Harvard ALM (Non IT) can be a virtual distance degree

Just thought I'd throw this out since there always seems to be some discussion about the ALM. I'm currently in my third course (all DL) and I've spent a fair amount of time poring over the various ALM requirements. I'm (fairly) certain that at least with a History concentration-which has a good offering of DL courses- one could do 7 of the 9 courses online. This of course requires that one not be too selective in choosing their courses, but rather give first preference to those courses that are offered DL. The only residency at Harvard would be the required Proseminar and required seminar in your field of concentration. These are both offered in the summer (at least in 2006) and in both regular terms as well. Seems to be pretty minimal requirements for a Harvard degree. And teachers get a 50% discount to boot!!

 

residency requirement

If taken concurrently, the two may be done in either an 8 week summer session or a 3 month term.

 

I just spoke with Kerry Buchannan at the ALM office. In two weeks the ALM guide to summer classes will be out, and it is her understanding that the seminars that are offered for graduate credit *may* be applicable to the ALM in government or in history, but she was not certain and strongly recommended that anyone considering the ALM wait for the summer guide and get in touch with the office before registering to make sure that the courses they take will indeed count toward the degree.

The seminars' being offered during the summer is unusual, and I got the sense that this may or may not recur.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, trying to complete the ALM with minimal residency means missing out on most of what makes the program worthwhile: close contact with Harvard faculty and use of Harvard's resources and facilities. My goals are very different from the goals of most people on this forum, granted, but the ALM experience would be greatly diminished, IMNPHO, by completing it largely via DL.

 

Alarmingidea may be correct that getting the ALM via an almost completlely DL route diminishes some types of student experiences. Nevertheless, taking it any other way is impossible for many students. Getting a (diminished?) Harvard ALM vs. most other DL History offerings still looks like a pretty good deal. And if this summer's seminars aren't applicable to the ALM, it still only takes one regular term to complete both required seminars.

 

I don't think it's THAT uncommon for prosems to be offered Summers, they were offered in 2005 during that term, weren't they?

A few gentle warnings and bits of advice, for what they're worth:

There's also a shortened Summer term of just a few intense weeks.

Watch out that your online classes fit the description of Harvard professor. It may not be as easy as you think to do it all online but for a single Summer--might take two Summers. I think that all but two of your classes must be from a Harvard prof (as Harvard defines it, and this isn't always intuitive).

Finally, all Summer classes are considered to be "Harvard profs", whether they're taught by some visiting prof from Boston U or MIT or Tufts or whatever. So at least they're trying to be accomodating to the educators of America who want to spend their Summers pursuing a rip roaring prestigious degree.

 

I took my proseminar in the summer (the worst class I have ever taken, with an instructor who, if we were ever stuck in an elevator together for six or eight hours would do far better not to say hello to me). Proseminars are routinely offered during the summer. Seminars that count toward the ALM are not.

 

I don't know a ton about this degree program, certainly not as much as those of you who are in it. What's the difference b/t a prosem and a sem? Are the classes offered in History, Gov't, whatever during the Summers not applicable to the ALM, or is the "seminar" something else that's required in addition to the normal classes?

Thnx

 

The proseminar is an introduction to the thesis format and the skills you need to complete your thesis. (It often gets misdescribed as an introduction to graduate study. It is not one, no matter who tells you different.)

The proseminar is one of the three classes you need in order to be accepted as an ALM candidate. It should really be the last class you take, after you have completed your coursework but before you write your thesis. I would say the best class to begin with would be Advanced Analytical Reasoning in the Social Sciences, taught by the incomparable Nadine Weidman, which they are considering making an additional prerequisite to admission. (Which would might have the unfortunate side-effect of making the course be offered in multiple sections, some taught by people far more comparable than Nadine.)

But I digress. A seminar is a small class devoted to a particular subject, in which the students are generally more active participants than in a lecture course. The ALM requires a seminar in your area of concentration, and also a seminar or writing-intensive course outside your concentration.

Seminars are generally not offered during the summer. Proseminars are routinely offered during the summer.

Another significant question regarding summer-only residency just occurred to me. Summer classes are offered not by the Extension School, but by the Summer School, and are accepted by Extension toward its degrees. (The Summer School offers no degrees.) I am wondering if there is a requirement that a minimum number of classes be taken in the Extension School itself. Distance classes would certainly cover this requirement if it exists.

And by the way, "Summers" is HU's embattled president, over whom the faculty have whipped themselves into a silly frenzy.

 

A very silly one.

One has to wonder why certain feminist members of the faculty, in the wake of Summers' comments, would immediately react with such a frenzy--judging by their ultrasensitive and rather hysterical behavior, you'd almost think they were setting out to conclusively prove there are inherent gender differences.

Reminds me of the reaction of Islamic extremists to Mohammed with the bomb turban. Why engage in a course of action that proves the cartoon to be irrefutably true? Have these people no sense of irony?

Oops, there I've gone and gotten political in the wrong forum again. This post scheduled to destruct in T-minus _ seconds...

 

How much total for the classes?

How much is it for the classes ?

It must be alot of money and i wonder if there are any scholarship programs involved ....

 

It's not so expensive, about the same (or sometimes less than) any old Big State U. Runs around $350 - $550 per credit hour, depending on whether you go to Summer school (more expensive) or take classes eves or weekends during the regular semesters.

It's quite a value, all things considered.

 

I looked it up for you:

GR per cr hr: $362.50 (Reg Semester); $550.00 (Summer)

UG per cr hr: $137.50 (Reg Semester); $550.00 (Summer)

Rates for some courses that require labs or other materials, such as studio arts or biology are somewhat--but not a ton--higher. I think those per credit hour rates are just ridiculous. $137.50 for undergrad Harvard credit--that's practically community college tuition. But me thinks the profs at Harvard might just be a tad better.

 

thanks for the research

hey thanks for the information ..... my community college charges even less than 137.50 .....


but you have to consider the name "Harvard University" in your diploma will mean more for your employers as an expert in a certain field ...