The semester before the capstone (no earlier), you complete the four-credit, graded (B- or higher), precapstone course, GOVT E-595 Foundations of Policy Writing and Analysis (fall), where you'll learn how to craft policy analysis papers.

Then the following semester, you take the capstone course, GOVT E-599 Policy Analysis Capstone (spring), as your final, one-and-only course. Due to the heavy demands of the capstone it is considered a full-time course and you cannot be registered in any other courses. Moreover, all your other degree requirements must be fulfilled so you can draw upon your entire ALM training to produce a final project worthy of a Harvard degree.

Sample Pathway

You need to complete 12 courses (48 credits) to earn the degree. Currently, the precapstone is only offered in the fall term and the capstone in the spring term.

If you take one course a semester:

• you'll register for the precapstone course in the fall as your 11th course
• then in the spring, you'll register for the capstone as your 12th and final course

If you take two courses per semester, then in your final year:

• you'll register for your 10th course and the precapstone as your 11th course in the fall
• then in the spring, you'll register for the capstone as your 12th and final course