joint concentrations at harvard
Colleges and Universities A-Z Harvard University
axfr April 5, 2005, 11:13am #1
<p>i heard that harvard didn't offer double majors, but did let you do a joint concentration. what exactly does that imply? does it mean that you choose two similar subjects and mix them up together? (like politics+economics=> political economy). Or do you actually get two different degrees?</p>
HH05 April 5, 2005, 11:19am #2
<p>It's basically the same as a double major, except more of a hassle because you need to write a thesis connecting the two.</p>
<p>but do you get degrees or recognition in both subjects? for example, if i join economics and politics, will i be able to move on to an MBA or a school of government (like jfk), or would i have to carry on with a mix of both? i.e. economic policy</p>
HH05 April 5, 2005, 12:17pm #4
<p>I just said, it's basically like a double major.</p>
<p>Your official "major" doesn't have much to do with what you do in grad school anyway. You can be a chem major and still go for a PhD in economics if you have enough coursework, experience and research in that field.</p>
axfr April 5, 2005, 12:36pm #5
<p>ok thanks a lot for the info</p>
candlize April 5, 2005, 5:25pm #6
<p>Be sure you choose 2 subjects that are related in some way, as not every concentration is able to be combined with another. For example... Harvard will not allow a joint concentration in Biology (and many other science fields for that matter) with something else, because... it's really hard to write a thesis combining Biology with another field. I'm applying EA for class of 2010, and I'd like to joint concentrate in Government (International Relations) and Hispanic Literature.</p>
saxfreq1128 April 5, 2005, 5:51pm #7
<p>You should note that you don't get two degrees; you get one degree, with both majors on it. ie Your diploma will read "English & Psychology," or whichever you choose.</p>
HH05 April 5, 2005, 5:58pm #8
Be sure you choose 2 subjects that are related in some way, as not every concentration is able to be combined with another. For example... Harvard will not allow a joint concentration in Biology (and many other science fields for that matter) with something else, because... it's really hard to write a thesis combining Biology with another field. I'm applying EA for class of 2010, and I'd like to joint concentrate in Government (International Relations) and Hispanic Literature.
Um, not true. People have done Physics and Music, Biochemistry and Women's Studies, and Biology and Economics.</p>
<p>You just have to be creative.</p>
Princetonwannabe April 5, 2005, 6:06pm #9
<p>i thought one could do double concentration at harvard.</p>
candlize April 5, 2005, 9:15pm #10
<p>HH05, Harvard has since changed its policy on many concentrations. For example, biology and applied mathematics no longer participate in joint concentrations. It's all in the student handbook. </p>
<p><a href="http://www.registrar.fas.harvard.edu/handbooks/student/%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.registrar.fas.harvard.edu/handbooks/student/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>
<p>Another thing you can do is called combined concentrations but... I'm not really sure about them... the only way i think you can do it is if you do choose two areas under the same field (i.e.... Italian Literature and Hispanic Literature in the Romance Languages and Literatures Department). Correct me if I'm wrong here...</p>
HH05 April 5, 2005, 9:42pm #11
Joint Concentrations</p>
<p>Some students find that their interests are better accommodated by pursuing a joint concentration that combines two fields. The two fields combined in a joint concentration must each be an undergraduate concentration offered in its own right. Unlike the system of majors and minors that exist at many other institutions, a joint concentration is meant to be a joint venture by those two concentrations in which the student pursues a program that integrates the two fields into a coherent plan of study. As joint concentrations are normally honors programs, they ordinarily culminate in an interdisciplinary thesis written while enrolled in the thesis tutorial of the primary field only.</p>
<p>Students who wish to combine two fields must file with the Office of the Registrar a Plan of Study that designates the two fields and has been approved by both concentrations. To grant this approval, the participating concentrations must be satisfied with the coherence and merit of the student's plan and be prepared to supervise the program in detail. Nevertheless, students who undertake joint concentrations often find that they themselves must take some initiative in ensuring communication between the advisers of the two fields and in keeping these advisers apprised of their progress and their needs. Any student combining fields who wishes to change or eliminate one of the fields must file a Change of Field of Concentration form with the Office of the Registrar by the deadline indicated above, which is the degree application deadline in a student's final term at the College.
<p><a href="http://www.registrar.fas.harvard.edu/handbooks/student/chapter2/corecurr.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.registrar.fas.harvard.edu/handbooks/student/chapter2/corecurr.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>
<p>I must have missed the part where they say what you claim...</p>
<p>Look at the specific concentrations, like here:
<a href="http://www.registrar.fas.harvard.edu/handbooks/student/chapter3/biology.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.registrar.fas.harvard.edu/handbooks/student/chapter3/biology.html&lt;/a>
At the very bottom of the page it says:
Biology no longer participates in joint concentrations.</p>
<p>I had this question, so I e-mailed the Director of Undergraduate Studies
at RLL several months ago and this is the e-mail she replied me with:</p>
<p>"Dear James,</p>
<p>It is possible and feasible to do a joint concentration in Hispanic
literature or studies and anthropology, but as things stand
presently, this is not the case with Biology. All joint
concentrations in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences are honors tracks,
and in our department we require honors students to write a senior
thesis; joint concentrators have to find an interdisciplinary thesis
topic that can satisfy both departments. By experience, we know that
this work very well with all other humanities and many social
sciences departments, but not with sciences.
This said, the department of Romance Languages and Literatures is in
the process of discussing and modifying its undergraduate tracks, in
particular for joint concentrators. Several faculties think that it
would be good to offer more flexibility to students, and to find a
way to allow students to concentrate in Spanish and Biology (to use
what you suggested as an example).
Sorry for this long and complicated answer, but my advice to you, if
ever you are admitted here, is to recontact the department of Romance
Languages and see where we are at this point. My feeling is that we
are heading toward more flexibility and more possibilities to do
joint concentrations.</p>
<p>If you want to see the current requirements for our tracks
(including for joint concentrators) look at our website :
<a href="http://www.fas.harvard.edu/%7Erll/undergraduate/handbook_for_concentrators.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~rll/undergraduate/handbook_for_concentrators.html&lt;/a>
At the end of the section "Hispanic literature / studies" you can
click on Checklist for "combined/joint concentration in hispanic
studies" and you will get a list of the requirements presented in a
convenient way.</p>
<p>VEry best,</p>
<p>Virginie Greene</p>
<p>Virginie Greene
Loeb Associate Professor
Director of Undergraduate Studies
425 Boylston Hall
T: (617) 495 5509
Fax: (617) 496 4682"</p>
Phoenixy April 6, 2005, 12:52am #13
<p>Just as a note...</p>
<p>As some people have suggested, the feasibility of a joint concentration varies hugely with the department involved. Romance Lang and Lit might not let you do a joint with bio, but Slavic Studies, for example, very well might. I've heard of people doing all sorts of wacky things (music and CS; HH's example of music and physics; math and classics) but it really depends on the department, and many people who do joints do them in a concentration that is very small (women's studies, music, african american studies, astronomy, linguistics, classics, statistics, folk and myth, e.g.) in combination with a larger concentration (economics, english, government, history, physics, etc.) You can look in the student handbook for the exact numbers of how many students in each concentration do it as a joint.</p>
candlize April 6, 2005, 1:53am #14
<p>You're very right Phoenix... it depends so much on the dept
although the no double concentrations with biology rule is a bio dept rule, not an RLL rule.
But I think one will see as a trend that not all that many students do joints relative to the number that do single concentrations. I think at the very least I want to pursue an Honours diploma.</p>
HH05 April 6, 2005, 10:08am #15
<p>Ah, I stand corrected. Thanks for the clarification candlize.</p>
nick04 April 6, 2005, 11:43am #16
<p>"I've heard of people doing all sorts of wacky things (music and CS; HH's example of music and physics"</p>
<p>Actually, I don't think those two are wacky at all. It makes perfect sense to combine music with physics if you're interested in sound production / engineering, since you'll want to know about music harmony and the physics of sound production, and music with computer science if you're interested in synthesisers, MIDI, ProTools etc.</p>
Phoenixy April 6, 2005, 8:10pm #17
<p>It's wacky when your thesis for music and physics is to write a musical about physics class.</p>
cncm April 6, 2005, 9:29pm #18
<p>I'm thinking of Math and English...is that feasible at all?</p>
<p>To my knowledge, you may do a joint concentration in Mathematics, as long as it is not Applied Mathematics, so it might be possible... my advice would be if you are admitted to contact both departments and let them know what you want to do, because ultimately it's up to them!</p>
Interficio December 23, 2011, 1:39am #20
<p>Sorry to bump this but I was admitted ea and am a little confused. I want to combine classics with another field which will help to make my studies of the classics more pragmatic and possibly create a path for future career options. What limits are there to joint concentrations? Would a classics and govt joint be possible? Is any of the info posted on here outdated?</p>