LibGuides: Harvard University: Institution Main

Overview

About Harvard University:

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.

Other Programs and Collections of Interest

Constitutional Revision in Japan Research Project
Digital Archive of Japan's 2011 Disasters
East Asian Legal Studies
Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies
Harvard University Art Museums
The East Asian holdings range from folding screens and scroll paintings to prints, ceramics, sculpture, metalwork, lacquers, and textiles.
Harvard University Asia Center
Harvard University Fine Arts Library
Includes collections of Asian art and architecture.
Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology
Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies
Weatherhead Institute for International Affairs

Institution

Website

Institution:	Harvard University
Founded:	1636
Type:	private university
Location:	Cambridge, MA

Resources and Facilities

Give Us Your Feedback

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

MLAGuide@nccjapan.org

Japanese Studies

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.

Undergraduate Admissions

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.

Graduate Admissions

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 Institute for International Affairs.