One University, Many Academic
Expressions
Harvard University operates as a constellation of academic units, encompassing Harvard College, 12
graduate and professional Schools, and the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study. Each unit maintains
specific mission-level expressions of Harvard’s broader purpose.
Harvard College
Residential liberal arts and sciences education;
educating citizens and citizen-leaders.
Harvard Business School
“We educate leaders who make a difference in the
world.”
Harvard Medical School
Strategically oriented toward advancing human health
through medical education, research, and collaborative
societal impact.
School-level missions are complementary expressions of
Harvard’s broader academic purpose, not interchangeable
university-wide vision statements.
Autonomy Within a Common Harvard
Harvard’s historically decentralized structure, often described by the phrase
“every tub on its own bottom,”
balances individual school excellence with university-wide strength.
SCHOOL AUTONOMY
Independent academic leadership
School-specific priorities
Specialized teaching and research
Distinct resources and governance
UNIVERSITY-WIDE STRENGTH
Shared intellectual tradition
Cross-school collaboration
Interdisciplinary research
Common institutional reputation
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