Harvard Extension School Students Rally for Degree Name Change

[smartdegree]

https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2022/...gree-name/

They probably need more than 20 people rallying to get this done LOL.

[ss20ts]

I can see the students' point but I can also see Harvard's side in this. You're not attending the Harvard. You're in the Extension School. Much like when you attend PUG, you're not attending Purdue.

[spohara]

I can see the students' point but I can also see Harvard's side in this. You're not attending the Harvard. You're in the Extension School. Much like when you attend PUG, you're not attending Purdue.

So put the degree as being granted by Harvard Extension School, but make the degree name in the field they are studying.  The "extension studies" is not a true field.  I'm not sure how the school is set up, and maybe they only offer the equivalent of a 'liberal studies' degree with a concentration area.  But it should be straight forward - why not at least put the concentration on the degree to help students show their area of work?

[ss20ts]

I can see the students' point but I can also see Harvard's side in this. You're not attending the Harvard. You're in the Extension School. Much like when you attend PUG, you're not attending Purdue.

So put the degree as being granted by Harvard Extension School, but make the degree name in the field they are studying.  The "extension studies" is not a true field.  I'm not sure how the school is set up, and maybe they only offer the equivalent of a 'liberal studies' degree with a concentration area.  But it should be straight forward - why not at least put the concentration on the degree to help students show their area of work?

Diplomas and transcripts are 2 different things. Normally the transcript holds far more info than the diploma.

[LevelUP]

I think the issue was more to do with naming the degree on their transcript. They wanted "extension studies" removed, so it looked more like the standard types of degrees people get.

Obviously, they would love it if the extension school was removed as well so nobody could tell the difference if they went to Harvard or Harvard Extension school. But if they did that, then everyone would hack the Harvard degree, which would greatly reduce the value of a Harvard degree.

"Out in the world, we face discrimination for being a part of the Harvard Extension School," she said. "I've personally had someone tell me to give up on my dreams because I don't study at the 'real Harvard.'"

Students spend a lot of time and money to get their college degrees, so they don't want to be discriminated against.

[ss20ts]

I think the issue was more to do with naming the degree on their transcript. They wanted "extension studies" removed, so it looked more like the standard types of degrees people get.

Obviously, they would love it if the extension school was removed as well so nobody could tell the difference if they went to Harvard or Harvard Extension school. But if they did that, then everyone would hack the Harvard degree, which would greatly reduce the value of a Harvard degree.

"Out in the world, we face discrimination for being a part of the Harvard Extension School," she said. "I've personally had someone tell me to give up on my dreams because I don't study at the 'real Harvard.'"

Students spend a lot of time and money to get their college degrees, so they don't want to be discriminated against.

The Extension School isn't the regular Harvard. So yeah I can see some employers not hiring people with the Extension School degrees. Same thing happens with PUG. Same thing happens to lots of people because there is bias against and for certain schools. Where I live, people either love or hate the local college. Some graduates have an easy time finding a job locally. Others don't because not everyone loves the school. There's bias everywhere and it's around us in everything in life.

[davewill]

I agree the naming of the degrees is a bunch of BS. Sure, identify the school as the Extension School, no problem. However insisting that all the degrees be in "Extension Studies" is silly and purposely devaluing.

[rachel83az]

IIRC, this has been discussed before on the sister forum (or a similar topic, at least). From what was said there, HES students attend much of the exact same courses as the "real" Harvard students. They're mixed together in the same class and you won't know who is studying at which Harvard college. So, yes, it is a "real" Harvard degree. If they want to say on the diploma that it's a degree from HES and not Harvard, fine. I understand that. But it's the same Harvard, it's just not "exclusive", so calling all the degrees "extension studies" is just silly.

Of course, going to school for a degree in Extension Studies is possibly just as silly. The students knew what they were signing up for. If they're facing discrimination, possibly no degree would've helped with their careers.

[eLearner]

The students should've more carefully considered what kinds of problems could happen with that before going in, but at the same time, Harvard should remove the "Extension Studies" language. It doesn't even make sense. Writing that you went to Harvard Extension is enough to communicate the situation accurately.

[MNomadic]

Getting a degree studying "extension studies" is the sole reason I didn't even even consider trying for one of the technical HES masters degrees. I'm fine with HES. But knowing I'd have to explain to every single person that my extension studies "major" from the extension school was not some sort of general/liberal focus but actually focused on cybersecurity, data science, software engineering, or information systems wouldn't have been worth it in my mind. Extension Studies from an Extension School is redundant and unnecessarily degrading.