Harvard
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Harvard Majors
Harvard University is located in Cambridge, MA, and it is ranked #3 on the U.S. News list of Best Colleges. The total undergraduate Harvard enrollment is just over 7,000 students.
There are over 50 Harvard majors, otherwise known as Harvard concentrations, offered at Harvard University. Additionally, there are 49 Harvard minors, also referred to as secondary fields, available to students. Harvard concentrations, or Harvard majors, are required, while secondary fields, or Harvard minors, are optional.
With so many Harvard majors and Harvard minors to choose from, it’s no wonder that Harvard admissions receives a record number of applications each year.
Trying to decide what to major in at Harvard? We’ve got you covered. In this guide to the Harvard majors, we will explore the college majors that Harvard is known for, as well as other college majors available. We will also provide a list of Harvard majors and discuss the most popular majors at Harvard, including the college majors that make up the top 3 Harvard University majors.
Finally, we will review Harvard majors and Harvard minors and even compare some Harvard majors to college majors available at Stanford. Along the way, we will include additional information about Harvard majors, Harvard University courses, the Harvard curriculum, Harvard enrollment, and Harvard admissions.
Harvard majors: What is Harvard known for?
There are many features of Harvard that set it apart from other colleges and universities. As you begin researching college majors as part of the college application process, you might be wondering which of the Harvard University majors Harvard is known for.
Harvard is best known for its top-tier academic degree programs and concentrations. In fact, there are over 3,000 Harvard University courses to choose from, ensuring that the Harvard curriculum remains illustrious and distinguished.
Harvard University majors are offered through the undergraduate Harvard College, as well as among the 12 graduate and professional schools, including the Harvard Radcliffe Institute. Students pursue academic Harvard concentrations, also known as Harvard majors, but they are able to take graduate level classes during their undergraduate academic career.
The Harvard concentrations are college majors that are categorized into nine field clusters. These clusters allow students to “explore the intersections of the subject matter in a more dynamic and relatable way.”
The nine field clusters for Harvard concentrations are as follows:
- Arts
- Engineering
- History
- Languages and Literatures
- Life Sciences
- Math and Computation
- Physical Sciences
- Qualitative Social Sciences
- Quantitative Social Sciences
In addition to the unique Harvard concentrations and field clusters, Harvard is known for its small student-to-faculty ratio of 7:1, with 70.6% of classes with fewer than 20 students.
Want to learn more about what makes Harvard great? Check out our webinar. In it, you will find detailed information about Harvard University majors, Harvard concentrations, Harvard admissions, and more.
List of Harvard majors
In order to determine which college major at Harvard matches your passion and interests, you will first need to review the full list of Harvard majors. Use the following list of Harvard majors as a jumping off point as you decide what to major in.
Here is a comprehensive list of Harvard majors:
African and African American Studies | History |
Anthropology | History and Literature |
Applied Mathematics | History and Science |
Art, Film, and Visual Studies | History of Art and Architecture |
Astrophysics | Human Developmental and Regenerative Biology |
Bioengineering | Integrative Biology |
Biology | Linguistics |
Biomedical Engineering | Literature |
Business Administration and Management | Materials Science and Mechanical Engineering |
Chemical and Physical Biology | Mathematics |
Chemistry | Mechanical Engineering |
Chemistry and Physics | Molecular and Cellular Biology |
Classics | Music |
Comparative Literature | Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations |
Comparative Study of Religion | Neuroscience |
Computer Science | Philosophy |
Earth and Planetary Sciences | Physics |
East Asian Studies | Psychology |
Economics | Romance Languages and Literatures |
Electrical Engineering | Slavic Languages and Literatures |
Engineering Sciences | Social Studies |
English | Sociology |
Environmental Science and Engineering | South Asian Studies |
Environmental Science and Public Policy | Special Concentrations |
Environmental Studies | Statistics |
Folklore and Mythology | Theater, Dance, & Media |
Germanic Languages & Literature | Women, Gender, and Sexuality |
Government |
After you explore the Harvard majors list, you can create your own list of Harvard majors that stand out to you. To narrow down your Harvard majors list, do some additional research about each college major. Take note of the Harvard University courses associated with that college major, along with any other pertinent information about prerequisites, etc.
Use your personal Harvard majors list to determine what to major in. Doing your college major research early will help make the Harvard admissions process that much smoother.
Now, we’ll look at the most popular majors at Harvard in the next section of this guide.
What are popular majors at Harvard?
According to U.S. News, the most popular majors at Harvard include Social Sciences, Biology, Mathematics, Computer Science, History, Physical Sciences, Psychology, Engineering, and Foreign Languages and Literatures.
Most of the popular majors at Harvard also find themselves ranking high on many “Best Of” lists. Two Harvard concentrations, Pre-Med and Environmental Science, rank as #1 and #5 on the top ten best universities for that particular college major, respectively.
To hear more about Harvard University majors and the most popular majors at Harvard from current students, check out our webinar.
What are Harvard top 3 majors?
Now that we know more about the most popular Harvard concentrations, let’s learn more about the Top 3 Harvard University majors. Sociology, Biology, and Economics make up the Top 3 majors of the Harvard majors list.
#1- Sociology
Sociology is part of the Social Sciences division of Harvard majors. Sociology is the study of people, cultures, and societies. Students that choose Sociology from the list of Harvard University majors can take Harvard University courses ranging from introductory sociology to socioeconomic inequality and research methods.
Sociology is one of the more flexible Harvard majors. Some Sociology students participate in fieldwork as part of their Harvard University courses, where they can interact with a specific population or community, while other students conduct research. So, if you’re looking for flexibility within your Harvard major, Sociology may be perfect for you.
#2- Biology
Harvard is ranked #1 on the list of top ten best universities for Biology. Within the field of Biology, there are five Harvard majors to choose from. We are going to highlight one of the biology options on the Harvard majors list: Molecular and Cellular Biology (MCB).
Molecular and Cellular Biology is the study of cells and the molecules that make up those cells. MCB is one of the Harvard majors that places particular emphasis on research.
To concentrate in Molecular and Cellular Biology at Harvard, you need to take 12-13 Harvard University courses within the life sciences field. If you are interested in applying to medical school after undergrad, Molecular and Cellular Biology is one of the best Harvard majors to study as many of the requirements overlap with pre-med requirements.
#3- Economics
The last of the Top 3 Harvard majors is Economics. Harvard is ranked #1 on the list of top ten best colleges for economics. Students who study Economics at Harvard will start their Harvard University courses with the popular Introduction to Economics course, which covers a wide variety of topics within the economics and business landscape.
If the Top 3 Harvard University majors aren’t for you, don’t worry. There are plenty of other excellent Harvard majors to choose from as you explore the world of college majors!
Harvard majors and minors: more information
Harvard boasts a liberal arts education that allows students to explore a variety of Harvard majors before ultimately choosing what to major in. In the first week of each semester’s classes, students at Harvard can attend any class that they want, which is the perfect way to discover the Harvard University majors available to you. This time is known as “Shopping Week.”
Harvard’s Shopping Week is an incredible opportunity for students to sample a wide variety of Harvard University courses. This program gives students the unique ability to learn more about the Harvard majors offered.
Students at Harvard must declare their intended college major, or concentration, during their sophomore year. This gives you plenty of time to learn more about the different college majors at Harvard before deciding what to major in.
After you have completed your Harvard enrollment and declared one of the Harvard majors as your program of study, take some time to establish a healthy work-life balance.
Establish your priorities and get organized early on. Reflect on your goals, recharge, and understand how to balance your class and work priorities so that you can focus on your own health and happiness.
To read more about Harvard University majors and life at Harvard from an alum, please visit our website.
Harvard majors vs. Stanford majors: how do they compare?
Many students who are interested in applying to Harvard are also interested in applying to Stanford. While you might find some of the Harvard University majors also available at Stanford, it’s important to compare the college majors offered at each university. We’ll compare a few Harvard majors to the majors offered at Stanford in this section.
Both Harvard and Stanford offer a liberal arts education which requires students to take classes outside of their college majors to fulfill certain humanities requirements. Since we already noted some of the Harvard majors that are ranked on the “Top Ten Best Of” lists, let’s see which Stanford majors make the cut.
We’ll start with the Harvard University majors that we highlighted above. Harvard and Stanford actually tie for #1 in Biological Sciences. Stanford and Harvard are ranked #1 and #2 for Environmental Science, respectively. Additionally, Harvard is #1 for both Pre-Med and Economics, while Stanford also ties for #1 in Economics.
However, there are a few Stanford majors that beat out Harvard majors on these lists. Stanford is ranked #1 for top ten best psychology colleges while Harvard comes in at #3 on that list. Additionally, Stanford is ranked #2 for engineering, #1 for computer science, #3 for best colleges for international relations, and #5 for best colleges for history majors.
It’s clear that both universities offer college majors that are well-regarded and ranked highly. Although these rankings shouldn’t be the only thing you consider as you research college majors, they are a good starting point.
Harvard majors – Final thoughts
Harvard is consistently ranked as one of the best colleges in the U.S. With so many Harvard majors available, you are sure to find the best option for you. As you explore the Harvard University majors and narrow down your own Harvard majors list, be sure to refer to this guide often.
It’s important that your future college major matches your academic interests and passions. Keep this in mind while you are researching Harvard University majors and college majors in general. Make sure to focus on fit above all. Otherwise, it might be hard to understand the Harvard curriculum if you chose a college major that doesn’t interest you.
Choosing your college major should be an exciting process! Take your time as you review all the Harvard majors and Harvard minors available to you. Lead with your goals and interests in mind as you decide between Harvard University majors.
Are you wondering how to get into Harvard, or do you need help choosing a college major that is right for you? CollegeAdvisor.com is here to help you as you begin your college application journey and figure out what to major in. Our expert advisors are available to guide you through the Harvard admissions process, discuss the list of Harvard majors, examine Harvard concentrations, and more!
- Economics
- Computer Science
- Political Science and Government
- History
- Social Science Research Methods
- Public Health
- Psychology
- Statistics
- English
- Computational and Applied Mathematics
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