<p>In general, how many courses per semester do Harvard students take that are related to their concentration? Is it uncommon to take 3 at a time in the hard sciences?</p>
<p>A concentration takes 12-16 courses (with Ec under that number and Engineering above that number). So typically, one would take two courses in their concentration, one gen ed, and one elective. </p>
<p>However, scheduling from year to year might not always work in your favor, in which case, taking three concentration courses in a semester might be necessary. Taking three probably falls in the occasional category. Also, I know some people stack easier semesters with five so they can take a concentration heavy semester with three. Personally, I changed my concentration very late (the end of my junior year), so I had to do three my senior fall which wasn’t all that bad.</p>