What academic opportunities and programs does Harvard FAS offer?

Harvard FAS (Faculty of Arts and Sciences) is the largest academic division at Harvard University, and it covers both Harvard College (undergraduate) and the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS), plus several professional and interdisciplinary units. If you are trying to figure out what you can study, research, or apply to through fas.harvard.edu, the short answer is: FAS is where most Harvard undergraduate teaching and most PhD/graduate arts-and-sciences programs live, and its site is the entry point for departments, concentrations, research centers, and admissions links.

What FAS actually includes

FAS is not a single school with one application. It is an umbrella that contains distinct academic communities:

• Harvard College — the undergraduate liberal arts program, organized around concentrations (majors) and secondary fields.
• Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) — PhD and some master's programs across the arts, humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences.
• Continuing education and special programs — including the Harvard Extension School and summer programs, which sit under FAS's broader structure.
• Research centers and institutes — cross-disciplinary hubs that host seminars, fellowships, and lab-based work.

Because of this structure, "applying to FAS" means different things depending on whether you want a bachelor's degree, a PhD, or a non-degree program.

Undergraduate opportunities (Harvard College)

Undergraduate study at FAS is built around concentrations rather than a fixed core major list. Students typically:

1. Explore broadly in the first year through the Program in General Education and electives.
2. Declare a concentration (e.g., in the humanities, social sciences, sciences, or engineering-adjacent fields).
3. Add a secondary field, language citation, or research project.

Key academic features include:

• Concentration advising — each concentration has its own requirements, tracks, and honors paths.
• Freshman seminars — small, discussion-based courses open mainly to first-year students.
• Research opportunities — undergraduate research assistantships, thesis programs, and summer fellowships.
• Cross-registration — limited ability to take courses in other Harvard schools, depending on program rules.

If you are a prospective undergraduate, the relevant path is Harvard College Admissions, not a FAS department directly.

Graduate opportunities (GSAS)

GSAS is the main graduate arm of FAS. It offers:

• PhD programs in disciplines such as history, economics, physics, molecular biology, and many others.
• Master's programs in selected fields, though GSAS is primarily PhD-focused.
• Interdisciplinary tracks and special committees that let students design cross-departmental research.

Graduate admissions is decentralized: you apply to a specific department or program, and each has its own deadlines, test requirements, and faculty contacts. The FAS site typically routes you to the individual department page for those details.

Research and faculty resources

FAS's research strength comes from its departments, labs, and centers. For a prospective student or researcher, the practical question is usually: who works on what, and how do I reach them?

• Department pages list faculty, research areas, and current projects.
• Centers and institutes host seminars, working groups, and visiting scholar programs.
• Libraries and archives support humanities and social science research.
• Lab websites (in the sciences) often describe ongoing projects and whether they take undergraduates or graduate students.

A useful approach is to start from the department closest to your interest, then look for the "research" or "people" section rather than trying to navigate FAS as a whole.

How to find departments, programs, and admissions info

The FAS site is organized by academic unit, not by a single "programs" list. To locate what you need:

1. Go to the FAS homepage and look for the departments and programs directory.
2. Identify whether your interest is undergraduate (Harvard College), graduate (GSAS), or continuing education.
3. Follow the link to the specific department or program.
4. On that page, find admissions or prospective students for application requirements.
5. For research, check faculty and research sections for current work and contact information.

Common sticking points:

• Deadlines vary by program — there is no single FAS application deadline.
• Testing and materials differ — some programs require GRE or subject tests, others do not; check the specific department.
• Undergraduate vs. graduate paths are separate — do not use a graduate department page for undergraduate admission questions.

Choosing where to look first

The main decision rule: match the type of opportunity (degree vs. non-degree, undergrad vs. graduate) to the correct sub-unit before diving into requirements. FAS's site is a gateway, not a single application portal, so the fastest path is always through the specific department or school that owns the program you want.