Harvard Division of Continuing Education
The Division of Continuing Education is a division of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Harvard University. It is responsible for non-degree, undergraduate, and graduate programs related to continuing education.
 Division of Continuing Education | |
| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Location | , , United States |
| Campus | Urban |
| Website | dce |
Programs
Currently, the Division of Continuing Education comprises four major programs:
- The Harvard Summer School
- The Harvard Extension School
- The Harvard Institute for Learning in Retirement
- The Harvard Secondary School Program
The Harvard Summer School, founded in 1871, is the first academic summer session established in the United States. Each summer, more than 5,000 students of all ages come to Harvard from across the United States and more than 100 foreign countries to study for seven weeks with faculty from Harvard and other universities. The Summer School offers approximately 300 daytime and evening classes in more than forty disciplines.
The Harvard Extension School, founded in 1910, offers online and on-campus education for nontraditional students through open-enrollment for individual courses, part-time day and evening classes, and opportunities for personal enrichment or career advancement. For students that are accepted through a formal admissions process, the school also offers the degrees of Bachelor of Liberal Arts in Extension Studies (ALB) and Master of Liberal Arts in Extension Studies (ALM).
The Harvard Institute for Learning in Retirement, created in 1977, offers retirees and other older adults an opportunity to explore new areas of knowledge in peer-taught study groups. Each year, approximately 500 people ranging in age from their fifties to their nineties participate in the Institute's programs.
Part of the Harvard Summer School, the Harvard Secondary School Program offers high school seniors, juniors, and sophomores a chance to sample college. Students take college classes taught by Harvard and non-Harvard faculty, meet students from around the world, and take part in social, recreational, and college preparatory activities: a college fair, trips to other colleges, intramural athletics, dances, a trivia bowl, music groups, and a talent show.
Organization and faculty
The Division of Continuing Education is led by the Dean of Continuing Education and University Extension, who is appointed by and reports to the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. The Dean of the Harvard Summer School reports to the Dean of Continuing Education. The Summer School and the Extension School draw their instructors from Harvard University, other institutions of higher learning, and the private sector.