Introductory Classes

Page Contents:01.About 02.Fields of Study 03.Additional Resources

The following is a list of subjects that have been suggested by the departments, programs, and sections as among those recommended for students who may not already have experience in these fields. This list is not all-inclusive, and is intended only as one possible starting point for students looking to explore the MIT SHASS fields. HASS-Exploration (HEX) subjects, for instance, provide another appropriate route, and many students will find additional subjects that match their own distinctive interests.

African and African Diaspora Studies

24.912[J] Black Matters: Introduction to Black Studies; HASS-A, HASS-H; CI-H | D. Wood

American Studies

17.20 Introduction to the American Political Process; HASS-S & CI-H | C. Stewart

Ancient and Medieval Studies

21H.130 The Ancience World: Greece; HASS-H & CI-H | E. Driscoll

Anthropology

21A.500[J] Technology and Culture; HASS-S | F. Rossi
21A.01 How Culture Works; HASS-S | M. Buyandelger

Asian and Asian Diaspora Studies

21G.041[J]/21L.040[J] Foundations of East Asian Literature and Culture: From Confucius to the Beats; HASS-H & CI-H | W. Denecke
21G.043[J]/21H.107[J] Asian American History: 1865 to 1965; HASS-H | E. Teng

Comparative Media Studies (CMS)

CMS.100 Introduction to Media Studies; HASS-H & CI-H | Condry, Lee
CMS.300 Introduction to Game Studies; HASS-H | Jakobsson
CMS.303 DJ History, Technique, and Technology; HASS-A | P. Tan
CMS.376 History of Media and Technology; HASS-H & CI-H | Hu
CMS.422[J]/21L.474[J]/WGS.230[J] Representing Girlhood; HASS-H | Gubar
CMS.614[J]/21W.791[J] Critical Internet Studies; HASS-S | Lewis
CMS.586[J]/11.124[J] Introduction to Education: Looking Forward and Looking Back on Education; HASS-S & CI-H | Moody
CMS 21W.022 Writing and Experience: Reading and Writing Autobiography; HASS-S & CI-W | Jackson
CMS 21W.023 Writing and Experience: Autobiography and Society; HASS-H & CI-HW | Harrison-Lepera
CMS 21W.024 Writing and Experience: Autobiography and Society; HASS-H & CI-HW | Beimford
CMS 21W.031 Science Writing and New Media: Explorations in Communicating about Science and Technology; HASS-H & CI-HW | Trice, Melvold
CMS 21W.735 Writing & Reading the Essay; HASS-H & CI-H | Walsh
CMS 21W.738[J]/21L.438[J]/WGS.238[J] Intersectional Feminist Memoir; HASS-H | Williams
CMS 21W.742 Writing About Race; HASS-H & CI-H | Williams
CMS 21W.747 Rhetoric; HASS-H & CI-H | Karatsolis
CMS 21W.755 Writing and Reading Short Stories; HASS-A | Abbas
CMS 21W.778 Science Journalism; HASS-H & CI-H | Levenson
CMS 21W.778 Science Journalism; HASS-H & CI-H | Levenson

Economics

14.01 Principles of Microeconomics; HASS-S | Donaldson
14.02 Principles of Macroeconomics; HASS-S | Caballero

Global Languages (GL)

21G.059 Paradigms of European Thought and Cultures; HASS-H & CI-H| Per Urlaub
21G.101 Chinese I (Regular); HASS-H | Kang Zhou
21G.107 Chinese I (Streamlined); HASS-H | Min-Min Liang
21G.301 French I; HASS-H | Cathy Culot
21G.401 German I; HASS-H | Dagmar Jaeger
21G.501 Japanese I; HASS-H | Ayae Uwabo-Dodson
21G.611 Russian I (Hybrid); HASS-H | Maria Khotimsky
21G.S51 Japanese I (Hybrid); HASS-H | Wakana Maekawa
21G.700 Introductory Spanish for Heritage Learners; HASS-H | Staff
21G.701 Spanish I; HASS-H | David Yagüe
21G.881 Portuguese I (Hybrid); HASS-H | Nilma Dominique
21G.901 Korean I; HASS-H | Cheol-Rin Park
21G.951 Arabic I; HASS-H | Muna Bruce
Global Languages offers language instruction courses at a variety of levels to suit your skills. All programs provide subjects for complete beginners: Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.

History

21H.001 How to Stage a Revolution; HASS-H, CI-H | M. Ghachem, M. Kars & C. Wilder
21H.161 The Modern Middle East; HASS-H | L. Ekmekcioglu
21H.173 Socialism in Latin America, from Che Guevara to Hugo Chávez, HASS-H | T. Padilla

Latin America and Latino/a Studies

17.55J Introduction to Latin American Studies will next be offered in AY24-25.

Linguistics

24.900 Introduction to Linguistics; HASS-S, CI-H | A. Albright

Literature

21L.001 Foundations of Western Literature Homer to Dante; H, CI-H
21L.004 Reading Poetry; A, CI-H
21L.009 Shakespeare; H, CI-H
21L.011 Introduction to Film Studies; H, CI-H
21L.016 Gods & Mortals; H, CI-H
21L.017 The Art of the Probable; H, CI-H
21L.020 Globalization; H, CI-H
21L.024 Literature & Existentialism; H, CI-H
21L.011 Introduction to Film Studies A CIH T 3:30-5, M 7-10 pm, R 1:30-3 or R 3:30-5
21L.032 Afrofuturism, Magical Realism and Other Otherwise Worlds CIH, HTR 3:30-5

Music

21M.065 Introduction to Musical Composition; HASS-A | M. Herron

Philosophy

24.01 Classics of Western Philosophy; HASS-H & CI-H | N. Woodcock
24.04J/17.01 Justice; HASS-H & CI-H | B. Zacka
24.05 Philosophy of Religion; HASS-H & CI-H | J. Spencer

Political Science

17.01 Justice; HASS-H & CI-H; B. Zacka
17.20 Introduction to the American Political Process; HASS-S & CI-H | D. Caughey
17.30 Making Public Policy; HASS-S & CI-H
17.50 Intro to Comparative Politics; HASS-S & CI-H | C. Lawson

Russian and Eurasian Studies

21H.244[J]/21G.085[J] Imperial and Revolutionary Russia: Culture and Politics, 1700-1917; HASS-H | E. Wood

Science, Technology, and Society (STS)

STS.003 Ancient Greeks to Modern Geeks: A History of Science; HASS-H | Staff
STS.012 Science in Action: Technologies and Controversies in Everyday Life; HASS-S | D. Banerjee
STS.031J Environment and History; HASS-S & CI-H | V. Pugliano

Women’s and Gender Studies (WGS)

WGS.101 Introduction to Women’s and Gender Studies; HASS-S & CI-H | C. Montague
WGS.111 Gender and Media; HASS-H | H. Arain
WGS.118 Gender in the Visual Arts; HASS-A | C. Montague
WGS.117 Queering Digital Humanities; HASS-H | C. Montague

Writing

21W.015 Writing and Rhetoric: Writing about Sports; HASS-H & CI-HW | Karatsolis
21W.022 Writing and Experience: Reading and Writing Autobiography; HASS-H & CI-HW | Jackson, Beimford, Harrison-Lepera
21W.031 Science Writing and New Media: Explorations in Communicating about Science and Technology; HASS-H & CI-HW | Trice, Melvold
21W.735 Writing & Reading the Essay; HASS-H & CI-H | Walsh
21W.738[J]/21L.438[J]/WGS.238[J] Intersectional Feminist Memoir; HASS-H | Abbott
21W.742 Writing About Race; HASS-H & CI-H | Neutill
21W.747 Rhetoric; HASS-H & CI-H | Stickgold-Sarah
21W.752 Making Documentary; HASS-A | Levenson
21W.755 Writing and Reading Short Stories; HASS-A | Nathan, Barkan
21W.778 Science Journalism; HASS-H & CI-H | Levenson

For more information, view the online subject listing and is always available through the departments, programs, and sections. Students should always refer to the official subject listing for updated schedules and locations. This list may not be updated after the start of classes.

Suggested introductory subjects

Fields of Study