Online Degrees from Harvard University

Harvard University has long been respected as one of the most prestigious schools in the country. Having a degree from Harvard University is a privilege and a dream for many people. Since Harvard University is so popular and prestigious, only a few students are accepted to the school. To help all those students that wanted to attend the school earn a degree, the school created the Harvard University extension school.

The Harvard University extension school offers over 600 courses in 65 different fields. Students can attend evening classes or sign-up for online courses. The Harvard University online degree helps students that are unable to be at the campus all the time, however they will be required to visit the campus and participate in tests and other coursework. International students can benefit from the Harvard University online degree because several courses have been designed to further the English studies of students.

If you are seeking a degree from Harvard University, you will need to combine online classes with traditional classes. The exams and quizzes for online classes generally need to be taken on campus in a testing center. Harvard does offer online certifications for Applied Sciences and Environmental management. Currently, those are the only 2 online certifications you can earn without attending the campus for work. Most of the online course work can be done off campus, but if you are seeking a degree, it is a requirement to make a few visits to the campus. Harvard University extension school also offers certificates for Management, and Publishing and Communications.

Online classes offer streaming video feeds and email communication. In order for students to participate in online classes, they must have a high-speed internet connection and good computer skills. The tuition rate for the Harvard extension school varies with each course. The tuition rate will be determined by a noncredit, undergraduate, or graduate credit level. According to the Harvard University extension school, the average rate per course is around $800-$1975. Students seeking a degree or a certificate can apply for financial aid if they are unable to pay for their schooling. 

The online classes allow students to experience the Harvard classroom experience because the lectures conducted on campus are videotaped and then stream-lined to the online class. If you enroll in the online class and would like to attend the lecture, you can do both. Most students enroll in the online class because they are unable to attend the lectures. The coursework for the online class and the traditional class are the same. Students have access to bulletin boards and chat rooms that discuss information about the class and the professor. The teaching staff can choose to participate in the bulletin boards and chat rooms and they also have access to email and course web site postings. Students will not have a problem reaching their professor if they run into a problem with the online class since there are numerous communication options available.

The online degree that many students can obtain online from Harvard University is a Master of Liberal Arts degree. The Master of Liberal Arts degree emphasizes 19 different fields of study including archaeology, film, and linguistics. In order to obtain the Master of Liberal Arts degree, students must participate in a series of online classes and traditional classes. Most students that complete this degree use it as a stepping stone for a PhD or as a career advancement tool.

The online certificate programs offered from the Harvard University Extension School are for Applied Sciences and Environmental Management. The Applied Sciences certificate can be completed entirely online, but students must have a regionally accredited bachelor degree before they can enroll. Students must participate in 3 graduate courses through the Harvard extension school before they can apply for admission. The Applied Sciences certificate includes mathematic, physics, and computer science coursework. All certificate courses will award graduate level credit. The Environmental Management certificate requires the same things as the Applied Sciences certificate but it does not emphasis courses based on mathematics, physics, and computer science.

Flexibility and convenience for the students and teachers caused several universities to start offering online classes. Like other universities, Harvard noticed the demand for online courses from traditional students. While the online classes may be convenient, they are still time-consuming. Students that have participated in online classes have often stated that they enjoyed the flexible schedule, but they spent more time studying the material. Online classes are only convenient with the right student. Not everyone is able to learn with online classes. Since Harvard University is one of the most prestigious colleges in the country, it is no wonder that their degrees demand time. Students that participate in the Harvard University extension school must have a desire to learn the material on their own and spend at least 2 hours or more in front of the computer immersed in their coursework. Students that can dedicate this amount of time to their schooling will find online learning experience enjoyable. The students have access to their coursework 24/7 and this allows them to fit their schooling around their work and personal schedule.

Procrastination is the largest downfall to online learning. Harvard University extension school tries to weed out the serious students from those that are procrastinators. Students must participate in different tests and some degrees also require students to take pre-requisite courses before they are accepted to the online class. The loose time constraints of online classes are a large benefit, but they can also be detrimental. Traditional students of Harvard University already have to work hard; the online students must work equally as hard to make visible progress toward their degree goals.  

One of the common mistakes students make with online classes is thinking they will be cheaper from traditional ones. Harvard University charges by the course and informs students at the beginning that their online school is not cheap. It is simply an additional benefit of the school, allowing students to learn at their own pace. Since Harvard University highly screens their applicants, they do not want just anyone to attend the school. Applicants for the online school must meet the same expectations as traditional students and they are still required to take traditional classes. Other online universities have averaged that the tuition rate for their school is about the same as traditional universities, and sometimes even higher. The affordability of an online course depends entirely on the attendance from the student.

Harvard University recognizes that not every student can afford the room, board, and other fees that come with traditional campus life. The Harvard University extension school was created with those students in mind. The school wanted to help serve the needs of the non-traditional student, but still give them they same campus experience. This is why Harvard offers online courses and degrees, but still requires the students to attend the campus for testing and some courses.

Those who seek online degrees are often faced with the challenge of finding a legitimate online university. Since Harvard is a prestigious school, there is no question of the legitimacy of an online degree. Harvard has taken the proper steps to ensure their extension school is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.

A lot of students chose to complete their degree with Harvard extension school because they can obtain all the prestige of having a degree from Harvard without having to attend the traditional classes or live in the Boston area. Before anyone gets into over their heads with the idea of attending Harvard extension school, they need to make sure they are a desirable candidate for the school and that they can also pay the tuition. As stated previously, Harvard extension school is not cheap the admissions is based on your ability to learn and your past work-related experience.

The majority of students that earn their degree with Harvard extension school are working adults. The open-enrollment courses are open to everyone, but the programs are reserved for those that pass the admissions process. Before applying for admission's, each individual must take 3 open-enrollment courses and obtain a B or higher. Each program offered through Harvard University has different outlines as to what admissions criteria the student must meet.

If you are selected as a candidate in a degree or certificate program, you will be eligible to receive access to several things. Candidates can enroll in courses before others, speak with academic advisors about their educational goals, and receive discounts on sporting events. Candidates are also eligible to access to the library, which holds 3,000 different databases and journals. Another benefit of being a candidate is the ability to receive resume writing services and career advisement from Harvard professionals.

Earning a degree online is one thing, but earning a degree online from Harvard University is another. Employers and professionals all over the world respect Harvard University and each year thousands of hopeful students are hoping to attend the prestigious university. By participating in the online courses offered through the Harvard University extension school, professionals can add a major boost to their resume and earn the right to be a Harvard graduate.