It’s getting chilly out, which means it a perfect time to make summer plans.

Combine your love of study with your love of travel with Harvard Summer School.

There are more than 20 study abroad programs offered for 2010 in locations that span the globe and feature a range of academic fields. All programs are led by Harvard faculty and run between 5 and 10 weeks. The cost ranges from $5,000 to $7,500, and for most programs this includes tuition, lodging, some meals, scheduled excursions, and extracurricular activities. Individual program pages can provide more details.

Many of the courses count towards Extension School degrees. But be sure to first check with your academic advisor about transferring the credits before applying to a program.

See the Summer School Study Abroad Programs page for a list of what’s offered and application information.

The Extension School’s 3-week January session features several intensive courses in a variety of disciplines for credit and noncredit. Through this pilot program, we hope to learn what types of intensive courses are of interest to you, our students.

See a list of courses and the term and registration dates in the calendar.

Why is the Extension School offering these courses

To cater to students’ busy schedules. Increasingly, students are looking for opportunities to earn degree credit in compressed timeframes. Understanding this, the Extension School took advantage of this year’s change in Harvard’s academic calendar, which opens up 3 weeks in January.

Types of courses available

Classes range from biology labs to visual literacy, project management to financial accounting. They are available for noncredit and undergraduate and graduate credit. So whether you want to gain professional skills, earn degree credit, or expand your personal knowledge, there is an intensive course for you.

The benefits of intensive study

The January term provides our degree candidates with an opportunity to fulfill degree requirements quickly but in a manner that remains challenging and engaging. And the intensive nature of the courses allows you to really immerse yourself in a subject. We suspect this immersion will help with the understanding and retention of what is learned (especially in foreign language courses, for example).

Courses require a serious commitment

Imagine a 15-week course squeezed into 3 weeks of intensive learning. The workload will be heavy and the pace intense. Most courses meet for 3 hours 4 days a week (for example, from 6 to 9 pm Monday through Thursday).

Plan to make your course a priority, perhaps taking some vacation time from work.

Registration begins Monday, December 7

Register early and by Sunday, January 3. Note that the Extension School offices will be closed Thursday, December 24, and Friday, January 1.