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Harvard
Cambridge, Massachusetts
college.harvard.edu -, Cambridge, MA, 02138
Harvard Acceptance Rate
Acceptance Rate 4%
Acceptance Deadline January 1
Harvard Tuition
Average Cost* $13,872
Average Total Aid Awarded $67,932
Students Receiving Financial Aid 54.72%
*Average cost after financial aid for students receiving grant or scholarship aid, as reported by the college.
Harvard Academics
Student Faculty Ratio 7:1
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!
Most Popular Majors
- Economics
- Computer Science
- Political Science and Government
- History
- Social Science Research Methods
- Public Health
- Psychology
- Statistics
- English
- Computational and Applied Mathematics
Harvard University Online
Offers Online Courses Yes
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Harvard Enrollment
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Part-Time Undergraduates 2,740
Harvard Alumni at CollegeAdvisor
Joshua Ford attended UNC-Chapel Hill as a Morehead-Cain Scholar in the Honors Program. Upon graduating, he received a Fulbright scholarship to study entrepreneurship in Mexico. He spent several years as a management consultant before moving to startups. He previously worked for Candid and Uber before becoming the CEO & Founder of HipTrain. HipTrain was acquired by FORME which Joshua helped bring public on the NASDAQ exchange in April 2023. He now serves as the Global Head of Redesign Health.
My name is Idylla Louis and I will be your advisor. I currently hold my Bachelor's Degree from Providence College and my Master's from Harvard University. Beyond that I have over 5 years' experience in mentoring high school students. My career in education and mentorship began in my undergraduate year with programs at my university that allowed me to connect with students looking for extracurricular opportunities and since then have followed me until my post graduate years. Since receiving my Master's I have pivoted to private sector work, specifically in Private Banking. I have also been working more freely as an educational consultant for k-12 students.
I am a proud former first-generation college student who is now a first-generation professional. I have 6+ years of professional experience working with students and their families to navigate the higher education system. I recently (within the last 5 years) obtained a master's degree in education with an emphasis in Student Affairs from UCLA. I attended University of California, Berkeley for my undergraduate education and my major was Psychology with a minor in Chicano Studies. My passion is to assist students and their families on their higher education journey. A skill I feel I have while working with students is truly listening to their wants and needs and adapting my advising from there. I approach my work by honoring my students' lived experiences. On a one-on-one basis I’ve assisted with creating college school lists, academic road mapping, how to choose and change a major, financial aid, and career prep. Outside of student affairs I enjoy reading, cycling, and spending time with my family and friends.
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Hello! My name is Persis and I am a senior at Princeton University studying neuropsychology, with a minor in African-American studies. As a first-generation college student from an underprivileged background, I am passionate about college access. I was accepted into prestigious summer programs and colleges, and earned over 1.5 million dollars in scholarships. Over the past four years, I have helped students get accepted into Yale, Princeton, Bates, and George Washington, among others. I assist students throughout the entire college process: researching schools, writing essays, finding recommenders, applying for scholarships, and choosing programs. Most notably, I have helped many students get full-tuition scholarships to their dream schools. You don’t need to be a prodigy, valedictorian, or class president to enter your target program! Nor do you need to be highly connected or wealthy. I empower my students to highlight the skills and experiences they already have, to show their unique value in their applications. In college, I started off pre-med, conducting and publishing neuroscience research. I was interested in marketing, and was selected from externships at Google and P&G. Now, I am pursuing a career in private equity and have had prestigious internships on Wall Street and in Silicon Valley. I have a hybrid of experiences that I can pull from to advise you. I’m excited to work with you!
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As a first-generation college student, I understand how daunting the college admissions process may seem to those who have no experience with it. Despite the challenges I encountered, I was admitted to every college I applied to and learned how the process works along the way. I bring my past advising experiences helping students draft and write essays, create college application plans, and manage their time to my role as an Advisor. The pride in seeing my students succeed makes me excited to help you on your journey to college. I believe that behind every successful student there are individuals who have helped them find and express their voice, and I can’t wait to work with you to accomplish this!
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Hi everyone! My name is Mattia Mahmoud, and I am a Harvard College graduate (Class of 2020) and a current MD/PhD student at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. I am excited to help students get accepted into their dream colleges! I have extensive experience in advising premed and public health students about college decisions, essay editing, standardized test prep, and preparation for college interviews. I know that the college admissions process can seem very daunting, but I am here to both alleviate the fears of and instill confidence in parents and students that a top tier school is in reach for them!
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Hello! My name is Kate (she/her) and I am so thrilled to be a part of your college search and application process. I hold an honors B.A. from St. Lawrence University, where I graduated Magna Cum Laude in 2015. I majored in Government and double-minored in Education and African Studies. While in college, I worked as a campus ambassador/tour guide, studied abroad in Kenya, and served as the President of a community service organization focused on reducing food waste and fighting food insecurity on college campuses and in food deserts called the Campus Kitchens Project. After college, I spent two years working as an Admissions Counselor at Hiram College, a small liberal arts school in Northern Ohio, specializing in experiential learning. In 2018, I received my Master's in Education, with a concentration in Higher Education, from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. While completing this program, I worked as a Graduate Assistant in the Harvard Graduate School of Education Admissions Office, and served as an advisor to five university chapter of the Campus Kitchens Project. Below, please find some relevant examples from Master's coursework:
-Inventing the Future: Building Connections from School to Career
-The Economics of Higher Education
-The College Admissions Process: Practice, Policy and Research
-Data and Decision-Making in Higher Education
After receiving my Master's, I worked as an Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admission at Northeastern University for 3 years. I evaluated over 3,000 applications per cycle, participated in committee evaluations (Early Decision, Early Action, Regular Decision), and oversaw both domestic and international recruitment territories. While in this role, I also participated in a number of college readiness workshops and informational panels. I was also involved with the Torch Scholars program, a scholarship program for historically underrepresented, low-income students. Currently, I work full-time as the Assistant Director of College Counseling at a preparatory school in Boston. I am excited to use my professional experience from a variety of institutions, as well as my academic training to help students find their perfect college match!
Currently a student at Harvard Business School, I have served roles in the United States Army, Private Equity, and Real Estate firms. I have extensive experience working with applicants interested in the military, MBA Programs, and Ivy League Schools.
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I have a strong commitment to college education access, matriculation, transition and retention. I am currently in the pursuit of my PhD in Higher Education and Organizational Change at UCLA, have an MEd in Higher Education Student Affairs, and International Education Policy (University of Maryland, 2022) and a BA in Sociology and Ethnic Studies (UC San Diego, 2018). Throughout my undergraduate career, in addition to obtaining a minor in Education Studies, I actively worked with high schools by providing campus tour, hosting student for overnight programs, facilitating classes for a summer bridge program, presenting during high school conferences, conducting research at a high school and being an active mentor to high school students that were connected with me via personal networks. From 2018-2022, I was a College Advisor for the University of Southern California College Advising Corps where I worked predominantly with senior students and advised them based on their goals, aspirations and circumstances. I have given presentations on various topics (A-G, FAFSA, CalGrant, scholarships, transition programs, on-campus resources, etc.), have extensive resume, statement of purpose, and personal statement editing experience both for the college admission process and scholarship applications. I am a proud recipient of the Gates Millennium Scholarship (2013), which has an award rate of under 1% and has funded my bachelor’s, master’s, and is now funding my doctoral degree. In my 10 years of working with high school and college students in summer bridge programs, college access programs, outreach, programming, fraternity and sorority life, residence life, and research, I have developed an advising style that meets students where they are based on their knowledge. The premise of my advising style is to meet the needs of the student and their families/guardians with integrity and resourcefulness. I like to provide students with information to facilitate taking ownership of their decisions and can similarly have the confidence to answer questions and discuss topics with their families and guardians. I have enjoyed the process of involving parents to ensure they are equally informed as their students and together support students in their college-going process.
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CollegeAdvisor Reviews from Students accepted to Harvard
Lauren Weston
Harvard University
I started working with CollegeAdvisor three weeks before the deadline and I hadn’t started writing any of my essays. I had watched a lot of YouTube videos about college essays, but most of them did nothing but scare me, because I thought that I could never write like that. Once I got an interview, I also received excellent interview preparation. I didn’t apply to any other schools, except for UCLA and UC Berkeley. I reused a lot of my essays for those applications. In the end, I got accepted to all of them! I could not have wished for better support during this very stressful time.
Devangana Rana
Harvard University
I had an amazing experience with CollegeAdvisor. My mentor helped me immensely with the college application process and made sure that my essays were polished and the best that they could be. He answered any questions that I had regarding the college process and made sure that I didn’t feel lost or confused. I would not be attending Harvard on a full-ride scholarship this fall as an international student without the help and support of CollegeAdvisor! Thank you so much!
Francesco Efrem Bonetti
Harvard University
When I started the application process as an international student, nobody around me knew what it consisted of. The time we had available was short and I immediately got along with Genevieve. I was able to portray the full picture of my personality and interests. The application process for colleges in the US is very specific and as an international student with no experience in the USA, getting advice from “insiders” was very helpful. What I loved about CollegeAdvisor is that I was always at the center of the creative process as the only one writing my application.
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