Pre-recorded option studio videos, as well as detailed course syllabi, are due approximately two weeks prior to the start of the enrollment period.

The deadline for submitting spring 2023 videos is Wednesday, January 4.

Faculty teaching option studios are required to submit an introductory video. The video allows instructors to provide more nuanced information and images supplemental to the syllabus. Option studio introductory videos are accessible only to the Harvard community on the Option Studio Lottery website.

Instructors teaching elective courses are no longer asked to submit course videos. Existing course videos submitted in prior terms will be posted by default, and new videos will be accepted. Course videos are posted on the online course listing, which is publicly available on the GSD website and my.harvard.

For reference, please view videos from last semester.

 Instructions for creating and submitting a course or studio video:

• Please submit your video to msmith1@gsd.harvard.edu by January 4. You are welcome to use whatever file transfer service you prefer for sending large files (OneDrive, Dropbox, Google Drive, WeTransfer, Hightail, etc.).
• Matt Smith, Assistant Director of Multimedia Production, has produced tutorials introducing you to different tools you can use to produce your course video:
  • Zoom
  • PowerPoint
  • OBS (Open Broadcaster Software)
• If you are interested in learning more about using video editing software like Adobe Premiere, Final Cut Pro or others, LinkedIn Learning offers great tutorials (and courses on many other topics) and is free to HarvardKey holders.

Tips for successful course and studio videos:

• Keep videos short, ideally under five minutes for course videos, ten minutes for option studio videos.
• Use simple language. This is extremely helpful for students for whom English is not their first language.
• Focus on content that is easier to show visually than explain in written form. Videos should supplement written course descriptions, not necessarily repeat the same information.
• Explain to students what taking your studio will be like. What is your approach to design problems and design teaching? What skills are students going to learn or improve in your studio? What skills are students going to learn or improve in your studio?
• Avoid mentioning logistical details that may change such as dates and meeting times or locations.
• If you’re showing slides, prioritize images over text. If you do use text, keep fonts large and with good contrast against backgrounds. This is good for accessibility reasons and also helps students who will watch on smaller screens like smartphones.
• Captions will be added to your video. Please be mindful of accessibility considerations and ensure good audio quality to assist the captioning process.