Distinctions Popular But Underpublicized

Renee J. Gasgarth ’03, a psychology concentrator who is also pre-med, had been taking Spanish courses at Harvard for several years when a friend mentioned that she could get credit—in the form of a language citation—for her work in Spanish.

“I don’t think I’ve ever talked to a preceptor about it, only other students,” says Gasgarth, also a Crimson editor. “I’ve never seen it in writing anywhere; I’m just assuming it’s the truth.”

Citations and certificates are two of Harvard’s options for students who complete significant work outside of their concentration—though many students, like Gasgarth, say these programs are poorly publicized.

Currently, there are four certificates—in health policy, Mind, Brain and Behavior (MBB), African studies, and Latin American studies—and a citation in foreign language, which can also count as a credit for the Foreign Cultures requirement in the Core Curriculum.

Students who take advantage of certificates and citations say they are happy to earn recognition for their work. After all, getting a citation or a certificate can seem like the perfect way to get the equivalent of a minor at Harvard.

But the fact that the University still does not recognize certificates on students’ transcripts makes the real-world value of the distinction somewhat ambiguous.

Harvard’s Minor

Since language citations were approved by the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) in 1998 as an alternative to making the foreign language requirement more difficult, they became the only official citations issued by the Faculty—which means they are included on transcripts and referenced in student handbooks, according to Associate Dean of Undergraduate Education Jeffrey Wolcowitz.

Students can earn citations by completing four language half-courses beyond the first-year level, or literature courses in a particular foreign language. At least two of the courses taken must be at the third-year level or beyond.

“[Language citations are] meant to be an incentive and recognition of students who have done a substantial amount in foreign language,” Wolcowitz says.

The number of students cited yearly has grown from 69 in the program’s first year to 183 in 2001, according to Wolcowitz.

He attributes the growth to students’ ability to plan ahead to have room in their schedules for language courses.

“This is a good way to [study language] without making a major commitment,” says Geri A. Lake-Bakaar ’03. Lake-Bakaar has taken French courses towards a foreign language citation since her first year at Harvard.

Because the citation program is not rigidly structured, fulfilling the requirements is a flexible but sometimes frustrating process for students.

“Students at more advanced levels do [have more flexibility],” Wolcowitz says. “This is going to vary across the languages in terms of how quickly students get to the level at which there are choices as opposed to sequencing.”

But Lake-Baakar also says the lack of structure sometimes compromises the quality of the citation.

“You can choose whatever classes you want and you can make your citation very lopsided,” Lake-Bakaar says. “There isn’t much structure as far as what’s going to make you a good French student. But it’s good for me because it’s flexible.”

Hidden Treasure

Although the citations are meant to be an incentive to study foreign language, some students say that because citations are not well-known, they are usually an afterthought rather than a motivating factor in taking language classes.

“Most students aren’t taking classes to get a citation. It’s not something students really care about,” Gasgarth says. “That’s not why I’m taking classes now—it’s because I want to and I enjoy it.”

Some students say they see citations as a nice bonus to taking enjoyable electives outside of their concentration.

“If someone is interested in taking a language, they might as well get a citation because you only have to take one course a year,” says Lake-Bakaar.

The fact that citations are listed on student transcripts is also a motivating factor.

“It’s nice that I can state that to employers,” Gasgarth says.

But students say that despite increased participation in the program, they are disappointed that program requirements are still relatively unknown to the general undergraduate population.

“Part of the problem really is information,” Gasgarth says. “There’s no one on the first day of classes to give forms out. Students don’t necessarily know to ask about them, and they don’t volunteer [the information].”

Wolcowitz says information about the citations can be found in the Handbook for Students and that most language professors mention it in their classes.

But Gasgarth says too few people know of the benefits to take advantage of the program.

“If [faculty] thought it was a motivating factor, you’d think there’d be more publicity, especially if it can count for Foreign Cultures,” Gasgarth says.

The Invisible Certificate

Certificates—issued for health policy, MBB, Latin American studies and African studies—occupy a more ambiguous role among academic programs at Harvard.

Specific requirements for each certificate vary, but each requires coursework and an honors thesis that connect the certificate topic to the larger concentration.

Unlike foreign language citations, certificates are not voted on by the full Faculty and are instead issued by various Faculty committees, Wolcowitz says.

And because certificates are not officially recognized by the University, they are not included on transcripts—and are not even mentioned in official publications like the Handbook for Students, Wolcowitz says.

But Gutman Professor of Latin American Affairs John H. Coatsworth says lack of University recognition does not make certificates wholly worthless.

“They are not officially FAS certificates, but they are certainly certificates of the entities within FAS or within Harvard FAS committee that issued them,” Coatsworth says. “They are official enough to list on your résumé.”

Gordon C. McCord ’02 says he sees a certificate as valuable proof of his academic interest in Latin American studies.

“It is a signal that you are a Latin Americanist,” he says. “You wrote a thesis and you took courses in and outside of Latin America.”

“Without the certificate program I’d be giving a much weaker signal. I could say I was interested in Latin America but I’d have nothing to prove it,” he said.

Despite the fact that certificates are officially unrecognized and are not publicized by the University, some of the programs have grown increasingly popular in the last several years.

The biggest reason certificate programs are popular, students say, is because they offer an experience that is lacking in their main concentration.

For example, the newest addition, the certificate in health policy, was started two years ago as a result of abounding student interest in the field, according to Joan P. Curhan, the administrator of the undergraduate health policy certificate program.

“I’m constantly receiving voicemails and e-mails from undergraduates saying, ‘I wish we would have known about the undergraduate certificate program sooner,’” Curhan says.

Despite the low profile of the certificate program, Curhan says students learn about it by word of mouth. The health policy certificate program has grown from four students in its inaugural year to 19.

The other certificate programs—with the exception of African studies, which awards about four certificates annually—have grown as well.

According to Thomas Bernhard, undergraduate program director of MBB, which allows students to combine coursework in biology, psychology, philosophy, computer science and history of science, about 70 students earn MBB certificates each year and interest grows annually.

The Committee on Latin American and Iberian Studies issues about 25 certificates a year and the number has also been regularly increasing, according to Stephen J. Reifenberg, executive director of the Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies.

Despite the fact that certificates aren’t noted on students’ transcripts, many say the unique opportunities available through the programs make the experience worthwhile.

“I was originally pre-med and I dropped that, but I still had lingering interest in health issues,” says Arianne R. Cohen ’03, who is earning a certificate in health policy and who is also a Crimson editor.

“Getting the certificate is pretty much the only way on campus to engage in public health issues without devoting your entire life to it,” she says.

Most certificate committees offer grants and help students find research and internship opportunities, as well as hosting events for the students.

“Virtually all our certificate candidates go to Africa to do research for their senior thesis, usually in the summer between their junior and senior years,” says Rita N. Breen, executive officer on the Committee on African Studies.

The coursework Farah N. Stockman ’96 did to earn her African studies certificate directly influenced her career. After graduation, she taught children in Kenya and then went on report on the Rwandan genocide as a journalist.

“It helped me gain focus in my life,” Stockman said.

—Staff writer Emily M. Anderson can be reached at emanders@fas.harvard.edu.