|
Overview
| Frequently Asked Questions
Overview
ESD is seeking master's students who want to work
on large, complex, socio-technical problems that cross discipline
boundaries. At the Master's level, ESD recommends its focused
master's degree programs. Refer directly to these programs for
their admissions processes:
Master of Science Degree in Engineering Systems:
In contrast to the focused programs listed above, only a limited
number of students are admitted to the general ESD master’s degree
option (ES SM) each year. The reason for this is that the engineering
systems master of science degree option more typically serves
students in four different categories:
- it is the engineering SM for ESD LGO
students,
- it can serve as a dual
degree for MIT graduate students wishing to broaden their
research into the examination of an engineering systems problem,
- it can be the academic home for students interested in the
Human-Systems
Engineering track
- or the Health
Care Systems track.
A very few exceptional candidates may also be admitted
directly to the engineering systems master’s degree option, but
only in cases where there is a clear and compelling academic match,
and support is forthcoming.
The ES SM includes a research-based thesis and satisfaction
of degree
requirements. Students in one of the two optional tracks have
more specified requirements (Human-Systems
Engineering, Health
Care Systems).
ES SM applications are reviewed once a year and
are due by January 10th. Offers of admission are for the following
Fall semester. All applications are reviewed at the same time.
> top
Frequently
Asked Questions
APPLICANT'S BACKGROUND
COMPLETING THE APPLICATION
GETTING TO KNOW US
PROGRAM DETAILS
More Questions?
> top
APPLICANT'S BACKGROUND
Who
should apply for the Master of Science Degree in Engineering Systems?
The Master of Science Degree in Engineering Systems (ES SM) typically
serves students in one of four categories:
- it is the engineering SM for many Leaders
for Global Operations (LGO) students
- it can serve as a dual
degree for current MIT graduate students wishing to broaden
their research into the examination of an engineering systems
problem
- and it can serve as the home for students interested in the
Human-Systems
Engineering Track
- or Health
Care Systems Track.
Apart from applicants in these categories, a very
few exceptional applicants may also be admitted directly
to the ES SM, but only in cases where there is a clear and compelling
academic match, and support is forthcoming.
Investigate ESD's other Master's
Programs: all of ESD's programs share a common, holistic
approach to engineering systems, with a focus on leadership. What
distinguishes each of the master's programs from its peers is
the program's focus within the life cycle – whether students
deal primarily with design, manufacturing, operations, or policy
issues – although in all cases these boundaries are porous.
Current MIT graduate students seeking a dual degree
should refer
here for information on the process, and LGO applicants should
first familiarize themselves with LGO's
application process before continuing their reading here.
> top
What
type of undergraduate degree should I have?
Applicants should have an undergraduate degree in a technical
field, usually an engineering or science discipline.
> top
Must
I have prior work experience?
No. However, prior work experience is a distinct plus and most
ESD students have worked for a year or more. ESD values work experience
because it helps students define the research that is most important
for them and get the most out of their experience with us.
> top
COMPLETING THE APPLICATION
How
do I apply to the ESD Master’s degree?
Apply
online at MIT's Graduate Admissions site. Candidates should
specify the Engineering Systems Division as the home department,
SM (MIT parlance for an "MS," Master of Science) as the
initial degree, and Fall as the term of entry.
> top
How
do I indicate interest in a track?
Specify a research area within the application that matches the
track you are interested in. You should also discuss your interest
in a particular track within the Statement of Objectives.
> top
What
is the application deadline?
Applications are due by January 10th. When January
10th falls on a weekend, application materials will
be accepted the following Monday.
There is only one round of applications for the
ES SM, and all applications are reviewed at the same time.
> top
What
materials should I submit with my application?
- The Graduate
Application including:
- A Statement of Objectives that indicates the area
of interest in engineering systems and general career objectives.
- Transcripts from all the universities, colleges, institutes
of higher-learning, etc., you have attended
- Three evaluations or letters of recommendation. (If
your evaluator prefers to submit using hard-copy, please offer
him/her an evaluation form printed from the .pdf of the
graduate application along with an addressed and stamped
envelope.) Your evaluators should be able to testify in useful
detail about your professional and research capabilities. One
of these evaluations must be from a professor, two evaluations
must be academic, and the final reference may come from employers
or other professional or research contacts.
- GRE general examination scores.
- IELTS (or TOEFL) scores, for non-native speakers of
English.
- A curriculum
vitae or resume
> top
Where
should I submit supplemental application documents?
Mail hard-copy application documents, and all supplemental documents
with sensitive information, such as transcripts and sealed evaluations,
to:
ESD-Doc/SM,
77 Massachusetts Ave., E40-249
Cambridge, MA 02139-4307
U.S.A.
E-mail electronic supplemental application documents
that do not contain private information, such as resumes, to
esdgrad "at" mit.edu.
- Recommendations or evaluations forwarded electronically by
you, the applicant, will not be accepted. Your evaluator
may send a letter of recommendation directly, using her or his
professional e-mail account and electronic letterhead, to esdgrad
"at" mit.edu.
Unfortunately, admissions questions sent via e-mail
cannot be accepted. Please ask your question during admissions
office hours.
> top
How
do I apply if I am already a student at MIT? MIT
undergraduates applying for the ES SM should apply using the
procedure outlined above. Current students only are eligible
for an application fee waiver, which they can request from ESD's
Academic Office during admissions office
hours. While all applications to the ES SM are reviewed by
at least one member of the Admissions Committee, the Admissions
Committee expects successful applicants to the ES SM will have
an MIT GPA of 4.5 or higher.
MIT master's students seeking a dual degree
should refer
here.
MIT master's students seeking a second degree
(i.e. planning on writing a separate ES SM thesis, etc.), should
apply using the procedure outlined above. Current students only
are eligible for an application fee waiver, which they can request
from ESD's Academic Office during admissions
office hours. Additionally, current graduate students do not
have to submit GRE scores, but it should be noted that standardized
test scores submitted to MIT in the past will automatically be
uploaded into our system, and be available to the Admissions Committee.
While all applications to the ES SM are reviewed by at least one
member of the Admissions Committee, the Admissions Committee expects
successful applicants to the ES SM will have an MIT GPA of 4.5
or higher.
> top
What
are the required GRE scores?
While all applications to the ES SM are reviewed by at least one
member of the Admissions Committee, the Admissions Committee expects
successful applicants to the ES SM will meet or surpass the following
minimum Graduate
Record Examinations (GRE) scores:
- 550 on the Verbal section (450 for non-native
speakers)
- 700 on the Quantitative section
- and 4.5 on the Analytical Writing section.
Beyond the minimums, a rough guideline for determining
whether your scores are competitive is to add your percentile
scores (also provided to you in your score report) for the Verbal,
Quantitative, and Analytic sections. Combined percentile scores
of successful applicants tend to exceed 200. Native English speakers
can be expected to exceed 200 by a wider margin. An example of
determining the combined percentile score:
| GRE Section |
Score |
Percentile Score |
| Verbal |
580 |
81 |
| Quantitative |
800 |
94 |
| Analytic Writing |
5.0 |
+ 77 |
| Combined Percentile Score |
252 |
All applicants not already in MIT graduate school
are required to take the GRE general test. Subject tests are not
required.
Note: We recommend that even expert writers
review the expectations for the GRE's Analytic Writing section.
The criteria the Educational Testing Service (ETS) applies to
scoring these essays may not always match the standard writing
conventions used within some technical disciplines or at some
institutions.
> top
How
do I demonstrate that my English proficiency is at or above the
required level?
All applicants who are non-native English speakers must demonstrate
that their English proficiency is sufficient to participate in
the regular activities of an ESD student. Standardized tests for
English proficiency will automatically be waived for applicants
who electronically
submit a supplemental statement affirming that they have completed
their entire secondary education (high school), or four consecutive
years of post-secondary education, at a school where the language
of instruction is exclusively English. Otherwise, applicants must
submit a recent academic format International
English Language Testing System (IELTS) score or,
in areas where the IELTS is not available, a TOEFL score.
If your score is more than two years old then the Admissions Committee
requires new exam scores in order to assess your current
capabilities. Also note that exam scores "expire," i.e. the testing
service will not report scores taken before a certain date. Check
the testing service's web site to find out when your scores expire.
> top
What
is the required IELTS score?
The minimum score on the International
English Language Testing System (IELTS) academic format is
7.5. The IELTS is required, except in areas
where the IELTS is not yet available.
The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
is an accepted alternative in the case of an applicant based in
an area where the IELTS is not currently offered. The minimum
score on the TOEFL is 255 for the computer-based test, 103 for
the internet-based test, and 610 for the paper-based test. Use
the MIT reporting code: 3514 and the department code: 69.
> top
Should
I report my unofficial test scores?
To speed up your application process, we urge all candidates to
self-report test scores either within their applications or electronically.
This will allow the ESD Admissions Committee to process applications
more quickly. Candidates must arrange with the testing institution
to have official test scores forwarded to ESD and these will be
checked against the self-reported scores. Applications with blatant
discrepancies will be automatically rejected.
> top
I
am concerned that my scores might be lower than they should be.
What should I do?
If you have reviewed the statements above on minimum scores, and
are worried your scores may be too low, the best advice we can
give any applicant is to practice and retake the exam.
Here is our philosophy: A characteristic of ESD
students is their ability to plan for and manage challenges. Hence,
successful applicants tend to allot sufficient time to preparing
for the exams, documenting any relevant disabilities with the
testing institution and planning accommodations, taking the exams,
and having their scores reported. Admissions are competitive,
and publishing minimums and general advice is the fairest thing
we can do for all of our applicants. Remember, the Admissions
Committee also reviews transcripts, congruence of applicant interests
with faculty capabilities and interests, letters of recommendation
from faculty and professionals who can validate the candidate's
capabilities, and maturity in approaching the subject.
> top
In
addition to test scores, transcripts, recommendations, etc. are
there any other factors that influence the Admission Committee’s
decision?
An applicant can be admitted only if an ESD faculty member is
prepared mentor the applicant, at least for the first year in
the program. A mentor helps a student intellectually and in obtaining
financial aid as needed, but is not necessarily the provider of
this aid. If no faculty member is ready to work with an applicant,
then the applicant cannot realistically pursue an effective program
in ESD.
Please note: matching mentors with applicants is
part of the Admissions Committee's job – it is generally
not a job applicants, particularly external applicants,
can do!
External applicants are encouraged to review
our faculty members' bios and papers. Then, within the Statement
of Objectives, suggest to the Admissions Committee where there
might be research overlaps, e.g.: "My interest in X has parallels
to the work Prof. Y is doing with lab Z." Naturally, internal
applicants can be expected to suggest a little more concretely
("My work with Prof. A in lab B has suggested a number of extensions
we would like to explore further").
The Admissions Committee is mindful of the fact
that familiarity with the Institute can confer a slight advantage
on internal applicants. In the face of this, our practice is to
extend offers of admission to the cohort of applicants selected
primarily on the basis of academic excellence and maturity
of thought, and only secondarily by the constraints imposed
by pragmatic concerns like availability of mentorship and support.
Finally, it is important to emphasize the difference
between a starting mentor, arranged for by the Admissions Committee,
and a student's eventual thesis advisor. For a semester, or maybe
two, a mentor helps students become oriented within the Institute.
However, once a student is ready to begin research in earnest,
the student must find the advisor who will help her formulate
her research and shape a thesis. Often a mentor becomes an advisor,
but not in all cases.
> top
How
will I be notified that my application is complete?
You will be notified via e-mail of the status of your application
at different stages of the admissions process.
If you have not heard from us in a while, it is
permissible to check in once a week during admissions
office hours until your application is designated "complete."
Once your application is complete, then in all likelihood the
next contact you will have with us is your admissions decision.
Given our lean admissions staffing, fielding too many requests
for status updates interferes with checking-in materials, sending
out notifications, and processing applications. We appreciate
your patience.
> top
When
will I be notified of your admissions decision?
Applicants will be notified by late March.
> top
GETTING TO KONW US
Where
can I read more about ESD?
The ESD web site has materials
to get you started. In particular, the ESD
Strategic Report is a good orientation. Don't miss the research,
the library of resources,
news & events,
or faculty
bios either!
> top
How
can I arrange a visit?
Prospective students may visit MIT at any time. Visits are self-arranged
but the MIT
Information Center provides tours of the campus. For current
ESD events, some of which are open to the public, check News
& Events. For a closer look at ESD, we encourage local prospective
students to attend the ESD Open House, an opportunity for local
prospective students to learn about ESD programs from faculty,
current students, and staff. The Open House normally occurs in
November. Check News
& Events for details as they are available. In case you'll
have to miss the Open House, check News
& Events for information on occasional Question & Answer sessions
on Skype's group chat, 2-3PM on scattered Fridays in November
and December.
> top
PROGRAM DETAILS
Does
ESD offer financial assistance?
ESD assists its current and admitted students in obtaining financial
assistance, but ultimately, the graduate student is responsible
for finding and maintaining the financial support they need to
sustain their MIT education. Most ESD graduate students are able
to support their MIT education by working as
graduate assistants throughout MIT. These jobs pay for tuition
and a living stipend.
Students are encouraged to secure funding from external
sources. The deadlines for many fellowships are much earlier than
the typical deadline for university applications. The Office
of the Dean for Graduate Education (ODGE) maintains an extensive
list of fellowships and grants. Student
Financial Services is another resource for answering financial
questions.
> top
Does
ESD offer dual SM degrees?
Yes! Before applying for a dual degree, you must first be admitted
to a master's program at MIT. Current MIT master's students seeking
a dual degree should refer
here.
> top
Can
I pursue an ES SM and PhD simultaneously?
Yes. Entering doctoral students who do not already have a master’s
degree will, in fact, typically be encouraged to obtain one of
the ESD master’s degrees along the way, as good preparation for
the culminating doctoral research.
> top
Is
there a distance learning component to the ES SM?
No. ES SM students must be full-time students. MIT SM students
are required
to be local for one Fall or Spring term. Generally and practically
speaking, ES SM students are best served by living locally, although
students are not required to live in on-campus housing.
> top
MORE QUESTIONS?
What
should I do if I have more questions about the application process?
A careful reading of the FAQs is a great first step! We know that
admissions practices vary across the globe, but the only way to
be admitted to an ESD program is by submitting a thoughtful and
carefully constructed application. This means that the majority
of successful applications can be submitted using only the instructions
available here or embedded in the application itself. If your
question is not covered here, please do get in touch during admissions
office hours.
> top
When
are admissions office hours? How should I get in touch?
Admissions office hours are 2PM
to 3PM, Monday – Friday. During admissions season (November
1 – January 10) some Fridays may be reserved for admissions
Question & Answer sessions via group chats on Skype. Check News
& Events for dates. Applicants and prospective students with
substantial time zone or work schedule mismatches may set up an
alternate appointment by Skype, instant message, or phone.
phone: [+1] 617-253-1182
Skype: mit.esd.academic.office
AIM: MITesdAcOffc
Google Talk: esdgrad@mit.edu
Windows Live Messenger: esdgrad@mit.edu
Yahoo! Messenger: MITesdAcOffc
Unfortunately, admissions questions sent via e-mail
cannot be accepted.
>
top
August 2009
|
