A Typical First Year
All MIT students must complete 17 General Institute Requirements, which include a core of science subjects generally taken during the first year. A complete list of the GIR's can be found at http://mit.edu/firstyear/2016/subjects/.
Credit limits for freshmen: All freshmen are subject to a credit limit in their first year:
54 units in Fall (with the three exceptions noted in the chart below) 12 units in January IAP (no exceptions) 57 units in Spring (no exceptions)
Special Freshman Grading: First term freshmen receive grades of Pass or No Record (C=Passing grade). In second term, freshmen receive grades of A,B. C or No Record. See the details below:
Fall semester and IAP grading: All subjects graded as either Pass or No Record (P/NR)
- Internal transcript records D or F grades as DN or FN (N=no record)
- External transcript shows only subjects passed (recorded as P)
- Internal "Hidden" grades are given in Fall and IAP to advisors; grades cannot be used for outside purposes, e.g., scholarships, jobs, reduced insurance rates, grad school, etc.
Spring semester grading: All subjects graded A, B, C, or No Record
- Internal and external transcripts record grades of A, B, or C. D or F grades continue to be noted only internally DN or FN (N=no record)
- External transcript shows only subjects passed, recorded as actual A, B, C grade.
- Second semester freshmen begin accumulating GPA that includes only grades of A, B, or C.
A Typical Freshman Academic Program
Depending on your advisees’ preparation and their scores on College Board Advanced Placement tests, Advanced Standing exams, or transfer credit, (consult each advisee's Online Freshman Advising Folder in WebSIS for this information), a typical first-year curriculum at MIT might look like the following:
FALL = 54 units
- Chemistry: (5.111, 5.112, or 3.091)
- Physics I: 8.01, 8.01L, or 8.012
- Physics II: 8.02, 8.022
- Calculus I: 18.01, 18.01A-18.02A, or 18.014
- Calculus II: 18.02, 18.022, or 18.023
- HASS, or Communication Intensive subject (CI-H or CI-HW)
- Elective: Mission 2016 (9 unit pilot subject) or Seminar XL (3-6 units). These two subjects are the only exceptions to the Fall credit limit.
- PHYSICAL EDUCATION: PE points do not count toward the credit limit
IAP = 12 units
- 8.01L finishes (6 units)
- Finish 18.02A (6 units)
- PHYSICAL EDUCATION: PE points do not count toward the credit limit
SPRING = 57 units
- Biology: 7.013 or 7.014
- Physics II: 8.02 or 8.022
- 18.02 or finish 18.02A (if not completed in IAP) or 18.024
- CI or CI-HW: MUST be completed in second semester.
- If CI REQUIREMENT is done: ANY HASS
- Assuming all prereqs are met: Higher level or exploratory subject, e.g., 18.03, 18.06, 5.12, 5.13, 5.60, 2.001, 10.10, 6.001, 6.002, 16.00, etc. See the Online Subject Listing and Schedule for information on other classes that will be offered.
- 6-unit Undergraduate Seminar (no advising component) or UROP
- NO EXCEPTIONS TO SPRING CREDIT LIMIT
- PHYSICAL EDUCATION: PE points do not count toward the credit limit
