Yes. It’s true. You can now take Harvard University online courses. Harvard University, of course, is one of the top universities in the country, if not the world. A Harvard education can open doors with employers like few other colleges or universities can.

Harvard’s distance education programs are offered through its extension school. Harvard University online operates by using streaming video technology and standard Internet browser software.

Harvard University online posts new lecture videos about 48 hours after the lectures, given by professors, are held in a traditional classroom in front of students. You can go to the Harvard University online website to watch a sample online lecture.

Harvard University online is also a good option for those who can’t afford to attend the Ivy League school. The challenging Harvard University online courses are offered at affordable rates. There are more than 100 distance learning classes offered through the school. Some of the classes that are offered include subjects such as  Shakespeare, financial accounting, web development, and ancient civilizations.

So if you’ve always dreamed of a Harvard education, then now is the time to start exploring Harvard University online options.

• Harvard was established in 1636 in Cambridge, Massachusetts

• The university is accredited by The New England Association of Schools and Colleges

• Harvard is ranked by US News & World Report, usually battling with Princeton for the top spot each year.

• Harvard University was named for John Harvard, a theologist who donated his estate to the school after his death.

• Harvard is an Ivy League school with a student to faculty ration of only 8:1

About Harvard Online:

The Harvard Extension school, a division of Harvard proper, was established more than a hundred years ago to enable students from around the world to access the prestigious name and high educational standards of Harvard University. It has been called ´Harvards best-kept secret.´

Although Harvard Extension is accessible, in terms of online access and low tuition, there are many degrees that include a minimum residency period, effectively barring many international students who are not able to attend the on-campus components of the courses.

For working adults, and/or those who live close to Cambridge, the chance to gain an Ivy League Management degree for a couple of thousand dollars per course is too tempting to ignore.

The Harvard Management degrees offered by Harvard Extension are far more accessible than the standard Harvard Business School. The Business School is extremely competitive in terms of admission, while the Extension School places far more emphasis on working professionals: the kind of student body that Margaret C. Andrews, Associate Dean for Management Programs, calls “self-selected… intelligent, self-motivated, and accustomed to juggling multiple priorities with aplomb.”

Upcoming Harvard Online Degrees:

Please note that almost all of these degrees require some on-campus attendance. Check requirements carefully prior to enrolment.

Anthropology and archaeology

* ANTH E-175 Moctezuma’s Mexico: Then and Now
* ANTH E-178 Digging the Glyphs: Adventures in Decipherment
* ANTH E-182 American Indian Religions: Place, Shaman, Ghost Dance

Biological sciences

* BIOS E-50 Neurobiology
* BIOS E-172 Biological Perspectives on HIV and AIDS
* BIOS E-235 Principles of Human Disease: Physiology and Pharmacology

Classics

* CLAS E-116/W The Heroic and the Anti-Heroic in Classical Greek Civilization

Computer science

* CSCI E-50a Introduction to Computer Science Using Java I
* CSCI E-52 Intensive Introduction to Computer Science Using C, PHP, and JavaScript
* CSCI E-75 Building Dynamic, Scalable Websites
* CSCI E-119 Data Structures
* CSCI E-131b Communication Protocols and Internet Architectures
* CSCI E-132 Advanced Topics in Data Networking Protocols and Network Architectures
* CSCI E-153 Web Development Using XML
* CSCI E-160 Java for Distributed Computing
* CSCI E-168 Building Web-Based Software with Ruby and Ruby on Rails
* CSCI E-207 Introduction to Formal Systems and Computation
* CSCI E-237 Programming Microsoft .NET
* CSCI E-247/W Software Design: Principles, Models, and Patterns
* CSCI E-253 Developing Web-Based Database Applications
* CSCI E-292 Massively Parallel Computing

Economics

* ECON E-1010 Microeconomic Theory
* ECON E-2328 The Emergence of Modern Economic Growth: A Comparative and Historical Analysis

Education

* EDUC E-101 Improving Education Systems in Developing Countries

Engineering sciences

* ENSC E-150 Introduction to Nanobiotechnology: Concepts and Applications

English

* ENGL E-112/W Masterpieces of Irish Literature
* ENGL E-133 Shakespeare, Dream, Theater
* ENGL E-196 American Protest Literature from Tom Paine to Tupac

Environmental studies

* ENVR E-101 Environmental Management I
* ENVR E-115 Introduction to Sustainable Development
* ENVR E-119 Sustainable Buildings: Design, Construction, and Operations
* ENVR E-120 Environmental Ethics and Land Management
* ENVR E-140/W Fundamentals of Ecology
* ENVR E-150 Life Cycle and Risk Assessment
* ENVR E-157 Investing in a Sustainable Future

French language and literature

* FREN E-3 Online Intensive Intermediate French

Government

* GOVT E-1062 Theories of Citizenship
* GOVT E-1780 International Political Economy

History

* HIST E-1402 Kingdoms to Empire: The Rise of Early Modern Britain, 1485-1714
* HIST E-1650/W American Constitutional History I
* HIST E-1825 China: Traditions and Transformations
* HIST E-1889 World War and Global Transformation in the Twentieth Century: World War I

Information systems management

* ISMT E-110 Internet and Integrated Productivity Software for Managers

Journalism

* JOUR E-100 Graduate Journalism Proseminar: Writing and Reporting
* JOUR E-120/W Ethics and Journalism

Management

* MGMT E-1000, section 1 Financial Accounting Principles
* MGMT E-1300 Fundamentals of Accounting and Finance for Governmental and Nonprofit Organizations
* MGMT E-1600, section 1 Managerial Accounting
* MGMT E-2000 Principles of Finance
* MGMT E-2790 Private Equity
* MGMT E-2900a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Examination Preparation: Level 1a
* MGMT E-4020 Managing Organizational Change
* MGMT E-4170 Managing Virtual Teams
* MGMT E-4240, Section 1 Human Resource Management
* MGMT E-5330 Principles and Practices of Fundraising
* MGMT E-6620 Internet Marketing Strategies

Mathematics

* MATH E-302 Math for Teaching Geometry

Museum studies

* MUSE E-100 Introduction to Museum Studies

Philosophy

* PHIL E-123/W Classics of American Thought

Psychology

* PSYC E-1240 Abnormal Psychology

Religion

* RELI E-1015/W Comparative Religious Ethics
* RELI E-1028 Introduction to the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament)

Statistics

* STAT E-50 Introduction to Statistics

Studio arts and film

* STAR E-176 Nazi Cinema: Hitler’s Hit Parade

Live web-conference courses

The following courses use the web-conferencing software Elluminate. You sign in to participate in the class at a specified time each week.

* EXPO E-15, section 1 Fundamentals of Academic Writing
* EXPO E-15, section 3 Fundamentals of Academic Writing
* EXPO E-25, section 5 Academic Writing and Critical Reading

* FREN E-1d Online Intensive Elementary French I

* RELI E-1505 Religion, Education, and Democracy

Spring term 2010
Anthropology and archaeology

* ANTH E-164 Tolkien as Translator: Language, Society, and Culture in Middle-Earth

Biological sciences

* BIOS E-102 Newsworthy Topics in Contemporary Life Sciences
* BIOS E-234 Principles of Human Disease: Cellular Metabolism

Communication in business

* COMM E-120 Development Communications
* COMM E-180 Technical Writing

Computer science

* CSCI E-1 Understanding Computers and the Internet
* CSCI E-2 Bits
* CSCI E-12 Fundamentals of Website Development
* CSCI E-14, section 1 Understanding and Developing Multimedia
* CSCI E-14, section 2 Understanding and Developing Multimedia
* CSCI E-30, section 1 Introduction to Web Content Management Systems Site Development
* CSCI E-30, section 2 Introduction to Web Content Management Systems Site Development
* CSCI E-50b Introduction to Computer Science Using Java II
* CSCI E-64 Visualization
* CSCI E-124 Algorithms and Data Structures
* CSCI E-131b Communication Protocols and Internet Architectures
* CSCI E-162 Distributed and Enterprise Computing
* CSCI E-170 Security, Privacy, and Usability
* CSCI E-181 Intelligent Machines: Perception, Learning, and Uncertainty
* CSCI E-215 Unix/Linux Systems Programming
* CSCI E-241 Web Development Using ASP.NET, Silverlight, and Ajax
* CSCI E-256 Oracle Database Administration
* CSCI E-268 Information Management
* CSCI E-275 Software Engineering

Economics

* ECON E-10a Principles of Economics
* ECON E-1010 Microeconomic Theory
* ECON E-1040 Strategy, Conflict, and Cooperation

Education

* EDUC E-104 Theory and Practice of Web Pedagogies

English

* ENGL E-130 Shakespeare and Modern Culture
* ENGL E-156a Crime and Horror in Victorian Literature and Culture
* ENGL E-175 Southern Literature and Culture in the United States

Environmental studies

* ENVR E-102 Environmental Management II
* ENVR E-105 Strategies for Sustainability Management
* ENVR E-110 Ocean Environments
* ENVR E-116 Planning for Carbon Neutrality: Practical Methods for Implementing Greenhouse Gas Reduction
* ENVR E-130 Global Climate Change: The Science, Social Impact, and Diplomacy of a World Environmental Crisis
* ENVR E-142/W Conservation Biology and Sustainable Use of Forested Landscapes
* ENVR E-145 Introduction to Environmental Justice

Government

* GOVT E-1064 Religion, Liberalism, and Democracy
* GOVT E-1310 Introduction to Congress
* GOVT E-2001 Advanced Quantitative Research Methodology

History

* HIST E-1600 Encounters: Early Modern British Exploration and Settlement in the Atlantic World
* HIST E-1632/W The History of Boston
* HIST E-1851 Japan: Tradition and Transformation

History of art and architecture

* HARC E-178 Designing the American City: Civic Aspirations and Urban Form

History of science

* HSCI E-179 Madness and Medicine: Themes in the History of Psychiatry

Information systems management

* ISMT E-110 Internet and Integrated Productivity Software for Managers
* ISMT E-135 Simulation for Management Decision Making

Journalism

* JOUR E-110/W The Constitution and the Media

Legal studies

* LSTU E-120 Internet and Society: Technologies and Politics of Control

Management

* MGMT E-1000, section 1 Financial Accounting Principles
* MGMT E-1600 Managerial Accounting
* MGMT E-2000 Principles of Finance
* MGMT E-2700 Corporate Finance
* MGMT E-2900b Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Examination Preparation: Level 1b
* MGMT E-4000, section 6 Organizational Behavior
* MGMT E-4240 Human Resource Management
* MGMT E-5090 Crisis Management and Emergency Preparedness

Music

* MUSI E-139 A History of Blues in America
* MUSI E-143 Soundscapes: Exploring Music in a Changing World

Philosophy

* PHIL E-166/W Ethical Theory

Psychology

* PSYC E-1020 Cognition
* PSYC E-1034 Adult Development
* PSYC E-1091 The Cognitive Dog: Savant or Slacker
* PSYC E-1861/W Developmental Psychopathology

Religion

* RELI E-1503 Religion and Society in America Today: Change and Continuity
* RELI E-1550 Understanding Islam and Contemporary Muslim Societies

Statistics

* STAT E-50 Introduction to Statistics

Live web-conference courses

The following courses use the web-conferencing software Elluminate. You sign in to participate in the class at a specified time each week.

* CREA E-1 Introduction to Creative Writing

* EXPO E-25, section 3 Academic Writing and Critical Reading

* FREN E-2d Online Intensive Elementary French II

* RELI E-1047 Religion, the Arts, and Social Change

* RELI E-2000 Methods in Religious Studies and Education: Integrating the Study of Religion into Curricula
o Description

Harvard Online Tuition and Financial Aid:

Harvard does not charge by the Credit Hour, but by the course. This also applies to Harvard Online (Harvard Extension School), and prices range from $900 to around $1,975 for a single course.

Financial aid options exist but are limited. Payment plans are the best option available as Harvard scholarships are incredibly competitive.

Cornell University

Cornell University now offers 19 online certificate programs that require students to complete between 4 and 12 courses. U.S. News & World Report ranks Cornell University as 12th in the nation. Cornell University certificate programs include HR Studies, Hotel, Hospitality and Food Service Management. Tuition varies from $2,150 to $5,500 depending upon the certificate program selected. For more information on their online programs, visit their website by clicking on this link: Cornell University.

Columbia University

Columbia University now offers prospective students the choice of more than 30 online degrees, which is more than any other ivy league university. Students can select from one of four program options including Master of Science, Professional Degrees, Certificate Programs and discounted tuition for course auditing. Tuition is reasonable at $1184 per credit hour. Columbia University also offers more than 300 online courses from financial planning to project management. For more information on Columbia University, follow this link: Columbia University.

Harvard University

Through its newly formed Extension School, Harvard University now offers dozens of online courses. While the university does not offer a complete online degree program, it does offer two graduate level online degree programs in Applied Sciences and Environment Management. Harvard University does currently offer degree programs that combine online courses with some classroom attendance. Tuition varies from $800 to $1975 per course. For more information on Harvard’s online programs, click this link: Harvard University.

The University of Pennsylvania

The University of Pennsylvania (UPENN) offers unique online learning programs such as PennAdvance that enables students to earn University of Pennsylvania undergraduate credit or audit the university’s courses from anywhere. Online CEU opportunities from the School of Dental Medicine; Continuing medical education through the School of Medicine; Online professional development courses from the School of Nursing; and reading, writing and test preparation courses for international students. For more info on UPENN, visit their website: University of Pennsylvania.

Dartmouth College

Through the Tuck Executive Educational program, the Dartmouth is offering online education known as The Dartmouth Online Bridge Program. The program consists of 25 specialized courses in the area of business, accounting and finance. Tuition varies from $3000 for the entire program and can be completed at the students’ own pace. Visit Dartmouth’s website for more information here: Dartmouth College.

Yale University

Finally, while Yale University does not offer many courses, it does offer prospective students courses through the Yale School of Medicine and a free online video lecture program. For more information, click here: Yale University.

In general, Ivy League Schools include only eight prestigious schools in the nation. The factors that these schools hold in common include specific policies and procedures, rigorous academic standards, impressive historical backgrounds and development, as well as membership in their elite athletic conference. However, each Ivy League School differs in its specific educational focus, location, size and general demographics of its campus, and size of its particular undergraduate student population.

Which schools are Ivy League Schools?

The eight Ivy League schools will each be covered in detail in this blog – however, if you are interested in knowing which schools qualify as a renowned Ivy League School, here they are:

• Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island
• Columbia University /Columbia College in New York, New York
• Cornell University in Ithaca, New York
• Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire
• Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts
• Princeton University in Princeton, New Jersey
• University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut

What is so special about the Best Ivy League Schools?

These eight Ivy League Schools, all on the east coast, are among the earliest educational institutions founded, between the years of 1636 and 1865. A New York Herald Tribune sports writer by the name of Stanley Woodward actually coined the term “Ivy League” in the 1930s.

Two factors define Ivy League Schools:

• Elite football conference, originally formed in 1956
• Privileged American higher education

Over the years, attendance at one of these prestigious Ivy League Schools has transformed from being strictly an upper class privilege to a middle class opportunity. However, those who wish to attend an Ivy League School should keep in mind that the Ivies still maintain sky-high acceptance requirements; one of the Ivies routinely rejects as many as 90% of prospective students, including over half of students who have perfect SAT scores.

Another factor to consider is that Ivy League schools are expensive to attend; however, with the expense come the benefits. An Ivy League student can be eligible for competitive graduate programs, as well as esteemed awards such as the Rhodes Scholarship. A prestigious Ivy League degree is sure to attract prospective employers.

• Harvard University was established in 1636
• Harvard has 13 schools, one of which is the Harvard Extension School, which has been offering continuing education to students for nearly a century
• Through the Harvard University Extension School Online, over 600 courses are available to students covering more than 65 fields of study
• In addition to Harvard online courses, the extension school also offers evening classes on-campus in Harvard Square
• Completion of courses through can be credited towards your undergraduate or graduate degree
• Regionally accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges

About Harvard University Online Courses and Programs

Have Ivy League dreams, but real-world responsibilities? Why not enroll in one of the Harvard online courses or programs being taught by world-class faculty who are scholars at the top of their respective fields? Although Harvard’s venture into the world of e-learning is at a more measured pace than other universities, that doesn’t mean that students should not take advantages of Harvard’s current online offerings.

Harvard University Extension School, aka “Harvard Online” is, of course, part of Harvard University. It is one of the few Ivy League schools to jump on the “online university” bandwagon, but as with most of the Ivy League schools, they are taking it one step at a time. At this time, Harvard University does not offer a complete degree online. You may, however, earn a complete degree through the Harvard Extension School by taking a combination of online courses with some classroom attendance. There are, however, two graduate-level online certificate programs available: Applied Sciences and Environmental Management. Alternately, you can simply take a few classes in a subject that interests you such as accounting or linguistics. If you are unable to attend Harvard on-campus, or none of the Harvard online certificates interest you, check out my review of Cornell University.

Here is a brief list of online degree programs offered via the Harvard Extension School. Keep in mind that not all courses may be offered entirely online, and some are designed for on-campus evening classes for working adults in the Cambridge, MA area.

Harvard University Extension School Programs:

Undergraduate Programs

• Associate in Arts
• Bachelor in Liberal Arts

Graduate Programs

• Master of Liberal Arts (specialize in one of 15 fields)
• Biotechnology: Master’s degree
• Educational Technologies: Master’s degree
• Environmental Management: Master’s degree or certificate (certificate can be completed online)
• Information Technology: Master’s degree or certificate (certificate can be completed online)
• Journalism and Publishing: Master’s degree or certificate
• Management: Master’s degree or certificate
• Mathematics for Teaching: Master’s degree
• Museum Studies: Master’s degree

Additional Harvard Online Programs or Extension School Programs

• In the Health Careers Program, you can take premedical courses, secure medical school application sponsorship, and earn a diploma.
• The Institute for English Language Programs offers noncredit courses for students interested in studying English as a second language

There is one thing to keep in mind as well, regarding examinations for online courses. Some courses may require you to attend an exam on-campus. For those who are out of the general area of the school (and by area, I mean not in New England), you may be able to have the exam proctored at a local school. Arrangements for these types of exams can be done through Harvard’s Academic Services department.

About Tuition and Financial Aid

Unlike a majority of schools, Harvard University charges by the course, versus by the credit hour. A single course may cost anywhere from $800 to $1,975 for undergraduate or graduate 4-credit courses. For those of us who aren’t mathematicians, that’s comes out to about $200 to $493.75 per credit hour. That is very competitive to many online colleges, but obviously attending college at one of Harvard’s prestigious schools gives you the honor of being a student at “Hah-vahd”.

Harvard University still has a way to go before their online program becomes fully independent, but they are still emerging as one of the leading Ivy League schools to offer distance learning. If you are unable to attend Harvard on-campus, and none of the Harvard online certificates interest you, check out my review of Cornell University. Cornell offers several online certificates in fields such as Leadership, Management, Financial Management, and Human Resources.

Source: Harvard Extension School Online