Advising for Concentrators
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Concentration advisors are available to offer sophomores for general information about their fields and to discuss concentration requirements. Once you have declared a concentration during your third term, your department will assign a primary academic advisor according to their approach.
Your concentration advisor will guide you through your field of study in three phases: completing introductory and foundational courses, pursuing advanced coursework, and, if applicable, synthesizing your studies through a final project or thesis. Your concentration advisor may also be able to provide you guidance on exploring related careers.
Most concentrations take a team approach to advising, encouraging you to seek advice from a variety of sources, such as the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) or Head Tutor, the Assistant Director of Undergraduate Studies (ADUS) or Assistant Head Tutor, or the Undergraduate Program Coordinator.
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.