Massachusetts Institute of Technology - MIT

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It is a global leading science and engineering dedicated institution, and is considered to be one of the most prestigious universities in the world. Since its incorporation in 1861, MIT has upheld its abiding commitment to advance knowledge and educate students in science, technology, and related areas of scholarship. Teaching and research—with relevance to the practical world as a guiding principle—continue to be the Institute’s primary purpose as it serves the nation and the world.

MIT was chartered by the state of Massachusetts in 1861 and became a land-grant college in 1863. William Barton Rogers, MIT’s founder and first president, had worked for years to organize an institution of higher learning devoted entirely to scientific and technical training, but the outbreak of the American Civil War delayed the opening of the school until 1865, when 15 students enrolled for the first classes, held in Boston. MIT moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1916; its campus is located along the Charles River. Under the administration of president Karl T. Compton (1930–48), the institute evolved from a well-regarded technical school into an internationally known centre for scientific and technical research.

Famous graduates and notable faculty members

• 80 Nobel Laureates
• 56 National Medal of Science winners
• 43 MacArthur Fellows
• 28 National Medal of Technology and Innovation winners

MIT focuses on scientific and technological research and is divided into five schools and one college. Among its graduate schools are the highly ranked School of Engineering and Sloan School of Management, in addition to strong programs in economics, psychology, biology, chemistry, earth sciences, physics and mathematics. Research expenditures at MIT have typically exceeded $650 million each year, with funding coming from government agencies such as the Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Defense.

Spanning five schools — architecture and planning; engineering; humanities, arts, and social sciences; management; and science — and more than 30 departments and programs, an education at MIT covers more than just science and technology.

Departments and courses

Aeronautics and Astronautics; Anthropology; Architecture; Biological Engineering; Biology; Brain and Cognitive Sciences; Chemical Engineering; Chemistry; Civil and Environmental Engineering; Comparative Media Studies/Writing; Computational and Systems Biology; Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences; Economics; Electrical Engineering and Computer Science; Engineering Systems Division; Global Studies and Languages; Health Sciences and Technology; History; Linguistics and Philosophy; Literature; Management; Materials Science and Engineering; Mathematics; Mechanical Engineering; Media Arts and Sciences; Music and Theater Arts; Nuclear Science and Engineering; Physics; Political Science; Science, Technology, and Society; Urban Studies and Planning; Women's and Gender Studies.