Mission & Values

Students work together constructing a model.

Harvard has a longstanding commitment to welcoming students of extraordinary talent and promise who come from a wide range of backgrounds, perspectives, and life experiences. The Graduate School of Design (GSD) stands firmly by the conviction that a multiplicity of views, backgrounds, and experiences not only enriches the pedagogical experience in the design disciplines but, more importantly, is critical to the future of professional practice as a whole. Our faculty members are scholars, practitioners, authors, and critics with a wide range of design philosophies. Our students arrive with a variety of backgrounds, from political science and art history to computer science and engineering, from recent undergraduates to seasoned professionals, from small towns to big cities across the United States, and from around the world. Our perspective is global, as reflected in the international makeup and diversity of the entire GSD community. 

  • Commitment to Community

    The GSD is dedicated to advancing a more resilient, just, and beautiful world by cultivating a community grounded in connection.

  • Community Values, Rights, and Responsibilities

    Members of the GSD community uphold certain basic values that create an environment of trust, mutual respect, free expression and inquiry, and a commitment to truth, excellence, and lifelong learning.

  • Academic Integrity

    The GSD strives to promote the development of design excellence through teaching, learning, and research. This mission is predicated on the considerate behavior and integrity of all members of the academic community.

  • Respectful Engagement

    Transparency, honesty, and respect are critical components of the GSD community. All members of the community are expected to uphold these values and are accountable for their personal behavior in all forms of engagement.

  • Equitable Accountability

    The GSD does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, national or ethnic origin, political beliefs, veteran status, or disability. The GSD upholds the acceptance of all within the school community, free from abusive or intimidating behavior.