IAP OVERVIEW

By, For, and About the MIT Community

Participation and Eligibility

Credit Policy

Using the On-Line Guide

Updates and Schedule Changes

Snow Days

By, For, and About the MIT Community

IAP, Independent Activities Period, is a special 4-week term at MIT that runs from the first week of January until the end of the month. IAP 2003 runs from January 6 through January 31.

For students and faculty, IAP provides a welcome break from the academic routine of the fall and spring semesters. It offers opportunities for creativity and flexibility in teaching and learning. Students are free to set their own educational agendas, pursue independent projects, meet with faculty, or do many other things not possible during the semester. Many faculty try out innovative educational experiments as IAP activities, and most faculty are available for informal contact with students.

Participation and Eligibility

• IAP subjects (for credit) are available to all students registered in the fall or spring terms of the academic year.
  
  
• Non-credit activities are only open to the MIT community and MIT affiliates: faculty, students, staff, and MIT alumni. Activities should be organized for the entire MIT community, not non-MIT groups or for the public at large. The number of participants in IAP activities may be limited, but the ability to participate may not be limited to members of a particular group.
  
  
• All members of the MIT community can join the non-credit activities found in the IAP Guide; activities are generally available in more than thirty-five different categories. Some activities require advance sign-up, but in most cases you can simply show up at the stated time.
  
  
• Employees need to check with their supervisors when activities they wish to attend conflict with their work schedules
  
  

Credit Policy

• All students are limited to 12 units of credit during IAP.
  
  
• Only students registered in the fall or spring terms of the academic year may receive IAP credit.
  
  
• The number of credit units awarded for each subject and the grading policy are specified in the subject listing.
  
  
• Many activities offer credit as "special topic" subjects. In these cases, official descriptions may be obtained from faculty members in charge of the activities.
  
  
• Credit received by freshmen is not counted towards their fall or spring semester limits. (See Participating in Subjects for more information.)
  
  

Using the On-line IAP Guide

Here's how to find subjects And activities using the On-line IAP Guide:

• Subjects (taken for credit) are organized according to academic department number and then by subject number (e.g. Course 1, 1.01, 1.02). See IAP Subjects (Credit Listings)
  
  
• Activities (non-credit) are organized in three ways:
  • By category; see Activities by Category
  • By sponsor; see Activities by Sponsor
  • Via the Activities Calendar on the IAP Home Page

   

All IAP Subjects and Activities are indexed with an IAP search engine. See Search the IAP Guide.

Updates and Schedule Changes

Updates will be made each evening to the IAP On-Line Guide throughout IAP. You will be able to check on what's currently happening on campus, and also see any changes in activities' schedules. You will also be able to find out about new activities.

During IAP there will be displays of daily and special events on the bulletin boards located outside the IAP Office, 7-104, as well as some departmental bulletin boards. Activity organizers may post one flyer per activity on the 7-104 display boards.

Snow Days

If the Institute must close due to snow, the IAP Office closes as well. Organizers will decide whether to hold or cancel their activities. If they do cancel, they should try, to the extent possible, to notify participants (for instance, with a sign on the door or by e-mail) and may reschedule the classes as they wish. Organizers should notify the IAP Office of rescheduled meetings so that they may be posted on the web site.