Spotlight

The Times Higher Education 2015 World University Rankings has named MIT one of the top three universities worldwide for humanities and arts education. The three top ranked universities — Stanford University, Harvard University, and MIT — are closely aligned in the evaluation metrics, which assess the arts and humanities at “research-intensive universities across all their core missions: teaching, research, knowledge transfer, and international outlook.”

"I am delighted that MIT's faculty members in the arts and humanities are receiving this public recognition as scholars and teachers for their remarkable research and creativity," said MIT President L. Rafael Reif. "Their work challenges us to think about the world in new ways, overturns fixed assumptions, and inspires novel connections across disciplines far beyond their own fields. Humanities and arts teaching is also central to guiding MIT students in their growth as human beings who understand the power of science and technology, are alert to its impacts on society, and are prepared to be bold, thoughtful leaders of constructive change.”

Two MIT schools and several centers are home to the arts and humanities

"At MIT, we view the humanities and arts as essential,” said Melissa Nobles, Kenan Sahin Dean of the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, “both for educating young students, thinkers, and citizens, and for sustaining the Institute’s capacity to address the great challenges of our era.” 

“The arts and humanities are deeply embedded at MIT, throughout our schools and departments and across the curriculum,” said Hashim Sarkis, Dean of the School of Architecture and Planning. “I am delighted to see this broad strength recognized not only for its importance to MIT but for what it offers to the world.”

Noting that all undergraduates at MIT are required to take a minimum of eight classes in the humanities, arts, and social sciences, Nobles said,

"The world’s problems are so complex they’re not only science and technological problems. They are as much human and moral problems.”

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