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Academic Advising
Academic advisors help students immerse themselves in the intellectual life of the university, develop plans of study that best cohere with their evolving interests, and take full advantage of the many intellectual enrichment opportunities that Harvard offers. The Advising Programs Office supports students and their academic advisors in forming lasting and effective mentoring relationships.
Pre-Concentration Advisors
Pre-Concentration Advisors are Harvard faculty, staff, and proctors who serve as academic advisors. First-Year students are assigned a pre-concentration advisor through the first semester of their sophomore year. Pre-Concentration advisors help students select courses, connect with resources, think about how to balance their time, plan for a concentration, and explore curricular and extracurricular interests.
Concentration Advisors
After concentration declaration, students are assigned a new advisor within their chosen department that guides them through concentration requirements and co-curricular opportunities such as research, study abroad, and summer opportunities.
Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) and Assistant/Associate Director of Undergraduate Studies (ADUS)
Each department or program has a DUS that guides students through the requirements for concentrating or getting a secondary in their field of study. They are typically faculty members who also teach in the department. In addition to the DUS, some departments also have an ADUS. The DUS and ADUS split responsibilities in supporting undergraduates in their department and answering many of your questions about concentration requirements, course sequences, and course-related questions.
Peer Advising Fellow (PAF)
Peer Advising Fellows (PAFs) are sophomore, junior, and senior students at the College who have been specially selected and trained to offer advice and assistance throughout students’ first year at Harvard. They offer useful guidance on how to balance curricular and extracurricular choices, how to master the challenges of transitioning to college life, and how to take advantage of the many available opportunities.
Resident Deans of First-Years (RDFs) / Allston Burr Resident Deans (ABRDs)
RDFs and ABRDs work with you in your Yard or House to provide academic assistance and personal support. RDFs and ABRDs can also help you think about academic opportunities (research, study abroad, the choice of a concentration, etc.) for which your experiences have prepared or inspired you.
Academic Integrity
Academics at Harvard are grounded in scholarly integrity. We believe that doing one’s own work is at the heart of the intellectual transformation effected by a liberal arts education. The Honor Code is the foundation of our community’s commitment to producing academic work with integrity. The Harvard College Honor Council is responsible for defining and protecting these standards.
Academic Resource Center (ARC)
The Academic Resource Center (ARC) at Harvard University exists to support the academic mission of Harvard College and the Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences by ensuring every student has full access to the transformative power of a liberal arts and sciences education.
Peer Tutoring
Peer tutoring provides students with an opportunity to learn from the diversity of their peers and to engage with one another outside the classroom. When students need help with a specific course, the ARC connects them to a network of trained peer tutors who meet with students individually or in small groups. Peer tutors support students’ learning by reviewing materials from class and working through critical concepts and areas of confusion.
Workshops
The ARC offers workshops centered around building and strengthening the skills necessary to succeed academically. Workshop topics include time management, semester planning, academic self-care, strategic reading, note-taking, problem set strategies, and more.
Academic Coaching
Academic coaching is an individualized, goal-oriented collaboration between an experienced coach and a student. With the support of an academic coach, students can identify and design more effective approaches to goal setting, time management, organization, resource utilization, communication, reading, note-taking, exam preparation, and more.
Student Handbook and Fields of Concentration
Writing Center
The Writing Center offers one-on-one consultations to Harvard undergraduates working on any writing assignment for any course. Writing tutors can provide help with argument, structure, and clarity at any stage of your writing process. They can also provide general help with strategies for drafting and revising academic papers.
Disability Resources
The Disability Access Office (DAO) works with Harvard College students with disabilities to ensure equal access to all aspects of college life at Harvard including academic accommodations. To make a request for reasonable accommodations in a course, undergraduate students should contact the Disability Access Office (DAO) and fill out a registration form to request accommodations and supply supporting documentation.
Health and Wellness
In addition to academic support, support for physical and mental health and wellbeing is also available to all Harvard College students.
Harvard University Health Services (HUHS)
HUHS works to identify and respond to the health care needs for students and faculty within the Harvard community. Students can book appointments with HUHS to meet with a physician to address any health-related issues they may encounter.
Center for Wellness and Health Promotion (CWHP)
The Center for Wellness and Health Promotion (CWHP) cultivates individuals and collective wellbeing through holistic educational experiences. The CWHP focuses on many health and wellbeing topics including alcohol and other substances, mindfulness and meditation, sexual health, and sleep.
Counseling and Mental Heath Services (CAMHS)
CAMHS is Harvard’s Counseling and Mental Health Service at HUHS, which seeks to work collaboratively with students and the university to support students who are experiencing some measure of distress in their lives. Mental Health Urgent Care and consultation are always available through CAMHS at 617-495-2042 during business hours and 617-495-5711 evenings, nights and weekends.
Peer Student Wellness Groups
There are also a variety of student wellness groups that support students through a variety of concerns, including mental health, nutrition, relationships, LGBTQIA+ identities, sexual health, drugs, alcohol, and more. You can find more information about these groups in the Guide to Student Wellness Groups.