Becoming an Instructor

Interest in Teaching

If you are interested in proposing a course for Harvard Summer School or Harvard Extension School, please review the hiring criteria for our programs listed below.

We cannot hire any instructors who are physically located outside of the United States, regardless of citizenship or course format. Anyone who is not a U.S. citizen or Permanent Resident must have existing work authorization.

Instructor Hiring Criteria

The following sets forth the criteria that the Division of Continuing Education (“DCE”) considers when evaluating the appointment of instructors. In order to be retained as an instructor, an instructor must possess a doctorate in their field or their related discipline. For management, computer science, environmental studies, and writing programs, substantive professional experience in the field can be substituted for a doctoral degree.

Preference in such cases is given to candidates with a minimum of five years of relevant experience and a master’s degree.

Previous teaching experience at the university level is preferred, though there may be some circumstances where an individual is retained as an instructor without that experience.

If you meet all of the above listed requirements, please send your CV and a draft syllabus outline or course description via email to Faculty Engagement and Academic Affairs (FEAA). Please note that we may not be able to respond to all submissions.

Proposals for courses are by invitation only. If you have already received an invitation to propose but need assistance in navigating the faculty portal, please contact FEAA.

Course Proposal Evaluation Criteria

DCE considers course proposals for the Extension and Summer Schools by evaluating them according to a range of curricular needs and requirements. While DCE retains the sole discretion in deciding whether to accept a course proposal, the criteria considered includes, but is not limited to the following:

  • Whether the academic rigor proposed is appropriate to the course level;
  • The anticipated student demand and enrollment history of the proposed course;
  • Whether similar courses are being provided by the department and an assessment of the overall department offerings;
  • The content of historical instructor evaluations;
  • The fit of the proposed course with certificate and degree program needs;
  • The level of innovation presented in the proposed course; and
  • The incorporation of diverse perspectives within the field the proposed course is addressing.

Note that because course proposals are considered in the context of anticipated student demand and the overall department offerings, for example, decisions on whether to accept a course proposal are made on a term-by-term basis by the Dean’s Office (Summer or Extension), the Office of Academic Affairs, and degree program directors.

Approval of a course proposal in one term does not guarantee approval of the same or similar proposals in future terms. Typically, among the considerations listed above, DCE will give preference to proposals from instructors with active Harvard affiliations