Summer and August Registration
Congratulations on your admission to the Harvard Graduate School of Education! On behalf of the staff of the Office of the Registrar, I extend greetings and good wishes to you as you prepare to join the HGSE community. We have found that newly admitted students often need good, clear information before they start their academic career at HGSE. It is our hope that this Summer and August Registration 2026 webpage addresses many of your initial questions and concerns as you make plans for academic year 2026-2027. Please continue to visit this page as we will be adding new content and registration information and deadlines. Along with the other student services offices on campus, we are here to ensure that your career at HGSE gets off to a good start and that your Harvard experience exceeds all your expectations!
Miguel Sahagún, Ph.D. Registrar and Assistant Dean of Enrollment Services Harvard Graduate School of Education
Full-Time Residential Ed.M. Students
Your Foundations coursework will begin online with How People Learn in June and July and will continue on campus in August. Throughout June you will receive information about the Foundations course selection process.
Equity & Opportunity: Identity in Context, Leading Change, and Evidence will be offered in August. Equity and Opportunity electives will be offered in Fall, J-Term, and Spring. Evidence will also be offered in J-Term for teacher licensure candidates in the TTL program only August Term begins in Cambridge on Monday, August 3.
Part-Time Residential Ed.M. Students
For part-time students admitted in 2026, your Foundations coursework will begin this year with How People Learn, offered online in June and July (required). HGSE recommends that you plan to take at least one of the August courses in your first year, but you may choose to take more. (We recommend taking Equity & Opportunity: Identity in Context if you can only take one this year.)
Returning part-time students- those admitted before 2026—should plan to take any remaining Foundations requirements in 2026-27.
Ed.L.D. Students
Ed.L.D. students have the option to enroll in How People Learn in the summer prior to beginning the program. How People Learn provides foundational coursework in human development and learning that sets you up well to begin your doctoral studies. Evidence is required in August of your second year.
The information below represents current plans for August 2026; plans may be modified between now and the start of each course. Foundations courses are required for the Ed.M. degree.
How People Learn (HPL101) | 4 credits | June-July | Fully online; asynchronous with optional synchronous events via Zoom | Optional synchronous sessions will be scheduled at different times to accommodate people in various time zones. |
Equity & Opportunity: Identity in Context (EQO11) | 2 credits | August Term | On campus | Students will be placed in either early sections (meetings between 8:30 am and 1 pm ET) or late sections (meetings between 1:30 pm and 6 pm ET). Class will meet for 2.5 hours per session. Students will be invited in mid-summer to indicate their preferred topic(s) among the 6 offered, and will be placed in class sections by a lottery. |
Leading Change (LCH101)
| 2 credits | August | On campus | Students will be placed in either early sections (meetings between 8:30 am and 1 pm ET) or late sections (meetings between 1:30 pm and 6 pm ET). Class meetings will vary in length across the days; students can anticipate spending between 2-3.5 hours in class, with class on August 10 and 11 being slightly longer. |
Evidence (EVI101) | 4 credits | August Term or January Term (TTL only) | On campus | For A-Term courses, students will be placed in either early sections (meetings between 8:30 am and 1 pm ET) or late sections (meetings between 1:30 pm and 6 pm ET). Class will meet for 2.5 hours per session. |
Equity & Opportunity elective | 2+ credits | Academic Year | On campus | Students may choose an elective from a list of options that will be released by mid-July. Class times will vary. |
The information below represents current plans for 2026; plans may be modified between now and the start of each course.
For online Ed.M. students, all Foundations courses take place online and synchronous sessions will be scheduled within regular class meeting hours for online students.
Additional information about IEPM Foundations offerings for incoming students will be made available prior to course registration.
| Course | Credits | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
How People Learn (HPL101) | 4 credits | June -July, 2026 (First-year PK-12, Higher Education, and IEPM students and rising second year IEPM students) |
Equity & Opportunity: Identity in Context (EQO11) | 2 credits | Fall 1- First-year PK12 and Higher Education students |
Evidence (EVI101) | 4 credits | June –July, 2026 (Second-year PK12-Higher Education students) Note: We strongly recommend that all OEL students choosing Evidence as their Foundations course complete the course in the second summer, with your cohort. If you are unable to do so, you will be required to take Evidence later in your second year at a time typically set aside for electives, and you will work with program staff to determine when and how to complete your remaining required elective credits. |
Leading Change (LCH101) | The learning goals and experiences that make up Leading Change have been incorporated into first- and second-year core courses that all students take. By fulfilling your program requirements, you will simultaneously meet the goals and expectations of Leading Change. (PK-12 and Higher Education students) |