Getting to Know Campus

Commuting to Harvard Divinity School

Commuter Choice Program

The Commuter Choice Program site includes information about all kinds of local transportation options including resources for bicyclists. There are discounts available for local bike shops, for the Blue Bike rental program, and more. 

Harvard Shuttle

Major stops are at Memorial Hall, Pound Hall, Currier House, Mather House, Johnston Gate, the Science Center, JFK, and the Business School. Pocket-sized schedules with routes and times are available at the libraries, the Information Center, on the shuttles, and on the Shuttle & Van Services page of the Harvard Transportation & Parking website. For information call 617.495.0400.

MBTA

TheMassachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA) is a great way to get around Cambridge and Boston and to explore neighboring communities. More commonly referred to as the "T," the MBTA offers subway, bus, ferry, and commuter rail systems. For instance, the Red Line subway starts at Alewife in Cambridge and reaches into Dorchester and Quincy. Complete maps of the system are available on their website.

The MBTA offers a discount program through the Office of Student Life to students who opt to buy semester passes for any of the MBTA services for the fall and spring semesters.  Please note that this is a savings only to students who use the MBTA often.

What to know about campus

Hospitality and dining

The HDS Commons in Swartz Hall offers a variety of hot and cold options for breakfast and lunch. Vending machines are also available in each building. Other nearby dining options on the Harvard campus include Northwest Café and Harvard Law School's Pub Grill and Harkness Dining Room.

Places for reflection and quiet

In the Swartz Hall Multifaith Space, prayer rugs, meditation cushions, scriptures of many traditions, and prayer beads are always available. The HDS labyrinth and contemplative garden, near Rockefeller Hall, provides outdoor space for contemplation.The Center for the Study of World Religions offers a meditation room and an outdoor courtyard that students may use as well. For more information about space at HDS and in the Cambridge area, see Retreats and Quiet Places.

Communal spaces

The various rooms and facilities in Swartz, Rockefeller, and Divinity Halls are available for community activities and may be reserved by recognized student groups. There are also student lounges in Divinity and Rockefeller Halls, and ample seating in the HDS Commons. 

Student lockers

To ease commuting and long days on campus, students may reserve a locker in Swartz or Rockefeller Hall. They are free of charge and can be used for the entire academic year. Students must provide their own locks. Current students who would like more information regarding lockers and reservations should visit the Student Life page on my.hds.

Fitness Centers

Harvard University Recreation offers several fitness centers for student use. Hemenway Gym on the Law School Campus is the closest to HDS (see a full list on the Harvard Recreation website). Gym memberships through Harvard are partially subsidized by HDS, but there is a cost to the student. HDS chooses not to fully subsidize the cost because our students may want to make a choice about whether or where they join a fitness center.