The Best Online Courses at Harvard | TheBestSchools

Highlights

• Learners can choose single courses, certificates, professional development, or full degrees.
• Students take classes through edX, the Extension School, or one of Harvard's well-established schools, such as business or medicine.
• Offers free and low-cost courses online.
• The long list of Harvard University notable alumni includes historical figures, politicians, industry leaders, actors, and several past presidents.
• The Harvard University Library system is the largest private library system in the world, comprised of around 76 libraries and more than 18 million volumes.

Overview

This Ivy League university was established in 1636. Harvard has since grown into one of the most respected names in education. Between the undergraduate and graduate schools, Harvard educates about 22,000 students. These numbers do not include those who take specific online educational courses.

Harvard's unique position allows the school to offer numerous online educational opportunities. In addition to graduate and undergraduate degrees, learners can complete continuing education and professional development programs online. Students can also take individual courses through Harvard's partnership with edX, or from the school directly.

Harvard University Tuition, Accreditation, and Admissions Info

Tuition

• edX: Free up to $99
• Extension School Undergraduate: $1,700 per course
• Extension School Graduate: $2,750 per program
• Extension Certificate: $13,750 estimated total
• Extension Online Bachelor's Degree: $27,200-$54,400
• Extension Online Graduate Degree: $27,500-$33,000
• Individual Online Courses: Free up to $3,500 per course

Accreditation and Approvals

Harvard is regionally accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education. The university also maintains 10 specialized accreditations:

• The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business accredits all programs in the business school.
• Harvard's divinity programs are accredited by the Association of Theological Schools.
• The graduate design programs maintain accreditation from three different organizations:
• National Architectural Accrediting Board
• Landscape Architectural Accreditation Board
• American Institute of Certified Planners
• The American Bar Association accredits the law school.
• Programs in the medical school are accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education.
• The Commission on Dental Accreditation oversees the dental school.
• Harvard's engineering degrees earn credentials from the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology.
• The Council on Education for Public Health accredits the School of Public Health.

Admissions

Learners can take individual classes, certification programs, and edX courses without completing an application.

To enroll in degree-driven plans online, students must first apply for Harvard's on-campus programs, gain acceptance, and excel in at least two in-person courses. Once they complete these courses, students can apply to finish their degrees online. The exception to this rule lies in the online premedical program, to which candidates must apply directly. From the nearly 40,000 applicants, Harvard University acceptance rate for undergraduate students is only around 5%.

Other Statistics

• Harvard alumni include 48 Nobel Laureates, 48 Pulitzer Prize winners, and 32 heads of state.
• The library is the largest of its kind in the world.
• 800 students graduated from the extension school in 2017.

School Profile

• Accreditation: New England Commission of Higher Education
• Full-Time Freshman Retention Rate: 97% stay to the second year
• Required Standardized Test: Varies by program
• Public/Private: Private, nonprofit
• Acceptance Rate: 5.6% for degrees, 100% for all others
• Graduation Rate: 97.5% for full-time students
• Athletics: Division I, Ivy League
• Mascot: Crimson
• Color: Crimson
• Address: Massachusetts Hall, Cambridge, MA 02138
• Phone Number: (617) 495-1000
• Social Media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram

Harvard University Online Degrees Offered

At the undergraduate level, Harvard offers:

• Eight humanities degrees
• Four science degrees
• Eight social sciences degrees

The extension school also provides:

• 23 graduate programs
• Nearly 40 certificate plans
• One premedical program