2.7 Course Registration

Course scheduling is managed through the Registrar’s Office.

Required Curriculum

Academic courses in the first year of the MBA Program are prescribed by the faculty. A student is registered for RC courses automatically upon enrollment at the start of the RC Fall Term and then again upon enrollment at the start of the RC Spring Term. In the RC year, students may not register for electives in the EC Program, or any other Harvard University program.

Elective Curriculum

Academic options in the second year of the MBA Program include a wide range of elective courses, cross-registration opportunities, and field-based learning opportunities aligned with classroom experiences, immersive approaches, or pursued as independent projects. There are more than 100 different course options, with many offered in multiple sections. Students can customize their schedule based on their interests and goals.

The following topics all relate to the Elective Curriculum (EC). Students in Joint Degree programs may have different requirements in their EC. There are several course types available:

Immersive Field Courses (IFC)

IFCs require a firm commitment and carry a financial obligation. Financial aid is available in the form of a student loan, a need-based HBS scholarship, or a combination of both depending on individual circumstances. The Add/Drop process at the start of the fall term is the mechanism for any IFC enrollment changes. After that point, the course fee is non-refundable.

Total Credit Requirements

Below is a breakdown of the EC credit requirements for students enrolled in the MBA Program. Each student is responsible for ensuring that their course registration meets all requirements.

• 30 credits are required in the EC year

• 15 credits are required per term*

*Exceptions to the 15 credits/term policy will be considered on a case-by-case basis in cases where there are extenuating circumstances (e.g. the arrival of a child, serious health concerns). A minimum of 12 credits each term is required with a maximum of 21 credits permitted by petition. Please email the Registrar's Office (ecreg@hbs.edu) for consideration.

Classroom Credit Requirements

A minimum of 3 HBS classroom credits are required per quarter in the EC year. Classroom credits refer to courses that meet in-person in an HBS classroom environment. Immersive Field Courses (IFC) and Independent Projects (IP) do not apply to the HBS classroom credit requirement.

Balance of X and Y Schedule

No more than 10.5 credits on one schedule (X or Y) can be taken in each term. This does not include classes that meet weekly.

Independent Projects (IP) and Online Learning IPs

• 9 credits may be taken as IP credits over the course of the year with no more than 6 credits in one term. IPs earn non-classroom credit.

• As part of the 9 total credits of IPs, 6 of those credits may be through Online Learning IPs. Online Learning IPs earn non-classroom credit.

• Coursework from an enrichment-only cross-registered course may not serve as the basis for an IP.

Cross-registration

6 credits of approved cross-registration courses may be taken towards the MBA degree.

Applying for Additional Credit

Students interested in adding a course for additional credit up to the limit of 18 credits per term must apply by a specific deadline. Applications will be processed at one time, after all MBA students have registered for the necessary number of credits for the term. Students then may register for the additional credits at the end of the Add/Drop period. X/Y balance applies; still no more than 10.5 credits on X or Y days. Courses taken for additional credit above the degree requirements, whether by application or through Add/Drop processing, are treated the same way as any other courses as it relates to course registration, determination of academic difficulty and academic honors, and any other academic and program policies.

EC Course Registration Process

There are two EC course registration processes each year, with the process for Fall and January Term courses starting in July following the RC year, and the process for Spring Term starting in November of the EC year. The EC course registration process involves three key phases as outlined below:

• Registration: learn about courses and rank course preferences for the upcoming term.

• Learn EC Results: courses are assigned and schedules released; all schedule adjustments from this point forward are processed during Add/Drop.

• Add/Drop: request schedule changes through the first week of the term. There is also a brief Add/Drop period at mid-term for quarter courses.

Auditing

Audit enrollment is rare in the HBS Learning Model and does not result in course credit. Each faculty member may decide whether to accept auditors and how auditors will participate in the course. If a student has received faculty approval to enroll as an auditor, the approval must be forwarded to the Registrar’s Office. The request must include the course title and section number. Audit requests will be processed in the week following Add/Drop. Any addition of auditors to a course will be based on physical seat availability in the classroom. Please Note: Auditors are not guaranteed course materials due to inventory constraints. Please understand that case packets are provided for auditors only if supply allows; special orders cannot be placed for auditors and textbooks are not provided.

Late Course Enrollment Change Policy

The Add/Drop process in the registration tool at the start and midpoint of each term is the mechanism for students to finalize course registration for the term and to make course changes due to schedule and content preferences.

Any course enrollment requests received after the Add/Drop deadlines will be considered on a case-by-case basis by petition to MBA Program Leadership; the petition should note any extenuating circumstances. Courses dropped after these deadlines will result in a W (withdrawal) notation on the transcript. A maximum of two late course drops per academic year will be permitted. The final dates for case-by-case petitions are as follows:

Fall 2026

• Friday, November 6, 2026

Spring 2027

• Friday, April 2, 2027

No enrollment changes will be allowed after the final day of classes in each quarter and term as outlined below.

Fall 2026

• Q1 X schedule: Wednesday, October 15, 2026

• Q1 Y schedule: Thursday, October 16, 2026

• Thursday, December 4, 2026

Spring 2027

• Q3 X schedule: Tuesday, March 10, 2027

• Q3 Y schedule: Friday, March 6, 2027

• Wednesday, April 22, 2027