Harvard Engineering Degrees (Career Pathways)

Harvard College offers several undergraduate engineering concentrations, including Engineering Sciences, Biomedical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering. Students apply to Harvard College, then choose a concentration as they progress. The right path depends on your interests, course preparation, and future plans. Compare degree requirements, financial aid, research options, and any accreditation or licensure rules that matter to your goals.

A course plan can look tidy on a screen, but choosing engineering often feels less clear when you are weighing math and science classes, different degree labels, and careers you have not tried yet. You do not need to map out your whole life before applying. You do need to understand how Harvard’s undergraduate options differ and what to check before deciding.

In my work helping students compare bachelor’s pathways, I have found that the most useful first question is not “Which title sounds best?” It is “What will I study, and what do I want this degree to help me do?”

Harvard Engineering Programs and Admissions

Harvard’s engineering options are undergraduate concentrations within Harvard College, not separate colleges with separate first-year applications. The current program list includes Engineering Sciences, Biomedical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering. Check Harvard’s current catalog for degree choices and requirements, since program details can change.

At Harvard, you apply to Harvard College rather than entering as a declared engineering major. This gives you time to explore, but it does not remove the need to plan. Engineering courses often build on earlier math and science courses, so speak with advisers and review concentration plans before registration.

The listed engineering degrees are:

These are starting points, not job guarantees. Course content, projects, research, and experience all help shape your preparation. Read the current concentration pages to see required classes and options.

Preparing to apply: Harvard publishes no minimum GPA that guarantees admission. Applicants are considered through a holistic review. A strong high school course plan should include the most challenging math and science classes available to you, with calculus and physics where offered. Harvard currently requires SAT or ACT scores for most first-year applicants, but testing rules may change by application cycle. Check the official requirements before applying. Published score ranges describe admitted students; they are not cutoffs.

Your application should also show sustained interests and effort, not just a list of activities with “engineering” in their names. A school project, robotics team, coding effort, science research, or community problem-solving activity may help you explore the field. Choose work you can explain honestly and thoughtfully.

Degree Curriculum, Prerequisites, and Graduation Requirements

Harvard College’s standard bachelor’s degree requires 32 half-courses. Your engineering concentration adds its own required courses and prerequisites, and some students may also pursue honors requirements. Use the current handbook and concentration plan to check exact courses, sequencing, and rules before building a schedule.

The A.B. and S.B. labels describe different degree paths, but the label alone does not tell you which is “better.” Review the specific Engineering Sciences plans and compare their course requirements with your goals. For the other listed engineering concentrations, Harvard identifies the S.B. degree. Ask an adviser how each plan affects your course choices and room for electives.

How to plan your courses:

• Start with the current requirements for the concentration you may choose.
• Mark prerequisites, or courses you must complete before taking later classes.
• Check when required courses are offered and whether they have linked lab or project work.
• Add general education and other College requirements to the same plan.
• Leave room to discuss changes with an adviser as your interests develop.

This matters because a course that looks optional may be a prerequisite for a later class or a graduate program. Do not rely on an old sample schedule or a friend’s plan. Requirements and course offerings can change.

Harvard’s overall institutional accreditation comes from the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE). Institutional accreditation is different from programmatic accreditation, such as ABET accreditation for specific engineering programs. If a future job or graduate program requires a particular accreditation, verify the current status of the exact Harvard program rather than assuming all engineering degrees meet the same standard.

Professional Engineer licensure also has state-specific rules. An engineering degree does not automatically qualify every graduate for every state’s licensure pathway. Before relying on a degree for that goal, check the state licensing board’s education rules and the program’s current accreditation status.

Academic Success, Research, and Student Experience

Engineering study combines concepts with practice. Courses can include mathematics, science, design, analysis, and work on technical problems. Harvard students can also explore research and projects, but opportunities and eligibility vary. Check current SEAS information and ask advisers how to build experience that supports your academic goals.

A useful way to compare concentrations is to look beyond the name. Read required course lists, note the kinds of problems students study, and ask which skills you will practice. Then consider whether research, design work, or interdisciplinary study could help you test your interests.

Illustrative planning scenarios, not accounts of specific graduates:

• A student interested in medical devices might compare Biomedical Engineering requirements with Engineering Sciences options, then ask about research and design opportunities related to health.
• A student drawn to circuits and electronic systems might review Electrical Engineering courses and seek project experience that builds practical skills.
• A student who likes machines and physical systems might explore Mechanical Engineering requirements and related design work.
• A student who is unsure which branch fits might compare Engineering Sciences degree plans and use early coursework and advising to narrow their focus.

These examples show how an interest can guide exploration; they do not promise a particular job or research placement. Before choosing, ask what foundational courses the concentration requires, what project or research options are available, and how much flexibility remains for electives.

A practical check is to make a one-page course map. Include prerequisites, required concentration courses, general College requirements, and possible research or project time. Bring it to an adviser and ask what might delay graduation or limit later options.

Engineering Career Pathways and Employment Outcomes

An engineering concentration can prepare you for technical work, further study, or roles that draw on problem-solving and quantitative skills. The path depends on your courses, experience, and employer or graduate program requirements. Do not treat a concentration name as a promise of employment, salary, or licensure.

For career preparation, look for ways to show what you can do. Research, design projects, internships, and team work can help you describe your skills to employers or graduate programs. Harvard career advising may also help you explore options, but specific outcomes depend on the student and the opportunity.

A step-by-step decision plan:

1. Before applying, prepare in the strongest available math and science courses and confirm Harvard’s current testing and application rules.
2. Compare the full financial aid offer with other colleges’ offers, rather than judging cost by tuition alone.
3. After enrolling, review concentration requirements with an adviser and map prerequisites before selecting courses.
4. As you gain experience, check employer, graduate program, or state licensing requirements tied to your intended path.

Harvard’s financial aid is based on individual circumstances. Use the current aid information and your own offer to compare costs; do not assume a published tuition figure equals what your family will pay.

Common Questions About Harvard Engineering Degrees

These answers summarize the main decisions students ask about: when to apply to a concentration, how the degree options differ, what to verify for admission, and how to connect a course plan to future work. For changing rules, such as testing or program requirements, use Harvard’s current official pages.

Do I apply directly to Harvard Engineering?
No. You apply to Harvard College. Students explore academic interests and select a concentration as they progress.

What engineering concentrations does Harvard College list?
The current list includes Engineering Sciences, Biomedical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering. Check the catalog for current offerings and requirements.

Can Engineering Sciences lead to an A.B. or an S.B.?
Harvard lists both A.B. and S.B. options for Engineering Sciences. Review the current plans to compare their course requirements.

Does Harvard offer an S.B. in Biomedical Engineering?
Yes. Harvard lists Biomedical Engineering as an S.B. concentration. Confirm current requirements in the catalog.

What high school classes should I take?
Take the most challenging math and science courses available to you. Calculus and physics can be useful preparation when your school offers them.

Does Harvard have a minimum GPA for admission?
Harvard publishes no minimum GPA that guarantees admission. It reviews applicants holistically.

Are SAT or ACT scores required?
Harvard currently requires SAT or ACT scores for most first-year applicants. Check the admissions page for the policy that applies to your application year.

Does a Harvard engineering degree guarantee professional Engineer licensure?
No. Accreditation and licensing rules vary by program and state. Check the exact program’s current status and the target state board’s requirements.

How many courses are required for a Harvard College bachelor’s degree?
The standard degree requires 32 half-courses. Concentration, prerequisite, and other College requirements also apply.

How should I choose among the engineering concentrations?
Compare required courses with the problems you want to study, then discuss prerequisites, electives, and experience options with an adviser. Check current requirements before committing to a plan.

(This article was written by one of our staff writers, Matthew Ellison. Visit our Meet the Team page.)