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For MIT Students: Academics at Cambridge |
Studying at Cambridge
Planning Your Program of Study
Undergraduate Research at CU
Taking Subjects to Satisfy HASS Requirements
Engineering Students
Premeds
Registration
Credits
Cambridge Term Dates
PE Credit
The teaching and learning environment at Cambridge is very different from MIT. For example, homework is regularly assigned, but it is not required or graded in the sense you're used to at MIT. There are very few tests given during the year, but most courses culminate in a major examination given at year's end that requires substantial and deep preparation. As MIT students discover, Cambridge students spend much more of their time learning material without graded problem sets, review sessions and regular tests; the Cambridge experience has helped them to learn more independently and at a more self-directed pace. You will receive individual attention during supervisions and from your Director of Studies. Also, most students study subjects only in their major department.
The College is the center of both academic and social life for Cambridge students. Although lectures and laboratory work are organized by the university and held in university buildings, undergraduates study in their colleges, where they work in very small groups ('supervisions'). Lectures are given by the university departments, so you'll attend classes with students from many colleges. The supervisions, one-on-two meetings with faculty, are extremely personalized and are meant to cover the things you don't understand.
A guide to "Teaching and Learning at Cambridge" has been prepared for MIT students; this document is a good resource for understanding more about the differences between studying at MIT and at Cambridge.
Prior to leaving MIT, you need to plan your program with your CME departmental advisor. This plan may change somewhat after you talk with your Cambridge Director of Studies, but it's a good idea to have worked out most of the details before you leave MIT. Be sure you understand exactly what credit will be given for what you do at Cambridge!
Lecture schedule information for 2008-09 is provided in the Cambridge University Reporter. The Reporter is the closest equivalent to the MIT Bulletin and Class Schedule List.
Although a formal UROP program is not in place at Cambridge, MIT students have had some success in securing interesting research projects with faculty at CU. Since CU students cannot work during the year, there is no provision for being paid, but it is possible to receive MIT credit upon completion of such a project. For more information, contact your MIT department advisor or the Global Education Office in Room 12-189.
Since most students at Cambridge study only subjects in their major department, we are working to make it easier for MIT students to take subjects in other disciplines. Currently, we have identified a list of areas in the Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences that will provide HASS elective credit toward your MIT requirements. See the HASS@Cambridge for more information.
Lecture schedule information for 2008-09 is provided in the Cambridge University Reporter. The Reporter is the closest equivalent to the MIT Bulletin and Class Schedule List.
Professor Duane Boning has put together an underground tutorial for MIT students planning to study Engineering at Cambridge.
If you are a premedical student there are some steps you should take prior to your departure. Please note that this list of steps does not comprise all of of the steps to be taken in the premed process. For additional details see the Premed Timeline. There is also information compiled by Eric Swart (CME Alum '02) on Solutions for Premeds at MIT.
The CME Office will work with you to take care of the necessary paperwork needed to transfer your Cambridge credits to MIT. You will need to complete a "Request for Additional Credit" form when you return to MIT and to present this form to the Registrar's Office with the necessary signatures. Be sure to let your CME departmental advisor know of any changes in your program of study to make sure you understand what credit you will receive for your work at Cambridge.
For the 2008-2009 academic year, the following are the dates of each term:
| Term | Start Date | End Date |
| Michaelmas | Tuesday, October 7 | Friday, December 5 |
| Lent | Tuesday, January 13 | Friday, March 13 |
| Easter | Tuesday, April 21 | Friday, June 12 |
For the 2009-2010 academic year, the following are the dates of each term:
| Term | Start Date | End Date |
| Michaelmas | Tuesday, October 6 | Friday, December 4 |
| Lent | Tuesday, January 12 | Friday, March 12 |
| Easter | Tuesday, April 20 | Friday, June 11 |
For more information on receiving PE credit while in Cambridge, please download the information sheet on Physical Education Points at Cambridge University and the request form which needs to be submitted to MIT's Director of Physical Education.