MIT was designed from the start, both architecturally and intellectually, as an idea collider.
MIT has boundless opportunities for graduate students to pursue interdisciplinary research with interested faculty members. We also offer a number of joint programs that meld approaches from different disciplines.
Computation for Design and Optimization
A master’s program, Computation for Design and Optimization prepares tomorrow’s engineers and scientists in advanced computational methods and applications. The program provides a strong foundation in computational approaches to the design and operation of complex engineered systems.
Computational Science and Engineering
Computational Science and Engineering enables students to specialize at the doctoral level in a computation-related field of their choice through focused coursework and a thesis. Students concentrate in one of six areas: aeronautics and astronautics, chemical engineering, civil and environmental engineering, mathematics, mechanical engineering, or nuclear science and engineering.
Computational and Systems Biology
The Computational and Systems Biology Program program integrates biology, engineering, and computer science to educate graduate students in post-genomic biology and related fields. They focus on quantitative methods and modeling, experimental design, and device development.
Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology
Housed in MIT’s Institute of Medical Science and Engineering, the Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology trains tomorrow’s health innovators. In collaboration with Boston-area teaching hospitals, graduate students in science, medicine, and engineering train side-by-side with faculty members drawn from Harvard and MIT. They explore the fundamental principles underlying disease with the aim of delivering preventative, diagnostic, and therapeutic advances.
Leaders for Global Operations
A dual-degree program offered by the MIT Sloan School of Management and the School of Engineering, Leaders for Global Operations teaches graduate students the technical, analytical, and business skills necessary to lead strategic initiatives in high-tech, operations, and manufacturing companies. As part of the program, students complete a six-month applied research internship project at one of MIT’s partner companies.
MIT Portugal Program
Launched by the Portuguese government, the MIT Portugal Program is an alliance between Portuguese universities and research centers; select industrial and governmental partners; and MIT. The program offers graduate-level programs in four fields within the discipline of engineering systems: bioengineering systems, engineering design and advanced manufacturing, sustainable energy systems, and transportation systems.
Program in Polymers and Soft Matter
The Program in Polymers and Soft Matter provides educational opportunities for graduate students who want to explore polymer science. They gain an understanding of the chemistry and physics of macromolecules and biopolymers; the structure-property relationship of engineered polymers; and the mathematical concepts and experimental techniques that support polymer science.
Social Engineering Systems
A doctoral program, Social and Engineering Systems focuses on challenges that can be addressed through mathematical modeling, data analysis, and other quantitative methods. With an emphasis on energy systems, finance, health care, social networks, and urban systems, students examine the regulations, institutions, human behavior, and economic aspects of a chosen problem using theories and tools from the social sciences. The program is embedded in MIT’s Institute of Data, Systems, and Society.
Supply Chain Management Program
Offering a master’s degree, the Supply Chain Management Program is a rich mix of leadership development, analytical training, and real-world problem-solving offered through the Center for Transportation and Logistics. The program prepares students to conceive, design, and operate complex systems. It also equips them with the sales and negotiation skills necessary to manage tomorrow’s logistics and supply chain challenges.
System Design and Management
A program jointly offered by the MIT Sloan School of Management and the School of Engineering, System Design and Management educates mid-career professionals on how to apply systems-level thinking to solve complex challenges in product design, development, and innovation. Students discover how technical, managerial, and societal components influence each other in large systems — and how to lead from this approach.