Academics

Curriculum & Course Requirements

These courses satisfy the minimum curriculum requirements for the BPH program, and students are encouraged to seek further coursework in areas of specific interest.  Students may petition the curriculum committee to consider more advanced coursework to satisfy core and critical reading requirements.  *Courses offering experience in proposal writing are recommended. 

To offer a broad perspective on modern biology, students may enroll in courses not only at the School of Public Health, but also at Harvard University in Cambridge, Harvard Medical School/Division of Medical Sciences, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. A free shuttle bus connects these locations.

Waiver of Course Requirements 

For some students who have successfully completed graduate-level course work, BPH course requirements may be waived if graduate-level competence is demonstrated to the Curriculum Committee before the end of the first quarter of year 1.  A "Curriculum Committee Waiver Form" may be requested from the BPH Program Office. A signed copy will be kept in the student's file as documentation of the Committee's authorization to grant an exemption to a student from further course work in these areas. 

Satisfactory Progress 

In general, the BPH program expects that students will receive B or better grades in core and required classes to reflect their command of these topics. The Graduate School of Arts & Sciences (GSAS) states that the minimum standard for satisfactory work in the graduate school is a B average in each academic year. A grade of C or incomplete is offset by a grade of A, and a D by two A's. Pluses and minuses are ignored for this calculation.