Principles and Practice of Clinical Research (PPCR) is a post-graduation program. Participants get a certificate at the end if they successfully complete the program.

Classes take place once a week, every Thursdays from 4 pm to 7 pm (Boston time). Classes start in March and end in November. There is a 5 or 6 weeks break in the summer from lectures (although you will still have work and studying to do at this time). These are very interactive lectures and a great opportunity for you to interact with your colleagues and Harvard faculty.

The Thursday lectures are three hours each and there are other activities throughout the week on the program website, very few of which are at a dedicated time. Most of the activities are self-guided and you can complete them anytime during the week.

All participants will receive Stata software with their registration and it is mandatory to use it during the program. 

If you live near one of our international site centers, then you should attend lectures there (lectures are broadcasted from Harvard through videoconference). If you do not live close to a site center, then you can participate from home through Blue Jeans software.

There are five exams, one after each program module. They are all web-based and interactive.

Students take anywhere between 2 and 10 hours per week in addition to the 3-hour weekly lectures. 

You can complete the entire program from your location, although there are optional workshops in Boston during the summer and an optional 5-Day immersion workshop that will be held at the end of the program. If you will be in the USA at some point, you are welcome to join us in Boston.

It depends on the level of knowledge on clinical research methodology. This program is important to review and advance knowledge on fundamentals of clinical trials.

This is a program offered by Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health with renowned Harvard professors. It is therefore a program that is recognized globally.

Since you are in a location where there is no site center, you would take the program via web. We have lectures on Thursday evenings from 4-7pm ET (Boston time) and you would connect to these lectures via webcast and participate live. The remaining activities for the program are all through the program website including forum, assignments and a group project using an online word processor. All of the tools we use are to increase collaboration between you and the other participants from around the world as well as with the Harvard faculty.

We try to facilitate participants as much as possible, while following Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health guidelines of payment. If you need any help, please contact us at 2021coordinator@ppcr.org

In order for the participant to receive the Welcome Packet and secure their place in the program, he or she should make their payment to Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health as soon as possible. The registration deadline for 2021 is December 31, 2020. Please keep in mind that your place will not be secured in the program until registration and payment is completed.

If you missed the deadline period for enrollment in the program, contact us as soon as possible at 2021coordinator@ppcr.org, as it is possible that the period may be extended if there are spaces available. Otherwise, enrollment will open again in September 2021 for the following year.

No. However, we try to keep the fees as low as possible for this reason and given this is a one-year program, fees are relatively lower compared to similar programs offered.

We offer a discounted price for graduate students who are Remote/Web-based access. If you choose the option for graduate student when registering, be sure to include proof of your graduate student status in your application.

No, the goal of this program is to offer a solid, initial background in clinical research methodology; therefore, the intensive schedule is necessary to reach this goal.

The workshops are usually restricted to current and previous PPCR participants, but contact us at 2021coordinator@ppcr.org if you are interested in attending them.

Yes. This program is adequate for anyone interested in clinical research from the health care area and applicants usually have a graduate degree or a health care professional degree.