergraduate Studies in writing, supplemented by suitable supporting materials. Further discussion of placement issues is contained in the Guidelines document.
Students who intend to concentrate in Astronomy and Astrophysics and who are considering Advanced Standing should contact the Astronomy Department Office as soon as possible and request a faculty adviser. Their adviser will assist them with an appropriate Plan of Study. Students should consider taking Astronomy 97hf, the Introductory Tutorial, in their first year. Also, keep in mind that, because the Astronomy and Astrophysics concentration is similar to the Physics concentration, many of the same guidelines will apply.
Advanced Standing students can complete a Masters degree in Astronomy and Astrophysics during their fourth year if they have completed all their undergraduate requirements by the end of their third year. They must apply (Fall of third year) to the GSAS for admission to the Astronomy graduate program and pass (grade B or higher) eight half courses for graduate credit. These should include the Astronomy graduate core courses, Astronomy 150, 192, 201 a & b, 202 a & b. Courses among those already counted for the A.B. degree must be replaced by other Astronomy or Physics courses at the 100 level and above. None of the eight courses required for the A.M. degree could have been counted for the A.B. degree. To meet this schedule of graduate courses, some 200-level courses should be taken during the third year. Therefore interested students should discuss their possible interest in this combined A.B./A.M. program with the Head Tutor by their second year.
Contact Professor George Rybicki, Director of Undergraduate Studies, Observatory Room P-238, 160 Concord Avenue; (617) 495 7452, grybicki at cfa.
Chemical and Physical Biology aims to provide the next generation of life scientists with the background needed to make new advances in the quantitative understanding of living systems. Chemical and Physical Biology provides a link between classical approaches to studying biology and the chemical tools and physical methods required to understand dynamic changes in complex biological systems. Students who are interested in this field of study will require considerable proficiency in mathematics and physics as well as a broad background in both chemistry and biology.
Given the integrated nature of the introductory science courses,ordinarily AP credit for biology, chemistry, and physics will not be given for Chemical and Physical Biology Concentrators. However, students with very strong science backgrounds should meet with the Head Tutor for advice on course placement.
More information about the Chemical and Physical Biology concentration can be found at www.lifescience.fas.harvard.edu/concentrations.
Students may begin the study of Chemistry at Harvard by way of two different routes depending upon their interests and backgrounds.
Any student with an interest in the life sciences should enroll in Life Sciences 1a in the fall. Life Sciences 1a is appropriate for all students regardless of background in Chemistry. Students taking Life Sciences 1a in the fall can enroll in either Physical Sciences 1 or Chemistry 20 in the spring. The spring course selection very much depends upon background . Those with an average background in Chemistry should enroll in Physical Sciences 1 and those with an outstanding background in Chemistry should enroll in Chemistry 20. Physical Science 1 and Chemistry 20 can be taken concurrently with Life Science 1b.
Students who have an interest in the physical sciences, and have an average or no background in Chemistry may start with Life Sciences 1a followed by Physical Sciences 1 in the spring. Those with an outstanding background in Chemistry can start directly into Organic Chemistry in the fall via Chemistry 17, or in the spring via Chemistry 20. Students are urged to consult the Head Tutors or Directors of Undergraduate Studies in the potential physical science concentration of interest (e.g., Engineering, Physics, etc.) when selecting their chemistry coursework.
Chemistry 17, Principles of Organic Chemistry, or Chemistry 20, Organic Chemistry, may be taken by students who receive a score of 5 on the Advanced Placement Examination in Chemistry, or by students who receive an appropriately high score on the Harvard Chemistry Placement Exam given during Freshman Orientation. First-year students who wish to enter Chemistry 17 or 20 should consult the Head Tutor before making a final decision. Either Chemistry 17 or 20 may be counted toward a degree, but not both.
Candidates for advanced placement in Chemistry are expected to have completed the rigorous preparation described in the College Board's Advanced Placement Program, and to have obtained a grade of 5 on the College Board Advanced Placement Examination in Chemistry.
N.B. Students considering a career in medicine should read the Medical School section of this guide.
Contact: Dr. Gregg Tucci, Science Center 114, (617) 496-4668, tucci at fas.
Contact Professor Howard Georgi, Head Tutor, Jefferson 456, (617) 496-3257, georgi at physics, or Dr. David Morin, Assistant Head Tutor, Lyman 233, (617) 495-3257, morin at physics.
See also the separate sections under "Chemistry" and under "Physics," since students concentrating in the field of Chemistry and Physics have to take the same basic introductory sequences of courses as those students choosing the separate fields of Chemistry or Physics.
The Department of the Classics at Harvard offers elementary, intermediate, and advanced courses in Greek and Latin. Students with previous instruction in Latin are placed into Latin courses on the basis of their scores on the College Board AP or the Harvard Placement Test. Students with previous instruction in Greek should take the Department's Placement Examination given during Freshman Orientation.
For purposes of Advanced Standing eligibility, students receiving a score of 5 on either of the College Board AP exams in Latin will receive one-half credit for each exam, and be placed into a 100-level course; Harvard Placement Test scores in Latin may not be used toward credit for Advanced Standing. For Greek, students receiving a score of 700 on the Harvard Placement Test will receive one full credit, and be placed into a 100-level course.
For advice on the appropriate courses, consult the Director of Undergraduate Studies during Freshman Orientation or the first week of classes: Professor Jenny Rau, Director of Undergraduate Studies, Department of the Classics, (617) 496 2318 or rau at fas.
It is recommended that students who have scored a 5 on the Computer Science AB exam should skip CS50. This does not reduce the total required number of courses for the Computer Science concentration. Students may place out of Math 1a and 1b due to previous experience. It is recommended that to make this decision, students follow the suggestion given by the math placement exam. Placing out of these courses will reduce the total number of required courses for the Computer Science concentration by two courses. Students with questions should contact Professor David Brooks, Maxwell Dworkin 141, dbrooks at eecs,or Professor Steven Gortler, sjg at seas, or see them during the Science Advising session during orientation week.
Although the Computer Science AB exam has no direct equivalent in the Harvard curriculum, students may use the Computer Science AB exam with a score of 5 as equivalent to a half credit for the purpose of Advanced Standing considerations. The Computer Science A exam earns no credit towards Advanced Standing at Harvard.
For students interested in a concentration in Earth and Planetary Sciences, one or more of the following three courses could be taken in the first year as they require no preparation beyond high school science and mathematics: EPS 5, EPS 7, EPS 8. These courses are prerequisites for several more advanced EPS courses. Students should also plan to take required courses in related fields early in the concentration.
Introductory courses in the atmosphere and oceans, EPS 131, EPS 132, and EPS 133, may be considered in the first year by students with more advanced preparation in mathematics, physics, and chemistry.
Students interested in concentrating in Earth and Planetary Sciences should note that the concentration requires certain related courses in mathematics, chemistry, and physics. Some of these courses may be bypassed by suitable Advanced Placement scores. Bypassing such courses provides flexibility in fulfilling related course requirements for concentration, but does not reduce the total number of related courses required.
Students granted course credit by the College toward the A.B. degree for work done prior to admission will receive concentration credit on the same basis as corresponding work done here.
Professor Steven Wofsy, Head Tutor, Geological Museum 453, 24 Oxford St., wofsy at fas. Chenoweth Moffatt, Undergraduate Coordinator, Hoffman Room 402, 20 Oxford St., (617) 384-9760, moffatt at eps.
Advanced Standing students who intend to concentrate in EAS are strongly advised to begin an East Asian language in the fall of their first year. Even students who place into an advanced level of the language, should commence their studies at that level immediately rather than deferring their language study. In addition, entering students are required to take one general survey course in East Asian Studies, either Historical Studies A 13 or A 14, on China or Japan, respectively, Foreign Cultures 80 on traditional or modern Korea, or History 1820 or 1821 on Vietnam. Any one of these will count as the required "area course" that must be taken prior to entering the sophomore and junior tutorials and will make the experience in those tutorials more meaningful. Please consult the EAS tutorial office at 9 Kirkland Place ((617) 495-8365) if you have any questions or concerns and would like to speak to an EAS advisor.
Chinese
Instruction in the Chinese language is offered by the Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations on both an intensive and non-intensive basis. The language taught is standard Mandarin speech. The first-year text is Elementary Modern Chinese. Chinese characters are introduced at an early stage, and by the end of the first year the student should be familiar with about 700 different characters, both in simplified and traditional forms.
Freshmen who have studied Chinese previously will be admitted to the appropriate Harvard course for which they are prepared. This qualification will be determined by a placement examination given during the Freshman Orientation. Ordinarily, at least two years of study in secondary school would be needed to qualify for admission to the second-year Harvard course. The usual second-year course is Chinese 101, but Chinese 106 (Introduction to Literary Chinese) also is available to those who have the equivalent of one year of college-level work in modern Chinese.
Advanced placement can be granted only to those freshmen who demonstrate that they are ready for a third year Chinese course. They will also be given one full course credit toward Advanced Standing. Note: Students who wish to take the Harvard Advanced Placement Examination in Chinese must sign up in advance at 2 Divinity Avenue. Check the Calendar of Opening Days for instructions
Japanese
Instruction in the Japanese language is offered by the Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations on a non-intensive basis. The principal textbook used in the first year (Japanese Ba/b) is Nakuma Parts I & II by Yukiko A. Hatasa, Kazumi Hatasa, and Seiichi Makino. During the course of the first year, the Japanese syllabary (hiragana and katakana) and approximately 200 Chinese characters are introduced.
The second-year course (Japanese 120ab) begins with an extensive review of basic grammatical structures introduced in the first year,following which the remaining lessons in Nakama (from Part II, Chapter 4 to the end) are covered during the course of the first semester. In the second semester, lessons are primarily structured around readings selected from various sources, including Hibbett and Itasaka, Modern Japanese: A Basic Reader. By the end of the second year students have been introduced to approximately 850 Chinese characters. In the third year and on, lessons are typically structured around written and audio-visual materials drawn from a wide variety of authentic sources including contemporary media in Japan.
Advanced Placement may be granted only to freshmen who demonstrate by examination that they are prepared to enter the third year level of study at Harvard. Such students will be given one full course credit toward Advanced Standing. Note: Students who wish to take the Harvard Japanese Language Placement Examination to demonstrate Advanced Placement standing must sign up in advance for the exam on the sheet provided in the entranceway of 2 Divinity Avenue during orientation week (please see the Calendar of Opening Days for details, including the date of the exam).
Korean
Instruction in the Korean language is offered by the Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations currently only on a non intensive basis. In the first year Korean course, basic grammar, the reading and writing of short texts, and conversational skills are taught with the introduction of 100-150 basic Chinese characters in the spring semester.
Advanced placement can be granted only to those freshmen who demonstrate that they are ready for a third year Korean course. They will also be given one full course credit toward Advanced Standing. Note: Students who wish to take the Harvard Advanced Placement Examination in Korean must sign up in advance at 2 Divinity Avenue. Check the Calendar of Opening Days for instructions.
For concentration information, contact Nicole Escolas, Undergraduate Coordinator, at (617) 495 8365. For information regarding the East Asian Language Program, contact C. Rose Cortese, Language Programs Coordinator, at (617) 495 2961.
Students who have earned a 5 on both sections of the Economics AP examination will receive one full credit towards Advanced Standing. A score of 5 on either one of the Economics (micro) or Economics (macro) sections will earn one-half credit toward eligibility.
Students must have scores of 5 on both the micro and macro parts of the exam in order to place out of Social Analysis 10. Students who apply these scores to activate Advanced Standing may not take Social Analysis 10 for credit. They will, however, be able to take any other course for which Social Analysis 10 is a prerequisite.
A student who has a score of 5 on one part of the Economics AP exam, but a 4 or lower on the other part, will be able to place out of one half of Social Analysis 10. He or she may take (and receive credit for) the other half of the course. If a student with one 5 on the Economics uses this score to activate Advanced Standing, he or she will not get credit for the half of Social Analysis 10 represented by that score.
Students who have earned a 7 on the Economics IB Higher Level exam and who choose this exam to confirm their Advanced Standing eligibility may not take Social Analysis 10 for credit. They will receive one full credit toward Advanced Standing. The Economics IB exam does not have separate micro and macro parts.
Students who place out of Social Analysis 10 may take the intermediate theory sequence (Economics 1010 or 1011) in either their freshman or sophomore year. In addition to the intermediate theory sequence, sophomore concentrators usually fulfill the department's statistics requirement, Statistics 100 or 104 or 110 in the fall and usually enroll in Economics 970, the Sophomore Tutorial in the spring. Students may enroll in statistics before completing Social Analysis 10 but they may NOT enroll in the Sophomore Tutorial until they have completed their statistics requirement, both semesters of Social Analysis 10, and Economics 1010a or 1011a.
Contact Emily Neill, Undergraduate Program Administrator, Littauer Center 113, (617) 495 3247, or the Economics Concentration Advisers, Littauer Center 111, (617) 495 3290.
Advanced Placement exam results (e.g., calculus, physics and computer science) are used by a student to select the appropriate first semester course at Harvard. However, the student does not reduce his/her requirements by doing so.
Students who have questions concerning concentration requirements should contact Mrs. Sandra Godfrey, Academic Programs Administrator, Academic Office, Division of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Pierce Hall 110, (617) 495-2833, godfrey at seas or Dr. Marie Dahleh, Assistant Dean for academic programs, Pierce 111, (617) 495-1485, mdahleh at seas Students who intend to concentrate in Engineering Sciences should also see Mrs. Godfrey to be assigned to a faculty adviser according to their area of specialization.
While the English department does not offer courses designed exclusively for freshmen, interested students are eligible to enroll in any department course and are especially encouraged to take freshmen seminars taught by department faculty. English 10 and English 17 are required of all concentrators and are generally taken early on. In addition, all sophomore concentrators are required to take the introductory Sophomore Seminar, English 97. Students exercising their Advanced Standing option are expected to take this course in their first year in the program.
University Advanced Standing Eligibility
For purposes of Advanced Standing eligibility, students receiving a 5 on the English Language and Composition examination will earn one half credit toward Advanced Standing eligibility. Students receiving a 5 on the English Literature and Composition will earn one full credit toward Advanced Standing eligibility. Please note that students will be granted eligibility for either, but not both, English Advanced Placement examinations.
English Concentration Credit
Because the English department does not offer courses that correspond directly to the Advanced Placement exam fields, the department does not give course credit for Advanced Placement scores.
Please contact Inga Peterson, Program Administrator, Barker Center 159, (617) 495-4252 with questions.
Consult the Head Tutor, Professor James J. McCarthy, jmccarthy at oeb; or, Lorraine Maffeo, Undergraduate Coordinator, Harvard University Center for the Environment, 24 Oxford Street, (617) 496-6995, maffeo at fas.
Please contact: Dr. Deborah Foster, Head Tutor, Barker Center, 12 Quincy St., (617) 495-4788, folkmyth at fas, for information or an appointment.
German
The German department at Harvard offers elementary and intermediate language courses in reading, conversation, and composition (German A, Bab, Da, and Db). Students with previous instruction in German are placed into these courses on the basis of their scores on the College Entrance Examination Board SAT II subject test or on the placement test given at Harvard during Freshman Orientation week. Students who score 600 or better on either of these examinations are eligible for more advanced course work. Both the departmental Coordinator of Language Instruction and the Head Tutor are available for advice on selecting appropriate language and literature courses.
Students with an Advanced Placement score of 5 in German are considered to have completed the equivalent of German Db and usually take German 60 (or equivalent) if they wish to continue the study of the language. Students with advanced placement who wish to pursue the study of German literature may take German 50a or 50b, or one of the middle-level courses listed in the catalogue under the heading "For Undergraduates and Graduates."
For purposes of Advanced Standing eligibility, students who receive a 5 on the College Board Advanced Placement Examination in German Language or a 7 on the International Baccalaureate Higher Level Language A1, A2, or B examination will receive one full credit. Students who receive credit for advanced placement in German and who concentrate in German may reduce the number of courses required for the honors concentration by one half-course, but only on the basis of a score of 7 on the IB Higher Level Language A1 examination. A score of 7 on the IB Higher Level A1 or A2 examination precludes receiving degree credit for the following courses at Harvard: German A, Bab, Da, Db, and 60. A score of 7 on the IB Higher Level Language B examination or a score of 5 on the AP German examination precludes Harvard degree credit for German A, Bab, Da, and Db.
Contact Professor Judith Ryan, Barker Center 352, (617) 496-4923, jryan at fas.
Scandinavian
Contact Professor Stephen Mitchell, Warren House, (617) 495-3513, samitch at fas.
Professor Eric Schickler, Head Tutor
Ellen Hart, Undergraduate Coordinator
CGIS, 1737 Cambridge St. , Room N151, (617) 495-3249
govtutorial at gov, www.gov.harvard.edu
There is no single "track" for freshmen considering a Government concentration. To acquaint students with the different topics, issues and approaches in the study of government, the department requires each concentrator to take at least one course in each of its four subfields (Political Theory, American Government, Comparative Government, and International Relations). These need not be introductory courses, but frequently, first-year students choose to take any one of the four introductory courses, which are designed to be accessible to students who do not have an extensive background in political science. Introductory courses can be taken in any order, and students may find it most helpful to take an introductory course in the subfield they find of greatest interest. Enrolling in a Core course taught by a Government department faculty member is another way for first year students to "test the waters." Moral Reasoning 22 ("Justice"), for example, counts as a government elective or for the Political Theory requirement. Core courses taught by our faculty are cross-listed in the Government department section of Courses of Instruction.
In terms of overall course planning, students considering Government should be reminded that each concentrator is required to take one semester of Government 97 (Sophomore Tutorial) during the spring of the sophomore year. Designed to provide a foundation for thinking, reading, writing, and talking about questions of politics, the sophomore tutorial combines small group sections with large group lectures.
Freshman advisers are encouraged to direct students interested in Government to the Undergraduate Program Office at 1737 Cambridge St (Room N151). The office is open Monday through Friday from 9:30 to 5:30 and there is always someone available to help. Additional information is also available on our Web page at www.gov.harvard.edu.
Candidates for Advanced Standing are expected to have completed the rigorous preparation described in the College Board's Advanced Placement Program. Students who accept the College's offer of Advanced Standing may have their History requirements reduced by a maximum of two half-courses on the basis of a grade of 5 on the College Board Advanced Placement Examination in History (United States) and/or History (European). Students who are eligible for Advanced Standing should consult the Tutorial Office about their program as soon as possible.
Freshmen eligible for Advanced Standing may take the sophomore tutorial History 97, in their first year; consult the Tutorial Office regarding procedures. However, it is also possible to complete all tutorials (including History 99) in three years by taking History 97 in the second year; again, consult the Tutorial Office regarding details.
Contact Professor Sven Beckert, Director of Undergraduate Studies, 101 Robinson Hall, (617) 495-2157.
Students who plan to pursue Advanced Standing should contact History and Literature immediately upon arrival to discuss their programs. Requirements for the student's program depend on the chosen field and cannot be itemized here, but they include year-long tutorials, a foreign literature requirement, and an equal distribution of courses between historical and literary topics. Those who are even tentatively considering History and Literature should stop by to pick up a description of the program, which is unique to Harvard, or check the website (www.fas.harvard.edu/~histlit).
Because History and Literature requires sixteen half-courses tograduate in the field, students considering Advanced Standing normally find that they are unable to graduate in three years.
Interested students should call for an appointment with the Director of Studies, Dr. Jeanne Follansbee Quinn, Barker Center, (617) 495-4029, histlit at fas.
We accept Advanced Standing freshmen into the concentration, but they are ordinarily not allowed to enroll in the sophomore tutorial until after they have completed Expository Writing. We prefer that they take the sophomore tutorial during their second year at Harvard.
For further information, contact:
Ms. Alice Belser, Undergraduate Coordinator, (617) 495-3742, Science Center 351, ajbelser at fas.
Candidates for advanced placement in the History of Art and Architecture are expected to have completed the rigorous preparation described in the College Board Pamphlet, The Advanced Placement Program in the History of Arts. Advanced Placement will be considered and one full course credit toward Advanced Standing will be granted on the basis of a grade of 5 in the College Board AP Examination in History of Art.
Students who enter with Advanced Standing in the History of Art and Architecture must consult with the Head Tutor of the Department of the History of Art and Architecture to determine whether the Department will waive a segment of the introductory course requirement.
Contact Thomas Batchelder, Undergraduate Coordinator, Sackler Museum 208, (617) 495-2310, tbatchel at fas.
Human Evolutionary Biology addresses why humans and primates are the way they are from a broad, integrated biological perspective, with a special emphasis on evolution. HEB has flexible requirements that provide a general foundation in human and organismic biology in addition with courses chosen from various fields such as genetics, paleontology, anatomy, reproductive biology and physiology, behavioral ecology. Related course requirements are also flexible, and include credit for courses in the social sciences. For more information, please contact Carole Hooven, Concentration Adviser, (617) 495-1870, hooven at fas, www.lifescience.fas.harvard.edu/concentrations.
Most undergraduate concentrators in Linguistics accept Advanced Standing; of these a goodly number subsequently enroll in the joint A.B./A.M. Program in Linguistics, which is not available to students who do not have Advanced Standing. Students do not generally graduate in three years (though it is feasible given the reasonable departmental requirements).
Here are the questions most frequently asked by students interested in accepting Advanced Standing:
Q. Does activating Advanced Standing get me out of any requirements?
A. If you decide to graduate in three years and write an honors thesis, you can be exempted from Sophomore Tutorial (Linguistics 97r). You would then take Junior Tutorial (98a and 98b) during your second year, and 99 (Senior Thesis Tutorial) during your final year.
Q. If I have Advanced Standing and want to do an A.B./A.M. in Linguistics, do I have to take the sophomore tutorial in my first year and write the thesis in my third year?
A. No. The tutorials still begin in your second year, and you write your thesis in the fourth year.
Q. Does the Department give concentration credit for AP exams? If so, which exams and what is the requisite score?
A. Students who have performed extremely well on AP or SAT II language exams (other than English) can be exempted from some or all of the departmental language requirement, subject to approval by the Head Tutor. Please consult with the Head Tutor to discuss your case.
Contact Professor Gennaro Chierchia, Head Tutor, Boylston 316, (617) 495 8181.
The Literature concentration offers no course designed exclusively for freshmen or first semester sophomores, although students interested in the program are encouraged to take courses in their first three semesters with members of the Committee on Degrees in Literature. Students interested in Literature might also wish to take a language course in their language of choice, if they wish to improve their foreign language competency. All sophomores in the program are required to take Literature 97, the introductory sophomore tutorial. An Advanced Standing student will be asked to take this course in the spring semester of freshman year.
Students with Advanced Standing credit are generally not exempted from any of the requirements in Literature, although in exceptional cases, an Advanced Standing student may petition to have one Advanced Placement credit count towards Literature requirements.
Contact Dr. Sandra Naddaff, Director of Studies, Dana Palmer, (617) 495 4186, snaddaff at fas.
The courses at Harvard normally taken by students who wish to study mathematics during their first term here are Math Xa, Xb, 1a, 1b, 19, 20, 21a, 21b, 23a, 25a and 55a. Placement will be based on a student's prior course work in mathematics, grades received on the AP examination, and the mathematics placement test taken by all new students during Freshman Orientation.
Students with questions about math placement (whether or not they have taken the AP exam) are urged to consult with members of the Mathematics Department at the Science Advising sessions. (See Calendar of Opening Days for New Students.)
Mathematics Xa, Xb is a full-year sequence (Xa is fall, Xb is spring) which integrates precalculus with the first semester of calculus. Both Xa and Xb earn degree credit, but only Xb earns concentration credit.
Mathematics 1a is the customary course for students who have had no college-level work in calculus; it is the normal prerequisite for all later mathematics courses. Topics include differential calculus of algebraic, logarithmic and trigonometric functions with applications and an introduction to integration.
Mathematics 1b is for students who have had at least one semester of college-level calculus. Topics include a systematic treatment of integration with applications, first order differential equations and infinite series.
Mathematics 21a is for students who have had at least a year of college-level calculus (at the BC level). The course covers multivariable calculus and applications.
Mathematics 21b is for students who have had at least a year of college-level calculus (at the BC level) plus familiarity with vectors (such as obtained in Math 21a). This course provides an introduction to linear algebra and differential equations.
Mathematics 23a, 23b is a rigorous, proof-based course in linear algebra and multivariable calculus, specifically designed for students with interests in abstract mathematics. (Note: this course is not correlated with the Physics 15 sequence.) It covers all the material of Mathematics 21, plus additional topics. The normal prerequisite is a grade of 4 or 5 on the Calculus BC Advanced Placement examination.
Mathematics 25a provides a rigorous treatment of linear algebra, point set and metric topology, and the calculus in n variables. Emphasis is on careful reasoning and proofs. An extra prerequisite: the student must be gung-ho for mathematics and willing to commit a significant amount of out-of-class time to the course. Students who do not have the time available should take Math 23.
Mathematics 55a, 55b) is an accelerated version of Math 25, for students with advanced, university-level backgrounds in mathematics. Instructor's permission is required.
Students who have received a 5 on the Calculus AB Advanced Placement Examination typically place out of Math 1a and into Math 1b and are granted one half-course credit towards Advanced Standing. Students with a 5 on the Calculus BC Advanced Placement Examination typically place out of Math 1b and are granted one full-course credit towards Advanced Standing. Students placing out of 1b can choose either 21a, 23a, 25a, 55a, or 19 or 20 (see below).
Students who have had a course in calculus which differs substantially from that described in the Advanced Placement syllabus, those who have done poorly in such courses, and those who have studied calculus informally should consult an adviser in the Department of Mathematics to determine their proper placement in the calculus sequence. Placement into the advanced mathematics courses need not reference to the College Board Advanced Placement Examinations as the Department encourages students to avoid repetition of work previously covered. However, formal transcript credit towards Advanced Standing will be granted only as indicated above.
Additional introductory-level courses are:
Mathematics 19a, 19b is designed for students with interests in the Biological and Life Sciences. Mathematics 19a teaches mathematical modeling with differential equations, and Mathematics 19b teaches linear algebra with probability and statistics. (A background equivalent to Math 1b is recommended.)
Mathematics 20 is designed for students with interests in Economics and the Social Sciences. It covers selected topics from Math 21a and 21b.
Mathematics 101 is designed for students who are thinking of mathematics as a potential concentration and desire a gentle introduction to abstract, rigorous and modern mathematics. This course is not a substitute for the Mathematics 21 level course, but Mathematics 101 can be taken concurrently with Mathematics 21a or 21b. Mathematics 101 cannot be taken by those who have completed or are enrolled in Mathematics 23, 25, or 55 without special permission from the Mathematics Director of Undergraduate Studies.
Mathematics 106 is designed for science concentrators with a Math 21a level background who wish to learn more about differential equations.
Every year a few entering students begin their work in mathematics with middle-group or even graduate courses. The department is particularly interested in recognizing the exceptional talent of these students and will make every effort to place them appropriately. Any freshman who is considering taking such courses should consider taking Math 25 or 55 concurrently and, in any event, consult first with the Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Mathematics Department. Almost all freshmen should, however, begin with some course in the Math 1, 21, 23, 25, or 55 sequence.
N.B. Students considering a career in medicine should read the Medical School section of this guide.
Students in the Mathematics concentration who activate Advanced Standing have the same concentration requirements as non-Advanced Standing students (as presented in the Handbook for Students/Fields of Concentration). In particular, concentration credit is not given for non-Harvard courses taken before the first year at Harvard, nor for success on the AP exams. However, students with advanced backgrounds are urged to consult with the Director of Undergraduate Studies in Mathematics about taking more advanced courses here in their first year.
Contact Professor Peter Kronheimer, Director of Undergraduate Studies, Room 343, Science Center, (617) 495-5745, kronheim at math. Office hours will be posted on the door; some information on the department is available from Svetlana Alpert, Undergraduate Studies Coordinator, Room 503, Science Center, (617) 495-9116; svetlana at math and from the department's web site at www.math.harvard.edu/undergrad.
Molecular and Cellular Biology is primarily concerned with the study of biological molecules and their interactions in the context of cells and tissues. This concentration encompasses a broad range of topics, including gene expression, cell structure and function, cell differentiation, and developmental biology. Students who anticipate careers in the biological sciences including molecular biology, biochemistry, cell biology, genomics and bioinformatics, or in medicine would be well suited to pursue a degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology. The concentration requirements establish a solid foundation in basic biology, chemistry, mathematics and physics, which is followed by more advanced course work designed to expose students to major avenues of inquiry in molecular and cellular biology.
Advanced Placement credits in chemistry can count towards concentration requirements. If you start with Chem 17 or 20, you will receive the credit equivalent of Physical Sciences 1. Ordinarily AP credit for biology, physics, and math will not be given. However, students with very strong science backgrounds should meet with the Head Tutor for advice on course placement.
The Molecular and Cellular Biology Tutorial Office is located in Room 195 of the Fairchild Building at 7 Divinity Avenue. Information about courses is available at the tutorial office or online at www.lifescience.fas.harvard.edu/concentrations.
If you wish to schedule a meeting to discuss your undergraduateprogram, please contact Barbara Lewis, Administrator, at (617) 495-4106 or via email at biochsci at mcb.
Listening and Literature
Those students who have taken the Advanced Placement music course and examination administered by the College Board may wish to further their listening experiences by enrolling in Music 1, A Survey of Western Music. This course is designed to train students in intelligent listening through the study of representative works of all periods. It will not count for concentration credit. Those interested in other courses offered by the Department of Music should consult an adviser in the department to determine their appropriate placement.
Students who receive a grade of 5 on the College Board Advanced Placement Examination in Music (Listening and Literature) will be granted one half credit toward Advanced Standing.
N.B. Students who intend to concentrate in music should either enroll in Music 51 or take the Harvard Advanced Placement Examination in Music (Harmony). (See below).
Students who successfully complete the three Music placement exams (Music Listening and Literature, Music Theory, and Music Harmony) will receive a maximum of one full credit toward Advanced Standing.
Theory
Harvard offers Music 51 (Theory I) to prepare students for advanced work. Students who receive a grade of 5 on the College Board Advanced Placement examination in Music Theory will be granted one half credit toward Advanced Standing, but those who wish a full credit toward Advanced Standing and/or plan to enter Music 51 or a more advanced course must take the Harvard Advanced Placement Examination in Music (Harmony), which is administered during the first week of classes (please see the Calendar of Opening Days), in addition to the College Board Advanced Placement Examination in Music Theory. Upon successful completion of the Harvard Advanced Placement Examination, the student will be placed in Music 51, or a course for which Music 51 is a prerequisite.
Students who successfully complete both the College Board Music Theory and the Harvard Music (Harmony) exams will receive a maximum of one full credit toward Advanced Standing. Students who successfully complete the three Music placement exams (Music Listening and Literature, Music Theory, and Music Harmony) will receive a maximum of one full credit toward Advanced Standing.
Harmony
The basic course for concentrators in music at Harvard is Music 51. It is a prerequisite for more advanced courses both in the theory and in the history of music. Those who wish to take Music 51 must demonstrate in a test given at the beginning of the fall term that they can distinguish simple tonal material by ear, and also that they have the rudimentary keyboard skills necessary to play simple four-part harmonizations.
Qualified students may apply for advanced placement in Music (Harmony). Those interested in doing so must satisfy the Department of Music of their competence by passing the Harvard Advanced Placement Examination in Music (Harmony). This examination will require them to read a simple figured bass, to submit a chorale in the style of Bach, and to take a four-part dictation. Students who successfully complete this examination will be judged to have a background equivalent to Music 51 and may enroll in courses for which Music 51 is a prerequisite. Students who successfully complete the Harvard Music (Harmony) exam will receive one full credit towards Advanced Standing.
For talented students who are sufficiently trained to qualify, advanced placement in music permits the election of more advanced courses during each of their college years and, in the senior year, courses primarily for graduates, such as Composition.
N.B. Students entering with Harvard advanced placement in Music who activate Advanced Standing and concentrate in Music are required to take Music A.
Those first-year students desiring to take the Music (Harmony) examination should check the Calendar of Opening Days for New Students.
Students who successfully complete the three Music placement exams (Music Listening and Literature, Music Theory, and Music Harmony) will receive a maximum of one full credit toward Advanced Standing.
Contact Professor Thomas Forrest Kelly, Head Tutor; Music Building,(617) 495-2791 or tkelly at fas.
Hebrew (Modern)
Instruction in modern (Israeli) Hebrew language and literature is offered by the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations on three levels: Elementary, Intermediate, and Advanced.
Elementary Modern Hebrew (Modern Hebrew B) is a course designed for students with no previous instruction in Hebrew and for those who have some unsystematic exposure to the language. It concentrates on developing skills necessary for reading, speaking, and writing basic sentences in all tenses. It emphasizes basic grammar, syntax and morphology (patterns of verb conjugation, and inflection of nouns and prepositions). Grammar is taught through the Israeli Top 40.
Intermediate Modern Hebrew (Modern Hebrew 120a and 120b) is intended for students with a basic understanding of modern Hebrew grammar and some experience in reading. It emphasizes the rapid reading of newspapers, magazines, prose, and poetry and the expansion of vocabulary, idioms, grammar, and the linguistic analysis of the texts. This course is conducted in Hebrew and prepares students to read scholarly papers and other research materials in Hebrew.
There are two courses in Advanced Modern Hebrew. Advanced Modern Hebrew: Contemporary Israeli Culture (Modern Hebrew 130r) surveys typical examples of contemporary Israeli culture: novels, short stories, poetry, feminist literature, Holocaust literature, and Israeli rock and pop culture and music, all representing current trends and expressing attitudes towards social and political issues. It is conducted entirely in Hebrew. Advanced Modern Hebrew: Hebrew of the Media: Press, TV, and Radio (Modern Hebrew 131r) introduces students of the Hebrew language and literature to a certain aspect of the language, as practiced in the media, orally, visually and in writing, on radio, television, in magazines and newspapers through topics in politics, religion, and culture. It examines different strata of the language. In Hebrew, more than in any other language, the media uses unique terminology, vocabulary and syntax, which both express and influence Israeli society and culture. This course is also conducted entirely in Hebrew.
The Modern Hebrew Program does not recognize Advanced Placement grades from other institutions. However, the program does offer its own placement exams once a year, before the beginning of classes in the fall term. There are three levels of placement exams for those who want to take Modern Hebrew at Harvard: Exam Level A, Elementary; Exam Level B, Intermediate; and Exam Level C, Advanced. Students with questions as to which placement exam to take should consult with Professor Kubovy. Please note, however, that students who wish to use the Harvard Modern Hebrew Placement Exam to earn credit towards Advanced Standing or for exemption from the Harvard Foreign Language requirement must take Exam Level C.
Freshmen wishing to take the Modern Hebrew Advanced Placement Examination should consult the Calendar of Opening Days for the date and time of the examination and should register with the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations before noon on Tuesday during Freshman Orientation.
N.B. No Advanced Placement Examination is administered in Classical (Biblical) Hebrew.
Contact Professor Miri Kubovy for further information, Room 305, Semitic Museum, 6 Divinity Avenue, (617) 496-4985.
Neurobiology is the science of how nervous systems organize behavior. This singular question has spawned a field of study with remarkable vertical range: It investigates phenomena on vastly different scales, from molecules to societies, and draws on many of the classical disciplines for experimental tools and explanatory frameworks. Neurobiology encompasses the study of individual nerve cells, connections and circuitry among neurons, and the function of the brain.
Ordinarily the Neurobiology concentration does not give AP credit. Students with very strong science backgrounds should meet with the Neurobiology Concentration Adviser or Head Tutor for advice on course placement. Students who place out of Math 1b need to take only one math course instead of two; however, this does not reduce the total number of courses required for the concentration.
More information about the Neurobiology concentration can be found at www.lifescience.fas.harvard.edu.
Organismic and Evolutionary Biology is concerned with the study of biological systems at all levels, from molecules to ecosystems, and with the full range of biological diversity, from microbes to manatees and from salps to sequoias. These diverse subjects are united by a shared foundation in evolutionary biology.
Advanced Placement Credits do not reduce the number of concentration requirements, but may allow a student to take a higher-level course to meet a requirement.With the approval of the Head Tutor, AP credits can sometimes be used to allow an extra advanced half-course in biology to substitute for one of the other requirements.
First year students eligible for Advanced Standing who are considering a three-year degree in Organismic and Evolutionary Biology should contact the Head Tutor during the fall term. Such students should have completed Life Sciences 1a and 1b by the end of their first year.
The OEB Undergraduate Office is located in Room 1082 in the Biological Laboratories, 16 Divinity Avenue. For further information, contact Andrew Berry, the Concentration Advisor for Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, (617) 495-0684, berry at oeb. The Head Tutor for Organismic and Evolutionary Biology is Professor David Haig, dhaig at oeb. His office is in room 42B of the Botanical Museum (this is in the Natural History Museum building on Oxford Street, directly above the Glass Flowers). He has regular office hours 2-5pm on Mondays during term or can meet with you by appointment. Information about the OEB concentration can be found at www.lifescience.fas.harvard.edu/concentrations.
Students with Advanced Standing are generally not exempted from any of the requirements in Philosophy. Advanced Standing students may begin tutorials in the spring of their first year, if they wish. Students should consult the Head Tutor for advice on choosing appropriate courses.
Contact Professor Ned Hall, Head Tutor. Office hours are posted outside the Tutorial Office, Emerson 303, (617) 495-2153.
An entering student wishing to study physics during the first year in Harvard College will find a variety of courses from which to choose:
Physics 15a, 15b, 15c are designed primarily for the student who is concentrating in one of the physical sciences, engineering, and mathematics. They provide a general introduction to classical and modern physics on a level much more advanced than that of Physics 1, particularly in their use of mathematics. Thus, the normal sequence of basic courses for the physics concentrator is:
Physics 15a: Introductory Physics-Mechanics & Special Relativity.
Physics 15b: Introductory Physics: Electricity and Magnetism.
Physics 15c: Wave Phenomena.
Physics 143a: Introduction to Quantum Theory.
Physics 15a may be taken by students who have taken, or who are taking concurrently, calculus at the level of Mathematics 1b. Students who have received grades of 5 on the Advanced Placement exam Physics C (Mechanics) and on the Calculus BC exam may choose to take Physics 16, instead of Physics 15a. A placement test is offered during Freshman Orientation for students who believe that they are qualified for Physics 16, but who have not received an appropriate score on the Physics C (Mechanics) exam. Physics 16 is a more advanced mechanics course taught at a Math 21a calculus level, i.e., using multivariable calculus.
Work in physics is closely linked to parallel work in mathematics. Physics 15 a,b, and c are ordinarily taken by students who have previously studied calculus at the level of Mathematics 1b, 21a, 21b, respectively. The one exception is that Physics 15a may be taken concurrently with Mathematics 1b. However, in this case Physics 15b should be delayed a semester until after Mathematics21a is completed. Thus, freshmen with no previous experience in calculus may either begin their study of physics in the spring term by taking Physics 15a concurrently with Mathematics 1b or wait to start the Physics 15a, b, c sequence in their second year.
Physics 11 a, b is a sequence designed to serve students desiring a self-contained calculus-based treatment of classical physics at the level of Physics 15 a,b,c but completed in only two semesters. It is not intended to prepare students for more advanced physics courses.
Physical Sciences 1, 2, 3 presents an introductory treatment of college physics and chemistry in three semesters, at a lower mathematical level than the Physics 11 sequence. The courses are thematically driven with the themes being related to major societal issues and/or biological systems where appropriate. The Physical Sciences sequence is designed to meet two semesters of the physics as well as one semester of the chemistry required by all medical schools, and is intended to teach physical concepts in a way that is immediately relevant to students in the life sciences.
Students who receive a 5 on the Physics B examination will need to start at the beginning of the Physical Sciences, Physics 11 or Physics15 sequences depending upon their future interests and mathematical background.
Science A-29, Science A-39, Science A-45 and Science A-49 are introductions to key concepts and theories of physical science, principally physics. These courses presuppose high school mathematics through trigonometry. Each course will satisfy the Core requirement in physical science but will not satisfy the physics requirements of various concentrations in the natural sciences.
For purposes of Advanced Standing eligibility only, students who receive a 5 on the Physics B Examination will be granted one full credit. Students who receive a 5 on either Physics C (Mechanics) or Physics C (Electricity and Magnetism) will receive one half credit, respectively. Students who receive a 5 on both sections of the Physics C Examination will be granted one full credit. Students will be granted a maximum of one credit for AP exams in Physics. Acceptance of Advanced Standing does not reduce in any way the number of courses which a student must take to meet the concentration requirements.
Students who are interested in physics and are considering Advanced
Standing should see:
Professor Howard Georgi, Head Tutor, Jefferson 456, (617) 496-8293
Dr. David Morin, Asst. Head Tutor, Lyman 233, (617) 495-3257
They will help with the selection of the appropriate physics courses. Both have office hours listed at: http://schwinger.harvard.edu/~georgi/schedule.htm
Other faculty members are also available to help with course selection at any time. These include:
Professor G. Feldman, Lyman Laboratory, Room 232, (617) 496-1044
Professor M. Franklin, Lyman Laboratory, Room 237, (617) 495-1180
Professor J. Huth, Lyman Laboratory, Room 236, (617) 495-8144
Professor M. Prentiss, Lyman Laboratory, Room 222, (617) 495-2910
N.B. Students considering a career in medicine should read the section Medical School.
Psychology concentration requirements that Advanced Standing students should fulfill during the first year include the introductory and basic methods requirements and if possible, the sophomore tutorial. Students expecting to be in the Psychology Life Sciences track (Social and Cognitive Neuroscience), should take at least one of Life Sciences 1a and Life Sciences 1b during their first year.
Psychology 1 (Introduction to Psychology) is offered both semesters. Students who have a psychology AP exam score of 5 do not need to take this course, and their total number of required concentration courses will be reduced by one.
Students usually complete basic methods with Psychology 1900, which is offered in the spring and must be passed with a grade of C or higher.
The Department requires a sophomore tutorial, which examines issues and phenomena in contemporary psychology from a variety of perspectives, and helps students develop basic thinking, writing, reading, research, and discussion skills important to the study of psychology. Students pursuing the general or MBB tracks are required to take Psychology 971 (a one-semester, House-based tutorial) and Social and Cognitive Neuroscience track students are required to take Psychology 975 (one-semester Life Sciences oriented tutorial). Advanced Standing students have several options:
Students in the Psychology Life Sciences track (Social and Cognitive Neuroscience), are required to take one of Life Sciences 1a and Life Sciences 1b during their first year, but may count both toward the track requirements. Students who are deciding between several Life Sciences concentrations or who are pre-med should take both courses in their first year.
Beyond the introductory, statistics, and tutorial courses, Advanced Standing students will typically also take a Tier 2 (foundation) course in an area they may want to pursue in advanced course work or eventual research. Tier 2 courses are: Psychology 13 (Cognitive Psychology), Psychology 15 (Social Psychology), Psychology 16 (Human Development), Psychology 18 (Developmental Psychology), and Molecular and Cellular Biology 80 (Neurobiology of Behavior).
The first stop for concentration information is the psychology concentration web site: www.wjh.harvard.edu/psych/ug. This site includes information about basic and honors concentration requirements, joint concentrations, the Psychology Mind/Brain/Behavior (Psychology and Neuroscience) and Life Sciences (Social and Cognitive Neuroscience) tracks, and sample plans of study in general psychology, pre-medical studies, pre-clinical studies, and pre-professional studies.
After being acquainted with the web site, students should speak to a concentration adviser. Meeting with a concentration adviser is especially important if a special program in psychology (e.g., joint concentration, MBB track) is to be pursued, because it requires a separate application to be completed by Friday, April 11, 2008. Concentration advisers are available at the beginning of each term on a walk-in basis, and during the year in hours that are posted at the web site.
The Psychology Department looks forward to meeting and talking with you!
The Committee on the Study of Religion does not offer any course designed exclusively for freshmen. Potential concentrators are encouraged to take one or more Religion courses in their freshman year, although such a course is not required for admission into the religion concentration. All students in the concentration are required to take Religion 97, the Sophomore Tutorial, which is offered each spring semester. Under normal circumstances an Advanced Standing student will be expected to take this course in his or her first year in the concentration. All students are strongly encouraged to take an introductory comparative course (Religion 11-20) before they take the Sophomore Tutorial.
Students with Advanced Standing are not exempted from any of the requirements of the Religion Concentration.
Contact Prof. Thomas A. Lewis, Director of Undergraduate Studies, Barker Center 409, (617) 495-2085, tlewis at fas.
French (Language/Literature)
The first two levels of instruction in French at Harvard consist of elementary and intermediate courses in reading, composition, conversation, and French and Francophone culture (French A, Ax, Bab, Ca, Cb, 25 and 27). These courses prepare the student for more advanced work in composition and conversation (French 31, 35, 36, and 37) or for courses in French and Francophone literature and culture (French 70a, 70b, 70c). Freshmen with good preparation will normally enter French 42, 47b, 48b, 51 or 52, or French 70a, 70b, or 70c.
Students with Advanced Placement scores of 5 in either French Language or Literature who activate Advanced Standing may take French 42, 45, 47b, 48b, 51, or 52 for credit with the permission of the instructor, and may not take courses below these for credit. (See the Course Equivalencies section of this guide.)
A score of 5 in either the French Language or French Literature Advanced Placement Exam allows students who wish to study French literature to enroll in French 70a, 70b, or 70c, or in 100-level courses.
The Undergraduate Adviser in French for the Department of Romance Languages will be ready to help students entering with advanced placement in French to select the appropriate language or literature course.
Candidates for advanced placement in French Literature or French Language are expected to have completed the rigorous preparation described in the College Board's Advanced Placement Program. Advanced Placement will be granted on the basis of a grade of 5 on the College Board Advanced Placement in French Literature or the College Board Advanced Placement Examination in French Language.
N.B. For purposes of Advanced Standing eligibility, students will be granted one course credit either for the French Literature examination or the French Language examination, not for both.
Contact Ms. Marie-France Bunting, Undergraduate Adviser in French, 422 Boylston Hall, (617) 495-5269; Professor Kimberly Campbell, Director of Language Programs, 435 Boylston Hall, (617) 495-2524.
Italian (Literature/Studies)
The first two levels of instruction in Italian at Harvard consist of elementary and intermediate courses in reading, composition and conversation (Italian A, Ax, Bab, Ca, Cb, Dab). These courses prepare the student for more advanced work in composition, and conversation (Italian 33, 35, 36, 40, 48 and 50) or for courses in Italian literature and culture (Italian 100 and above). First-year students are also encouraged to take a related Freshman Seminar (e.g., Boccaccio, Italian-American Literature, History, Identity) for concentration credit.
A score of 5 on the Italian Advanced Placement Exam allows students who wish to study Italian literature to enroll in Italian 30-level and above.
The Undergraduate Adviser in Italian for the Department of Romance Languages will be ready to help students entering with advanced placement in Italian to select the appropriate language or literature course. Candidates for advanced placement in Italian are expected to have completed the rigorous preparation described in the College Board's Advanced Placement Program. Advanced Placement will be granted on the basis of a grade of 5 on the College Board Advanced Placement in Italian Language and Culture.
For more information about the concentration in Italian Literature or Italian Studies, see the RLL web site: www.fas.harvard.edu/~rll, or contact Elvira G. Di Fabio, Undergraduate Adviser in Italian and RLL Associate Director of Undergraduate Studies, 321 Boylston Hall, (617) 495-5478, edifabio at fas.
Portuguese-Brazilian (Literatures/Studies)
The first two years of instruction in Portuguese at Harvard consist of elementary and intermediate courses in reading, composition and conversation (Portuguese A, Ac, Ad, Ba, Ca and Cb). These courses prepare the student for advanced study in Portuguese-Brazilian literature and culture: (Portuguese 37, 44, 60; and Latin American Studies 70 and 71) or for courses in Portuguese and Brazilian literatures and cultures (Portuguese 100 and above). First-year students are also encouraged to take a related Freshman Seminar for concentration credit.
For more information about the concentration in Portuguese-Brazilian Literature or Portuguese-Brazilian Studies, see the RLL web site, www.fas.harvard.edu/~rll, or contact Dr. Clémence Jouët-Pastré, Undergraduate Adviser in Portuguese, 324 Boylston Hall, (617) 495-1929, cpastre at fas.
Spanish (Language/Literature)
The first two years of instruction in Spanish at Harvard consist of elementary and intermediate courses in reading, composition and conversation (Spanish A, Ab, Bab, Ca, Cb and 27). These courses prepare the student for advanced study in Hispanic language, literature and culture: (Spanish 30, 35, 36, 38, 43, 44, 48, 53, 54, 70a, 70c, 71a, 71b; and Latin American Studies 70 and 71; Foreign Cultures 37). Freshmen entering with a score of 5 on either AP test in Spanish may take only courses 43 and above.
Those who wish to pursue the study of Hispanic Literature may choose Spanish70, Literature and Arts A 24, Foreign Cultures 19, Spanish 71,Spanish 90-level undergraduate seminars, or one of the 100-level courses listed in the catalogue under the general heading, "For Undergraduates and Graduates." The latter courses usually present a more specialized approach than Spanish 70, Literature and Arts A 24 or Spanish 71, and it is the feeling of the department that these courses should ordinarily be taken only by students who have an understanding of the historical development of Hispanic literature.
All students entering with advanced placement in Spanish who wish to pursue the study of Hispanic literature are asked to contact the Undergraduate Adviser in Spanish for help in selection of the appropriate courses.
For purposes of Advanced Standing eligibility, one full credit will be granted on the basis of a grade of 5 on the College Board Advanced Placement Examination in Spanish Literature or Spanish Language, but not both. If students use the Spanish Language AP score to be eligible for Advanced Standing, they may not take any courses below Spanish 43 for Harvard credit. (See the Course Equivalencies section of this guide.)
Contact Dr. Johanna Liander, Boylston 421, (617) 495 5895, or Professor Mariano Siskind, Boylston 427, (617) 495-9371.
Advanced Standing students interested in concentrating in Sanskrit and Indian Studies should contact the Department regarding requirements: Professor Ali Asani, Director of Undergraduate Studies, Barker Center 307, (617) 495-5755, aliasani at fas.
Russian
Instruction in the Russian language at Harvard is given in both nonintensive and intensive forms. Slavic A (first-year) provides a complete presentation of the fundamentals of Russian grammar, intensive drill both in speaking and in oral comprehension, and reading of simplified texts. Slavic Aab (intensive) covers the same material in one semester. Slavic B (second-year) provides expansion of vocabulary, a thorough review and further development of grammar topics, intensive drill in spoken Russian, and reading of unsimplified literary and historical texts, including stories by Pushkin, Aitmatov, Zamiatin, Rasputin, and an introduction to Russian history. Slavic Bab (intensive) offers the same material in one semester.
Freshmen who have studied Russian previously will be admitted to the appropriate Harvard course given their preparation. This qualification will be determined by a Harvard Placement examination given during the Freshman Orientation. This examination will contain translation of prose texts (Russian to English and English to Russian), questions on specific points of grammar, vocabulary, and a composition. Ordinarily, two to three years of study should qualify a student for admission to Slavic B or Bab; and three or four years, for admission to Slavic 101.
Slavic A and Aab are considered "college-level" work. For purposes of Advanced Standing eligibility freshmen who have anticipated this course at school and who demonstrate a solid knowledge of comparable material will be granted one full credit. This ability will be determined on the basis of the written Harvard Advanced Placement exam in Russian and the additional oral Russian exam.
Students who wish to take the Harvard Placement examination(s) in Russian should check the Calendar of Opening Days.
Note that students who wish to take Advanced Standing should be aware that the concentration requires a sophomore tutorial. The student should consult with the Director of Undergraduate Studies with questions about fulfilling this requirement.
Contact Professor Justin Weir, Director of Undergraduate Studies, Barker Center: (617) 495-3737, weir at fas.
The Social Studies concentration is open to Advanced Standing students. Any interested student is advised to attend the Social Sciences open house during Freshman Week; please see the Calendar of Opening Days for details.
A student with Advanced Standing will not be exempted from any requirements in Social Studies, except for statistics if he or she has a score of 5 on the AP Statistics exam. Advanced Standing students who are interested in Social Studies should plan to take Social Studies 10a, the first semester of our year-long social theory course, in the fall semester of their second year in residence, and should apply to the concentration during the normal application process in the third semester of residence.
Contact Dr. Darra Mulderry, Assistant Director of Studies for Freshmen and Sophomores, Hilles Library, Lower Main Floor, Garden & Shepard Streets, (617) 495 2163, mulderry at fas.
Students with Advanced Standing are not exempted from any requirements in Sociology. Students contemplating Advanced Standing should consider taking an introductory Sociology course (#s 10-89) in the fall term.
Contact Professor Jason Kaufman, Head Tutor, Dr. David Ager, Assistant Head Tutor or Victoria Kent, Undergraduate Coordinator, William James Hall, 6th floor.
Please make an appointment as early as possible because the introductory section meeting for the tutorial in Sociological Theory is held at the beginning of term.
Contact Dr. Deborah Foster, Director of Undergraduate Studies,Warren House, 12 Quincy Street, (617) 495-8056.
Students with Advanced Standing credit are generally not exempted from any of the requirements in Statistics, although in exceptional cases, an Advanced Standing student may petition to have one Advanced Placement credit count toward Statistics requirements.
Advanced Standing students interested in the Statistics concentration should consult the department Co-Head Tutors,Professor Rima Izem, Science Center 604, (617) 496-8456 or Professor Xiao-Li Meng, Science Center 609, (617) 496-8712 to plan a program of study.
Visual and Environmental Studies is an application-only concentration that requires all applicants to take an introductory course(preferably related to their area of interest) prior to being considered for admission to the concentration. In the Film Studies track only, students who use Advanced Standing are exempted from a maximum of 2 courses in the interdisciplinary coursework category. The total number of courses required for a degree in Film Studies would then be lowered from 14 half-courses to 12 half-courses. Students interested in Advanced Standing in Film Studies should contact JD Connor, Director of Undergraduate Studies for Film Studies, (617) 496-6799, jdconnor at fas.
In all other areas of the department, students with Advanced Standing credit are not exempted from any of the concentration requirements and must take a full load of courses prior to graduation (14 half-courses).
Contact Robb Moss, Director of Undergraduate Studies, for further information, (617) 496-6614, robbmoss at fas.
Women, Gender, and Sexuality courses are excellent choices for students interested in exploring interdisciplinary perspectives on questions of social and cultural difference, and power and inequality. All students in WGS are required to complete the tutorial sequence (WGS 97, 98r, and 99a/b) which culminates in the writing of a senior thesis. Students seeking admission to the concentration need to submit an application. First-year students interested in Advance Standing should contact the Director of Studies when they arrive on campus.
We advise first-year students who are considering Advanced Standing to take in their first semester either WGS 1000 (Introduction to Women, Gender and Sexuality) or any course of their interest in the 1100-level. In their second semester of their first year, students considering Advanced Standing should take one of the foundational courses (either 1200 or 1210) as well as other topical courses of their interest. Advanced Standing students should enter sophomore tutorial in the spring semester of their second year at Harvard.
The Committee does not give credit for any subjects covered on the Advanced Placement exams, and it does not reduce the concentration requirements for students who decide to pursue Advanced Standing.
For further information, or to make an appointment with a WGS advisor, please contact us at:
Women, Gender, and Sexuality
Boylston Hall, Ground Floor
(617) 495-9199; wgs at fas
www.fas.harvard.edu/wgs
A concentration handbook is also available in the WGS office, or our website: www.fas.harvard.edu/wgs.