Information for Students Graduating
in September 2008

Important Dates and Deadlines - Summer 2008

Checklist for Graduating Students

Submit an online degree application for an S.B. degree or an advanced degree by Friday, June 13 ($40 late fee, $75 after July 11). If there is any chance you will finish in the Summer Session, you should submit the application; there is no fine for later coming off the Degree List. Graduate students can submit the applications without Thesis titles. The name that appears on the diploma is taken from this application -- include accent marks, middle name, etc.

If your degree was held previously because of outstanding financial obligations or pending disciplinary actions and you are now clear to graduate, you must file another online degree application.

If you are planning to complete your degree requirements at another school this term or complete an outstanding Incomplete or OX grade that is on your MIT record, you must file a degree application. If you are completing requirements at another school, you must a) file an additional credit form, signed by the appropriate MIT transfer credit examiner and b) arrange to have an official transcript sent directly to the MIT Registrar's Office (5-119) showing the work and final grade.

Check that your requirements for the degree will be met with subjects taken in prior terms or this term.
Undergraduates must fulfill both the General Institute Requirements and their major requirements, as well as any minor requirements. Transfer credit and incompletes must also be taken care of.

Clear up any degree holds. A degree will not be awarded unless all financial obligations are clear and there are no pending disciplinary actions. Check your account balances on WebSIS. If you have any questions about charges or credits, contact the Student Services Center, 11-120, in person or by telephone (617-258-8600). You are responsible for all charges on your account. Unpaid charges due to pending departmental awards, unpaid sponsored billing, or outside scholarships must be paid in order to graduate. Contact your account representative immediately if you have pending funds.

Students with loans must have an exit interview. Graduating students who have borrowed through the Perkins, Technology, or Stafford Student Loan Programs are required to attend exit interviews with Loan Services staff; your degree may be withheld for failure to complete an exit interview.

Students who have decided not to graduate can remove themselves from the degree list through August 15 (no fine).

As part of the application, you must indicate whether or not you are planning to attend Commencement in June 2009, pick up your diploma in the Registrar's Office, 5-119, or have your diploma mailed (provide a dependable mailing address). You will be allowed to attend Commencement only if you provide this information.

If you are participating in Commencement, see the Commencement site, available in Mid-February 2009, for additional information and instructions.

Undergraduates: S.B. Requirements Must Be Satisfied

Undergraduates must make certain they will complete the S.B. requirements of 180 to 198 units (depending upon major) in addition to the 17-subject General Institute Requirements. The details of what you need to complete the degree are given at the bottom of your grade report, which is also available on WebSIS. For questions about the GIR audit, contact Roberta Welch, 5-119, 617-258-6413. For questions about departmental requirements, contact your department.

Your name may be added to or removed from the degree list by the Registrar's Office at the request of the department up to the last day of classes in the term. Students may also be removed at the degree candidates meeting of the Committee on Academic Performance (September 12).

You should be aware of special deadlines for completion of the General Institute Requirements:

Writing Requirement. Students who entered prior to Fall 2001: if you have not completed Phase One or Phase Two of the Writing Requirement and plan to be on the September Degree list you must contact the Writing Requirement Office, 12-117, 617-253-3039.

Communication Requirement. Students who entered beginning in Fall 2001: if you have not completed two CI-H subjects and 2 CI-Ms as specified by your major, and plan to be on the September Degree List, you must contact the Communication Requirement Office, 12-127, 617-253-2313.

HASS Concentration. You must have filed a HASS Concentration Completion Form with the HASS Education Office (14N-410) by Friday, July 11 ($40 late fee). This is true even if you are planning to complete the concentration in the last term.

Physical Education Requirement. If you plan to graduate in September 2008 and have not completed your Physical Education requirement or Swim Test, please call the Physical Education Office, 617-253-4291, no later than July 11, 2008 for an appointment with the Director of Physical Education.

Departmental Approval. Your department will approve your degree application early in the term. Since you must be recommended by the department for a degree, your department or faculty advisor will verify that your program satisfies the department's as well as the Institute's requirements and that you are currently registered so as to complete successfully all requirements by the end of the term.

Incompletes. If you have an incomplete grade on record that was assigned during or after fall term '96-'97, you must complete the subject in order to graduate. For more information, contact Staff to the Committee on Academic Performance, 7-104, 617-253-4164.

Transfer credit. If you have any outstanding transfer credit, be sure to file the additional credit form (signed by the transfer credit examiner), and have the other school send an official transcript directly to the MIT Registrar's Office (5-119).

Degree Candidates Meeting. At the September 12th meeting of the Committee on Academic Performance, the departments recommend which candidates should be awarded degrees and which should be removed from the degree list. All grades for degree candidates must be submitted in writing to the Registrar's Office, 5-119, prior to the degree candidates meeting.

Students are on the degree list on the basis that successful completion of the final term's program will fulfill all the Institute and departmental degree requirements. Therefore, the department's recommendation is focused on performance during the last term (in particular, whether any subjects are failed or not completed and whether these subjects are necessary to meet the requirements set forth by the Faculty).

The CAP will recommend the awarding of the degree to those students who have satisfied all the General Institute Requirements and are recommended by their departments. After the CAP meeting, the degree list is approved by the Faculty and by the MIT Corporation.

If you have any questions, contact Staff to the Committee on Academic Performance, 7-104, 617-253-4164.

Graduate Students: Requirements

Master of Science with and without specification. For the degree of Master of Science, you must have satisfactorily completed a program of study of at least 66 graduate subject units, of which 42 units shall be H-level subjects, and a thesis, approved by the department in which you are enrolled. If 34 units of H-level subjects and the thesis are in a single approved program, as determined by a deparmental committee on graduate students, the degree will be recommended with specification in this program; otherwise, the degree will be recommended without specification. The same high standard of academic performance in a program approved by a departmental committee on graduate students is required for either degree.

The satisfactory completion of the master's degree requires you to be in residence as a full-time regular graduate student for a minimum of one regular academic term (not the summer session). While working on a thesis you must register for thesis in all semesters during which your thesis research or writing is actually in progess and during the term your name appears on the degree list.

Master of Engineering. To be awarded the graduate degree of Master of Engineering (M. Eng.), you must have satisfactorily completed a structured program of at least 90 units, consisting of 66 graduate subject units, of which at least 42 units must be in H-level subjects, and a thesis approved by the department of the School of Engineering in which you are enrolled. You must also have been in residence for a minimum of one regular term.

Master of Architecture. The graduate degree Master of Architecture is awarded upon the satisfactory completion of a program of study of at least 164 graduate subject units approved by the Department of Architecture, of which 96 units must be in H-level subjects, and the completion of a thesis acceptable to the Department of Architecture. You must also have been in residence for a minimum of four regular academic terms. If you enter without previous experience in a department of architecture, you may take as long as eight academic terms to complete the degree.

Master in City Planning. For the degree Master in City Planning, you must have satisfactorily completed a minimum of 126 graduate units, of which at least 42 units must be H-level subjects. You must also have completed a thesis acceptable to the Department of Urban Studies and Planning, and have been in residence for a minimum of two regular academic terms.

Master of Business Administration. To be awarded the degree of Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.), you must have completed satisfactorily a program of study including the MBA Core Subjects plus a minimum of 144 H- or G- Level units, acceptable to the Sloan School of Management. You must also have been in residence for four consecutive academic terms.

Simultaneous award of Bachelor's and Master's degrees. An undergraduate student of the Institute who is enrolled as a candidate for the bachelor's degree may be admitted by a department as a candidate for the master's degree. You must register as graduate student for at least one regular academic term (not the summer session) to be recommended for the simultaneous award of the bachelor's and master's degrees. The thesis submitted for the master's degree may also be accepted by the department in fulfillment of the undergraduate thesis requirement.

Advanced degree thesis titles. You should limit advanced degree thesis titles to 18 words and try to write out technical terms rather than using special notations (subscripts, superscripts, Greek letters, etc.); otherwise, you must provide an additional thesis title without technical notations for use on the electronic transcript.