HBS Debuts January Courses

As the University experienced its first Harvard-wide January term break, Harvard Business School launched J-Term programming to help its students make the most of the new gap between semesters.

As part of the new programming, which began on Jan. 11 and ends today, HBS students had the opportunity to participate in intensive seminars, travel around the world through the Immersion Experience Program, or pursue other independent studies and opportunities.

First and second year MBA students could choose from eight intensive seminars, which were led by faculty members and focused on a variety of different topics.

Several participating faculty members said that these new seminars were a valuable addition to the MBA program because they provided an opportunity for students and professors to focus on topics not necessarily covered in traditional Business School classes and work closely together in an academic environment.

“These seminars allow faculty members and students to explore subjects that are not gone over in a class. They also provide an opportunity for faculty members to experiment with ideas for full-fledged courses,” said HBS Professor Arthur I. Segel, who led the “Success Through Failure” seminar. “It was a very useful experience for me and my students.”

Loeïz Lagadec, a second year MBA student who took Segel’s seminar, said that his seminar did not follow the business school’s typical method of teaching cases, allowing them to pursue an unusual topic of study.

“Failure is generally a topic that doesn’t get a lot of attention. Not many people want to write a case about it,” said Lagadec, who added that he enjoyed his J-Term seminar experience.

Over 400 Business School students participated in the nine faculty-led Immersion Experience Programs (IXPs) in locations such as China, Peru, India, and Rwanda.

Diego A. Comin, a HBS associate professor, led the Peru IXP, which focused on the effect abundant natural resources and tourism have on Peru’s economy.

“We have fantastic classrooms, but teaching about the world and learning through living in the world is very different. It really complemented the HBS education by bringing the case method to new level where you’re a part of the case,” Comin said.

Professor Joseph L. Badaracco Jr., senior associate dean and chair of the MBA program, said that the January term seminars and IXPs provided great opportunities for students.

“All these programs add tremendously to the breadth and depth of the HBS experience,” he wrote in an e-mailed statement.

In addition to the IXPs, Professor Robert S. Kaplan taught an Executive Education program this January at the Harvard Business School’s new Shanghai Center.

The facility, which officially opens in March, contains the Business School’s first classroom abroad. According to Kaplan, the space is an uncanny replica of an Aldrich Hall classroom.

The Shanghai Center was also used this month by HBS’s China Immersion Experience Program.

—Staff writer Tara W. Merrigan can be reached at tmerrigan@college.harvard.edu.