History of Science

The Department of the History of Science has long welcomed students from other disciplines into its seminars and colloquia. Students choosing to deepen their engagement with history of science by pursuing a secondary field will achieve an understanding of the role of science and associated fields, be encouraged to enrich their perspective on current affairs and the development of the past and be granted flexibility in following their particular interests in departmental coursework. The department offers such students access to a lively, engaged, and diverse scholarly community.

Applying

PhD students may apply to the Department of the History of Science to do a secondary field after completing one semester of study at Harvard. Interested students should meet with the departmental director of graduate studies (DGS) to discuss making a formal application to the department and to draw up a tentative plan of coursework to fulfill the secondary field requirements.

The application consists of:

1. A statement of interest in the history of science, discussing any background in the discipline and addressing what the student hopes to achieve with the secondary field;
2. A brief letter of recommendation/endorsement from a faculty member in the student’s home department;
3. A statement of support from the DGS in the student’s home department. 

Requirements

Requirements for the secondary field are:

1. Completion of 3003a, Historiography of the History of Science;
2. Three additional courses in the department (including courses that count for departmental credit, e.g., in STS, KGS or in HASTS, MIT), at least two of which must be at the graduate level. An independent study (3001) with a departmental faculty member may count toward this total. Only courses approved by the history of science DGS count toward the secondary field requirements. All courses must be completed with a grade of B+ or higher.
3. Students must meet at least once each academic year with the HOS DGS to review progress.