Masters in Passing
A Masters in Passing/en route master’s degree (AM) is granted to enrolled PhD students, earned via their work completed typically in the first two years of graduate school, and conferred while they are still enrolled and continuing on in the PhD. This degree is optional. PhD students are not required to apply for the master’s in passing.
G3+ OGE PhD Program students who are in satisfactory status, may apply for a masters in passing. The student must have successfully:
- completed program course requirements
- completed required rotations
- performed at least 6 months of research in their dissertation advisor’s laboratory
- passed their PQE
- maintained a satisfactory grade-point average
You can learn how to apply for a master’s in passing in my.harvard via the Knowledge Center. For any questions, please contact ogephd_defense@hms.harvard.edu.
The degree is awarded three times a year, with the following deadlines below.
November 2026
August 1, 2026 | Online Degree Application deadline for November Degrees. Apply through your "My Program" on my.Harvard.edu. Detailed instructions on how to apply for the degree can be found in the Knowledge Center. You will also need to apply to graduate. Instructions can be found here. The application has been open since mid-March. Linked here is how to activate your Masters in Passing application. However, to submit this application you’ll want to follow the steps here, in my.harvard, and complete the graduation application under Forms and Documents. |
November 10, 2026 | Degree conferral date |
February 2027
December 1, 2026 | Online Degree Application deadline for February Degrees. Apply through your "My Program" on my.Harvard.edu. Detailed instructions on how to apply for the degree can be found in the Knowledge Center. You will also need to apply to graduate. Instructions can be found here. The application opens on September 30, 2026. Linked here is how to activate your Masters in Passing application. However, to submit this application you’ll want to follow the steps here, in my.harvard, and complete the graduation application under Forms and Documents. |
February 9, 2026 | Degree conferral date |
May 2026
March 24, 2027 | Online Degree Application deadline for May Degrees. Apply through your "My Program" on my.Harvard.edu. Detailed instructions on how to apply for the degree can be found in the Knowledge Center. You will also need to apply to graduate. Instructions can be found here. The application opens on February 10, 2027 Linked here is how to activate your Masters in Passing application. However, to submit this application you’ll want to follow the steps here, in my.harvard, and complete the graduation application under Forms and Documents. |
May 27, 2027 | Degree conferral date |