Q&A about this year’s January offerings

Recently, I sat down with Carol Stuckey, assistant dean for communications and marketing for the Division of Continuing Education, and asked her about new courses for January.

What’s new this January?

January is going to be a busy time for the Division of Continuing Education. We have a lot of new offerings that I think will really appeal to students.

First, Harvard Extension School is offering an expanded line-up of 22 “J-term” courses for academic credit and, in some cases, for noncredit. These courses cover a full semester’s worth of material in three weeks, making them very intensive. Depending on the Extension School degree program, these courses may help fulfill residency and course requirements.

Second, this January and spring, Harvard’s Division of Continuing Education is offering something new—a selection of professional development programs. These 1- and 2-day programs are noncredit and focus on topics related to information technology, computer science, and management.

Tell me more about the Extension School January courses.

These 3-week courses involve a significant time commitment. If students can make the time, we have a great selection, including courses in the management field like Strategic Management, Project Management, and Financial Accounting Principles. We also have some skill-building courses such as The Art and Practice of Public Speaking and Basic Grammar.

We also have courses in history, anthropology, and psychology.  You can check out the full list of January courses.

What should students know about the Extension School’s January term?

If you want to take a January course to fulfill degree requirements, make sure you use the Degree Course Search to see if a course will count toward your degree. Register early (beginning Dec. 6) because courses fill up very quickly.

Tell me about the new professional development programs offered by the Division of Continuing Education.

This year, the Division of Continuing Education is offering a selection of short programs that last 1 to 2 days. In January, we’ll have 7 programs on technology-related topics. Those programs will be held on campus, and 1 program can be taken on campus or online. Programs include Privacy, Secrecy, and Censorship in the Digital Age, Social Networks and Markets, and Data Visualization. Later, in March and April, we’ll offer 8 management programs including The Consultant’s Toolkit and Managing in a Science-Based Organization.

Who teaches the professional development programs?

In January, we’ll have faculty from the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, including Harry Lewis, a former dean of Harvard College; Hanspeter Pfister, who was recently awarded a Visualization Technical Achievement Award by the IEEE; and Michael Mitzenmacher, the area dean for computer science. March faculty members include Lakshmi Balachandra, a graduate research fellow at Harvard Law School, and Margaret Andrews, associate dean for management programs at the Division of Continuing Education.

Who are the professional development programs designed for?

These programs are intended for working professionals who aren’t interested in earning academic credit but who want to get up to speed on a particular topic or skill in a short time-frame. The programs are primarily geared toward business managers and professionals, giving them knowledge and skills in areas such as negotiations, accounting, finance, and marketing.

In January, 4 programs are designed for experienced computer science professionals and cover security, relational databases, cloud computing, and web application development.

What should students know about the division’s professional development programs?

The “early bird” pricing for the January programs ends December 20. Register early to ensure a space in the program.

Also, these programs are not related to Harvard Extension School courses; they don’t count toward degree programs, won’t be listed on transcripts, and aren’t eligible for Harvard employees’ Tuition Assistance Plan (TAP). But they do promise to be a great value for the money, and participants will come away with skills they can apply immediately in their jobs.