Exploring Fields of Study
With 50 concentrations (“majors”) and 49 secondary fields (“minors”) to explore, the APO strives to inform you of all the college offers and support you as you navigate its fields of study.
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The Harvard College Curriculum lays out the requirements that you need to fulfill in order to complete your program of study. Declaring a concentration is required while secondary fields are optional to study. For official information about concentration and secondary field requirements, visit the Harvard College Handbook for Students – Fields of Concentration.
The Exploring Fields of Study program takes place every Spring semester and provides first-year students with the opportunity to explore concentrations and secondaries through events hosted by concentrations and secondaries. At these events, you can hear from and speak with faculty, advisors, and peers about the nuances of the concentrations and expand on your knowledge of academic fields that might be of interest to you.
During this season of exploration, we encourage you to:
Identify which concentrations may be of interest by visiting our overview of each field, and explore the specific concentration websites and requirements.
Meet with your academic advisor to discuss your concentration interests and determine what questions you might have about the concentration.
Attend Fields of Study Sessions or office hours to learn more about each concentration.
Check out the College Calendar channel dedicated to the Schedule of Fields of Study Sessions. This calendar makes it easy to find an event and make sure you participate.
Document your conversation or experience in the Advising Conversation Report in my.harvard.
Choosing a Concentration
Choosing a concentration is an important moment in your academic journey at Harvard. Focus on three key steps as you determine your concentration: reflect, research, and declare.
Reflect
As you prepare to declare your concentrations, reflect on:
- Your academic interests and long-term career goals
- The concentration experience, including research opportunities, required courses, and thesis requirements
- Your four-year plan for completing concentration requirements (may be multiple if choosing between more than one concentration).
Research
To learn more about the concentration requirements, declaring a concentration, or concentration advising, we recommend collecting information from the following sources:
- The Harvard College Handbook for Students
- Pre-concentration advisors in your fields of interest
- Our concentration and secondary overview pages
Declare
To declare a concentration, secondary field, or language citation, students must fill out the appropriate form via my.harvard. Further technical instructions to submit the Declaration of Concentration are also available. If you have further questions, we encourage students to contact their sophomore advisors. The APO also has experienced advisors who are available to talk with you about your coursework, concentration selection process, and other academic planning. Please sign up for an appointment via our Crimson Scheduler.