The Program has granted 53 doctoral degrees since its inception in 1988. Graduates hold faculty appointments at universities including MIT, 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, and the University of Toronto. Other graduates work in museums, journalism, business, and academic research.
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 others. Some, but not all students enter the program having completed an advanced degree in another discipline.
In Fall 2009, four new students matriculated into the program, admitted from a pool of 90 applicants. Currently the program includes 28 students (12 male and 16 female). There are 7 international students (3 male and 4 female).
Students with an undergraduate degree from any academic discipline are invited to apply, but they should express long term 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.
We strongly encourage submission through the online application found on the Graduate Admissions website. A .pdf paper application can be downloaded from the same site. Paper applications may also be obtained from the MIT Graduate Admissions Office via telephone: 617-253-2917. The HASTS Program office administers the admissions process but does not send applications to students.
The deadline for applications is January 1st for admission the following September (for example, January 1, 2010 for September 2010 admission). The Program does not admit students for the Spring term.
Applications to the doctoral program must include:
The writing sample and transcripts can be sent directly to the department at:
Doctoral Program in History, Anthropology, and Science, Technology and Society
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
77 Massachusetts Avenue, E51-185
Cambridge, MA 02139-4307
Letters of evaluation that are not submitted online can also be sent to the above address. Specific instructions are included in the full application.
The HASTS Admissions Committee will begin their review process in mid-January. Students who are selected to advance to the second round of the admissions process will be invited to interview in February or March. For international students or those unable to come to Cambridge for an interview, telephone interviews will be arranged.
Following the interviews, faculty will meet again to determine the final and alternate list of admitted students.
Prospective applicants may make arrangements to visit the program by requesting to meet with the HASTS Director of Graduate Studies, the Academic Administrator and/or faculty members whose area of research is of interest to them. Prospective applicants are encouraged to visit between May 1 and December 15 each year. These visits are not required for admission, but are available to those who want to get a sense if our program is a good match for their academic and research interests.
Visitors should contact the HASTS Academic Administrator (at hasts@mit.edu or 617-253-9759) and submit the one-page Prospective Student Questionnaire (PDF | Word doc) before arriving at MIT. Applicants should keep in mind that faculty have full schedules, so it is important to schedule meetings with them before making travel plans to visit MIT.
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.
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Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
MIT HASTS Building E51-185 | 617-253-9759 | hasts@mit.edu |