Class of 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 FAQ

When does the revised requirement take effect?

To which students will the revised Distribution Component apply?

Can I petition if I want to be under the revised rules?

Will HASS-D subjects continued to be offered?

When does the HASS-D lottery close?

What if I did not get my first choice HASS-D subject?

I missed the HASS-D lottery, or did not get placed in the lottery. What do I do?

Will there be any changes to the Communication Requirement?

Does transfer credit apply to any of my distribution subjects?

If I'm readmitted after a leave of absence, which rules will I fall under?

When does the revised requirement take effect?

The revised Requirement went into effect beginning with the 2010-11 academic year for incoming students (see below) .

To which students will the revised Distribution Component apply?

The revised requirement applies to students who enter as freshmen in Fall 2010 or later and to transfer students who enter as sophomores in Fall 2011 or later, as illustrated in the following chart. Students who enrolled prior to 2010-11 will continue under the distribution known as HASS-D.

Distribution Component/Year of Entry
Enter as...	2009-10 or earlier	2010-11	2011-12	2012-13
Freshman	HASS-D	HASS categories	HASS categories	HASS categories
Sophomore	HASS-D	HASS-D	HASS categories	HASS categories
Junior	HASS-D	HASS-D	HASS-D	HASS categories

Can I petition if I want to be under the revised rules?

No. The requirements you must complete are determined by your year of entry and your class standing (freshman, sophomore, etc.) at the time you begin your studies at MIT.

Will HASS-D subjects continued to be offered?

MIT is committed to offering a full breadth of HASS-D subjects through 2013. Many of these subjects will continue in the HASS curriculum after 2013, and can be used by students in the classes of 2014 and beyond to satisfy the distribution component of the HASS Requirement.

When does the HASS-D lottery close?

Please refer to the HASS-D Lottery website for more information.

What if I did not get my first choice HASS-D subject?

Please refer to the HASS-D Lottery website for more information.

I missed the HASS-D lottery, or did not get placed in the lottery. What do I do?

Please refer to the HASS-D Lottery website for more information and a list of open subjects after the lottery has been run. You may be able to add a HASS-D after the term begins through the normal Add process — just remember that instructor approval is always required to add a HASS-D subject.

Hint: keep in mind that you may also choose from among the many HASS-A, HASS-H, and HASS-S subjects that are not part of the lottery system and can register for them on Registration Day.

Will there be any changes to the Communication Requirement?

No, the Communication Requirement will remain the same. Visit the Communication Requirement website for more information about this requirement.

Does transfer credit apply to any of my distribution subjects?

Normally, transfer credit cannot be used towards the Distribution Component of the HASS Requirement. Please refer to the petitions page for more information on when the Subcommittee on the HASS Requirement would review a petition for a distribution subject.

Transfer credit may, however, be used to satisfy HASS elective requirements. Please contact the transfer credit examiner in the appropriate HASS field for more information.

If I'm readmitted after a leave of absence, which rules will I fall under?

In general, students are expected to complete the set of General Institute Requirements (GIRs) that is in effect during their year of entry, based on their class standing (freshman, sophomore, etc.) at that time. If you interrupt your studies for a short period of time, you will be expected to complete that same set of GIRs when you return. However, if you will not graduate within 10 years of your original date of entry, contact the Committee on Curricula for additional information.