Choosing a field of study at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology means navigating a dense network of courses, departments, and interdisciplinary labs. The institution structures its academic offerings across distinct schools spanning engineering, science, management, humanities, and architecture.
Understanding how these programs map out helps prospective students decode course numbers, department titles, and degree pathways. Whether you lean toward computational systems or historical analysis, this overview breaks down the complete landscape of MIT undergraduate majors.
Academic Structure: The Five Schools and College
Before looking at individual programs, it helps to understand how MIT organizes its academic departments. Rather than traditional college divisions, the undergraduate structure relies on specific schools and a dedicated computing college.
- School of Engineering: The largest division by enrollment, housing fields from mechanical design to aeronautics.
- School of Science: Covers foundational and applied sciences, including physics, mathematics, and biology.
- School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (SHASS): Offers rigorous degrees in literature, history, economics, and philosophy.
- MIT Sloan School of Management: Focuses on modern finance, business analytics, and management science.
- School of Architecture and Planning: Explores urban design, visual arts, and physical planning.
- MIT Schwarzman College of Computing: Integrates core computer science, artificial intelligence, and decision-making tracks.
Every undergraduate enters the institution without declaring a major, spending the first year exploring options before choosing a specific department during the spring term.
School of Engineering Majors
Engineering programs anchor much of the institution's global reputation. Students engage in hands-on laboratory work early in their education.
- Aeronautics and Astronautics (Course 16 and 16-ENG): Focuses on aerospace systems, vehicle design, and fluid dynamics.
- Biological Engineering (Course 20): Applies engineering principles to biological systems, covering cellular and molecular mechanisms.
- Chemical Engineering (Course 10, 10-C, and 10-ENG): Explores reaction engineering, chemical kinetics, and molecular thermodynamics.
- Civil and Environmental Engineering (Course 1 and 1-ENG): Addresses infrastructure resilience, environmental sustainability, and mechanics.
- Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (Course 6 variants): Includes Electrical Science and Engineering, Computer Science and Engineering, Artificial Intelligence and Decision Making, and Electrical Engineering with Computing.
- Materials Science and Engineering (Course 3 and 3-A): Investigates the properties, structure, and performance of metallic, ceramic, and polymeric materials.
- Mechanical Engineering (Course 2 and 2-A): Teaches thermal-fluid engineering, dynamics, controls, and robotic design systems.
- Nuclear Science and Engineering (Course 22 and 22-ENG): Studies fission, fusion, and radiation interactions for clean energy applications.
School of Science Majors
The School of Science investigates fundamental laws of nature, leveraging intensive quantitative training and laboratory research.
- Biology (Course 7): Explores genetics, biochemistry, and molecular biology.
- Brain and Cognitive Sciences (Course 9): Examines neural systems, perception, and cognitive functions.
- Chemistry (Course 5): Covers organic, inorganic, physical, and analytical chemistry.
- Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences (Course 12): Studies geology, climate dynamics, and planetary evolution.
- Mathematics (Course 18 and 18-C): Provides deep theoretical and applied training in pure mathematics, statistics, and computational math.
- Physics (Course 8): Investigates classical mechanics, quantum physics, electromagnetism, and statistical mechanics.
Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (SHASS) Majors
Humanities and social science programs at MIT emphasize analytical writing, critical theory, economic modeling, and cultural critique.
- Economics (Course 14-1 and 14-2): Focuses on microeconomic theory, macroeconomics, econometrics, and mathematical economics.
- Global Languages and Literatures (Course 21G): Offers language studies and cultural analysis in French, German, Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, and Russian.
- History (Course 21H): Analyzes historical developments across different eras and global regions.
- Linguistics and Philosophy (Course 24): Explores syntactic theory, phonology, formal logic, and ethics.
- Literature (Course 21L): Studies literary history, genre theory, and critical interpretation.
- Music and Theater Arts (Course 21M and 21T): Combines performance, composition, music technology, and theatrical production.
- Political Science (Course 17): Examines international relations, political economy, and public policy.
- Writing (Course 21W): Focuses on creative writing, digital media, and professional communication.
Sloan School of Management and Architecture
Management and design programs bridge technical innovation with practical market implementation and human habitat planning.
- Management (Course 15-1): Teaches organizational behavior, finance, and operational strategy.
- Business Analytics (Course 15-2): Focuses on data-driven decision making and statistical business modeling.
- Finance (Course 15-3): Covers quantitative financial markets, corporate finance, and investment management.
- Architecture (Course 4): Emphasizes design studios, building technology, and visual arts.
- Urban Studies and Planning (Course 11): Explores urban design, international development, and policy implementation.
Interdisciplinary and Joint Degree Programs
Many modern challenges require crossing departmental lines. The institution supports specialized joint majors that combine two distinct fields into a cohesive curriculum.
- Computer Science, Economics, and Data Science (Course 6-14): Bridges algorithmic theory with economic modeling and data analysis.
- Computation and Cognition (Course 6-9): Combines computer science with brain and cognitive sciences.
- Computer Science and Molecular Biology (Course 6-7): Integrates computational tools with biological research.
- Chemistry and Biology (Course 5-7): Focuses on the chemical processes underlying biological systems.
- Climate System Science and Engineering (Course 1-12): Analyzes climate change mechanics through civil engineering and earth sciences.
- Humanities and Engineering / Science (Course 21E and 21S): Blends technical majors with deep humanities training.
- Urban Science and Planning with Computer Science (Course 11-6): Combines urban spatial planning with computational data modeling.
You can review official degree charts and departmental requirements directly through the MIT Admissions Majors and Minors Guide or consult structural listings in the MIT Course Catalog.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can first-year students declare a major immediately?
No. All incoming first-year students enter with an undesignated status. You spend your first two semesters taking general institute requirements (core math, physics, chemistry, and biology) before declaring a major in the spring of your first year.
What are the General Institute Requirements (GIRs)?
Every undergraduate must complete the GIRs regardless of their major. These requirements include two semesters of calculus, two semesters of physics, one semester of chemistry, one semester of biology, eight classes in humanities, arts, and social sciences (HASS), and a physical education requirement.
Is it possible to double major at MIT?
Yes, students can pursue a double major, though it requires careful academic planning and approval from both departments. Alternatively, many students choose to pair a single major with one or more academic minors.
How do MIT course numbers work?
MIT identifies departments and subjects by numbers rather than just names. For example, Mathematics is Course 18, Physics is Course 8, and Mechanical Engineering is Course 2. Course subjects carry prefixes corresponding to these numbers to help students navigate registration.
