Registrar's Office

Departmental Participation Policies

Biostatistics

The Biostatistics Department does have a WinterSession policy for their students.  For more information about our policy, please see this web page: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/biostats/courses/wintersession_guidelines.html.

Environmental Health

1. All full-time EH students are required to participate in WinterSession (January 3 -25, 2013). Doctoral students who have passed their Oral Examinations and have an approved research committee will typically continue their thesis research (EH 350 Research or EH 400 Non-Resident Research). WinterSession is optional for part-time students, if you are planning to register for WinterSession, please complete a form as well.

2. The attached WinterSession EH Form 2013 requests information regarding the nature of your proposed activity. The form needs to be signed by the student and the student’s advisor and returned to the Department of Environmental Health office (HSPH, Building 1, Room 1301), via email to bzuckerm@hsph.harvard.edu or FAX to 617-432-6913 no later than December 31, 2012. Your advisor can email the completed form indicating his/her approval of your activity. Students taking courses for credit need to follow the Registrar’s Office guidelines in registering for the courses. Registration for WinterSession (which is considered part of Spring registration) begins Thursday, December 6th and ends Wednesday, January 2nd (the first day of WinterSession). The drop/change deadline for a WinterSession course is 5:00 PM on the second day of the course. For more detailed information, visit the Registrar’s WinterSession Information page at http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/registrar/winter-session/.

3. WinterSession is considered part of the spring semester. If you have any questions regarding tuition go to: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/registrar/tuition-and-fees/. Part-time students will be required to pay for credits taken during WinterSession as they do at other times of the year. Travel expenses and materials fees are not considered part of tuition and will be borne by the student. Students may take up to five credits during WinterSession. A tutorial/independent study course (EH 300) may be taken for a maximum of 2.5 credits.

4. Participation entails activities that will enhance the student’s academic experience. Activities can be taken for credit or not for credit. Student taking an activity for credit can choose to receive an ordinal grade or pass/fail. (Students choosing a non-credit activity are encouraged to participate in the HSPH Poster Day in the Spring.) There is a wide latitude in the kinds of activities that meet the WinerSession requirement.  Examples include:

  • Course Registration -http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/registrar/courses/wintersession/all.html for all WinterSession courses listings.
  • EH 300 Independent Study/Tutorial (permission of faculty sponsor required for registration, section based on sponsoring faculty).
  • EH 305 Laboratory Rotation in Experimental Environmental Science (2.5 credits) for MIPS students. Please speak with Professor Les Kobzik before registering for this course. This course is being offered every semester and can be taken for either 2.5 credits or 5.0 credits in any other semester except WinterSession when it can only be taken for 2.5 credits.
  • EH 330 Field Experience in International Occupational Health and Safety  (2.5 credits) (31533) (Offered in Taiwan. Contact Cali Chang (cchang@hsph.harvard.edu) or Professor David Christiani (dchrist@hsph.harvard.edu) for further information. Permission of Professor Christiani required for registration.)
  • EH 350 Research (only for doctoral students who have passed their oral examinations, permission of faculty advisor required for registration, section based on sponsoring faculty).
  • EH 400 Non-Resident Research (only for doctoral students who have passed their oral examinations, pre-approved petition required, permission of faculty advisor required for registration, section based on sponsoring faculty).
  • EH 516 (01) Environmental Genetics (2.5 credits) (31534) (held at the Cyprus International Institute/Cyprus University of Technology through application only).  Contact Alice Smythe (asmythe@hsph.harvard.edu) for information.
  • EH 523 (01) Work, Health, and Productivity (2.5 credits) (31535)
  • HSPH or other Harvard course.
  • Environmental Health Practicum.
  • Travel Abroad.
  • Work with a Profit or Non-Profit Organization.
  • Online Course.
  • Other

If you have any questions, please contact Barbara Zuckerman, Assistant Director for Faculty and Academic Affairs for the Department of Environmental Health, at 617-432-2109 or bzuckerm@hsph.harvard.edu or speak with your advisor, program administrator or director.

Epidemiology

In general all full-time students are expected to participate in WinterSession activities, whether for credit or not for credit, on-campus or off-campus, in accordance with their individual needs and interests. WinterSession is optional for part-time students.

The Epidemiology Department requires that each full-time student formulate a plan (or request an exemption) for the WinterSession. This plan must be detailed on the WinterSession Agreement Form, obtained from the Assistant Director of Graduate Studies, signed by the student’s advisor and returned to the Assistant Director of Graduate Studies by the final day of fall semester classes. Questions or concerns can be brought to the department chair for adjudication.

Acceptable activities might include WinterSession courses, tutorials/independent study projects (with faculty members who are willing to take these on), travel tutorials, field placements, practica, community service projects, courses organized and taught by students, and skill-building workshops sponsored by administrative departments of the school. Approved activities need not be located on campus, or even in the United States.

Genetics and Complex Diseases

First-year students are expected to participate in laboratory rotations during WinterSession. Continuing students are expected to be engaged in full-time research work while taking the opportunity to attend departmental and school-wide WinterSession offerings.

Global Health and Population

The Department of Global Health and Population strongly encourages all full-time students to participate in WinterSession activities, whether for-credit or non-credit, on-site or off-site, in accordance with their individual needs and interests.  Every student must submit a completed and signed WinterSession Participation From available from the department’s Education Office.

Health Policy and Management

A. Each full-time HPM student is expected to participate in WinterSession activities that will enhance the student’s academic experience. The nature of these experiences will vary in accordance with the needs and interests of individual students. Some of the activities that would be appropriate include:

  • Courses on campus – these may be credit or non-credit courses at HSPH or at other Harvard graduate schools or MIT.
  • Work conducted as part of the Applied Research and Practice (for SM2 students)
  • Independent study
  • Research work
  • Volunteer work in the community

B. Every full-time HPM student is required to submit a contract that designates the nature of the student’s WinterSession activity. All contracts must be signed by the program director and should be filed with the HPM Office of Academic Programs (Kresge 324) no later than December 8.

C. Part-time students are not required to participate in WinterSession activities. There will be a tuition charge for any credit courses taken by part-time students.

Immunology and Infectious Diseases

First Year students are expected to participate in laboratory rotations during Winter Session. Continuing students are expected to be engaged in full time research work while taking the opportunity to attend departmental and school-wide Winter Session offerings.

Nutrition

Winter Session is a period of academic study for nutrition students. Students are responsible for designing an individual program/project of study (credit or non-credit) for this time period. It is necessary for them to obtain their advisor’s approval of this project. If there is any question about the appropriateness of the plan, the department chairman will review the proposal.

Society, Human Development, and Health

Harvard School of Public Health requires that all full time students be engaged in academic work during the WinterSession.  (This is not required for part-time students.)  General information on WinterSession can be found at http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/registrar/winter-session/. 

All SHDH students should meet with their advisors during Fall 1 to discuss plans for their WinterSession activities.

In general, full-time SHDH students are expected to participate in activities that will enhance the student’s academic experience.  Students are not required to take courses.  Because the nature of these experiences is broad, the following are some of the activities that would be appropriate:

  • Courses on campus – these may be credit or non-credit courses at HSPH or at other Harvard graduate schools or MIT. Note: students are not required to take more than 1 course, regardless of the length.
  • School-sponsored field trips.
  • Workshops (i.e., Designing a Web Site, Public Speaking, community education course, Spanish for Medical Professionals, etc.,).
  • 2nd Year masters students can write up their summer practice work; 1st year masters students can make initial contacts and plans for summer work.
  • On-line courses.
  • Work on a paper for publication, an op. ed. piece, etc.
  • Practice job-related skills: writing resumes, interviews, networking interviews, etc.
  • Independent study (does not need to be for credit).
  • Independent work: to develop practical experience, independent research, or field study.
  • Research work (Note: Human Subjects Committee approval may be needed; verify with advisor).
  • Site visits relevant to career opportunities.
  • Community based volunteer work clearly linked to learning objectives.
  • Doctoral students need to be engaged in preparation for the written doctoral exam, or for their oral exam or else be working on their dissertation.

Any completed WinterSession courses (up to 5 credits) will be added to a student’s spring credit totals.

Part-time students will be charged tuition costs for any credit courses taken.

MPH Program

All MPH students must follow MPH WinterSession guidelines.  Departmental guidelines cannot be substituted.  General information on WinterSession can be found at www.hsph.harvard.edu/registrar/winter-session.

A. In general, full-time MPH students are expected to participate in activities that will enhance the student’s academic experience. Because the nature of these experiences is broad, the following are some of the activities that would be appropriate:

  • Courses on campus – these may be credit or non-credit courses at HSPH or at other Harvard graduate schools or MIT.
  • Online courses (non-credit)
  • Domestic or international field study (for-credit or non-credit)
  • Independent study (for-credit or non-credit)
  • Independent work/research/field study (including practicum related activities).
  • Research work (Note: Human Subjects Committee approval may be needed; verify with advisor)
  • Site visits relevant to career opportunities
  • Volunteer work in the community

B. Every full-time MPH student is required to submit an electronic form describing the nature of the student’s WinterSession activities. Students will receive a link to the form via email from Qualtrics.  Please note: the Qualtrics link that will be sent to your individual email address is unique to each student.  Do not forward your unique link to anyone else.  If you have any questions or did not receive the email, please contact the Office for Education Programs/MPH Program Office directly and we will resend it to you.

All forms must be submitted no later than Thursday, November 29, 2012.

C. Any WinterSession courses taken for credit will be added to a student’s spring credit totals.  Student registration for WinterSession courses via ALICE in MyHSPH will begin on Thursday, December 6, 2012.

D . Part-time students are not required to participate in WinterSession activities*. However, if students do plan to participate, please complete the form sent via email from Qualtrics so we can keep track of the activities of our students’ activities for a report to the Dean. Tuition is charged for any credit taken for credit.

*Any student who may currently be listed as part-time but who began the program in July 2012 and is graduating in May 2013 must satisfy the WinterSession requirement and submit a form.

E. Summer-only MPH students will be allowed to register for WinterSession courses. Course charges will be the same as for any part-time student and will include a registration fee.

F. Students who will be traveling abroad should register their trip with the Harvard Travel Registry.  Registration is required for all students traveling on trips funded or arranged by Harvard University, and strongly recommended for everyone.  To register for your travel itinerary, visit www.traveltools.harvard.edu.