Admissions Info

Graduates

The Program has granted 63 doctoral degrees since its inception in 1988. Graduates hold faculty appointments at universities including MIT, Harvard, American University of Beirut, Bates College, Boston College, Rice University, Rutgers University, Franklin Olin College of Engineering, University of California Los Angeles, University of Detroit/Mercy, National University of Singapore, University of Toronto and University of Warwick. Other graduates work in museums, journalism, business, and academic research.

Applicant Pool

HASTS selects a small number of highly qualified students for doctoral study. A master's degree is not offered. Some HASTS students have training in science or engineering, while others have a background in history, sociology, anthropology, and environmental studies, among many other fields.

In Fall 2012, five new students entered the program, admitted from a pool of 142 applicants. Currently the program includes 32 students, nine of whom are international students.

Requirements for Admission

Students with an undergraduate degree from any academic discipline are invited to apply, as long as they have a core interest in science and technology in their historical or social dimension. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required; specific subject GRE exams are not required. GRE scores are accepted up to five years after the exam was taken. Students with a first language other than English must also provide either IELTS or TOEFL results.

Admissions Process

Applications are due on January 1 each year. The HASTS Admissions Committee will begin its review process in mid- to late-January. Students who are selected to advance to the second round of the admissions process will be invited to interview in February or March. Telephone or video conference/chat interviews will be arranged for applicants unable to travel to Cambridge for an interview.

Following the interviews, faculty will meet again to determine the final and list of admitted students and alternates. Admitted students must notify the Institute of their intentions by April 15.

MIT Energy Fellowships

The MIT Energy Fellowship, made possible by generous industry sponsors of the MIT Energy Initiative, matches each Fellow with the industry partner who provided the funding for their first year of study, and includes membership in the Society of Energy Fellows at MIT, an organization within the MIT Energy Initiative established to foster a network of students dedicated to meeting the world's future energy needs. The Energy Fellows program is designed to attract and support graduate students with a special interest in energy. There is no formal application process; instead, students who have indicated an interest in energy in their statement of purpose will be considered for the fellowship by the department into which they have been admitted. For more information, please click on the above link.