A concentration within the College
Harvard says students choose a concentration, its word for a major. The pages read describe no separate application to History and Science.
Undergraduate · Harvard College
Harvard History and Science: how science, medicine and technology shape the world
Harvard College admits students to the College, and History and Science is one of the concentrations they can choose once enrolled. Harvard describes an interdisciplinary field that asks how science has developed in history and how it shapes other human activities, with two tracks and a Medicine and Society option for pre-med students. This guide makes no claim of a separate application to the concentration.
Official information · read 1 November 2026, no entry-year label
What Harvard says about Harvard History and Science
Taken from Harvard's Department of the History of Science page for the History and Science concentration, Harvard College's Concentrations page and Application Requirements page, read on 1 November 2026. The pages carry no entry-year label, so for a 2028-entry application every statement below is evidence for the previous cycle and may change; check Harvard's pages for the 2028-entry details.
Two tracks
Science and Society combines the history of science with training in a science; History of Science requires no specific science courses.
A Medicine and Society option
Harvard describes a special option for pre-med students, and options for Mind, Brain, Behavior and for Technology, Information, and Society.
Big questions about science
Students ask how scientists come to know things and what social, ethical and political questions science raises.
Calculus is not an admission requirement
Harvard says it views math records holistically with no specific course required, and calculus is not required for admission.
The SAT or ACT is required
Harvard requires one of them; A-level and IB school reports carry predicted grades.
Official sources
- Harvard College: Concentrations (Liberal Arts & Sciences)college.harvard.edu
- Harvard Department of the History of Science: History and Science concentrationhistsci.fas.harvard.edu
- Harvard College: Application Requirementscollege.harvard.edu
Read on 1 November 2026 on Harvard's Department of the History of Science page for the History and Science concentration, Harvard College's Concentrations page and Application Requirements page, which describes 2027 entry. The pages carry no entry-year label. Harvard's course catalogue, the full requirement lists, fees, deadlines and financial aid were not read and are not stated.
The concentration
What the History and Science concentration teaches
Harvard's concentrations page describes History & Science as an interdisciplinary field exploring how science has developed in history and how it has shaped other human activities, and asks big questions about science, medicine and technology across time. The Science and Society track pairs the history of science with training in a particular science, and includes a Medicine and Society option for pre-med students. The History of Science track adds extra courses in the field and requires no specific science courses. The department says the concentration allows many premed requirements to count. This guide does not list the full requirements.
Is it the right concentration?
History and Science beside Psychology and Neuroscience
Harvard lists these as separate concentrations, so the choice is made after admission. Avandy's comparison is general.
History and Science fits if
you want historical and philosophical study of science, medicine or technology, with or without a science track.
Psychology fits if
you want the scientific study of the mind. Avandy's Harvard Psychology guide covers it.
Neuroscience fits if
you want laboratory training in the brain. Avandy's Harvard Neuroscience guide covers it.
Admission and testing
A College application, an SAT or ACT, and predicted grades
Harvard requires the SAT or ACT, and accepts other results such as the IB or A levels only in exceptional cases when those tests are not accessible. Schools on the IB or A-level curriculum are expected to send predicted grades. Harvard says calculus is not required for admission and no specific math course is required. This guide states no score.
A decision framework
Three questions before you commit
This is Avandy's own framework, not Harvard's.
Do you want to study science and also how it came to be?
The concentration combines both.
Would a science track or the history track suit you?
Science and Society needs a science area; History of Science does not.
Can you plan the SAT or ACT with your A levels or IB?
Harvard requires one of them for first-year applicants.
Planning for 2028 entry
Planning for 2028 entry: what carries over and what is awaiting publication
Harvard's pages carry no entry-year label, so nothing on them is confirmed for 2028 entry. Use them to understand the structure of the application, then check Harvard's own pages for the 2028-entry details.
The requirements and descriptions on the pages read on 1 November 2026, which carry no entry-year label
These are the best guide to what to prepare. Harvard has not confirmed them for 2028 entry.
Deadlines, fees, financial aid and any department prerequisites not quoted here: not stated
This guide has not read them. Check Harvard for the values that apply to your application year.
What to do now
Read the History and Science entry on Harvard's concentrations page and the department page, and plan the SAT or ACT alongside your A levels or IB.
Support
Independent support with planning your own application
Avandy provides independent academic and admissions support. It is not affiliated with Harvard College or any of its colleges or departments. Preparation sits within the Avandy Trinity Advisory Model: a Strategic Admissions Consultant, a PhD-level Academic Mentor and a Subject-specific Tutor, working to the actual requirements of each course. Support here is limited to understanding the requirements and planning the applicant's own work; Avandy does not write or edit essays, does not submit any materials and has no partnership with Harvard College. No outcome is promised.
Questions
Questions applicants ask
Can I apply directly to Harvard History and Science?
The pages read describe admission to Harvard College. Students choose a concentration, Harvard's word for a major, once enrolled.
Do I need a science background?
Not for the History of Science track, which Harvard says requires no specific science courses.
Is there a route for future doctors?
Harvard describes a special Medicine and Society option for pre-med students, and the department says many premed science requirements can count.
Do I need calculus before applying?
Harvard says calculus is not a requirement for admission and that no specific math course is required.
Do I need the SAT or ACT with A levels or the IB?
Harvard requires the SAT or ACT; IB or A-level results meet the requirement only in exceptional cases when those tests are not accessible.
Are these the rules for 2028 entry?
No. They are Harvard's wording with no entry-year label. Check Harvard's pages again when Harvard publishes its 2028-entry requirements.
Students and families
Talk to us about Harvard History and Science
Tell us about the student's curriculum, their sciences and humanities, their interest in medicine or technology and their SAT or ACT plan, the universities on the list, and the intended year of entry. A senior adviser will review the academic profile before recommending how to prepare.