As the fall semester flies by, Harvard’s sophomores meet the October 25th deadline to declare their concentrations. With potential options ranging from Folklore and Mythology to Human Development and Regenerative Biology, the College has no shortage of opportunities for students to explore vast intellectual possibilities. The yearly concentration declaration period broadcasts the unique ways that students lean into their passions.
Marin Gray ’26 is concentrating in History of Art and Architecture (HAA), an area of study that deviates from the academic realms most familiar to her from a young age. “I grew up in a family of people in the sciences, so HAA was a complete pivot from any former interest I had held. But when I walked into my first HAA class in my first year to find the most welcoming and invigorating community, I knew that I had found a home in the department.”
Gray’s favorite course was Professor Jeffrey Hamburger’s HAA 42P—Architecture through the Ages: Notre-Dame-de-Paris, involving an exploration of the development of European architecture. “The experience of connecting what we’d learned to real sites during our end-of-term excursion to Paris was unlike any other,” Gray said.
Motivated by her interest in complex social issues and social change, Emma Jing ’26 will be studying Sociology with a secondary in Government. Jing is drawn to the comfort of the people who compose this field. “The Sociology department also has an incredibly tight-knit, warm, and supportive community of concentrators and faculty that I’m excited to join,” she stated. She is unsure about her plans for the future, but potentially sees herself in the realm of foreign policy or working with a think tank or non-profit.
Though he initially thought he would concentrate in Economics, Rowan Mally ’26 ultimately declared his concentration in Government. “I found the courses offered in the field [of Economics] to be repetitive, and I thought that the course material was rarely tied to real-world events,” Mally said. He enjoyed GOV40: International Conflict and Cooperation, labeling it “the best class [he has] taken at Harvard so far.” Mally explained that what made the class so great was the dedication of the professor. “Professor Chaudoin truly cares about his students and comes to class every day with an infectious enthusiasm. His passion for international relations made the course material incredibly interesting and I really appreciated how he tied in real-world examples to our understanding of IR theory,” Mally said.
Like Mally, Talia Vaught ’26 also changed her mind regarding her course of study. When she came to Harvard, Vaught planned to study Government on a Pre-Med track, but after coming across the Environmental Science and Engineering (ESE) table at the Concentration Fair during First-Year Orientation Week, she eventually decided to change to ESE. “I specifically like Environmental Engineering because it combines engineering concepts that can help you innovate and solve problems effectively with more natural biological and chemical concepts,” Vaught said.
Her interest in the environment has also motivated her concentration choice. “I love all things nature, so I feel that this concentration provides me with a great opportunity to make positive change in a meaningful way in the natural environment.” Vaught is currently interested in the research side of the field, particularly drawn to marine ecosystems and working to combat problems like ocean acidification. “Later on, I hope to be involved in science advising and policy within the government,” she stated.
For current first-years, the thought of choosing between the fifty concentrations offered might seem daunting, but sophomores offer their words of wisdom. Jing reassures first-years that it is normal to feel uncertain about what they want to study. “Take your freshman year as a time to explore as much as you can and take some introductory courses in the concentrations you’re interested in,” she suggested. Vaught similarly encourages first-years to discover their interests and make use of available resources. “Your advisors and professors have a wealth of information to share with you, and I promise that making connections with them will be one of the highlights of your time here at Harvard,” she stated.
Mally believes that students would benefit from a shift in attitude. He discourages first-years from approaching concentration exploration from the perspective of long-term career goals. “I would suggest that students search for classes and concentrations that they enjoy the most day-to-day at Harvard. It will make your college experience so much better and may even inspire you to change career paths long-term,” Mally said.
Selecting a concentration can be an incredibly rewarding experience for students to nurture their personal passions and career goals and also to find a community of others who share their interests. Though course and concentration choices can feel incredibly overwhelming, students should not be afraid to follow their relatively new dreams. It is very normal to be uncertain about your plan of study; most Harvard students’ academic pathways are very fluid and subject to change. First-years approaching this choice should remember how enriching all of the school’s intellectual opportunities are. The stresses of decision-making should not overshadow all that can be gained from the concentration experience.
Sophie Dauer ’27 (sophiedauer@college.harvard.edu) cannot decide on a concentration.