<p>I'm having some trouble answering this question and not because I don't love any department(s) at MIT. Just that I found raving about a particular department at MIT slightly stupid considering how EVERYONE knows how awesome MIT's science/engineering/management departments are. I'd much rather speak about why I love chemistry(or electrical engineering or anthropology). But that wouldn't answer the specific question about departments or programs. So, fellow applicants and those who've applied in the past, how are you guys going about answering this question?</p>
<p>I wrote about my passion in EE/CS and how MIT’s programs compliment them. I personally don’t think this question is focused on MIT (they know about themselves already), but more on why you chose the program, your passions, what led you do it. I mentioned the specific department twice, and barely touched it, as I focused on me in the essay.</p>
This is exactly what you should be doing. They want to know what you might be interested in studying – the fact that those departments are at MIT is only important insofar as they’re at MIT, so you could study there if admitted.</p>
<p>^That’d be much better. The only department-specific think I could really think of was the MITEI minor, which in any case wouldn’t be my first choice major. Thank you. :)</p>