Course Formats & Required Technology

When you search “On Campus,” you’ll find:

• On Campus only courses that meet live in a classroom on the Harvard campus.
• Online Synchronous with a Required On-Campus Weekend, which have class meetings over Zoom plus a required weekend on campus.
• Flexible attendance courses that offer the option to participate on campus. These courses may also give you the option to participate online synchronously or asynchronously. Please see the meeting information for details about which options are available in your course.
• Labs & Section Meetings: For any course type, there may be separate labs or section and review meetings. The days and times of those are either listed in the descriptions, on the website, on the syllabus, or announced by the teaching staff once class begins.

Online synchronous participation happens over Zoom so you can see, hear and speak with your classmates.

When you search “Online Synchronous,” you’ll find:

• Live attendance web conference courses, held entirely live over Zoom.
• Online Synchronous with a Required On-Campus Weekend, which have class meetings in Zoom plus a required weekend on campus.
• Flexible attendance courses that offer the option to participate synchronously online. These courses may give you the option to watch class recordings and participate asynchronously online. You may also be able to attend on campus. Please see the meeting information for details about which options are available in your course.
• Labs & Section Meetings: For any course type, there may be separate labs or section and review meetings. The days and times of those are either listed in the descriptions, on the website, on the syllabus, or announced by the teaching staff once class begins.

In online asynchronous courses, you are not required to attend class at a particular time. Instead you can complete the course work on your own schedule each week.

When you search, “Online Asynchronous,” you’ll find:

• Online courses that give you materials to work through each week with discussion boards or live section meetings for support.
• Flexible attendance courses that offer the option to participate asynchronously. These courses may also give you the option to participate synchronously online or on campus. Please see the meeting information for details about which options are available in your course.
• Labs & Section Meetings: For any course type, there may be separate labs or section and review meetings. The days and times of those are either listed in the descriptions, on the website, on the syllabus, or announced by the teaching staff once class begins.

Windows and Macintosh

• 2GHz or faster processor, 8GB or more of RAM
• Please maintain an up-to-date operating system and web browser.

We do not support

• Taking courses on mobile devices
• Linux/Chromebook
• Beta versions of any software
• Operating systems discontinued by manufacturers

You need a minimum Internet speed of 5 Mbps. The recommended speed is 10 Mbps. Check your Internet speed.

Harvard’s two-step authentication, Harvard Key, will require periodic use of either a smartphone, app, or landline-based verification.

If your course uses Zoom and you have not used it before, the program will automatically download when you join your first meeting.

• You are required to use a webcam during class.
• Be prepared to use a microphone during class. We recommend a Logitech H390 headset, but any headset should be adequate.
• You are expected to join from a suitable, quiet location with a computer that permits full participation in the class activities. Please review the full Participation and Attendance requirements. If you do not adhere to all participation requirements you may be removed from your class meeting.

Canvas can be accessed directly at Canvas.Harvard.edu or by logging into MyDCE and clicking the link to Canvas from your Dashboard. To log in to your course website, you must use your HarvardKey. If you do not have a HarvardKey, you may claim one at Key.Harvard.edu. Please note, your HarvardKey login credential is different from your DCEKey. For more information, please see Student ID and Login Information.

To log in to your course website, you must use your HarvardKey. If you do not have a HarvardKey, you may claim one at Key.Harvard.edu. Please note, your HarvardKey login credential is different from your DCEKey. For more information, please see Student ID and Login Information.

After you register, it may take 24 to 48 hours for you to gain access to your course website. All course websites/syllabi will be published 1 week before classes start. If your course website is still missing/unpublished closer to the first day of classes, then please reach out to our Enrollment Services team for advice regarding next steps for access. You can reach them at (617) 495-4024 or via email at Inquiry@Extension.Harvard.edu.

Each instructor is responsible for submitting their syllabus for review in a timely manner so that it can be posted in our Course Search and Registration system and in Canvas. Many syllabi are available to view underneath the course description within the Course Search and Registration system. All course websites/syllabi will be published 1 week before classes start. If your course website/syllabus is still missing/unpublished closer to the start of classes, then please reach out to our Enrollment Services team for advice regarding next steps for access. You can reach them at (617) 495-4024 or via email at Inquiry@Extension.Harvard.edu.

After you change courses, it may take 24 to 48 hours for you to gain access to your course website. Please note that some course websites are not published by the instructor(s) until closer to the start of the term. If your course website is still missing/unpublished closer to the start of classes, then please reach out to our Enrollment Services team for advice regarding next steps for access. You can reach them at (617) 495-4024 or via email at Inquiry@Extension.Harvard.edu.

If your course change has occurred on the day that your new course meets on, please contact our Academic Technology team to receive a one-time Zoom link to access your course with. You can reach them at (617) 998-8571 or via email at AcademicTechnology@DCE.Harvard.edu.

You may access your Canvas course website for about six months after the term ends. At that time, course websites are removed from your Canvas account, and you can no longer view or access course materials. Course syllabi remain available through Simple Syllabus.