Degree Information and Structure Degrees Offered MIT grants the following degrees: Doctor of Philosophy, Ph.D. Doctor of Science, Sc.D. Engineer's Degree (in engineering departments only) Master of Architecture, M.Arch. Master of Business Administration, M.B.A. Master in City Planning, M.C.P. Master of Engineering, M.Eng. Master of Science, S.M. General Requirements The master's degree generally requires a minimum of one academic year of study, the engineer's degree two years, and the doctoral degree three or more years beyond a baccalaureate degree in the same field. Residency All MIT graduate degree programs have residency requirements, which reflect academic terms (excluding summer). Minimum residency requirements are: Degree Academic terms required Ph.D. 4 Sc.D. 4 Engineer's Degree 2 M.Arch. 4 S.M.Arch.S. 4 M.B.A. 3 M.C.P. 3 M.Eng. 1 S.M. 1 Thesis All degree requirements include completion of an acceptable thesis prepared in residence at MIT, unless special permission is granted for part of the thesis work to be accomplished elsewhere. Engineer's Degree In the School of Engineering, students may be awarded the engineer's degree. This program provides a higher level of professional competence than is required by the program leading to the master's degree, but less emphasis is placed on creative research than in the doctoral program. Doctoral Degrees A doctoral degree requires the satisfactory completion of an approved program of advanced study and original research of high quality. The Ph.D. and Sc.D. degrees are awarded, interchangeably, by all departments in the schools of engineering and science (except biology) and in the fields of medical engineering and medical physics. The Ph.D. degree is awarded in the fields of architecture, biology, economics, linguistics, management, operations research, philosophy, political science, brain and cognitive sciences, history, anthropology and science, technology and society (HASTS), media arts and sciences, and urban studies and planning. Admission to MIT for the master's degree does not necessarily imply an automatic commitment by MIT beyond that level of study. A few departments require a doctoral candidate to take a "minor" program outside the principal field. Language requirements vary, and some departments require a thorough knowledge of one relevant foreign language or a reading knowledge of two. Cross registration A graduate student may take courses in any MIT department. Many students choose electives from the School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences or take such courses at Harvard University. Cross registration for courses may normally be arranged at Wellesley College and, for some special areas of study, at Boston University, Brandeis University, Tufts University, or the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Students may cross register at Harvard during the spring and fall terms only, but not for thesis work. Students may register for thesis work at Woods Hole if they have been admitted to one of the joint MIT-Woods Hole programs. The MIT registrar handles cross registration arrangements. Department Affiliation All graduate students, whether or not they are participating in interdepartmental programs, must have a primary affiliation with and be registered in a single department or the Engineering Systems Division. Every applicant accepted by MIT is admitted through one of the 23 graduate departments. In virtually all cases, financial aid is arranged through individual departments, and a student is awarded a degree only upon the recommendation of his or her specific department. Interdepartmental Programs MIT has a number of established interdepartmental programs, and there are many more opportunities for students to arrange interdepartmental programs with interested faculty members. Current programs include: Biomedical Engineering Computation for Design and Optimization Computational and Systems Biology Economics and Urban Studies Health Sciences and Technology Leaders for Manufacturing Management of Technology Medical Engineering Medical Physics Microbiology MIT-Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), Joint Program in Oceanography Operations Research Polymer Science and Technology Real Estate Development Transportation The following interdepartmental programs are affiliated with Engineering Systems Division (ESD): Leaders for Manufacturing Logistics (Center for Transportation and Logistics) System Design and Management Technology and Policy Program Technology, Management and Policy Doctoral Program Online Graduate Application Menu Main Menu MIT Graduate Admissions Home