Secondary Fields

Secondary fields allow PhD students to broaden their course of study and enhance the competitiveness and professional reach of their degree programs (the secondary field appears on the student transcript but not on the diploma). Students engage in coursework and other activities defined by the program offering the secondary field and must meet all degree milestones and deadlines in their home PhD programs and at Harvard Griffin GSAS.

Students should first speak with their primary advisor and/or their academic program, then apply for a secondary field by completing this secondary field form and sending it to the registrar’s office. Please note:

• Graduate students may not complete a secondary field in their own program and may only declare one secondary field.
• Courses may count toward the secondary field and toward the course requirements for the PhD.
• Language courses taken on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis may not be used to fulfill secondary field requirements.

Forms

PhD Secondary Field Application