Program Overview

Academics

The Harvard Graduate School of Design offers a wide range of academic programs, including:

• Master of Architecture I
• Master of Architecture I AP
• Master of Architecture II
• Master in Landscape Architecture I
• Master in Landscape Architecture I AP
• Master in Landscape Architecture II
• Master of Architecture in Urban Design / Master of Landscape Architecture in Urban Design
• Master in Urban Planning
• Master in Real Estate
• Concurrent and Joint Degrees
• Master in Design Engineering
• Master in Design Studies
• Doctor of Design
• Doctor of Philosophy
• Early Design Education
• Executive Education
• Loeb Fellowship

Application Deadlines

The application deadlines for the programs are:

• January 5, 2026, 5:00 p.m. ET for MArch, MLA, MUP, MAUD, MLAUD, MRE, DDes
• January 8, 2026, 5:00 p.m. ET for MDes, MDE

Financial Aid Deadlines

The financial aid deadlines are:

• October: FAFSA opens to applicants
• Mid-March: GSD financial aid application opens
• Mid-April: Financial aid application deadline
• Late May/Early June: Notification of financial aid awards

Research

The Harvard Graduate School of Design has various research centers and initiatives, including:

• Harvard Center for Green Buildings and Cities
• Joint Center for Housing Studies
• Aga Khan Program
• Harvard Mellon Urban Initiative
• Laboratory for Design Technologies
• Critical Landscapes Design Lab
• Geometry Lab
• Grinham Research Group
• Healthy Places Lab
• Just City Lab
• Material Processes and Systems Group
• Office for Urbanization
• Responsive Environments & Artifacts Lab
• Laboratory for Values in the Built Environment

Courses

One of the courses offered is:

Presence of Water: Garden Inherency and New Hydraulic Culture of Kyoto

This studio aims to reexamine and reevaluate the value of Kyoto’s environmental culture as shaped by its long history, seeking to update the city’s landscape culture for a sustainable and resilient future that moves beyond its tradition and style. The studio will travel to Kyoto to perform field research and acquire local knowledge. Thoughts and ideas will be tested and developed through various lectures and workshops during the semester.

About

The Harvard Graduate School of Design educates leaders in design, research, and scholarship to make a resilient, just, and beautiful world. The school is committed to community values, rights, and responsibilities, and strives to create a culture of respect, inclusivity, and academic integrity. The school’s mission is to advance the art and science of design, and to promote a deeper understanding of the complex relationships between design, culture, and the environment.