Did you know that we have Julius Caesar to thank for what we now know as a calendar year? In 46 BC, he overhauled the Roman one, establishing the 365-day calendar to bring it in line with the seasons. People were so grateful they subsequently dedicated a whole month in his honor—July.

Like Caesar, the Extension School (along with the rest of Harvard) has overhauled its calendar to align it with the traditional collegiate school year.

This means that courses for fall 2009 start earlier, Monday, August 31, and end in December (Monday the 21st), before the winter break.

What’s particularly important about this new start date is that although registration will start earlier (Monday, August 3), it will also end earlier (Sunday, August 30)—before classes begin.

Late registration, with a $50 late fee, will be available during the first 2 weeks of classes (Monday, August 31 through Sunday, September 13). If you have already registered, you can change your course schedule without a late fee during this time.

In addition to the new fall and spring courses, the Extension School is offering a January session, with some courses available during the winter break.

More information coming soon, but see the calendar for dates.