Teaching & Learning at Harvard

Harvard contributes to society through two primary activities – teaching and research – in which the University's range and quality are superb. Harvard's faculty and academic facilities – laboratories, libraries, museums, and research centers – are unsurpassed by those of any institution. The depth and breadth of the curriculum are vast, extending well beyond course offerings to many other special programs and research opportunities. Perhaps most important, Harvard offers it undergraduates the privilege of studying with exceptionally talented and motivated peers from all over the globe.

Among Harvard's most valuable intellectual assets are its students. Although they come from many different places and backgrounds and have a striking variety of talents, ambitions, and convictions, all possess a passion for learning. That energy can be felt in and out of the classroom. At least as much learning occurs in dorm rooms and dining halls as in labs and course lectures. Because undergraduate enrollment is comparatively small, there are many opportunities to get to know fellow students well. Late-night talks and dinner-table debates are very much part of the daily experience of the women and men at Harvard College.