MIT English (and other non-math/sci stuff...)

<p>I like math and science, and plan to take one or two classes in each in college, but I plan to study English, theater, art, French, music (voice and/or cello), and history for undergrad and go on to grad school for architecture. (My undergrad major will depend on what school I go to, but it'll probably be communications, English, or creative writing.)</p>

<p>Anyways, I was wondering about the strength of MIT's non-math/sci programs, such as the things I'm interested in. My cousin works there and said there are a lot of nerds (and her mom keeps saying she should hook up with one...), which doesn't bother me too much: I get along well with nerds, though I wouldn't necessarily classify myself as one. Please give input so I can try to get a balanced view of MIT academics ^_^</p>

<p>My son, a current freshman at MIT, made sure to sit in on a literature class during his final visit to campus, and raved about it and the humanities class he is taking this semester. That said, are you familiar with the [url=web.mit.edu/catalogue/overv.chap3-gir.shtml]General Institute Requirements<a href="GIRs">/url</a>? All MIT students are required to take, or place out of, two semesters of Calculus (single- and multi-variable), two semesters of Physics, and a semester each of Biology and Chemistry plus a lab course, in addition to some humanities and communications subjects. You may want to research the math and science requirements to be sure you'd be happy with that curriculum. It is an insititute of technology, after all. ;)</p>

<p>Well, the programs exist, obviously, and since everyone at MIT has to take 8 humanities, arts, and/or social sciences classes, there's a pretty wide variety of courses in each major.</p>

<p>Still, there aren't many majors in the humanities/arts/social sciences (except for the programs which are very strong, like econ and poli sci), and almost all of the people who major in the disciplines you mentioned are double-majors with a technical field. </p>

<p>I would assume the programs would prepare you in a similar fashion to a pretty good liberal arts college; they're nothing to be ashamed of, but they're certainly not nationally known. The deal-breaker for most people in your situation is that a) it's not any easier to get into MIT by wanting to be a humanities major, and b) even humanities majors have to take the General Institute Requirements (2 semesters of calc, 2 semesters of physics, 1 semester of bio, 1 semester of chemistry, 2 restricted electives in science, and 1 lab class).</p>

<p>I think MIT is a great choice for people who want to major in a technical field but also want a strong grounding in a humanities discipline (many people, for example, love chemistry but want to study music on the side). I'm not sure I would recommend MIT for someone who was solely interested in the humanities, as there are a lot of equivalent or better schools which don't cost so much money and don't require so many math and science courses.</p>

<p>EDIT: Sorry for repeating a lot of what MM says above. :)</p>

<p>Sorry for not looking into the reqs...hehe ^_^ I don't mind have a strong math/sci background, so the reqs don't bother me. But I don't plan to major in a technical field, so maybe MIT isn't the best college for me...It looks really neat though. Grr, I wish I'd had time to visit when I was in Boston this spring!</p>

<p>Yeah, if it's a place you think you'd like, apply, by all means. (I mean, you could always apply, then visit in the spring if accepted.)</p>

<p>Just be aware the that culture of the school is skewed toward math and science, and that you'd be one of only a few humanities</a> majors swimming in a sea of workaholic scientists and engineers.</p>

<p>Wow... the physics pool is a lot smaller than I thought it'd be. :(.</p>

<p>Although I guess they get to hang around with all the engineers. :)</p>

<p>Well, 65 graduates per year does make the physics department one of the medium-to-large sized departments at MIT -- it's only smaller than EECS, management, math, biology, and mechE.</p>

<p>MIT is not such a huge place in general...</p>

<p>Hey, has anyone had Wolfgang Ketterle as a prof? I heard him speak at the Gustavus Adolphus Nobel Conference and I was amazed that I actually understood (almost) everything - he was really good at explaining it! If I wanted to major in physics, I'd go just to be his student. Alas, my interests are so diverse - I like physics but probably will take only as much as I need for architecture.</p>

<p>Matt, the MIT admissions officer who keeps the McGann's Factors blog, mentions in a recent</a> entry that he himself had a class from Ketterle. I was at the Nobel Conference too; I agree that Ketterle's talk was very accessible to non-physics majors.</p>

<p>and you can xreg at harvard and ne conservatory (and more?)</p>

<p>Harvard, Wellesley, Mass College of Art, and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts -- more info [url=<a href="http://web.mit.edu/uinfo/academics/register/crossreg/%5Dhere%5B/url"&gt;http://web.mit.edu/uinfo/academics/register/crossreg/]here[/url&lt;/a&gt;].&lt;/p>

<p>Also, note that males can cross-register at Wellesley, despite the fact that it's an all-girls school.</p>

<p>My EC told me stories about how he took at least two classes each semester at Wellesley. :D.</p>

<p>Yeah, MIT's awesome.</p>

<p>Wolfgang Ketterle is one of the recitation instructors for my physics course - 8.012 is the class number.</p>