<p>Hi, I read an MIT undergrad's post somewhere where he stated that he was double majoring in EECS and physics. So I was wondering, how hard is it to double major at MIT? Especially with one as engineering? And I know that MIT isn't exactly the strongest in the humanities, so what is it like to double major - let's say mechanical engineering and US history - with a humanities? </p>
<p>Btw, is it possible to double major with any sort of biology and engineering, because I know that biology at MIT is pretty tough.</p>
<p>It’s possible to double-major in any two departments at MIT, with a few minor exceptions (for example, you can’t double in 6-7 – biology with computer science – and either biology or computer science). In practice, it’s easier to double in departments with greater overlap between required courses (like Biology + Brain and Cognitive Sciences) and/or fewer required courses (like Math). </p>
<p>Most of the engineering departments require a fairly large number of courses, so it is generally tough to double in engineering and anything else. But people certainly do it. When I was at MIT, about 20% of students graduated with a double.</p>
<p>I think physics…if you’re going to 8b and something else, it’s not actually that bad. (I think I was originally planning to be 20 and 8b and still had a buffer semester in my plan). I know like three 6/8b people.</p>
<p>But, yeah, here are the course requirements for biology: [MIT</a> Course Catalog: Course 7](<a href=“Welcome! < MIT”>Welcome! < MIT)</p>
<p>From this chart it looks like 156 students double majored in 2013, but I’m not sure how this chart works – whether it lists only the second major the student signs up for, or both majors?
[Enrollment</a> Statistics: MIT Office of the Registrar](<a href=“Statistics & Reports | MIT Registrar”>Statistics & Reports | MIT Registrar)</p>
<p>Anyway, my son just finished a double major in 6-1 and physics. He generally took 5 classes per semester, but never needed to take 6 in a semester. He came in with credit for 6 math/science classes. His girlfriend is a chemical engineering/physics major. This seems to be a little more grueling.</p>
The table you’re looking at only lists the second major students select. For a better picture, you should also look at this table, which contains only primary majors (the only major for people with one major, or the first major selected by someone who is double majoring): [Enrollment</a> Statistics: MIT Office of the Registrar](<a href=“Statistics & Reports | MIT Registrar”>Statistics & Reports | MIT Registrar)</p>
<p>Why double major? You have a humanities requirement. Use it to take the courses that interest you. You may find that to be sufficient for you curiosity in history. </p>
<p>You can also satisfy your desire to learn by reading and studying on your own, outside the classroom (usually during the summer or other school breaks as you will be quite busy during the term) and after you graduate.</p>
<p>I was a manager (now retired) at a large aerospace engineering company and was always looking for the most prepared applicants. That meant that they took more than the minimum required classes for their degree in engineering. I usually found that people who double majored had the minimum classes for their degree unless the two degrees were almost the same. They, therefore, moved down considerably in my consideration for employment as I had many more resumes with people who had more engineering classes (and the same or just as good a school, and just as good a GPA).</p>
<p>I think some students choose to double major because they are not sure of the career direction they want to go in, and may not be ready to limit their options, and may have academic strengths in more than field. For instance, a double major in CS (course 6-3) and math (18) is very feasible since some of the course requirement overlap. My son is choosing to do this rather than Math and Computer Science (18c), because he’s interested in going into more depth in each of the subject areas, and is still exploring career options. He’s also minoring in a HAAS subject – I think many students at MIT have broad academic interests and try to take advantage of all that MIT offers while they are there.</p>
<p>There are also a lot of fields at the crossroads between two or more departments. Evolution, which I’m interested in, requires broad knowledge in course 7, very deep knowledge in the software side of course 6, and pointy knowledge in course 18. Because of this I’m majoring in 6-7 and either minoring or majoring in 18. I also want to be a writer, so I’m minoring (almost majoring, actually, but they won’t let me) in 21W. A lot of people (possibly most people, especially people in academia and maybe half of people in industry) criticize me for playing in four departments, because the number of required classes I have to take limits the number of electives I can take, leaving me with less deep knowledge in course 7 and less broad knowledge in course 18 and 6. I also have to take a lot of classes, which limits the GPA I can get. But I feel like the education I wound up with was exactly what I wanted. I guess we’ll see if I made a mistake.</p>
<p>There are areas of study that are truly the merging of two majors. CS and math are certainly one. And if there is a fair amount of overlap in the course requirements, then, obviously, there is a common theme there that gives one a good background in that merged field for one’s career after college.</p>
<p>My point to the previous post was to make one aware of the position one is putting themselves in if they choose two widely separated majors. You definitely look like you are undecided in what you want to do. How am I, as a potential employer, able to figure out what you want to do, if you can’t? I am about to put a lot of time and money into training you to become a productive engineer for my company. I don’t want to waste that time and money when I have other better qualified candidates (by their more extensive background in college) who are definitely interested in the job I have to offer.</p>
<p>Maybe more than a few MITers aren’t looking to work as mid or mid-upper level engineers for someone else. That image could be transitioning from model to stereotype. Do posters agree that more and more MIT grads are looking to become entrepreneurs or to have other people working for them?</p>
<p>In which case there are likely lots of combinations of double majors that would be advantageous</p>
<p>fenwaypark; I’m sure that many MIT grads are looking to become entrepreneurs or such. Always have, always will. Those are one of the types of students that populate the top schools like MIT. But, I find it unlikely that the OP’s proposed dual major of ME and US history will lead to a concept that he could turn into any significant entrepreneurial idea that combines both fields.</p>
<p>I agree with you that if the goal is to work for the man and get trained to be a productive engineer for the company, that a single major in something like EECS is probably the way to go.</p>
<p>If the goal is something else, I am not yet persuaded that a double major…even in disparate fields such as EECS and US History…is not a value-added proposition</p>
<p>Maybe I just have the Report of the Task Force on the Future of MIT Education on my mind today. In particular, this passage (p. 11):</p>
<p>“What are the desired attributes for the MIT graduates of the future? As we think about the future of education at MIT, we must think about developing the future citizens of MIT: students who meet the highest standards of academic excellence and are also able to appreciate the big picture, understand their technical world in context, make connections across subject content, work collaboratively, communicate effectively, think critically and analytically, think and design creatively, deal with uncertainty and complexity, and nurture humane values. In short, we must complement MITs excellent technical education and experiential learning with other attributes that position our graduates to be leaders in our future society, inspired to change the world”</p>
<p>But don’t forget that it’s not necessary to double-major to have a well-rounded education, or even to take a large number of classes in a second department. I am not entirely convinced that there’s a benefit to double-majoring in and of itself – I’m not sure that a student who double majored in X and Y, as opposed to one who took all the same classes but forgot to submit the second major paperwork, really derives any tangible benefit. </p>
<p>And there absolutely can be a cost to completing a double, in terms of sacrificing depth in the primary major, or needing to take a less-than-ideal courseload (more classes, or multiple work-intensive classes, etc.) one semester or another because of scheduling logistics. Maybe this is less of an issue now that it’s not required that double majors take 270 units outside the GIRs.</p>
<p>I say all this as a double myself. I’m glad I did the double. But I don’t think it’s ever mattered in my career one way or another.</p>
<p>lolololol. I can think up quite a few just off the top of my head. That’s not to mention the importance of the humanities, including history, to creativity, communication abilities, understanding the world around us, and understanding the <em>people</em> around us–all very, very important for an engineer or really for any person who happens to interact with other people.</p>
<p>To poster Molliebatmit: I haven’t figured out yet how to quote posts…maybe I don’t have the privilege because I am a newbie. You mentioned your double hasn’t helped you in your career. Old time posters probably know what that career is. Has it helped you in any other part of your life, or just a waste of time…or say it ain’t so…did it detract from your life or career?</p>
<p>No intention to get personal, just interested in relation to the thread topic</p>
<p>Um. Wow. This thread blew up fast. Thanks Lydia, Mollie, and any other MITers that I don’t know who have given insight. And also everyone. Heh.</p>
<p>I put forth US History and Mechanical Engineering because I really x1000 enjoy history and I also really x1001 like engineering. I totally agree with lidusha about the importance of humanities, hence my interest in history (not that I wouldn’t be otherwise…) With biology and engineering, I have always been that kid who’s excited about sharks and reefs and stuff, so I have considered ocean/marine biology a lot, but I’m not sure that would be compatible with a double major, especially with engineering. Plus, my dad (who’s an industrial engineering prof with ph d from Seoul Nat. Univ.) says that engineering doesn’t really leave a lot of time for doing another major and constantly discourages me from choosing that option. So I was just wondering whether it was possible and how hard would it be and what people from MIT thought about it. </p>
<p>Even if being a double major in US history and engineering doesn’t help my job application/interview, I (albeit a bit naively) want to do humanities just to satisfy my own interest. Heck, if there was a major for firearms/armor/any other weapons, I would do it in a heartbeat. But how would that help my career, or help me make my living?</p>
<p>I don’t think it’s necessary to study history to have people skills. I have a relative who hasn’t even finished high school but he’s extremely charismatic and a very successful (and rich) businessman. It’s something you’re born with imho</p>
<p>well humanities does not simply mean just history. It also encompasses writing, fine arts, philosophy, etc. You don’t necessarily need history, but you most definitely need humanities, imho.</p>
We have some firearms PE classes you could take. :)</p>
<p>
I used to think that career was something you carefully plan out, something with a trajectory, something with footsteps you can follow. I also used to think I knew what I wanted to do with that part of my life.</p>
<p>At the career fair this fall, I got a lot of interview requests because I’m trained as a software engineer, but I also got some interview requests for writing positions at top technical companies. They fall on course 6-ers like vultures, but I never expected to see their eyes light up like they did when I mentioned that in addition to my MIT-level technical background, I write. And those jobs pay just as well if not better, too! MIT has taught me at least as much about how to write as it did how to write good software or plan out well-controlled biology experiments. Who would have imagined that my almost-writing major and all those communication-intensive classes in my technical majors would have come in handy?! I’m not applying for jobs now, but next year, if I decide I don’t want to go to grad school and I haven’t sold a book to a publisher yet, I’m not sure if I would rather be a software engineer or a writer.</p>