Harvard University: Institution Main

Established in 1636 by the Massachusetts Bay Colony, Harvard is named after John Harvard, who donated his library and half of his estate upon his death in 1638. The university began with nine students and a single professor, and now has over 20,000 degree candidates across undergraduate, graduate, and professional students.

Now in possession of over 5,000 acres of real estate, Harvard University is still based around its original location, including John Harvard's donated estate. Harvard is considered the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States.

Chinese instruction at Harvard began in 1921, with Japanese instruction beginning ten years later.

Constitutional Revision in Japan Research Project

Digital Archive of Japan's 2011 Disasters

East Asian Legal Studies

Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies

Harvard Global Equity Initiative

Harvard University Asia Center

Harvard University Art Museums

Harvard University Fine Arts Library, including:

• Asian Rubbings collection
• Digital Images and Slides collection
• Facsimiles of Illuminated Manuscripts and East Asian Scroll Painting collection
• Prints and Photographs collection
• Rübel Asiatic Research Collection

Harvard-Yenching Travel Grants Program

Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology

Reischauer Institute

Weatherhead Institute for International Affairs

Harvard Law School Library

Harvard-Yenching Library

Japan Digital Archive

For all comments and questions about the Guide, please e-mail us:

MLAGuide@nccjapan.org

Undergraduate Studies

• B.A. with a concentration in East Asia is offered by the Department of East Asian Languages and Cvilizations.
• Japan-focused courses are taught in the following departments: anthropology, comparative literature, general education, government, history, linguistics, religion, and sociology.
• Study abroad opportunities are available for a quarter, summer, semester, or year.
• Admissions information for undergraduate studies can be found on the undergraduate admissions page.

Graduate Studies

• M.A. with a concentration on East Asia is offered by the Committee on Regional Studies-East Asia.
• M.A. and Ph.D. are both offered by the Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations, and via disciplinary Ph.D. programs, including, but not limited to, those listed above.
• Ph.D.s can be obtained as a joint degree between the EALC and other programs. Those interested in obtaining a Japan-focused Ph.D. from other departments should consult those departments.
• EALC offers a Language Citation certificate.
• For graduate and professional schools admissions information, please see the graduate and professional admissions page.

Other Academic Information

• Harvard employs nearly 90 academic faculty and staff in Japan-related positions.
• Post-doctoral programs are offered by the Reischauer Institute and the Program on US-Japan Relations, part of the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs.