Harvard College Launches Civic Engagement Certificate Program

Harvard launched a new certificate program on civic engagement focused on training students to be engaged citizens, the University announced March 6.

Beginning with the Class of 2025, Harvard undergraduate students will have the opportunity to participate in the new program, which includes classroom, practical, and capstone components. Students who complete the certificate program will receive recognition on their academic transcripts.

The Harvard College Certificate for Civic Engagement was created to recognize students who are committed to “developing knowledge, skills, and experience that support effective civic engagement,” according to the College’s website. Applications for the program are currently open.

Students pursuing the certificate program must enroll in 12 credits from an approved course list released each academic year. The list includes a selection of 39 courses across 16 different departments.

Shu Xin Ho ’27, who is interested in pursuing the certificate, said “it’s kind of like an accountability token.”

“I’ve always been interested in things like community service, and I’ve never thought about integrating that into academics,” Ho said.

The program also requires students to take one course curated by the Mindich Program in Engaged Scholarship, which offers classes centered around “responding to community-identified opportunities, challenges, and action areas,” according to the Harvard Office of Undergraduate Education website.

Courses will be approved for inclusion in the program requirements by a faculty committee based on the course syllabus.

Students are not allowed to petition for specific courses to count towards their fulfillment of the certificate’s requirements. However, they may request the consideration of letter-graded undergraduate-focused classes for addition to the next iteration of the list of approved courses.

In addition to work inside the classroom, the certificate also mandates that students engage in service through a 300-hour practicum “involving direct service, policy, and/or advocacy work,” according to the program’s website. The practicum requirement can be fulfilled as a singular experience or distributed throughout term-time service.

Emma D.D. Pham-Tran ’27, who attended a Wednesday information session about the certificate program, initially thought the 300 hours “sounds like a lot.”

But at the conclusion of the session, she said that the requirement seemed “very possible” because “the community seems very supportive.”

“The faculty who are leading this meeting seem very engaged with us and want to support us,” Pham-Tran added. “I think it’s really fun, the idea of being able to have that community of support.”

According to the certificate program website, reflection is a “key element” of the program. After completing each course in the program, students must write a brief reflection on the course and its impact on their civic engagement scholarship.

The Center for Public Service and Engaged Scholarship will also be organizing peer-led reflection activities for students to share their insights and experiences.

The certificate concludes with a capstone retreat that fosters reflection about students’ overall coursework and service experiences. Students are encouraged to “consider how they will build on their learning as engaged citizens after graduation,” according to the program website.

Matthew R. Tobin ’27, a Crimson Editorial editor, attended the Wednesday information session, and said he was “optimistic” about the new program.

“There already are a ton of ways to become involved with public service, like the Mindich courses,” Tobin said. “I think it’s great that the University is now giving students formal recognition for their involvement in these things.”

“I’m so excited to learn more about this program and pursue it,” he said.