As part of the program, most students complete one or several extended period of fieldwork as a part of their dissertation research. In doing so, students are expected to comply with the following:
- Harvard University guidelines for conducting research.
- Institutional Review Board (IRB) requirements laid out to ensure all human subjects research conforms with ethical principles.
- University travel guidelines and those issued by the US State Department and appropriate international agencies.
- Immigration policies of the country in which research is conducted.
- Maintenance of regular contact with departmental advisors according to a prearranged schedule.