Program in General Education
The Program in General Education is the cornerstone of the Harvard College curriculum.
Background photo of a student speaking into a microphone during Gen Ed 1131: Loss.
Explore new ideas. Expand your horizons. Engage with the world.
Focusing on urgent problems and enduring questions, Gen Ed courses are unusually explicit in connecting the subjects you study to the people you will become and the world beyond the classroom.
Transcending disciplinary divisions, they demonstrate the value of embedding what you will learn in your concentrations within the broader context of the liberal arts. In Gen Ed courses, you engage in activities that have the potential to shape the world around you.
Learn more about the General Education requirements and find answers to frequently asked questions.
Explore the courses being offered for the 2024-2025 academic year in each of the four Gen Ed categories.
Find resources specific to teaching in the Program in General Education, from course proposal to reapproval.
News
- Gen Ed 1080 Fest
Stop by Gen Ed 1080’s capstone event of the semester! Students will unveil their final projects, perform original music, and interact with one another around our collective love of all things music and engineering. The event takes… - 2025 Gen Ed student prize submissions due March 24th
The Program in General Education has established the General Education Prize to inspire Harvard College students to reflect on the transformational nature of their Gen Ed learning experiences. Up to five $500 prizes will be awarded annually…. - The Harvard Gazette on Gen Ed 1200: Justice
This fall marks the return of Gen Ed 1200: Justice: Ethical Reasoning in Polarized Times. Taught by Professor Michael Sandel, this popular course features guided student debate of some of society’s most contested issues, informed by study…