The Massachusetts Institute of Technology ( MIT ) is a private research university located in Cambridge , Massachusetts traditionally known for research and education in the natural sciences and engineering , and more recently in biology , economics , linguistics , and management as well .
Founded in 1861 in response to the increasing industrialization of the United States , the institute used to Polytechnic University model and emphasized laboratory instruction . Close . MIT 's early emphasis on applied technology at the undergraduate and graduate levels led collaboration with industry Curricular reforms under Karl Compton and Vannevar Bush in the 1930s have emphasized basic science . MIT in 1934 to the Association of American Universities preference. Researchers have computers , radar , and inertial guidance during World War II and the Cold War . Post-war defense research contributed to the rapid expansion of the faculty and campus under James Killian . The current 168 - acre ( 68.0 ha ) campus opened in 1916 and extends over 1 mile (1.6 km ) along the northern banks of the Charles River basin .
Today the Institute is comprised of several academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific , technical and technological education and research . It has five schools and one college , containing a total of 32 departments. Eight - and - a Nobel laureates, 52 National Medal of Science recipients , 45 Rhodes Scholars , and 38 MacArthur Fellows affiliated with the university. It is one of the most selective institutions of higher education , and receives 18,357 undergraduate applicants for the class of 2018 - only recognized in 1419 , an acceptance rate of 7.73 % .
MIT also has a strong culture of entrepreneurship . The combined income of companies founded by MIT alumni would rank as the eleventh largest economy in the world .
The " Engineers" deposit 31 sports , most teams that compete in the NCAA Division III 's New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference ; the Division I rowing programs compete as part of the EARC and EAWRC .
Campus :
MIT campus 168 - acre ( 68.0 ha ) extends over approximately one kilometer from the north side of the Charles River basin in the city of Cambridge . The campus is divided roughly in half by Massachusetts Avenue , with most hostels and student life facilities to the west and most academic buildings to the east . The bridge closest to MIT is the Harvard - bridge , which is known for having ticked in a non - standard unit of length - the smoot . The Kendall MBTA Red Line station is located on the far northeastern edge of the campus in Kendall Square . The Cambridge neighborhoods surrounding MIT are a mixture of high-tech companies holds both modern office and rehabilitated industrial buildings as well as socio - economically diverse neighborhoods .
Each building at MIT have some ( possibly preceded by a W , N , E , or W ) designation and most have a name as well. Typically , academic and office buildings to refer mainly reported by the number during residencies with the name . The organization of building numbers roughly corresponds to the order in which the buildings were built and their location relative (north , west , and east) to the original center group of Maclaurin buildings. Many of the buildings are connected above ground as well as through an extensive network of underground tunnels , providing protection from the Cambridge weather as well as a place for the roof and tunnel intrusion .
MIT's on campus nuclear reactor is one of the most influential university -based nuclear reactors in the United States . The importance of the reactor confinement built in a densely populated area has been controversial , but MIT maintains that it is well protected . In 1999, Bill Gates gift U.S. $ 20 million to MIT for the construction of a computer lab named " William H. Gates Building" which was designed by the architect Frank O. Gehry . While Microsoft has previously provided financial support to the institution , it had received the first personal donation from Gates .
Other notable campus facilities include a pressure wind tunnel and its introduction tank for testing ship and ocean structure designs. MIT campus - wide wireless network was completed in the fall of 2005 and consists of nearly 3,000 access points which 9.4 million square feet ( 870,000 m2 ) campus .
In 2001 , the Environmental Protection Agency sued MIT for Clean Water Act and the Clean Air Act violated with regard to its hazardous waste storage and disposal procedures . MIT settled the suit by paying a $ 155,000 fine and launching three environmental projects. In connection with capital campaigns to expand the campus of the Institute has also extensively renovated existing buildings, their energy - to improve efficiency. MIT has also taken steps to reduce the performance of alternative fuels are carbon footprint campus shuttles , subsidizing public transportation pass , and building a low - emission cogeneration plant that serve most of the campus electricity, heating , cooling and requirements .
The MIT Police with state - and local authorities in the period 2009-2011 , has received reports of 12 forceful sexual offenses , six robberies , three aggravated violent crimes , 164 burglaries , one case of arson , and four cases of vehicle theft investigations on campus ; a community of about 22,000 workers and students .
academy :
MIT is a large, highly residential , research university with a majority of enrollments in postgraduate and professional applications . The University by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges accredited since 1929 . MIT working on a 4-1-4 academic calendar with the fall semester beginning after Labor Day and ends in mid - December 4 - week " independent activity period " in January , and the spring semester beginning in early February and ends at the end of may.
MIT students refer to both their majors and classes using numbers or acronyms alone . Departments and their corresponding majors are numbered in the approximate order of their base; For example , Civil and Environmental Course is 1 , while the language - and philosophy courses 24.Students graduated in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science ( EECS ) , the most popular department collectively identify themselves as " Course 6 " . MIT students use a combination of the department and the course number to identify the class of their subjects ; the introductory calculus -based classical mechanics course is simple, " 8.01 " at MIT .
Undergraduate Program :
The four - year full-time undergraduate program maintains a balance between professional majors and those in the arts and sciences , and is selective , admits some transfer students and 7.7 % of its candidates in the 2013-2014 application season . MIT offers 44 undergraduate degrees across its five schools . In the 2010-2011 academic year is 1161 BA of science ( abbreviated SB ) - awarded degrees , the only type of undergraduate degree MIT now grants. In the 2011 - term falls among students who have a large appointed , the School of Engineering is the most popular section , writes 63 % of students in its 19 - program , followed by the School of Science ( 29 % ) , School of Humanities , Arts and Social Sciences ( 3.7% ) , Sloan School of Management ( 3.3% ) , and the School of Architecture and Planning ( 2 % ) . The largest undergraduate degree program in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (Course 6-2) , Computer Science and Engineering (Course 6-3) , Mechanical Engineering (Course 2 ) , Physics (Course 8 ) and Mathematics (Course 18 ) .
All undergraduate students are expected to have a core - curriculum , the General Institute Requirements ( girs ) to complete . The science requirement , generally completed during first year as a prerequisite for courses in science and engineering majors , comprises two semesters of physics , two semesters of calculus , one semester of chemistry , and one semester of biology . There is a lab requirement , usually satisfied with a suitable class in a large class . Humanities , Arts and Social Sciences ( HASS ) Mandatory consists of eight semesters of classes in the humanities , arts and social sciences , including at least one semester of each department , as well as the courses required for a designated concentration in a HASS department . Under the notice requirement , two of the HASS classes, plus two of the classes taken in the designated big " communication - intensive " , including " substantial instruction and practice in oral presentation " are . Finally, all students are expected to test a swim to finish ; non - Varsity athletes also need four quarters of physical education classes .
Most classes are based on a combination of readings, lectures led by co - professors or PhD , weekly problem is ( " p - Sets" ) , and tests . While staying with the pace and the problems of the MIT courses height in comparison with the " drinking from a fire hose ," the freshmen retention at MIT is similar to other national research universities. The " pass / no - record" rating system alleviates some of the pressure for first-year undergraduate students . For each class are taken in the fall term , freshmen transcripts will either report only that the class was successful , or otherwise any record of it. In the spring term , past degrees ( A, B, C ) appear on the transcription whereas non - beyond degrees again not recorded. (Rating formerly " Pass / No Record" all freshman year , but has been modified to prevent the class of 2006, students play the system requires the completion major classes in their first year . Freshmen may also choose to exclude such alternative learning communities experimental study Group , pump room , or Terra Scope .
In 1969 , Margaret MacVicar founder of the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program ( urop ) to communicate directly with faculty members and researchers . Undergraduate state Initiate students or research projects ( " UROPs " ) for academic credit, pay, or on a voluntary basis through postings on the urop website or by contacting faculty members directly . A significant majority of undergraduate participation . Students are often published , file patent applications , and / or launch start -up companies based upon their experience in UROPs .
In 1970, the then- Dean of Institute Relations , Benson R. Snyder , published The Hidden Curriculum , arguing that education at MIT is often scorned in favor of a certain set of unwritten expectations , and that the completion with good grades was often the product of figuring out the system more as a solid education. The successful student , according to Snyder , was the one who was able to distinguish which of the formal requirements for the benefit of those unspoken standards to be ignored. For example , the organized student groups composed " Naturally Bibles - collections of the problem - ask - and eksamen VRAE stelle and answers for future students to use as references , this kind of gamesmanship , Snyder argued , impedes the development of a creative mind and contributed to dissatisfaction and . student unrest .
Graduate Program :
MIT 's graduate program has a high civilization with the undergraduate program , and many courses are taken by qualified students at both levels . MIT offers a comprehensive doctoral program with degrees in the humanities , social sciences , and tribal areas as professional qualities . The Institute offers graduate programs leading to academic degrees such as the Master of Science ( MS ) , various Engineer's Degrees , Doctor ( PhD) and Doctor of Science ( SCD ) ; For professional qualities , such as Master Architecture (March) Master of Business Administration ( MBA ) , Master of City Planning ( MCP ) , Master of Engineering ( MENG ) , and Master of Finance ( MFIN ) ; and interdisciplinary graduate programs such as the MD / PhD ( with Harvard Medical School ) .
Admission to graduate programs is decentralized ; Applicants apply directly to the department or degree program . More than 90 % of PhD students supported by scholarships, research assistant kappe ( UA ' s ) , or teaching assistant kappe (Tas ) .
MIT awarded 1547 Masters and 609 PhDs in 2010-11 - academic year . In the 2011 - term , is the School of Engineering is the most popular academic division , enrolling 45.0% of graduate students , followed by the Sloan School of Management ( 19 % ) , School of Science ( 16.9% ) , school of Architecture and Planning (9.2 % ) , Whitaker College of Health Sciences ( 5.1% ) , [ f ] and school of Humanities , Arts and Social Sciences ( 4.7% ) . The largest graduate program was the Sloan MBA , Electrical Engineering and Computer Science , and Engineering .
University Rankings :
MIT places in the top ten in very general ranking of universities and rankings based on student preferences revealed. For a few years, the U.S. News & World Report , the QS World University Rankings and the Academic Ranking of World Universities MIT's School of Engineering first place , as the 1995 Report National Research Council . In the same tables , MIT's strongest performances , apart from in the art in computer science , natural sciences , business, economics , linguistics , mathematics , and to a lesser degree , political science and philosophy .