Hello, Quick question about the ALM program at Harvard Extension. What is the formal title of the degree? Master of Liberal Arts Master of Liberal Arts in Liberal Studies Master of Liberal Arts in Extension Studies Master of Liberal Arts in [concentration] I've seen this same degree called all 4 of those things at the Harvard Extension School website, which I find to be very inconsistent. I know at least one person here graduated from Harvard Extension, by any chance do you know what the name of the degree is as it appears on your diploma/transcript/whatever? I emailed Harvard but have gotten no response as of yet.
I believe (and Jack Tracey may back me up on this) that Harvard Extension diplomas are printed in English. Bruce
Well Bruce, there's a wrinkle in this issue. My HES diploma is printed in English (issued 1986) but I understand that some time after that they began printing them in Latin, just like the rest of the university diplomas. I can't swear to that as it's just something I heard, I've never seen one. BTW mine reads: Bachelor of Liberal Arts in Extension Studies cum laude but the degree itself continues to be referred to as an ALB. Jack
Confused... Well it appears as if this thread is as full of conflicting information as the Harvard website! Here are some examples of what I'm referring to: http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/1999/06.10/extension.html -- refers to the degree as A.L.M in Extension Studies but also refers to degrees as A.L.M. in fine arts, A.L.M. in classical civilizations, A.L.M. in linguistics, etc. http://www.dce.harvard.edu/extension/2002-03/programs/ -- refers to the Master of Liberal Arts degree and the Master of Liberal Arts in Information Technology separately, implying that Master of Liberal Arts is the degree title for the liberal arts degree, not Master of Liberal Arts in Extension Studies or Master of Liberal Arts in [concentration] or whatever and that the information technology ALM is the only one that can be referred to as being "in" something. http://www.dce.harvard.edu/summer/2001/policy/harvard/extension/degree/alm.shtml -- refers to the Master of Liberal Arts in Liberal Studies Then there's the quote from Randi Ellingboe that was posted here saying that the degree can be referred to as Master of Liberal Arts in [concentration] for clarity purposes. Even more puzzling is the fact that it's possible to earn TWO ALM degrees from the Extension school. If the title of the degree is "Master of Liberal Arts in Extenstion Studies" shouldn't it be impossible to earn another degree since the title of the degree is identical regardless of concentration? Another possibility could be that the bachelor's degree is in Extension Studies while the master's degree is in the field of concentration, which could explain why Harvard allows multiple ALM degrees but only one ALB degree. Any other thoughts on this? Right now I'm more confused than I was before.
Re: Confused... My first thought is that if you're serious about obtaining an HES Masters, you should stop talking to people who know little/nothing about it and talk directly to the school. They have always been quite friendly and helpful when I've called. One thing you might keep in mind when you call...the Harvard endowment is legendary for its size. One of the results of this is that, almost universally, when you telephone the school, the person who picks up the phone (regardless of the administrative office or department you call) is a student. They have a HUGE student financial aid department and virtually everyone who needs to earn money is allowed to earn money. My point? You can take advantage of this situation by talking to this student(s) and asking them about their experiences as a student at the school. It can be useful at times...where to rent apartments, where to eat, good night spots, and MOST IMPORTANTLY...where to park. Have fun with all those one-way streets in Cambridge! Jack
In case anyone is wondering about this, I called the ALM office and got this as a reply. There are 2 correct ways to cite the degree: Master of Liberal Arts in [concentration], Harvard University Master's degree in Extension Studies with a concentration in [concentration], Harvard University Basically the "Extension Studies" only needs to be mentioned when you refer to the degree as a Masters degree instead of a Master of Liberal Arts degree. If you cite it as Master of Liberal Arts the Extension Studies part isn't necessary and you can say Master of Liberal Arts in [concentration] since the "Liberal Arts" part designates the degree from the Extension school.
