| FAQ's for MIT Freshmen and Freshmen Advisors
Why does Course 20 have an admissions process?
BE is offering an undergraduate SB program for the first time and it is unknown what the demand for the major will be since a comparable curriculum is not offered at other schools. The physical spaces for the required sophomore/junior level laboratory 20.109 and the junior/senior level laboratory 20.309 are one limitation for the total number of students, but new labs are being built to accommodate more students. An additional consideration is that the admissions process ensures students have some exposure to the unique educational content in BE before deciding. The decision to have an admissions process was discussed in many forums at MIT that included current undergraduate students, former undergraduate students, and faculty, and all agreed that it is necessary to have an admissions process during the initial few years of the program in order to offer a quality educational program. The plan for the admissions process was developed over a period of about a year by BE in collaboration with the MIT Committee on Undergraduate Programs.
The BE Major is not offered on the Course Selection Form. Does this mean I should fill in my selection as an UND (Undesignated Sophomore)?
You may remain UND or you may select a major from those available on the Course Selection Form. BE offers several fall term advising options for sophomores and we will be increasing the advising options for fall 2008, especially for UND's.
Is BE the best engineering major for premeds?
No, it is no better than any other major. Keep in mind that Biological Engineering is not MIT's substitute for "Biomedical Engineering" as offered by other schools with curricula containing medicine and physiology classes (at MIT, you can focus on Biomedical Engineering through the Biomedical Engineering Minor Degree). Biological Engineering is engineering analysis, design, and synthesis based in modern molecular life sciences and has wide-ranging applications in technologies outside of health care. Many application areas of engineering in medicine are better represented in the curricula of the traditional engineering disciplines, and the premed requirements can be easily fulfilled by students in many engineering majors. Students who are strongly interested in medicine are advised to explore all of the options throughout the School of Engineering and possibly consider combining the Biomedical Engineering (BME) Minor degree with a traditional engineering SB.
I am a freshmen with sophomore year standing, can I declare BE as a major prior to sophomore FT?
Yes, if you complete the admissions requirements. Contact the BE Office at be-sb-apply@mit.edu and indicate that you intend to apply in the spring.
What are the program requirements I must fulfill in order to be eligible for the BE SB?
To be eligible to apply to the major at the end of your fall term sophomore year (or freshman year), you must complete the following subjects with a passing grade by the end of the term: 7.012, 7.013, or 7.014; 8.01; 5.111/3.091; 18.01; 8.02; 18.02; 18.03; 20.110J/2.772J (or 7.10J/20.111J). Note that you must take Biology as a freshman as it conflicts with 20.110J/2.772J in the fall. To be eligible to apply at the end of your spring term sophomore year, you must complete the following subjects with a passing grade by the end of the term: 7.012, 7.013, or 7.014; 8.01; 5.111/3.091; 18.01; 8.02; 18.02; 18.03; 7.10J/2.11J; 6.00; 5.12.
Do I have to take 7.012, 7.013, or 7.014 my freshman year?
Yes, if you plan to apply to the major at the end of your fall term sophomore year, because these subjects conflict with 20.110J/2.772J (Thermodynamics of Biomolecular Systems) in the fall and you must complete both Biology and 20.110J by the end of the term. You may defer 7.012, 7.013, or 7.014 to fall term sophomore year only if you plan to take the spring term subject 7.10J/2.111J (Thermodynamics of Biomolecular Systems) and apply at the end of your spring term sophomore year.
I have advanced standing credit for several subjects - what should I take during freshman and fall term sophomore year if I have extra room in my schedule?
If you will otherwise complete all required subjects by the end of fall term sophomore year, you are advised to take Organic Chemistry (5.12) as your first priority. You may also take Introduction to Computer Science and Programming (6.00) or Genetics (7.03/20.113) in the fall term of sophomore year if you have room in your schedule. 5.07 is also an option.
How do I get added to the BE SB email list for potential majors?
You must be a freshman or freshman with sophomore standing to join the list. Contact the BE Academic Office by email be-sb-apply@mit.edu or by phone (617) 253-0805 and indicate that you are an eligible student and wish to be added to the list. You must provide a valid MIT email address for contact.
When will I be assigned a BE SB advisor?
You will receive a BE advisor after you have accepted admission into the program the fall or spring term of your sophomore year. You can also attend group information and advising sessions during IAP of your freshman year to help choose freshman-level subjects. You may contact the BE office at any time to ask questions about recommended subjects if you are ahead of the normal roadmap.
How do I obtain a BE SB application form?
The application form will be on the BE website during the last part of fall term for fall enrollment and during the last part of spring term for spring enrollment. The form will be available starting the day after drop date through the last day of classes. If you have difficulty locating the form you may contact the BE Academic Office.
How is the BE SB different from other Engineering SB Degrees?
The BE SB focuses on applying engineering analysis, design, and synthesis to modern molecular life sciences and has nine core subjects developed specifically for this purpose. All faculty members who teach in BE focus on problems in molecular life sciences and thus the examples and homework problems in the BE core engineering subjects involve biological applications. Other engineering majors cover a different spectrum of underlying science and emphasize many application areas outside of biology, though they may include some biological applications in core subjects or have elective subjects devoted to biological applications. The spectrum of application areas in a given department can be gauged by examining the research areas of faculty members in that department on the web.
Can I take BE subjects if I major in something else?
Yes, most BE subjects have open enrollment and some subjects are offered jointly with other departments. For example, 20.110 in the fall is offered jointly with Mechanical Engineering as 2.772 and in the spring with Biology as 7.10, and 20.330 is offered jointly with EECS as 6.023. The BE core subjects provide credit for the BME Minor degree. The two laboratory subjects (20.109 and 20.309) operate on limited enrollment, with very few slots for students outside the BE major. You can check with the BE Academic office to obtain more information on enrollment in lab subjects.
What is the deadline to declare BE as a major?
You must apply online by the last day of classes of fall term or spring term your sophomore year.
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