Cross-Registration

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Course Materials Licensing Fee?

Unlike other institutions, HBS provides students with all the course materials they will need during a course. Most courses use only cases but some will have textbooks.
The Course Materials Licensing Fee covers the copyright licensing fees for materials used in a course. All students and auditors who want access to course materials and Canvas must first successfully secure a seat in the class through the cross-registration process and will then receive further payment information to pay the fee for their materials.
The fee for the upcoming academic year is $100 per 1.5-credit course and $200 per 3-credit course.

What do I do if I need to drop my HBS class?

Courses can be dropped without penalty until February 12, 2021. If you decide to drop the course you should make the drop in My.Harvard.

If you are dropping after the deadline you should be in touch with your home school to make sure you have permission. If permission is granted, please also email mbacrossreg@hbs.edu to let the HBS Registrars Office know.

What is the X/Y Schedule?

Most HBS courses meet on consecutive days of the week: Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday (X schedule days) or Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday (Y schedule days). Wednesdays can be either X or Y depending on the week.

X or Y class schedules, course titles, times, and room numbers may be found on the Academic Calendar. The X and Y scheduled days are shown on the Academic Calendar and are color coded with green showing the X schedule and blue showing the Y scheduled days.

What is the credit conversion of HBS courses into my home school's system?

Cross-registrants are strongly advised to check with their home registrar's offices about how a particular HBS course counts toward credit at their home schools. Note that some HBS 3.0 credit courses may meet for 20 sessions, 29 to 30 sessions, or in a weekly seminar format. View credit conversion information.

Are MBA Program courses open to Harvard University TAP participants or graduate student spouses/partner?

No.

What is the case method?

Please visit The HBS Experience page for information and a useful video demonstrating the case method used in the MBA classrooms.

For how many courses may I register?

Cross-registrants are limited to the equivalent of six credits per term in any combination of "Long" (full-term) courses (3 credits) or "Short" (half-term) courses (1.5 credits). The credit value of courses taken for audit count toward this limit. View credit conversion information for Harvard University graduate schools.

Disqualification from HBS courses?

If you cease to be a student in good standing at your home school at any point during your term of cross-registration at HBS, you will be automatically disqualified from taking the HBS course, dropped from the class roster, will receive no grade or credit for the HBS course, and will receive no refund of the Course Materials Licensing Fee.

If, for any reason, your Course Materials Licensing Fee is not completely paid by the last class meeting date of the HBS course, you will be automatically disqualified from taking the HBS course, dropped from the class roster, will receive no grade or credit for the HBS course, and will receive no full or partial refund of the Materials Fee.

What are HBS's exam policies?

Exams must be taken as scheduled by HBS, and final projects must be submitted as assigned. HBS exams cannot be rescheduled for conflicts at your school. You can see the exam period for a term on the Academic Calendar.

When are HBS Final Exams?

You can see the exam period for a term on the Academic Calendar.

How does HBS's grading system work?

At the conclusion of each course, the instructor assigns one of four grades designated as Category I, II, III, and IV.

Category I - given to the top 15-25% of students
Category II - given to the next 65-75% in a section. The actual number of Category II grades is subject to the number of Category I grades assigned.
Category III - given to the lowest-performing 10% of students in an elective curriculum course section.
Category IV - seldom assigned; designates failure of achievement and/or commitment and, therefore, failure to meet minimum standards of the course. If Category IV is used in a course, the combined number of students who receive Categories III and IV must equal the lowest 10% of the elective course section.
"Incomplete" - If a student does not fulfill all of an instructor's course requirements due to illness or another reason acceptable to the instructor, the instructor has the option of reporting an "Incomplete," which allows students with good cause the opportunity to complete or "make up" the requirements of a course. Incomplete course work must be submitted by the end of the following term to receive credit for the course.
"No Credit" ("X") - The designation of "Incomplete" will not be used if a student's failure to satisfy the requirements of a course results from the student's willful and unexcused absence or other unacceptable behavior. Reasons for a "No Credit" ("X") determination by an instructor include:
- failure to submit a major piece of written work
- failure to take the final examination
- repeated absence from class
- repeated failure to prepare for class
In such a circumstance, the instructor reports to the Registrar that a student has not performed adequate work and no credit has been earned. An "X" grade will be reported to the student's home school.

How do I cross-register for HBS Doctoral Program courses?

Cross-registrants interested in taking courses in the Doctoral Program at HBS should visit Doctoral Programs or contact the Doctoral Program Office at 617.495.6101.

I am a Harvard Fellow/Post-Doc, how do I cross-register?

With explicit permission from the faculty member and with room available in the class, Fellows and Post-Docs are welcome to audit MBA Elective Curriculum courses.

Email the HBS faculty member to introduce yourself and request permission to audit on a space-available basis.
Assuming faculty member has confirmed agreement, complete on-line audit registration poll (URL will be available in late January).
MBA Registrar Services will email prospective auditors on February 5 with enrollment confirmations and personalized login/password details.

I am a dual bachelor and graduate degree student; may I cross-register?

Undergraduate students enrolled concurrently in a bachelor and graduate degree program at Harvard University who would like to cross-register for an MBA course may contact MBA Registrar Services mbacrossreg@hbs.edu for more information on our cross-registration policies and process.

How are course materials distributed in the MBA Program at HBS?

Unlike most schools which require students to purchase textbooks, course packets, etc. from the COOP, the MBA Course Distribution office distributes materials electronically via Canvas. The Course Materials Licensing Fee paid by cross-registrants covers access to all course materials required for a course. After enrollments are confirmed, cross-registrants will receive further information about accessing course materials.

Whom do I contact regarding arranging for special accommodations for classes or exams?

Cross-registered students needing special accommodations for classroom seating or special time considerations for exams may contact Aldo Pena Moses (amoses@hbs.edu) in MBA Student Support Services.

What is the HBS attendance policy?

Class attendance and participation is a critical component of the HBS Learning Model. Both excused and unexcused absences are considered in your grading and overall status.

While we hope that you will be able to attend all classes, we understand that you may need to miss class and this information covers important information related to absences.

Using our online Absence Notification Tool, students must notify their instructor(s) of any absence in advance or, in the case of emergency, as soon as possible afterward. Notifying the instructor(s) and/or MBA Registrar Services does not constitute an excused absence. Even if the absence is excused, students are responsible for satisfying any "make-up" requirements for a missed class. Failure to provide proper notice may lead to adverse consequences with respect to course grades (see below).

Excused Absences

It is important to remember that while an absence may be excused, frequent excused absences may impact your overall participation and, therefore, grade. You may be excused from class and class activities for:

personal illness
birth or adoption of a student's child
illness or medical needs of a child for whom the student is a primary caretaker
death or serious illness in the immediate family
student's own wedding day, or that of a close and immediate family member
required military service
court summons or jury duty that cannot be postponed
the observance of high religious days or due to religious beliefs

You are eligible for up to two excused absence days when there is a recruiting need that cannot be accommodated on designated Job Search Days. Additional information about this policy will be shared upon enrollment.

May I cross-register into a Required Curriculum course?

Cross-registration into the Required Curriculum, or MBA Program First Year, is not permitted.

How do I cross-register into an Independent Project?

To cross-register into an Independent Project:

Contact MBA Registrar Services mbacrossreg@hbs.edu with the project's details, including the names of your HBS student team members.
The Course Materials Licensing Fee applies to independent projects.

View details about the Cross Registration petition process.

Last Updated

December 2, 2020