FAS at a Glance

University History

In 1636, just sixteen years after the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth, colonists founded Harvard University, the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. In its over 350 year history, the university has grown from an original class of nine men preparing for the Protestant ministry to nearly 20,000 individuals studying in the undergraduate college and ten different graduate schools, as well as an extension school.

Faculty of Arts and Sciences History

• Founded in 1890 by the merger of the College Faculty (also Faculty of the Graduate School) and the Scientific School Faculty
• 62 original faculty members
• 150 faculty members in 1905
• FAS includes:
  • Harvard College (undergraduate)
  • Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
  • School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
  • Division of Continuing Education, including Harvard Extension School
• FAS also includes the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University Herbaria, Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments, Mineralogical and Geological Museum, Harvard Museum of Natural History, Peabody Museum, and the Semitic Museum.
• FAS Research and Academic Centers:
  • African and African-American Research, W.E.B. Du Bois Institute for
  • African Studies, Committee on
  • Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture
  • American History, The Charles Warren Center for Studies in
  • American Political Studies, Center for
  • Asia Center
    • South Asia Initiative
  • Astrophysics, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for
  • Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard Institute for
  • Bionano Science and Technology, Kavli Institute for
  • Brain Science, Center for
  • Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts
  • China Fund
  • Chinese Studies, Fairbank Center for
  • Computation and Society, Center for Research on
  • Dumbarton Oaks
  • Environment, University Center for the
  • European Studies, Minda de Gunzburg Center for
  • Evolutionary Dynamics, Program for
  • Film Study Center
  • Harvard College Observatory
  • Harvard-Yenching Institute
  • Harvard Forest
  • Hellenic Studies, Center for
  • Humanities Center
  • Innovative Computing, Initiative for
  • International Affairs, Weatherhead Center for
    • International and Area Studies, The Harvard Academy for
    • Strategic Studies, John M. Olin Institute for
    • U.S.-Japan Relations, Program on
  • Islamic Studies Program, Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal
  • Japanese Studies, Reischauer Institute of
  • Jewish Studies, Center for
  • Korea Institute
  • Latin American Studies, David Rockefeller Center for
  • Materials Research Science and Engineering Center
  • Microbial Sciences Initiative
  • Middle Eastern Studies, Center for
  • Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center
  • Nanoscale Systems, Center for
  • Origins of Life Initiative
  • Particle Physics and Cosmology, Laboratory for
  • Quantitative Social Science, Institute for
    • Geographic Analysis, Center for
    • Harvard-MIT Data Center
  • Quantum Science and Engineering, Institute for
  • Rowland Institute
  • Russian and Eurasian Studies, Davis Center for
  • Society of Fellows
  • Stem Cell Institute, Harvard
  • Systems Biology, FAS Center for
  • Theory and Computation, Institute
  • Ukranian Research Institute

Students

College	6,678
GSAS	3,720
University Total	20,320

International Enrollment

College	680
GSAS	1,212
University Total	4,090

Study Abroad

224 undergraduates studied in a foreign country during the 2007-2008 academic year.
416 undergraduates studied abroad during the summer of 2008.

Degree Enrollment Percentage by Ethnicity

	College	GSAS
Asian/Pacific Islander	17%	9%
Black/Non-Hispanic	8%	3%
Hispanic	7%	3%
International	10%	33%
Native American	1%	0.2%
White/Non-Hispanic	44%	42%
Unknown/Other	14%	11%

Degrees Conferred Academic Year 2007-2008

College	1,723
GSAS	982
University Total	7,239

Athletics and Activities

• Intercollegiate Varsity Sports: 41
• Student Groups: over 400

Undergraduate Distinction

Rhodes Scholars
3
Total:	321
Marshall Scholars
1
Total:	242

FAS Faculty as of October 31, 2008

FAS Faculty
	Male	Female	Total
Professor, Tenured	393	101	494
Associate Professor, Tenure Track	44	32	76
Assistant Professor, Tenure Track	85	50	135
Total Ladder Faculty	522	183	705
Professor of Practice, Non-Ladder	10	8	18
Other Instructional Faculty, Non-Ladder	151	162	313
Total Non Ladder Faculty	161	170	331
Total Regular Faculty	683	353	1,036
Adjunct and Other Affiliated Faculty	0	0	0
Research and Academic Support	74	32	106
TOTAL FACULTY	757	385	1,142
Faculty Honors**:
43 Nobel Laureates
46 Pulitzer Prize Winners

Student Costs

	Tuition	Tuition, Room, Board, and Fees
College	$32,557	$47,215
GSAS	$32,556

Undergraduate Concentrations

Most Popular Concentrations
	# of students	% of all declared students (minus freshman)
Economics:	547	16%
Government:	305	9%
Social Studies:	200	6%
Psychology:	199	6%

Percentage of All Declared Undergraduates by Academic Division***
50.4% Social Sciences
30.5% Natural Sciences
18.7% Humanities
0.4% Special Concentrations

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*All figures in the factsheet reflect the 2008-2009 academic year unless otherwise noted.

**Includes current and former faculty members.

***Students must submit a completed Plan of Study by the first Monday in December of the fall term of their second year.