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FAQs

When can I declare a secondary field in GHHP? Do I have to apply for acceptance?

You can easily delare GHHP as your secondary field as soon as you have chosen a concentration; simply sign up on my.harvard. All students are welcome to join GHHP; no application is required. Once you officially declare, you'll be one of "our" students and we'll keep you informed about GHHP advising resources, courses, research opportunities, etc.

If you're a freshman or first-semseter sophomore and have not yet declared your concentration but intend to purse the GHHP Secondary Field, you can be asked to be put on our "pre-app" mailing list; this will keep you infomed about relevant GHHP events and opportunities. Please email Debbie Whitney at deborah_whitney@harvard.edu with your request, and include your house and year.

What is the difference between GHHP 99 and GHHP 91?

GHHP 99 is a guided research seminar offered every spring, taught by graduate students, with a regular weekly meeting time. TFs work with students in small groups to complete their research papers. GHHP 91 is similar to an independent study (but graded) where the student is working independently, under the guidance of a faculty advisor, to write his/her research paper. Meeting times are determined jointly by the student and advisor.

Can I do research during the summer or J-term and use that to fulfill my GHHP research requirement?

There are only four ways to fulfill the GHHP research, detailed here. Some students choose to use research they did during the summer or J-term as a basis for the GHHP 91 paper they write during the following fall or spring; if you'd like to do that, come see us in the office to discuss. But the bottom line is that your GHHP research requirement can only be fulfilled by enrolling in a course—either a senior thesis tutorial, GHHP 99, or a 91 course.