The A.B. and S.B. at Harvard:
A Comparison
Marie Dillon Dahleh
Division of Engineering and Applied
Sciences
Harvard University
Educational Objective
• “To provide students in Engineering
Sciences a solid foundation in engineering
within the setting of a liberal arts college
for preparation for a diverse range of
careers in industry and government or for
advanced work in engineering, business,
law or medicine.”
Purpose of a Harvard Education
• “A “liberal education” prepares students for
lives that go beyond the short term,
practical problem solving; it leaves them
with critical skills and interests in the larger
problems of living in society.”
• “The purpose of a Harvard education must
be precisely this: to expand one’s ability to
reason more critically and creatively.”
Degree requirements
•
•
•
•
32 courses
Writing requirement ( 1 course)
7 courses to complete core (GE)
Foreign language requirement ( 0-2
course)
• A.B. engineering science (14-16 courses)6-8 free electives
• S.B. engineering science ( 20 course) 2
free electives
Specializations
• biomedical sciences and engineering (BSE)
• decision and control (DC) ( A.B. only)
• electrical engineering and computer science
(EECS)
• engineering physics (EP) ( A.B. only)
• environmental sciences and engineering (EECS)
• mechanical and material science and
engineering (MMSE)
general requirements
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A.B.
2 years calculus
1 year physics
1 computer science
9-11 engineering courses
determined by specialization
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S.B.
2 years calculus
1 year physics
1 computer science
one year of chemistry
an electronics course
a mechanics course
Adv. applied math course
a materials course
a prob. and statistics course
two courses in design
4 engineering courses
Demographics
•
•
•
•
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Currently 119 students
49 sophomores, 20 A.B. and 29 S.B.
40 juniors, 20 A.B. and 20 S.B.
30 seniors, 13 A.B. and 17 S.B.
36 are women: ( 30%) 12 A.B. ( 26%) 24
S.B. (36%)
• 83 are men: 41 A.B. 42 S.B.
Specializations class of ‘06
ME
EE
Envir
BSE
DC
EP
AB
5
4
0
3
1
NA
SB
9
3
2
3
NA
NA
Class of ’06 first math class
xa
1a
1b
21a
21b
AB
0
2
6
5
0
SB
1
5
1
9
1
Class of ’06 first physics class
11a
15a
16
AB
5
7
2
SB
11
3
2
Job choice classes ’00-’05
Engine Techni Master
er
cal non PhD
engin
MD
Non
technic
al
AB
4
2
2
2
3
SB
2
4
1
1
5