Undergraduate Study

Page Contents:01.HASS Concentrations02.Disciplinary Majors & Minors03.Interdisciplinary Majors & Minors04.Joint Degrees

Pathways

Every student at MIT takes courses in the humanities, arts, and social sciences. Beyond your HASS requirement, you can pursue a minor, major, double major, or joint degree.

You can find information about Fall 2025 SHASS subjects here.

HASS concentrations

All undergraduates must complete the humanities, arts, and social sciences (HASS) requirement, which is part of the General Institute Requirements (GIRs).

The HASS requirement involves completing eight subjects that fulfill three key components. Each component is focused on breadth, depth, or choice.

The distribution component (breadth) consists of 3 subjects. To fulfill it, take different types of HASS subjects, one from each of the following categories: HASS-H (humanities), HASS-A (arts), and HASS-S (social sciences).

The concentration component (depth) consists of 3-4 subjects. To fulfill it, take subjects in one HASS field. You have a range of concentrations to choose from for your HASS requirement. Some subjects are housed within SHASS fields or programs, and others at different schools at MIT.

The elective component (choice) consists of 1-2 subjects. To fulfill it, choose the HASS subjects you like.

Majors and minors

Disciplinary majors and minors

Students major in a SHASS subject for professional training or to explore interests that support, balance, and expand studies in a STEM field.

Minors at MIT are a great way to discover something fascinating, supplement your major, and develop creative talents. If you are able to add a few subjects to your concentration, you can build a 6-subject minor.

How to Apply
STS classes have shown the world to be an intricate network of connections and have challenged me to reflect on the importance of our values for the advancement of science, allowing me to contextualize the development of future technologies for the improvement of society.”
Lasya Balachandran ’25
Double major in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and Mathematics
Minor in Science, Technology, and Society

Interdisciplinary majors and minors

Want to study a field through the lens of multiple disciplines? Earn an interdisciplinary major by special arrangement. By pursuing one of the fields below, you’ll receive an S.B. in Humanities, Course 21.

Earn an interdisciplinary minor by building a 6-subject course of study. This will let you explore a field in greater depth and earn a Minor in Humanities, Course 21.

Apply for an interdisciplinary major or minor

Joint degrees

Joint degrees allow you to customize your studies at MIT and develop skill sets that support a range of professional paths. Joint degrees offer students a framework for pursuing intensive studies that combines a SHASS field with an engineering and science field.

My MIT education has shown me that in a world so filled with technology we have to make sure that we make room for humanity. From science to humanities, technology to business, and invention to exposure, every human action has a human effect. Technology — at its greatest — begins and ends at our common humanity.”
Ryan Robinson ‘17
Course 21E: Humanities and Engineering

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