FAS Handbook for Students: Chapter 2: Academic Information

Table of Contents

Notice to Students
Introduction

1: Academic Calendar

2: Academic Information

3: Fields of Concentration

4: General Regulations and Standards of Conduct

5: Life in the Harvard Community

6: Financial Information

7: Academic and Support Resources

8: Extracurricular Activities

Harvard Homepage

FAS Courses of Instruction

Core Areas by Concentration

AFRICAN AND AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES

Exempt areas:
Historical Study A	Literature and Arts A
Historical Study B	Literature and Arts C
Non-exempt areas:
Foreign Cultures	Science A
Literature and Arts B	Science B
Moral Reasoning	Social Analysis
Quantitative Reasoning

ANTHROPOLOGY

Social Analysis is an exempt area for all three tracks. Specific requirements are as follows:

Archeology

Exempt areas:

Foreign Cultures

Social Analysis

Literature and Arts C

ONE of the areas marked (†), depending on program, in consultation with the wing Head Tutor.

Non-exempt areas:

Historical Study A

†Historical Study B

†Literature and Arts A

†Literature and Arts B

Moral Reasoning

†Quantitative Reasoning

†Science A

†Science B

Biological Anthropology

Exempt areas:

Science B

Social Analysis

ONE of the areas marked (†)

ONE of the areas marked (*)

Non-exempt areas:

Foreign Cultures

†Historical Study A

†Historical Study B

*Literature and Arts A

Literature and Arts B

*Literature and Arts C

Quantitative Reasoning

Science A

Moral Reasoning

Social Anthropology

Exempt areas:

Foreign Cultures

Social Analysis

Literature and Arts C

ONE of the areas marked (†)

Non-exempt areas:

†Historical Study A

†Historical Study B

Literature and Arts A

Literature and Arts B

Moral Reasoning

Quantitative Reasoning

Science A

Science B

APPLIED MATHEMATICS

Exempt areas:
Quantitative Reasoning	Science B
Science A	Social Analysis
Non-exempt areas:
Foreign Cultures	Literature and Arts B
Historical Study A	Literature and Arts C
Historical Study B	Moral Reasoning
Literature and Arts A

ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS

Exempt Areas:
Quantitative Reasoning	Science B
Science A
ONE of the areas marked (†)
Non-exempt areas:
Foreign Cultures	Literature and Arts B
†Historical Study A	†Literature and Arts C
†Historical Study B	Moral Reasoning
†Literature and Arts A	Social Analysis

BIOCHEMICAL SCIENCES

Exempt Areas:
Quantitative Reasoning	Science B
Science A
ONE of the areas marked (†)
Non-exempt areas:
Foreign Cultures	Literature and Arts B
†Historical Study A	†Literature and Arts C
†Historical Study B	Moral Reasoning
†Literature and Arts A	Social Analysis

BIOLOGY

Exempt Areas:
Quantitative Reasoning	Science B
Science A
ONE of the areas marked (†)
Non-exempt areas:
Foreign Cultures	Literature and Arts B
†Historical Study A	†Literature and Arts C
†Historical Study B	Moral Reasoning
†Literature and Arts A	Social Analysis

CHEMISTRY

Exempt Areas:
Quantitative Reasoning	Science B
Science A
ONE of the areas marked (†)
Non-exempt areas:
Foreign Cultures	Literature and Arts B
†Historical Study A	†Literature and Arts C
†Historical Study B	Moral Reasoning
†Literature and Arts A	Social Analysis

CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL BIOLOGY

Exempt Areas:
Quantitative Reasoning	Science B
Science A
ONE of the areas marked (†)
Non-exempt areas:
Foreign Cultures	Literature and Arts B
†Historical Study A	†Literature and Arts C
†Historical Study B	Moral Reasoning
†Literature and Arts A	Social Analysis

CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS

Exempt Areas:
Quantitative Reasoning	Science B
Science A
ONE of the areas marked (†)
Non-exempt areas:
Foreign Cultures	Literature and Arts B
†Historical Study A	†Literature and Arts C
†Historical Study B	Moral Reasoning
†Literature and Arts A	Social Analysis

CLASSICS

Exempt Areas:
Foreign Cultures	Literature and Arts A
Historical Study B	Literature and Arts C
Non-exempt areas:
Historical Study A	Science A
Literature and Arts B	Science B
Moral Reasoning	Social Analysis
Quantitative Reasoning

COMPUTER SCIENCE

Exempt Areas:
Quantitative Reasoning	Science A
ONE of the areas marked (†)
ONE of the areas marked (*)
Non-exempt areas:
Foreign Cultures	Moral Reasoning
Literature and Arts B
†Historical Study A	†Literature and Arts A
†Historical Study B	†Literature and Arts C
*Science B	*Social Analysis

EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCES

Exempt Areas:
Quantitative Reasoning	Science B
Science A
ONE of the areas marked (†)
Non-exempt areas:
Foreign Cultures	Literature and Arts B
†Historical Study A	†Literature and Arts C
†Historical Study B	Moral Reasoning
†Literature and Arts A	Social Analysis

EAST ASIAN STUDIES

Exempt Areas:
Foreign Cultures	Literature and Arts A
Historical Study A	Literature and Arts C
Non-exempt areas:
Historical Study B	Science A
Literature and Arts B	Science B
Moral Reasoning	Social Analysis
Quantitative Reasoning

ECONOMICS

Exempt Areas:
Historical Study A	Social Analysis
Quantitative Reasoning
ONE of the areas marked (†)
Non-exempt areas:
Foreign Cultures	†Literature and Arts C
Historical Study B	Moral Reasoning
†Literature and Arts A	Science A
Literature and Arts B	Science B

ENGINEERING SCIENCES

Exempt Areas:
Quantitative Reasoning	Science B
Science A
ONE of the areas marked (†)
Non-exempt areas:
Foreign Cultures	Literature and Arts B
†Historical Study A	†Literature and Arts C
†Historical Study B	Moral Reasoning
†Literature and Arts A	Social Analysis

ENGLISH AND AMERICAN LITERATURE AND LANGUAGE

Exempt Areas:
Literature and Arts A	Literature and Arts C
TWO of the areas marked (†), but not both Historical Study A and Historical Study B.
Non-exempt areas:
†Foreign Cultures	Quantitative Reasoning
†Historical Study A	Science A
†Historical Study B	Science B
†Literature and Arts B	Social Analysis
Moral Reasoning

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND PUBLIC POLICY

Exempt Areas:
Quantitative Reasoning	Science B
Science A	Social Analysis
Non-exempt areas:
Foreign Cultures	Literature and Arts B
Historical Study A	Literature and Arts C
Historical Study B	Moral Reasoning
Literature and Arts A

FOLKLORE AND MYTHOLOGY

Exempt Areas:
Foreign Cultures	Literature and Arts C
Literature and Arts A	Social Analysis
Non-exempt areas:
Historical Study A	Quantitative Reasoning
Historical Study B	Science A
Literature and Arts B	Science B
Moral Reasoning

GERMANIC LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES

Exempt Areas:
Foreign Cultures	Literature and Arts C
Literature and Arts A
ONE of the areas marked (†)
Non-exempt areas:
†Historical Study A	Quantitative Reasoning
†Historical Study B	Science A
†Literature and Arts B	Science B
Moral Reasoning	Social Analysis

GOVERNMENT

Exempt Areas:
Foreign Cultures	Moral Reasoning
Historical Study A	Social Analysis
Non-exempt areas:
Historical Study B	Quantitative Reasoning
Literature and Arts A	Science A
Literature and Arts B	Science B
Literature and Arts C

HISTORY

Exempt Areas:
Historical Study A	Literature and Arts C
Historical Study B
ONE of the areas marked (†)
Non-exempt areas:
†Foreign Cultures	Quantitative Reasoning
Literature and Arts A	Science A
Literature and Arts B	Science B
Moral Reasoning	†Social Analysis

HISTORY AND LITERATURE

Exempt Areas:
Historical Study A	Literature and Arts A
Historical Study B	Literature and Arts C
Non-exempt areas:
Foreign Cultures	Science A
Literature and Arts B	Science B
Moral Reasoning	Social Analysis
Quantitative Reasoning

HISTORY AND SCIENCE

Exempt Areas:
Historical Study A	Quantitative Reasoning
Historical Study B
ONE of the areas marked (†), depending on subfield. Consult concentration Director of Undergraduate Studies.
Non-exempt areas:
Foreign Cultures	Moral Reasoning
Literature and Arts A	†Science A
Literature and Arts B	†Science B
Literature and Arts C	Social Analysis

HISTORY OF ART AND ARCHITECTURE

Exempt Areas:
Historical Study A	Literature and Arts C
Literature and Arts B
ONE of the areas marked (†)
Non-exempt areas:
†Foreign Cultures	Quantitative Reasoning
†Historical Study B	Science A
Literature and Arts A	Science B
Moral Reasoning	Social Analysis

LINGUISTICS

Exempt Areas:
Foreign Cultures	Social Analysis
Quantitative Reasoning
ONE of the areas marked (†)
Non-exempt areas:
†Historical Study A	†Literature and Arts C
Historical Study B	Moral Reasoning
†Literature and Arts A	Science A
Literature and Arts B	Science B

HUMAN EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY

Exempt Areas:
Quantitative reasoning	Science B
Science A
ONE of the areas marked (†)
Non-exempt areas:
Foreign Cultures	Literature and Arts B
†Historical Study A	†Literature and Arts C
†Historical Study B	Moral Reasoning
†Literature and Arts A	Social Analysis

LITERATURE

Exempt Areas:
Foreign Cultures	Literature and Arts C
Literature and Arts A
ONE of the areas marked (†)
Non-exempt areas:
†Historical Study A	Quantitative Reasoning
†Historical Study B	Science A
†Literature and Arts B	Science B
Moral Reasoning	Social Analysis

MATHEMATICS

Exempt Areas:
Quantitative Reasoning	Social Analysis
Science A
ONE of the areas marked (†)
Non-exempt areas:
Foreign Cultures	Literature and Arts B
†Historical Study A	†Literature and Arts C
†Historical Study B	Moral Reasoning
†Literature and Arts A	Science B

MOLECULAR AND CELLULAR BIOLOGY

Exempt Areas:
Quantitative Reasoning	Science A
Science B
ONE of the areas marked (†)
Non-exempt areas:
Foreign Cultures	Literature and Arts B
†Historical Study A	†Literature and Arts C
†Historical Study B	Moral Reasoning
†Literature and Arts A	Social Analysis

MUSIC

Exempt Areas:
Historical Study A	Literature and Arts C
Literature and Arts B	Quantitative Reasoning
Non-exempt areas:
Foreign Cultures	Science A
Historical Study B	Science B
Literature and Arts A	Social Analysis
Moral Reasoning

NEAR EASTERN LANGUAGES AND CIVILIZATIONS

Exempt Areas:
Foreign Cultures	Literature and Arts A
Historical Study A	Literature and Arts C
Non-exempt areas:
Historical Study B	Science A
Literature and Arts B	Science B
Moral Reasoning	Social Analysis
Quantitative Reasoning

NEUROBIOLOGY

Exempt Areas:
Quantitative Reasoning	Science B
Science A
ONE of the areas marked (†)
Non-exempt areas:
Foreign Cultures	Literature and Arts B
†Historical Study A	†Literature and Arts C
†Historical Study B	Moral Reasoning
†Literature and Arts A	Social Analysis

ORGANISMIC AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY

Exempt Areas:
Quantitative Reasoning	Science B
Science A
ONE of the areas marked (†)
Non-exempt areas:
Foreign Cultures	Literature and Arts B
†Historical Study A	†Literature and Arts C
†Historical Study B	Moral Reasoning
†Literature and Arts A	Social Analysis

PHILOSOPHY

Exempt Areas:
Literature and Arts C	Quantitative Reasoning
Moral Reasoning
ONE of the areas marked (†)
Non-exempt areas:
†Foreign Cultures	†Literature and Arts B
†Historical Study A	Science A
†Historical Study B	Science B
†Literature and Arts A	†Social Analysis

PHYSICS

Exempt Areas:
Quantitative Reasoning	Science B
Science A
ONE of the areas marked (†)
Non-exempt areas:
Foreign Cultures	Literature and Arts B
†Historical Study A	†Literature and Arts C
†Historical Study B	Moral Reasoning
†Literature and Arts A	Social Analysis

PSYCHOLOGY

Exempt Areas:
Quantitative Reasoning	Social Analysis
Science B
ONE of the areas marked (†)
Non-exempt areas:
Foreign Cultures	Literature and Arts B
†Historical Study A	†Literature and Arts C
†Historical Study B	Moral Reasoning
†Literature and Arts A	Science A

COMPARATIVE STUDY OF RELIGION

Exempt Areas:
Foreign Cultures	Moral Reasoning
Literature and Arts C
ONE of the areas marked (†)
Non-exempt areas:
†Historical Study A	Quantitative Reasoning
†Historical Study B	Science A
Literature and Arts A	Science B
Literature and Arts B	†Social Analysis

ROMANCE LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES

Exempt Areas:
Foreign Cultures	Literature and Arts C
Literature and Arts A
ONE of the areas marked (†)
Non-exempt areas:
†Historical Study A	Quantitative Reasoning
†Historical Study B	Science A
†Literature and Arts B	Science B
Moral Reasoning	Social Analysis

SANSKRIT AND INDIAN STUDIES

Exempt Areas:
Foreign Cultures	Literature and Arts C
Literature and Arts A
ONE of the areas marked (†)
Non-exempt areas:
†Historical Study A	Quantitative Reasoning
†Historical Study B	Science A
†Literature and Arts B	Science B
Moral Reasoning	Social Analysis

SLAVIC LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES

Exempt Areas:
Foreign Cultures	Literature and Arts C
Literature and Arts A
ONE of the areas marked (†)
Non-exempt areas:
†Historical Study A	Quantitative Reasoning
†Historical Study B	Science A
†Literature and Arts B	Science B
Moral Reasoning	Social Analysis

SOCIAL STUDIES

Exempt Areas:
Historical Study A	Quantitative Reasoning
Moral Reasoning	Social Analysis
Non-exempt areas:
Foreign Cultures	Literature and Arts C
Historical Study B	Science A
Literature and Arts A	Science B
Literature and Arts B

SOCIOLOGY

Exempt Areas:
Historical Study A	Social Analysis
Quantitative Reasoning
ONE of the areas marked (†)
Non-exempt areas:
Foreign Cultures	†Literature and Arts C
Historical Study B	Moral Reasoning
†Literature and Arts A	Science A
Literature and Arts B	Science B

SPECIAL CONCENTRATIONS

Students doing Special Concentrations should consult the Core Office about their Core requirement.

STATISTICS

Exempt Areas:
Quantitative Reasoning	Social Analysis
Science A
ONE of the areas marked (†)
Non-exempt areas:
Foreign Cultures	Literature and Arts B
†Historical Study A	†Literature and Arts C
†Historical Study B	Moral Reasoning
†Literature and Arts A	Science B

VISUAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

Exempt Areas:
Literature and Arts B
TWO of the areas marked (†)
ONE of the areas marked (*)
Non-exempt areas:
Moral Reasoning	Science A
Quantitative Reasoning	Science B
†Foreign Cultures	†Literature and Arts C
†Literature and Arts A
*Historical Study A	*Social Analysis
*Historical Study B

STUDIES OF WOMEN, GENDER, AND SEXUALITY

Exempt Areas:
Historical Study A	Literature and Arts C
Literature and Arts A	Social Analysis
Non-exempt areas:
Foreign Cultures	Quantitative Reasoning
Historical Study B	Science A
Literature and Arts B	Science B
Moral Reasoning