Concentrations

The HASS Concentration offers students the opportunity to deepen their understanding of the issues and methodologies in one area of Humanities, Arts, or Social Sciences. All undergraduates must complete a HASS Concentration of 3-4 subjects (some fields require 3, some 4) where they will gain a sophisticated sense of the questions that characterize these fields of study. One subject may be counted toward both the distribution and concentration components with the permission of the Concentration Advisor.

Students in collaboration with their concentration advisors must select a field of concentration and submit a Concentration Proposal Form by the first week of classes the second semester junior year. Ideally, students will have completed their HASS Distribution subjects by this point, and their experiences with these subjects will guide their choice of Concentration. Students must submit a Concentration Completion Form by the end of the first week of their final term at MIT, whether or not they are taking some of your concentration subjects during that term. For more information on the activities necessary to complete a concentration, please refer to the Procedure section below and download a HASS Concentration Checklist.

Available Concentrations can be found below.

Guidelines

Fields of Concentration

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you are interested in proposing a concentration that is not on the above list of regular HASS Concentrations please contact the HASS Academic Administrator for advising. These proposals should be done as early as possible, preferably in the sophomore year.

Procedure: Concentration Forms

All students must submit a Concentration Proposal From and a Concentration Completion Form; both forms must be signed by your Concentration Advisor.

Forms are available from the Office of the HASS Requirement (12-126), the Student Services Center (11-120), and concentration field offices and advisors. Completed forms (yellow copy) should be submitted to the Office of the HASS Requirement in room 12-126.

Concentration Proposal Forms must be submitted by the first week of classes second semester junior year. There is a $50 fee for late submission of this form.

Concentration Completion Forms must be submitted by the end of the first week of your final term at MIT, even if you are taking some of your concentration subjects during that term. You may file the completion form at any point after you have completed the subjects in your concentration—there is no need to wait until your final semester—but you must do so by the deadline above in order to avoid a $50 late fee.

When meeting with the concentration advisor for certification of completion of the Concentration, please bring the following items:

Copies of the completed Concentration form should be distributed as indicated on the bottom of the form.

Students who wish to make changes to their concentration after submitting the Concentration Proposal may do so with the approval of their concentration advisor. A revised signed form should be submitted to 12-126. To switch to a new Concentration completely, please notify the field office for your current concentration of your intent to change, and complete a new Concentration Proposal noting your previous concentration.

 

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