Archived on 1/30/2023. For updated information please visit our home page.    

J-Term Registration Information

HGSE January Term Courses offered during academic year 2023-2024 are viewable in my.Harvard. Please be aware that development of the course list is an ongoing process, and that additions and changes will be made right up until the time of course enrollment. For that reason, it is a good idea to check the listing frequently. 

List of Add/Drop Deadlines for J-Term 

Enrollment Overview 
 
• Pre-Enrollment: Monday, November 7 Monday, November 14 (Lottery-based enrollment ranking and placement; Add courses to your Crimson Cart; Submit petitions for instructor permission courses that are not in the lottery) 
• Open-Enrollment Period: Wednesday, November 16 – Friday, December 1st (Enroll in open-enrollment courses; Enroll in instructor permission courses; Modify enrollments for lottery-based courses; Join waitlists for lottery-based courses that are full) 
• Add/Drop/grade option change deadline: Courses in January Term are offered at different start and end dates. A list with specific deadlines by course will be posted soon. 
 
Course Previews 
 
Students will have two opportunities to preview HGSE classes in advance of course enrollment: 

1. Pre-Recorded Course Introductions: 8-minute pre-recorded videos created by the course instructors and posted to their course websites. Students are highly encouraged to watch these videos prior to attending live course question and answer sessions. 

2. Live Course Q&A Sessions: January Term Live Course Q&A sessions are 25 minutes each and will be scheduled for Monday, November 7, Tuesday, November 8 and Thursday November 10th. . The question and answer sessions schedule will be posted to my.Harvard on Friday, November 4th. These live sessions will also be recorded and posted to course websites. 

Click here for the Live Course Q&A schedule (residential) Click here for the Live Course Q&A schedule (OEL)    January Term FAQ (This FAQ will be updated as new enrollment information becomes available. Last Updated: 11/28/2023)    What is January Term? January Term at HGSE (also referred to as “J-Term” and more officially across Harvard as “Winter Session”) is part of a University-wide initiative to create meaningful for-credit and noncredit opportunities for student learning and development during a three-week period. At HGSE, we are proud to have one of the most vibrant January learning environments at Harvard.    Are there additional costs associated with participating in January Term? No. Spring 2024 active students enrolled under the Spring 2024 flat tuition rate may take January courses at no extra charge. Noncredit activities at HGSE are generally included in regular tuition but may have fees for materials or for no-shows or late cancellations in popular offerings. Some activities offered by other Harvard schools may charge additional fees.    Do January Term course credits count against the Spring Term maximum of 10 credits for part-time students and 20 credits for full-time students? January Term credits do not count against Spring Term credit maximums for part-time and full-time students. Students may take a 2 or 4 credit course in January Term, and these credits will not reduce their maximum available credits in Spring 2024.    May I take more than one January Term module or course? January Term modules are intensive and require concentrated work over a brief period of time. For that reason, students are encouraged to enroll in only one January Term module or course at a time (including courses through cross-registration). Students may choose to enroll in more than one course during January Term only if the faculty members of the courses they plan to take allow students to take additional courses concurrently, but under no circumstances will students be permitted to miss class meetings due to a conflict of class meeting times. Students may enroll in no more than 4 credits during January Term.    Can I audit HGSE in-person courses? In 2022-23, HGSE returned to permitting auditing in our courses, subject to instructor permission. HGSE never guarantees auditing and does not require faculty members to accommodate auditing requests. Auditors must also pay any applicable course materials fees and are subject to Covid antigen testing and other ongoing health protocols. 
 
I will complete my Ed.M. requirements in Fall 2023 and am a March 2024 degree candidate. Am I able to enroll in January Term courses? Congratulations for completing your degree requirements at the end of the Fall 2023 term! Since you have completed all your degree requirements by the end of the Fall term, you will not have an active status for upcoming terms, including January term; therefore, you will not be able to enroll in January, Spring, and May 2024 courses.    Can students from other schools cross-register into HGSE January Term courses? Many HGSE January Term courses allow cross-registration. Cross-registrants must follow all the same process steps (e.g., application for course admission, meeting enrollment deadlines, etc.) as HGSE students, in addition to any requirements for cross-registration into any University course (such as obtaining an instructor permission in order to enroll). Harvard College does not permit cross-registration of undergraduate students in January Term.    Who should I contact for more January Term Enrollment information? Please contact the Office of the Registrar at registrar@gse.harvard.edu