The Harvard Extension School

[Jonathan Whatley]

How writing intensive were the courses, in particular, the graduate courses? […] I just want to know what is expected so I am not shocked when I first come in.

Here's what you want to do:

Identify courses that can apply to your degree program, by course code and title. See Degree Course Search.

On the main public catalog-style descriptive page for each course at extension.harvard.edu, like this one, there will often be a link at the bottom to the course website/syllabus. If it's a course that all be offered in Fall 2014, a syllabus should be up now or within the next few weeks; here's a page where Fall syllabi and websites from across HES are indexed; as I write this includes many but not all Fall courses.

What about January, Spring, or Summer School courses whose 2014-15 syllabi won't be up for a while? Often past year's syllabi are available. Search either site:harvard.edu or the entire Internet using the course code (e.g., GOVT E-108) and you may well find a recent year's syllabus.

Of course in either case the syllabus can change by the time you take the course, but all this can give you a representative idea of course organization, reading, and work requirements.