<p>Uh, I think MIT is a rather poor example, for, as others have pointed out, MIT is actually largely "pro-incest" (as disturbing as that sounds), particularly within its engineering programs. As a case in point, take the MIT EECS MEng program. EECS is the most popular major at MIT. Something like half of all MIT EECS undergrads will go on to the MEng program. That's pretty "incestual" right there.</p>
<p>Look, there are some some schools that are highly pro-incestual, like MIT (and also Harvard and I believe Stanford). There are others that are rather anti-incestual, like Berkeley. But even those that are supposedly anti-incestual like Berkeley have loopholes, as I had discussed. Hence, I wonder why schools even bother to have anti-incest rules if they can be so easily circumvented.</p>
<p>Well Sakky I can't tell you why bother but I will quote what they wrote in an faq section of ChemE:</p>
<p>
[QUOTE]
Q. My undergraduate degree is in chemical engineering from the University of California, Berkeley. I have such happy, fond memories of the department that I cannot bear the thought of pursuing graduate studies away from Cal. Can I go to Berkeley for graduate school, too? </p>
<p>A. Although nearly all of the best chemical engineers are Berkeley graduates, this department, like most other top chemical engineering departments, feels strongly that its' undergraduates are better served by pursuing graduate studies in a new and different environment. Thus, unless you have obtained a degree elsewhere or have substantial industrial experience since you graduated from Berkeley, we will not admit you to the department for graduate work.</p>
<p>
[/QUOTE]
</p>
<p>What strikes me as interesting is that they claim that 'most other top chemical engineering departments, feels strongly that its' undergraduates are better served by pursuing graduate studies in a new and different environment' and yet I don't think MIT, Stanford or Caltech have such stringent policies.</p>
<p>However, in fairness, I should say that many science departments at other schools, including MIT, encourage their own undergrads to get their PhD's at other places.</p>
<p>Not a bad idea at all, if you've done work in undergrad that can be continued, or if you've already established good relations with a professor. It's worth saving a year or two off your total education.</p>
<p>And, of course, this discussion only applied to those applying to a Ph.D. program in the same department they were in for undergrad. That is, a psychology major going to a school with good psychology and history programs could, I guess, apply to the Ph.D. history program, as long as they qualify. The question here is whether one should, say, major in math as an undergrad, then do their master's and Ph.D. at the same uni - in math. I would say that as long as you break it up a bit, there can be no harm in it. Of course, I don't see the harm in inbreeding at all. but that's imho.</p>