• Utility Menu

University Logo

Psychology Graduate Program

  • Psychology Department

The  Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences welcomes applications for admission from individuals who have or will have by the time of matriculation a BA, BS, or equivalent undergraduate degree (for prospective international students, a three- or four-year undergraduate degree from an institution of recognized standing) and actively seeks applicants from groups historically  underrepresented in graduate schools . All degree candidates are admitted for full-time study beginning in the fall term.

Immigration status does not factor into decisions about admissions and financial aid. For more information, see  Undocumented at Harvard .

If you already hold a PhD or its equivalent, or are an advanced doctoral candidate at another institution, you may apply to a PhD program only if it is in an unrelated field of study; however, preference for admissions and financial aid will be given to those who have not already had an opportunity to study for a doctoral degree at Harvard or elsewhere. You may also want to consider pursuing non-degree study through our  Special Student or Visiting Fellow  programs.

Eligible Harvard College students with advanced standing may apply in the fall of their junior year to earn an AM or SM degree during their final year of undergraduate study. Interested students must contact the  Office of Undergraduate Education  for eligibility details before applying.

Questions about the application or required materials should be directed to the Harvard Griffin GSAS Admissions Office at  [email protected] or 617-496-6100. 

Harvard Griffin GSAS does not discriminate against applicants or students on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry or any other protected classification. 

Required Application Materials

Please refer to Completing Your Application on the Harvard Griffin GSAS Admissions site for details.  A complete application consists of:

Online application form

Application fee payment* ($105)

Transcripts

Letters of recommendation (at least 3)

Statement of purpose

Personal statement

Demonstration of English proficiency

GRE General exam scores -  o ptional but recommended for Fall 2024 admission**

Harvard Griffin GSAS may request additional academic documents, as needed.

*Application fee waivers are available to those for whom payment of the application fee would be financially challenging. Applicants can determine eligibility for a fee waiver by completing a series of questions in the Application Fee section of the application. Once these questions have been completed, the application system will provide an immediate response regarding fee waiver eligibility.

**Graduate student admissions are among the most important decisions we make as a department. Like many other PhD programs around the US and abroad, we have wrestled with the question of whether we should continue to require that applicants to our PhD program submit scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) as part of their application. After extensive review of the scientific literature and robust discussion among our faculty, we have decided to continue to make submission of GRE scores optional, but to Recommend that students submit GRE scores if they are able to do so. We wanted to share our candid thoughts on this here.  

A number of empirical and review papers have noted that performance on the GRE is not a strong predictor of performance on a number of graduate school metrics (e.g., correlation with graduate school GPA = .21-.31, which represent small to medium effect sizes; Woo et al., 2023) and that the fact that the significant group differences (by race/ethnicity and gender) in GRE scores suggest it may discourage those from underrepresented groups from applying to PhD programs. Other research has shown that although there are limitations to the GRE, other potential predictors of success in graduate school have even smaller correlations with such outcomes, and removing the GRE would lead us to rely on these other potentially biased factors, such as where a person received their undergraduate degree, what research lab they had the opportunity to train in, and letters of recommendation.(1) We have heard anecdotally from current and former PhD students (including those historically underrepresented in PhD programs) who argue that the GRE helped them demonstrate their abilities when they didn’t attend a top undergraduate institution or work in a well-known research lab.  

On balance, we acknowledge that the GRE is an imperfect test and should not be used as the single deciding factor in admissions; however, we fear that excluding it altogether will introduce more, not less, bias into the admissions decision-making process. Thus, we have decided to keep the submission of GRE scores optional, but to recommend that students submit their scores if they are able to do so.  

We know that many students might expect that we are looking for near-perfect scores as a requirement for admission. We are not. We do not use a rigid threshold for GRE scores, and take it into consideration with other factors (e.g., strong performance in undergraduate statistics might be used to demonstrate quantitative abilities in place of strong performance on the quantitative section of the GRE). To be transparent about this, we note that our past 10 years’ of admitted PhD applicants have had scores on the GRE ranging on the Quantitative section from the 38th to the 98th percentile, and on the Verbal section ranging from the 59th to the 99th percentile.(2 )

We will continue to work toward determining how to make admissions decisions in a way that identifies the candidates who match best with what our PhD training program has to offer and in doing so may make further adjustments to our admissions requirements in future admissions cycles.  

(1) For a review of these issues, see: Woo, S. E., LeBreton, J. M., Keith, M. G., & Tay, L. (2023). Bias, Fairness, and Validity in Graduate-School Admissions: A Psychometric Perspective. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 18(1), 3–31. https://doi.org/10.1177/17456916211055374  

(2) Note: Test scores were not required for the past 3 years and so are largely unavailable for that period. 

  • FAQ for Applicants
  • Resources for Applicants

Inquire or Apply

Graduate School Admissions Inquiry Form  

Apply Online 

Course Descriptions 

Peter Wagner working in lab

PhD in Biological Sciences in Public Health

Prepare for a high-impact academic or research career at the forefront of the biological sciences in public health..

As a student in the PhD in biological sciences in public health program, you will gain expertise in the prevention and treatment of diseases that affect thousands—even millions—of people. Working with leading public health scientists, you will learn both mechanistic and quantitative approaches to biomedical research, while specializing in one of four areas of investigation:

  • The metabolic basis of health and disease
  • Immunology and infectious diseases
  • Gene-environment interactions
  • Inflammation and stress responses

Each area of investigation emphasizes biochemical, cell biological, and genetic approaches to understanding disease. In your research, whether basic or translational, you will apply cutting-edge tools and techniques to advance the understanding, treatment, and prevention of human diseases that significantly impact global populations today. Current research within our laboratories includes these and other diseases and risk factors:

  • Atherosclerosis
  • Chagas’ disease
  • Environmental exposure to toxins
  • Inflammatory diseases
  • Kidney disease
  • Metabolic syndrome
  • Tuberculosis

As a graduate of the program, you will be prepared for a career as a faculty member in a college, university, medical school, research institute, or school of public health. You may also choose to pursue a career in research at a government agency, or in the private sector at a consulting, biotech, or pharmaceutical firm.

The program provides broad interdisciplinary knowledge of both mechanistic and quantitative approaches to biomedical research and prepares graduate students for research careers with courses in the following areas:

  • Biochemistry, Genetics
  • Biostatistics
  • Cell biology
  • Epidemiology
  • Immunology/Infectious diseases
  • Molecular biology
  • Toxicology/Cancer cell biology

All students admitted to the PhD in biological sciences in public health program, including international students, are guaranteed full funding, which includes a stipend, tuition, and health insurance for five years, provided they maintain satisfactory progress.

WHO SHOULD APPLY?

To qualify for admission, applicants must demonstrate strong enthusiasm and ability for the vigorous pursuit of scientific knowledge. Minimum requirements include a bachelor’s degree and undergraduate preparation in the sciences.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Like all PhD (doctor of philosophy) programs at the School, the PhD in biological sciences in public health is offered under the aegis of the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (Harvard Griffin GSAS). Applications are processed through the Harvard Griffin GSAS online application system . The program is located within the Division of Biological Sciences at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

OUR COMMUNITY: COMMITTED, ACCOMPLISHED, COLLABORATIVE

As a PhD candidate in the biological sciences in public health program, you will be part of a diverse and accomplished group of students with a broad range of research and other interests. The opportunity to learn from each other and share ideas outside of the classroom will be one of the most rewarding and productive parts of the program. The School fosters those relationships by sponsoring an “informal curriculum” of seminars, journal clubs, retreats, and other opportunities that will broaden your knowledge, hone your presentation skills, and teach you how to critically evaluate scientific literature while providing a supportive, collaborative community within which to pursue your degree. Our location in the heart of Boston’s Longwood Medical Area—home to Harvard Medical School, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and many world-class hospitals—makes collaboration with eminent laboratory and clinical researchers a natural part of the educational experience. And when you graduate, you will benefit from Harvard’s unparalleled global network of alumni leaders.

screen-shot-2016-10-27-at-1-21-54-pm

LEARN MORE Visit our website at www.hsph.harvard.edu/biological-sciences for more information or contact [email protected]

You must be logged in to post a comment.

PhD Program Requirements

  • Introduction

Harvard Griffin GSAS strives to provide students with timely, accurate, and clear information. If you need help understanding a specific policy, please contact the office that administers that policy.

  • Application for Degree
  • Credit for Completed Graduate Work
  • Ad Hoc Degree Programs
  • Dissertations
  • English Language Proficiency
  • African and African American Studies
  • American Studies
  • Anthropology
  • Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Urban Planning
  • Molecular and Cellular Biology
  • Organismic and Evolutionary Biology
  • Biological Sciences in Public Health
  • Biostatistics
  • Business Administration
  • Business Economics
  • Byzantine Studies
  • Celtic Languages and Literatures
  • Chemical Biology
  • Chemical Physics
  • Chemistry and Chemical Biology
  • Comparative Literature
  • Division of Medical Sciences
  • Earth and Planetary Sciences
  • East Asian Languages and Civilizations
  • Engineering and Applied Sciences
  • Film and Visual Studies
  • Germanic Languages and Literatures
  • Health Policy
  • History of Art and Architecture
  • History of Science
  • Human Evolutionary Biology
  • Inner Asian and Altaic Studies
  • Linguistics
  • Mathematics
  • Middle Eastern Studies
  • Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations
  • Organizational Behavior
  • Political Economy and Government
  • Population Health Sciences
  • Public Policy
  • Quantum Science and Engineering
  • Religion, The Study of
  • Romance Languages and Literatures
  • Slavic Languages and Literatures
  • Social Policy
  • South Asian Studies
  • Systems, Synthetic, and Quantitative Biology
  • Secondary Fields
  • Year of Graduate Study (G-Year)
  • Master's Degrees
  • Grade and Examination Requirements
  • Conduct and Safety
  • Financial Aid
  • Non-Resident Students
  • Registration

In addition to the common degree requirements expected of Harvard Griffin GSAS students, students must meet additional requirements specified by their department or program. This section provides additional degree requirements by academic program.

CONTACT INFO

Student affairs, explore events.

  • Harvard Business School →
  • Doctoral Programs →
  • PhD Programs
  • Accounting & Management
  • Business Economics
  • Health Policy (Management)
  • Organizational Behavior
  • Technology & Operations Management
  • Program Requirements

Curriculum & Coursework

Our programs are full-time degree programs which officially begin in August. Students are expected to complete their program in five years. Typically, the first two years are spent on coursework, at the end of which students take a field exam, and then another three years on dissertation research and writing.

The Marketing program draws on computer science, economics, behavioral science, and psychological methods to focus on marketing problems faced by the firm and its management. Through a combination of discipline- and field-based methods, the curriculum enables students to master concepts and research skills directly relevant to business problems. Candidates must come to understand the point of view of practicing managers and be able to bring theory and careful research to bear in illuminating important business problems.

The program requires a minimum of 13 semester-long doctoral courses. Students in the Marketing program are required to complete a year-long discipline sequence typically in microeconomics or psychology. They also complete courses in the areas of machine learning, computer science, statistics, research methods, academic field seminars, and two MBA elective curriculum courses. In addition to HBS courses, students often take courses at other Harvard Schools and MIT.

Research & Dissertation

Students in Marketing begin research in their first year typically by working with a faculty member. By their third and fourth years, most students are launched on a solid research and publication stream. The dissertation may take the form of three publishable papers or one longer dissertation.

Recent examples of doctoral thesis research include: The effects of brand extensions on the value of parent brands; Multi-method examination of the consumption of “knockoffs” of high status brands, and the counter-intuitive positive outcomes for consumer-brand relationships; Competitive analysis of pricing and quality decisions in industries with strictly complimentary products; The psychological effects of pricing, and how these affect consumers and firms; and "Choice amnesia," the motivated forgetting of difficult decisions.

can you get a phd at harvard

Mengjie "Magie" Cheng

can you get a phd at harvard

Ta-Wei "David" Huang

“ Finding an advisor who you really click with and who is willing to support your research interests is absolutely key. ”

can you get a phd at harvard

Current HBS Faculty

  • Tomomichi Amano
  • Eva Ascarza
  • Max H. Bazerman
  • David E. Bell
  • Alison Wood Brooks
  • Julian De Freitas
  • Rohit Deshpande
  • Anita Elberse
  • Sunil Gupta
  • Ayelet Israeli
  • Leslie K. John
  • Elizabeth A. Keenan
  • Edward McFowland III
  • Navid Mojir
  • Das Narayandas
  • Michael I. Norton
  • V. Kasturi Rangan
  • Isamar Troncoso
  • Jeremy Yang
  • Shunyuan Zhang

Current Marketing Students

  • Stuti Agarwal
  • Mengjie (Magie) Cheng
  • Jingpeng Hong
  • Ta-Wei (David) Huang
  • Jimin Nam
  • Lucy Shen
  • Sihan Zhai

Current HBS Faculty & Students by Interest

Recent placement, emily prinsloo, 2023, ximena garcia-rada, 2021, serena hagerty, 2022, dafna goor, 2020, byungyeon kim, 2022, grant donnelly, 2018.

  • Crimson Careers
  • For Employers
  • Harvard College
  • Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts & Sciences
  • Harvard Extension School
  • Premed / Pre-Health
  • Families & Supporters
  • Faculty & Staff
  • Prospective Students
  • First Generation / Low Income
  • International Students
  • Students of Color
  • Students with Disabilities
  • Undocumented Students
  • Explore Interests & Make Career Decisions
  • Create a Resume/CV or Cover Letter
  • Expand Your Network
  • Engage with Employers
  • Search for a Job
  • Find an Internship
  • January Experiences (College)
  • Find & Apply for Summer Opportunities Funding
  • Prepare for an Interview
  • Negotiate an Offer
  • Apply to Graduate or Professional School
  • Access Resources
  • AI for Professional Development and Exploration
  • Arts & Entertainment
  • Business & Entrepreneurship
  • Climate, Sustainability, Environment, Energy
  • Government, Int’l Relations, Education, Law, Nonprofits
  • Life Sciences & Health
  • Technology & Engineering
  • Still Exploring
  • Talk to an Advisor

What You Can Be With A Harvard PhD

  • Share This: Share What You Can Be With A Harvard PhD on Facebook Share What You Can Be With A Harvard PhD on LinkedIn Share What You Can Be With A Harvard PhD on X

A hallmark of the PhD is creative problem solving, and PhDs are needed in every sector to address the world’s increasingly complex problems. This booklet offers a taste of the many career paths PhD students can pursue beyond academia. The Harvard Griffin GSAS team at the Mignone Center for Career Success can help you understand your skills, explore your options, and land a great job within or beyond academia.

Coordinated JD/PhD Program

Harvard Law School and the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

The Coordinated JD/PhD Program is designed for students interested in completing interdisciplinary work at Harvard University and is founded on the belief that students’ legal studies and their arts and sciences graduate studies can be mutually enriched through this pursuit. Students completing the coordinated program receive a JD from Harvard Law School (HLS) and a PhD from the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences  (Harvard Griffin GSAS). It is expected that these students will be strong candidates for teaching posts at law schools and in arts and sciences programs, as well as for other positions in law and academia. Prospective students interested in the coordinated program may reach out to  HLS J.D. Admissions  and the  Harvard Griffin GSAS Office of Admissions  to learn more. Current and admitted students interested in the coordinated program are encouraged to contact  April Pettit , in the Office of Academic Affairs at HLS for questions about the JD program, or  Dan Volchok , Assistant Dean of Student Success at Harvard Griffin GSAS for questions about the PhD programs.

Prospective students must separately apply to and be admitted to both HLS and a Harvard Griffin GSAS PhD program in order to participate in the coordinated JD/PhD program.

  • Students enrolled in HLS, but not yet admitted to Harvard Griffin GSAS, must apply to Harvard Griffin GSAS no later than the 2L year, meeting the Harvard Griffin GSAS application deadline for matriculation the following year.
  • Students enrolled in Harvard Griffin GSAS, but not yet admitted to HLS, should apply to HLS no later than the G3 year, meeting the HLS application deadline for matriculation the following year.
  • Please see below for details about participation in the coordinated program for Harvard Griffin GSAS students who apply and are admitted to HLS after the G3 year.

Once admitted to both schools, students must submit a proposed Plan of Study to the coordinated program no later than October 1 of the academic year following admission to both schools. Students should submit the Plan of Study to April Pettit in the Office of Academic Affairs at HLS.

Please note: Harvard Griffin GSAS students who apply to and are admitted to HLS after the G3 year at Harvard Griffin GSAS must then separately apply to the coordinated program. The application to the coordinated program should include (1) a statement detailing the way in which the student plans to integrate his or her legal studies with his or her graduate studies including how work done at HLS will inform the dissertation work and vice versa; and (2) a letter of support from the primary Harvard Griffin GSAS advisor; and (3) the Plan of Study.

The JD/PhD committee will review the applications to determine admission to the coordinated program.

Students will be registered in only one School during any given semester/term. Pursuant to ABA rules, students must  complete all requirements for the JD degree within seven years of the date they first enroll in HLS ; they may graduate from HLS before completing the PhD. Students must have satisfactorily completed at least 16 half courses in their Harvard Griffin GSAS department to receive the PhD. Students in the coordinated program will have two primary faculty advisors, one at HLS and one at Harvard Griffin GSAS, who will jointly advise students.

Students will be expected to complete the first-year program, three upper-level fall or spring semesters, and two winter terms at HLS, for a total of five fall and spring semesters and three winter terms. In lieu of the sixth HLS semester generally required of JD students, students in the coordinated program may take a semester at Harvard Griffin GSAS, completing courses or dissertation work pre-approved by HLS, and equivalent to at least 10 HLS credits. This Harvard Griffin GSAS semester may be taken only after a student has matriculated at HLS and completed their entire first year of study there. Students and their faculty advisors will determine the most appropriate sequencing for each student’s course of study, keeping in mind the HLS course, credit, and residency requirements for this program.

Course and Credit Requirements

First-year program.

The first year at HLS consists of (1) Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law, Legislation and Regulation, Property, and Torts; (2) First-year Legal Research and Writing; (3) January Experiential Term; and (4) a spring upper-level elective at HLS of a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 4 classroom credits.

Upper-Level Years

Credit and residency requirements.

Students must earn no fewer than 52 credits beyond the first year, including 36 HLS classroom credits. Classroom credits include those connected to courses, seminars and reading groups, but not writing or clinical credits. The 36 required classroom credits also include the required minimum of two credits to satisfy the Professional Responsibility Requirement and credits from the required winter terms (provided that the course chosen offers classroom credits). Of the remaining 16 required HLS credits, a maximum of ten are earned through courses or tutorials taken in Harvard Griffin GSAS and/or for dissertation writing (see below). Note that students must have their advisor’s approval before engaging in a semester of Harvard Griffin GSAS dissertation writing that is expected to count toward the HLS credit requirements . The remaining six required HLS credits may be earned in classroom, writing or clinical courses.

While at HLS, students must be enrolled in a minimum of ten total credits each semester in HLS or Harvard Griffin GSAS, with no fewer than eight of these being HLS classroom credits toward the requirement of 36 HLS classroom credits.

Winter Term Requirement

Students also must enroll in the HLS winter term two times during their upper-level years in the program. Each of the winter terms must follow a fall term enrollment or precede a spring term enrollment at HLS. Students may register for a course of two or three credits. JD/PhD students will be permitted to spend one of the winter terms in the HLS Winter Writing Program, provided they are engaged in written work for HLS credit according to the rules of that program.

Written Work Requirement

JD/PhD students must complete the JD Written Work Requirement. Students are permitted to satisfy the requirement with a portion of their dissertation, provided this work meets HLS standards for written work. However, any portion of the dissertation counted toward the JD Written Work Requirement cannot also be used as part of the 10 HLS-equivalent credits earned during a student’s Harvard Griffin GSAS semester. Further information about the J.D. Written Work Requirement and the Winter Term Writing Program is available from the HLS Registrar’s Office .

Pro Bono Requirement

JD/PhD students must complete the  HLS Pro Bono Requirement  of 50 hours of public service.

Residency Requirement

A minimum of two years of full-time study in residence is required for all PhD programs in the Harvard Griffin GSAS. During the period of registration at HLS, coordinated JD/PhD students will have “study-at-another-Harvard-school” status in Harvard Griffin GSAS.

Structure of Academic Work

Students will ordinarily be enrolled for at least four years (8 terms) in Harvard Griffin GSAS. They must complete at least 16 half courses to receive their PhD. Students may cross-register for a limited number of Harvard Griffin GSAS courses during their upper-level terms at HLS. Depending on the Harvard Griffin GSAS department, these courses may count toward the PhD. However, JD/PhD students may count a maximum of 10 credits from Harvard Griffin GSAS coursework or dissertation writing toward the JD. Therefore, students planning to spend a semester enrolled at Harvard Griffin GSAS taking courses or writing the dissertation for which they will earn 10 HLS credits may not also count cross-registered Harvard Griffin GSAS courses toward the JD.

General Examinations

In most departments, once having completed the required coursework, students must pass a general examination or other preliminary or qualifying examinations before undertaking independent research on a dissertation. Normally, when the nature of the field and previous preparation permit, students should pass these examinations by the end of the second year of full-time academic residence.

PhD Dissertation

The student’s dissertation prospectus must be approved by the department. A student who wishes to present as a dissertation a published article, series of articles, book or other document, or a manuscript that has been accepted for publication, must have the approval of the department concerned. In no case, however, may a dissertation be presented that has already been submitted toward another degree, either at Harvard or elsewhere. The Dissertation Acceptance Certificate must be signed by at least three readers approved by the student’s department, two of whom must be members of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS). FAS emeriti (including research professors) and faculty members from other schools at Harvard who hold appointments on GSAS degree committees are authorized to sign the Dissertation Acceptance Certificates as FAS members. GSAS strongly recommends that the chair of the dissertation committee be a member of FAS. The third reader may be a member of the HLS faculty.

Requirement of Satisfactory Status

Continuous registration, a satisfactory grade record, and evidence that satisfactory progress is being made toward the degree are required of all candidates for graduate degrees offered by FAS. All students in Harvard Griffin GSAS must be making satisfactory progress in order to be eligible for any type of financial aid and teaching. The following five provisions are the general definition of satisfactory progress during registration in Harvard Griffin GSAS:

  • During the first two years of graduate study any student who has completed expected requirements is considered to be making satisfactory progress.
  • In each of the first two years, a student must have achieved the minimum grade-point average required by the faculty, a B average. (see Harvard Griffin GSAS Policies: Grade and Examination Requirements ).
  • By the end of the third year, a student must have passed general examinations or the departmental equivalent.
  • By the end of the fourth year, a student must have obtained approval of a dissertation prospectus or its departmental equivalent.
  • By the end of the fifth year and each subsequent year during which a student is allowed to register, they must have produced at least one acceptable chapter of the dissertation.

For more information about satisfactory progress, please see Harvard Griffin GSAS Policies .

Other Requirements

Ordinarily, programs will have a language requirement and an expectation of teaching. Students should consult with their Harvard Griffin GSAS departments for more information about these requirements.

There are a number of possible academic schedules for students pursuing both degrees. Three sequences are outlined below, but students may propose alternative sequences. In considering their courses of study, students should be aware that their financial aid packages might be affected at the school in which they defer enrollment.

Year 1: HLS Year 2: Harvard Griffin GSAS Year 3: Harvard Griffin GSAS Year 4: HLS Year 5: 1st term, HLS Year 5: 2nd term, Harvard Griffin GSAS (earning the equivalent of 10 HLS credits in dissertation work) Following year(s): Harvard Griffin GSAS until completion of dissertation

Year 1: Harvard Griffin GSAS Year 2: Harvard Griffin GSAS Year 3: HLS Year 4: Harvard Griffin GSAS Year 5: HLS Year 6: 1st term, HLS Year 6: 2nd term, Harvard Griffin GSAS (earning the equivalent of 10 HLS credits in dissertation work) Following year(s): Harvard Griffin GSAS until completion of dissertation

Year 1: HLS Year 2: HLS Year 3: Harvard Griffin GSAS Year 4: Harvard Griffin GSAS Year 5: 1st term, HLS Year 5: 2nd term, Harvard Griffin GSAS (earning the equivalent of 10 HLS credits in dissertation work) Following year(s): Harvard Griffin GSAS until completion of dissertation

Updated Plans of Study

By October 1 each year, current JD/PhD students should submit an updated Plan of Study to April Pettit, in the HLS Office of Academic Affairs.

Other Academic Information

Faculty advising.

Students in the program will have primary faculty advisors at both HLS and at Harvard Griffin GSAS. If possible, HLS faculty advisors should be selected before the completion of the 2L year. The HLS faculty advisor must sign off on any dissertation writing a student expects to use for JD credit. In some Harvard Griffin GSAS departments, the director of graduate studies serves as the faculty advisor during the first two years of study. Faculty advisors will supervise students’ academic work, advise students on their courses of study and on specific classes appropriate for their PhD work, and approve the courses of study for their students on an annual basis. If appropriate, the HLS advisor will be the third reader on the student’s dissertation committee, with at least two readers required to be members of FAS.

Leaving the JD/PhD Program

If a student fails to make adequate progress toward the PhD, the student’s faculty advisors will be permitted to withdraw the student from the program. In such cases, in order to receive the JD degree, a student will still need to meet the graduation and credit requirements for the JD degree.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Harvard law school.

Students must pay five semesters of full tuition. Students will be eligible for HLS financial aid for all semesters during which they pay tuition to HLS. For more information on Financial Aid, visit the Student Financial Services Financial Aid webpage .

Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

The minimum financial requirement for the PhD is at least four terms of full tuition followed by two years of reduced tuition and a facilities fee unless the degree is completed in less than four years. The financial aid awarded upon admission to the PhD program is available during those terms in which the student is enrolled in Harvard Griffin GSAS. Students should refer to their notice of financial support provided by their department upon admission to Harvard Griffin GSAS. Students should consult with their GSAS departments for more information.

Administrative Information

The HLS Registrar’s Office, the FAS Registrar’s Office, the GSAS Assistant Dean of Student Success, the HLS Associate Director of Academic Affairs, and the appropriate financial aid officers, will coordinate on students’ registration status and updated plans of study.

Housing and Student Life

GSAS and HLS will work together to ensure that the student services offered by both Schools are available to JD/PhD students during all their years in the Coordinated Program, including career and counseling offices, financial aid offices, student centers, and alumni offices. Students in the coordinated program will have email accounts at both schools throughout the program. Disability services and visa requirements will be coordinated on a case-by-case basis by the HLS Dean of Students and Registrar and by the Harvard Griffin GSAS Assistant Dean for Student Success. Students may apply for housing through either School for the years in which they are enrolled for at least one semester/term at both Schools. In all other years, students must apply for housing to the School in which they are enrolled.

Modal Gallery

Gallery block modal gallery.

Learn to Change the World

Nonie Lesaux

Nonie Lesaux Named HGSE Interim Dean

Professor of education and former academic dean will begin her role at the end of the academic year

Howard Gardner

Howard Gardner Named 2024 Convocation Speaker

Celebrated psychologist and originator of the theory of multiple intelligences will address HGSE graduates on May 22

FAFSA Illustration

Can School Counselors Help Students with "FAFSA Fiasco"?

Support for low-income prospective college students and their families more crucial than ever during troubled federal financial aid rollout   

The front of Gutman Library proudly displays welcome to HGSE banners.

A Place to Thrive

Explore how you can connect, grow, deepen your work, and expand your horizons at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Degree Programs

Through a rich suite of courses and co-curricular experiences, along with the mentorship of exceptional faculty, a degree from Harvard Graduate School of Education prepares you to make a difference in education today.

Fernando Reimers Teaching

Residential Master’s in Education

Immersive campus experience for aspiring and established educators, leaders, and innovators, with five distinct programs to choose from and rich opportunities to personalize your study and deepen your interests.

Online Master's in Education Leadership

Part-time, career-embedded program, delivered online, for experienced educators looking to advance their leadership in higher education or pre-K–12.

Doctor of Education Leadership

Preparing transformative leaders to have the capacity to guide complex organizations, navigate political environments, and create systemic change in the field of education.

Doctor of Philosophy in Education 

Training cutting-edge researchers who work across disciplines, generate knowledge, and translate discoveries into transformative policy and practice.

PPE Student

Professional Development

For early childhood professionals.

Programs designed to support the learning and development of early childhood professionals working in diverse settings.

For K-12 Professionals

A robust portfolio of programs serving teachers, school leaders, district administrators, and other education professionals.

For Higher Education Professionals

Leadership and career development programs for college and university administrators.

Ideas and Impact

From world-class research to innovative ideas, our community of students, faculty, and alumni are transforming education today.

Irvin Scott at an Askwith Education Forum

Lessons on Nurturing Hearts and Minds

With his new book, Senior Lecturer Irvin Scott wants to inspire other educators toward meaningful impact

Moriah Lit

Collegiate Recovery

For one master's student, education brings a clean start

Jarvis Givens Askwith

Black Teacher Archive Enters New Phase with Grant Awards

The next phase of the project, led by Professor Jarvis Givens and Radcliffe's Imani Perry, will support new research and fill in gaps in the archive's collection

Faculty in the Media

With deep knowledge of the education field, HGSE faculty members influence current conversations in the media, giving educators and students a much-needed voice for positive change.

Nadine Gaab

"Every child has the right to read well. Every child has the right to access their full potential. This society is driven by perfectionism and has been very narrow-minded when it comes to children who learn differently, including learning disabilities."

Welcome to Harvard Online

Harvard Online presents curated online courses that combine faculty and disciplines from across the University, connecting learners around the globe with the world’s most urgent issues.

Outsmarting Implicit Bias

Designed for individuals and teams, this Harvard Online course taught by preeminent Harvard Professor Mahzarin Banaji teaches the science of implicit bias and strategies to counter the impact of bias in the workplace.

What are you interested in?

Health care leadership.

Deepen perspectives and advance insights into the strategic issues facing health care organizations today.

Harvard on Digital

Approach new digital and data strategies with an eye toward people, mindsets, and systems.

Leadership, Communication, Transformation

What kind of leader will you be?

Law in Practice

Keep up on moral, ethical, and legal arguments and continue your education beyond the classroom.

Explore Learning Paths

Benefit and Discount Programs for Organizations and Individuals

Team Leader Icon

Experience Harvard Online by utilizing our wide variety of discount programs for individuals and groups. 

Past participant discounts.

Learners who have enrolled in at least one qualifying Harvard Online program hosted on the HBS Online platform are eligible to receive a 30% discount on this course, regardless of completion or certificate status in the first purchased program. Past-Participant Discounts are automatically applied to the Program Fee upon time of payment.  Learn more here .

Learners who have earned a verified certificate for a HarvardX course hosted on the  edX platform  are eligible to receive a 30% discount on this course using a discount code. Discounts are not available after you've submitted payment, so if you think you are eligible for a discount on a registration, please check your email for a code or contact us .

Non-profit, Government, Military, and Education Discounts

For this course we offer a 30% discount for learners who work in the nonprofit, government, military, or education fields. 

Eligibility is determined by a prospective learner’s email address, ending in .org, .gov, .mil, or .edu. Interested learners can apply below for the discount and, if eligible, will receive a promo code to enter when completing payment information to enroll in a Harvard Online program. Click here to apply for these discounts.

Gather your team to experience Harvard Online courses and to enjoy the benefits of learning together: 

  • Single invoicing for groups of 10 or more
  • Tiered discounts and pricing available with up to 50% off
  • Growth reports on your team's progress
  • Flexible course and partnership plans 

Learn more and enroll your team ! 

Trending Courses

Health care strategy.

Learn from HBS Professor Leemore Dafny how to align the principles of business strategy with the unique challenges and structures of health care organizations to capture value, define your mission, and lead your organization to success.

Big Data for Social Good

Using real-world data and policy interventions as applications, this course will teach core concepts in economics and statistics and equip you to tackle some of the most pressing social challenges of our time.

Innovations in Teamwork for Health Care

In this course, experts from Harvard Business School and the T.H. Chan School of Public Health teach learners to implement a strategy for organizational teamwork in health care.

Explore All Courses

Learner Testimonials

On Data Privacy and Technology

"The course was informative on both current and future data privacy and technological innovation trends—the need for data privacy without inhibiting innovation. The team and instructors prompt critical thinking while broadening the understanding of data privacy beyond the frontiers. At the end of the course, I concluded that there was a need for a mass cultural shift towards ethical use of technology."

Joanita Nagaba Co-founder, ANJ Data Management Solutions Africa Ltd.

On Health Care Economics

“This is an amazing course. The professor did a fantastic job dissecting the complexities of healthcare into chewable chunks." 

Howard H. Dinh, MD, FACC Medical Director, Cardiac Services, Greater Sacramento The Permanente Medical Group and Chief, Cardiology Kaiser Permanente, South Sacramento

"I love the way the course is structured with real-world examples and the critical thinking sessions. It forces us to reflect upon what is happening around us. People who have an interest in cybersecurity, as well as those that would like to gain more general knowledge, would greatly benefit from this course."

Anand Narayan Account Executive, Lenovo Canada

On Data Science Principles

"This is a topic that people in any industry should have at least basic knowledge of in order to create more efficient and competitive businesses, tools, and resources."

Carlos E. Sapene Chief Executive Officer

On Data Science For Business

"This course had an amazing instructor, amazing examples, and an amazing user interface that made it easy for me to grasp the material and learn simultaneously with others around the world."

Shawn Carrington, Jr. Senior Executive Officer Perspecta, Inc.

Neuroscience

Program finder image

Undergraduate Program

Neuroscience, the study of the nervous system, is a field that investigates the biological mechanisms that underlie behavior and how brains process information. The study of neuroscience provides both a broad scientific training and a deep understanding of the biology of the nervous system. Given the diversity of interests in this field, the only prerequisite for students entering this concentration is an intense curiosity about the brain.

The Program in Neuroscience is an inter-departmental Ph.D. program dedicated to training Ph.D.s in neuroscience. The program provides students with the instruction, research experience, and mentoring they need to become leaders in research and education. The program offers students options for thesis research with neuroscientists in departments throughout the University, including in labs based on the Cambridge campus and at Harvard-affiliated hospitals. The enormous number and diversity of affiliated labs means that students have a wide range of options in choosing research experiences.

IMAGES

  1. How to Get into a Harvard PhD program

    can you get a phd at harvard

  2. All About PhD at Harvard University

    can you get a phd at harvard

  3. Harvard PhD Programs

    can you get a phd at harvard

  4. how to do a phd at harvard

    can you get a phd at harvard

  5. Fully-Funded PhD Program at Harvard University: How I Got In

    can you get a phd at harvard

  6. How To Get Into A PhD Program At Harvard University

    can you get a phd at harvard

VIDEO

  1. Meet the Spring 2022 Resident IOP Fellows

  2. How I Got Admitted Into Harvard University

  3. Harvard PhD in ONLY Four Years!

  4. Is it harder to get into an MD/PhD program?

  5. HOW TO GET INTO HARVARD: Application & Essay Guide (+Tips & Tricks)

  6. Introducing the Spring 2023 IOP Resident Fellows

COMMENTS

  1. Programs

    Degrees Offered. Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Deadline. Dec 01, 2023 | 05:00 pm. Next. The Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences is a leading institution of graduate study, offering PhD and select master's degrees as well as opportunities to study without pursuing a degree as a visiting student.

  2. PhD Programs

    Students in our PhD programs are encouraged from day one to think of this experience as their first job in business academia—a training ground for a challenging and rewarding career generating rigorous, relevant research that influences practice. Our doctoral students work with faculty and access resources throughout HBS and Harvard University.

  3. Doctoral Degree Programs

    The Doctor of Education Leadership (Ed.L.D) is a three-year, practice-based program designed to produce system-level leaders in American pre-K-12 education. The Ed.L.D. curriculum mines the vast intellectual and professional resources of HGSE, the Harvard Business School, and the Harvard Kennedy School, and includes a 10-month residency in the ...

  4. Admissions

    For more information, see Undocumented at Harvard. If you already hold a PhD or its equivalent, or are an advanced doctoral candidate at another institution, you may apply to a PhD program only if it is in an unrelated field of study; however, preference for admissions and financial aid will be given to those who have not already had an ...

  5. Application Requirements

    PhD programs: 3451 Instructions for submitting IELTS score reports Designate Harvard University, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences as a recipient of your test results. Our address, for the record only, to identify us in the IELTS system, is 1350 Massachusetts Ave. Smith Campus Center 350, Cambridge, MA 02138. ...

  6. Philosophy

    As a PhD student in the Harvard philosophy program, you'll have the opportunity to develop your ideas, knowledge, and abilities. You'll work with other doctoral students, our faculty, and visiting scholars, all in a stimulating and supportive environment. The program has strengths across a broad range of topics and areas, so you'll be able to ...

  7. PhD in Biological Sciences in Public Health

    APPLICATION PROCESS. Like all PhD (doctor of philosophy) programs at the School, the PhD in biological sciences in public health is offered under the aegis of the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (Harvard Griffin GSAS). Applications are processed through the Harvard Griffin GSAS online application system.

  8. PhD Degree Programs

    There are nine HMS-based PhD programs. Students in these programs are all enrolled in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS): ... The Division of Medical Sciences is the administrative centralized home for all Harvard PhD students located at HMS. There are many resources available to these students on the the DMS website.

  9. Programs

    Explore Programs Available at Harvard. Browse the graduate and undergraduate degrees and majors offered by Harvard's 13 Schools and learn more about admissions requirements, scholarship, and financial aid opportunities. We also offer executive education, certificate programs, and online courses for professional and lifelong learners.

  10. PhD Program Requirements

    Harvard Griffin GSAS strives to provide students with timely, accurate, and clear information. If you need help understanding a specific policy, please contact the office that administers that policy. ... Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences is a leading institution of graduate study, offering PhD and select master ...

  11. Apply

    Apply. The Program in Neuroscience (PiN) is a full-time lab-based PhD program comprising a core curriculum that encompasses the interrelated disciplines of neuroscience, elective requirements in computational neuroscience and neuroanatomy, and training across multiple research areas and techniques through first-year lab rotations and ...

  12. Organizational Behavior

    Scholars in the doctoral program in Organizational Behavior at Harvard Business School are prepared to pursue an interdisciplinary inquiry into issues that are broadly related to the functioning of individuals within groups, at either the micro or macro level. Graduates of our program go on to become the leading researchers and thinkers in ...

  13. Marketing

    The Marketing program draws on computer science, economics, behavioral science, and psychological methods to focus on marketing problems faced by the firm and its management. Through a combination of discipline- and field-based methods, the curriculum enables students to master concepts and research skills directly relevant to business problems.

  14. What You Can Be With A Harvard PhD

    A hallmark of the PhD is creative problem solving, and PhDs are needed in every sector to address the world's increasingly complex problems. This booklet offers a taste of the many career paths PhD students can pursue beyond academia. The Harvard Griffin GSAS team at the Mignone Center for Career Success can help you understand your skills ...

  15. Coordinated JD/PhD Program

    The Coordinated JD/PhD Program is designed for students interested in completing interdisciplinary work at Harvard University and is founded on the belief that students' legal studies and their arts and sciences graduate studies can be mutually enriched through this pursuit. Students completing the coordinated program receive a JD from ...

  16. Homepage

    The mission of the Harvard Graduate School of Education is to prepare education leaders and innovators who will change the world by expanding opportunities and outcomes for learners everywhere. We're an institution committed to making the broadest impact possible, putting powerful ideas and evidence-based research into practice.

  17. Harvard Online

    Learners who have enrolled in at least one qualifying Harvard Online program hosted on the HBS Online platform are eligible to receive a 30% discount on this course, regardless of completion or certificate status in the first purchased program. ... Interested learners can apply below for the discount and, if eligible, will receive a promo code ...

  18. Neuroscience

    Harvard College. Neuroscience, the study of the nervous system, is a field that investigates the biological mechanisms that underlie behavior and how brains process information. The study of neuroscience provides both a broad scientific training and a deep understanding of the biology of the nervous system. Given the diversity of interests in ...

  19. Harvard College Calendar

    Contact Tara Cousineau, PhD, [email protected] Open to all registered Harvard students (graduates) who have paid the 2023-2024 Student Health Fee., powered by Localist. ... When you notice your algorithms and little inner critics roaming around, you can proactively transform the narratives in beneficial ways. Being with others is a ...