Engineering Units & Concentration Requirements

Engineering Units and Concentration Requirements

In your 2-A curriculum, your concentration must include 72 units of subjects within your concentration, as well as 72 units of engineering topics. Engineering courses that fit within your concentration may be counted BOTH towards the concentration AND towards the engineering unit requirement, however, if you have subjects in your concentration that have no or partial engineering, you may need to take extra engineering subjects.

Generally (unless noted otherwise below):

  1. If the class is taught in course 1, 2, 3, 6, 10, 16, 20, or 22, then usually all of its units may be counted as engineering units. (Exceptions are listed below.)
  2. Engineering units of all other classes need to be assessed individually by the 2-A faculty coordinator.
  3. The list below is a guideline and the engineering units are subject to change. Final decision is made when the 2A form is approved.

Typical engineering units for various common courses
Note that these units counts should be viewed as guidelines rather than rules.  We evaluate each 2-A program individually to assess the total amount of engineering content as a whole.

*HASS subject – you must take an additional HASS in order to include a HASS in your concentration.

Course 1:

  • 1.00 Introduction to Computers and Engineering Problem Solving — 12 engineering units (as REST subject only)
  • 1.021 Introduction to Modeling and Simulation — 12 engineering units (as REST subject only)
  • 1.801* Environmental Law, Policy, and Economics: Pollution Prevention and Control — 3 engineering units
  • 1.462J Entrepreneurship in Construction and Real Estate Development — no engineering units

Course 2:

  • 2.912/15.373 Venture Engineering – 6 engineering units

Course 3:

  • HASS classes in the Anthropology area – no engineering units

Course 4:

  • 4.031 Design Studio: Objects and Interaction — 12 engineering units
  • 4.032 Design Studio: Information and Visualization — no engineering units
  • 4.101  Design Studio: Introduction to Design Techniques and Technologies – 12 engineering units
  • 4.110* Design Across Scales, Disciplines & Problem Contexts — 6 engineering units
  • 4.111*, 4.112, 4.113 Architecture Studio — 6 units each; 12 engineering units total for any combination
  • 4.140 How to Make (Almost) Anything — 12 engineering units (GRAD)
  • 4.301* Introduction to Visual Arts — no engineering units
  • 4.314* Advanced Workshop in Artistic Practice and Transdisciplinary Research — no engineering units
  • 4.322* Introduction to Three-Dimensional Art Work — no engineering units
  • 4.401 Introduction to Architectural Building Systems — 12 engineering units
  • 4.411  D-Lab Schools: Building Technology Lab — 12 engineering units
  • 4.42J Fundamentals of Energy in Buildings — 12 engineering units (REST)
  • 4.440 Building Structural Systems I — 12 engineering units (REST)
  • 4.444 Analysis of Historic Structures — 12 engineering units
  • 4.447 Design for Sustainability — 6 engineering units (GRAD)
  • 4.472 Design Workshop for a Sustainable Future — 9 engineering units
  • 4.500 Introduction to Design Computing — 12 engineering units
  • 4.501 Architectural Computing and Construction — 6 engineering units
  • 4.502 Advanced Visualization: Architecture in Motion Graphics – 3 engineering units
  • 4.504 Design Scripting — 12 engineering units
  • 4.520 Visual Computing I — 6 engineering units
  • 4.569 Designing Interactions — 3 engineering units

Course 5:

  • 5.07 Biological Chemistry I — no engineering units (REST)
  • 5.12 Organic Chemistry I — no engineering units (REST)
  • 5.13 Organic Chemistry II — no engineering units
  • 5.310 Laboratory Chemistry — 6 engineering units
  • 5.60 Thermodynamics and Kinetics — no engineering units (REST)
  • 5.61 Physical Chemistry — no engineering units (REST)

Course 6:

  • 6.00 Introduction to Computer Science and Programming — 12 engineering units (as REST subject only)
  • 6.123J Bioinstrumentation Project Lab — 12 engineering units
  • 6.902 Engineering Innovation and Design (GEL) — 6 engineering units
  • 6.903J Patents, Copyrights, and the Law of Intellectual Property — 3 engineering units
  • 6.911 Engineering Leadership Lab (GEL) — no engineering units
  • 6.912 Engineering Leadership (GEL) — no engineering units
  • 6.913 Engineering Leadership Lab (GEL) — no engineering units
  • 6.933 Founder’s Journey — 12 engineering units

Course 7:

  • 7.02 Intro Exp Bio and Communication — 6 engineering units
  • 7.03 Genetics — no engineering units (REST)
  • 7.05 General Biochemistry — no engineering units (REST)
  • 7.06 Cell Biology — no engineering units
  • 7.18 Topics in Experimental Biology — no engineering units
  • 7.20 Human Physiology — no engineering units

Course 8:

  • 8.03 Physics III — no engineering units (REST)
  • 8.04 Quantum Physics I — no engineering units (REST)
  • 8.20 Introduction to Special Relativity — no engineering units (REST)
  • 8.21 Physics of Energy — 12 engineering units (REST)
  • 8.226 Forty-three Orders of Magnitude — no engineering units
  • 8.282 Introduction to Astronomy — no engineering units (REST)
  • 8.286 The Early Universe — no engineering units (REST)

Course 9:

  • 9.01 Introduction to Neuroscience — no engineering units (REST)

Course 10:

  • 10.04* A Philosophical History of Energy — no engineering units

Course 11:

  • 11.025* D-Lab Development — 3 engineering units
  • 11.533 Ecological Planning with GIS — 6 engineering units (GRAD)
  • 11.601 Intro to Environmental Policy and Planning — 3 engineering units (GRAD)
  • 11.630 Environmental Law, Policy and Economics: Pollution Prevention and Control — no engineering units (GRAD)

Course 12:

  • 12.001 Introduction to Geology — no engineering units (REST)
  • 12.002 Physics of the Terrestrial Planets — no engineering units (REST)
  • 12.003 Physics of the Atmosphere and Ocean — no engineering units (REST)
  • 12.009 Theoretical Environmental Analysis — 6 engineering units
  • 12.021 Earth Science, Energy and the Environment — 6 engineering units
  • 12.102 Environmental Earth Science — no engineering units (REST)
  • 12.213 Alternate Energy Sources — 6 engineering units (graded P/D/F so extra engineering ONLY)
  • 12.338 Aerosol & Cloud Microphysics & Chemistry — 9 engineering units
  • 12.340 Global Warming Science — 12 engineering units
  • 12.348J Global Climate Change: Economics, Science and Policy — 6 engineering units
  • 12.400 The Solar System — no engineering units (REST)
  • 12.402 Introduction to Astronomy — no engineering units (REST)
  • 12.425 Extrasolar Planets — no engineering units (REST)

Course 14:

  • 14.01* Principles of Microeconomics — no engineering units
  • 14.03* Microeconomics Theory — no engineering units
  • 14.30 Introduction to Statistical Method in Economics — 12 engineering units (REST)
  • 14.41* Public Finance and Public Policy — no engineering units
  • 14.42* Environmental Policy and Economics — no engineering units
  • 14.43* Energy Decisions, Markets — no engineering units
  • 14.44* Energy Economics and Policy — no engineering units
  • 14.74* Foundations of Development Policy — no engineering units
  • 14.771 Development Economics: Microeconomic Issues and Policy Models — no engineering units (GRAD)
  • 14.772 Development Economics: Macroeconomics — no engineering units (GRAD)
  • 14.773 Political Economy: Institutions and Development– no engineering units (GRAD)

Course 15:

  • 15.026 Global Climate Change: Economics, Science, and Policy — 6 engineering units
  • 15.031J Energy Decisions, Markets, and Policies — 0 engineering units
  • 15.053 Optimization Methods in Management — 12 engineering units
  • 15.075 Statistical Thinking and Data Analysis — 12 engineering units
  • 15.301 Managerial Psychology Laboratory — 6 engineering units
  • 15.373/2.912 Venture Engineering – 6 engineering units
  • 15.390 New Enterprises — no engineering units
  • 15.411 (was 15.401) Finance Theory I — no engineering units
  • 15.501 Corporate Financial Accounting — 9 engineering units
  • 15.616 Basic Businesses Law, Tilted Towards Strategy and Innovation — 3 engineering units
  • 15.667 Negotiation and Conflict Management — no engineering units
  • 15.770 Logistics Systems — 12 engineering units (GRAD)
  • 15.772 D-Lab Supply Chains — 9 engineering units
  • 15.812 Marketing Management — 3 engineering units
  • 15.871 Introduction to System Dynamics — 6 engineering units (GRAD)
  • 15.872 System Dynamics II — 6 engineering units (GRAD)

Course 16:

  • 16.895 Engineering Apollo — no engineering units (GRAD)

Course 17:

  • 17.181* Sustainability: Political Economy, Science and Policy — no engineering units

Course 18:

  • 18.05 Introduction to Probability and Statistics — no engineering units (REST)
  • 18.06 Linear Algebra — no engineering units (REST)
  • 18.085 (new number: 18.0851) Computational Science and Engineering I — 12 engineering units
  • 18.330 Introduction to Numerical Analysis — 6 engineering units
  • 18.352 Theoretical Environmental Analysis – 6 engineering units
  • 18.353 Nonlinear Dynamics: Chaos – 12 engineering units
  • 18.354 (new number: 18.3541) Nonlinear Dynamics: Continuum Systems – 12 engineering units (GRAD)
  • 18.440 (new number: 18.600) Probability and Random Variables — 12 engineering units (REST)

Course 20:

  • 20.110 Thermodynamics of Biomolecular Systems — 12 engineering units (REST)
  • 20.201 Mechanisms of Drug Actions — 12 engineering units (GRAD)
  • 20.360J Tissue Engineering for Analysis, Prevention, and Treatment of Human Disease — 12 engineering units
  • 20.371 Quantitative Systems Physiology — 12 engineering units
  • 20.507J Biological Chemistry I — no engineering units (REST)

IDS:

  • IDS.521 Energy Systems and Climate Change Mitigation — 12 engineering units (GRAD)
  • IDS.435 Law, Technology, and Public Policy — 6 engineering units (GRAD)

MAS:

  • MAS.110 Fundamentals of Computational Media Design — no engineering
  • MAS.834 Tangible Interfaces — 12 engineering units (GRAD)
  • MAS.600 Human 2.0 — 9 engineering units (GRAD)
  • MAS.863J How to Make (Almost) Anything — 12 engineering units (GRAD)
  • MAS.665 Development Ventures — no engineering units (GRAD)

EC:

  • EC.701* D-Lab: Development — 3 engineering units
  • EC.710 D-Lab: Health Technologies for the Developing World — 6 engineering units
  • EC.711 D-Lab Energy — 12 engineering units
  • EC.713 D-Lab Schools: Building Technology Lab – 12 engineering units
  • EC.715 D-Lab: Disseminating Innovations for the Common Good — no engineering units
  • EC.717 D-Lab: Education – no engineering units
  • EC.720 D-Lab Design — 12 engineering units
  • EC.729 D-Lab Design for Scale – 12 engineering units

CMS:

  • CMS.634 Designing Interactions — 3 engineering units

2-A Requirements

Degree requirements can be found here:
http://catalog.mit.edu/degree-charts/mechanical-engineering-course-2-a/
 

Build!

  • 2.00: Introduction to Design (6 units, full semester, Fall)
    2.00A/B/C or 2.007 are also options to substitute, offered Spring.
  • Choose one:
    • 2.678: Electronics for Mechanical Systems (6 units, full semester)
    • 2.674: Micro/Nano Engineering Laboratory (6 units, full semester)

Engineering Mathematics

  • 2.086: Numerical Computation for Mechanical Engineers (12 units), REST
  • 18.03: Differential Equations (12 units), REST

Mechanics

  • 2.001: Mechanics and Materials I (12 units)

Controls and Dynamics

  • 2.003: Dynamics & Control I (12 units)

Thermal Fluids

  • 2.005: Thermal-fluids Engineering I (12 units)

Upper Level

  • 2.671: Measurement and Instrumentation (12 units), LAB, CI-M
  • 2.009: The Product Engineering Process (12 units), LAB, CI-M
  • 72 unit Concentration
    • A concentration is 6-8 subjects (total of 72 units or more with strong engineering content) that form a coherent theme within the field of engineering.  Your concentration should make up a single cohesive topic (not a group of topics)
    • Your concentration must contain one REST subject (the remainder of the concentration should consist primarily of upper level subjects)
    • Your program must contain 72 engineering units beyond the required core subjects (e.g. you must have at least 72 engineering units in your concentration or the difference must be made up in extra engineering subjects outside the concentration)
    • Note regarding substitutions: If you substitute a 12 unit upper level class for a 6 units requirement then you can include the extra 6 units in your concentration.  For introductory level classes (only GIRs as pre-requisites), you can use the extra units as extra engineering, but not in your concentration, unless it is also your REST subject.
    • UROPS can NOT be counted in your concentration or as extra engineering units. If you would like to count a research project in your concentration or as engineering units, you may do this as a thesis.

2-A Course Offering Details

COURSE

FALL term

SPRING TERM

2.00

Second half of the term

Not offered (2.00A,B,C or 2.007 are offered instead)

2.001

Full term

Full term

2.003

Full term

Full term

2.005

 Full term Full term
2.086 Full term Full term
2.009 (CI-M)   Full term Not offered
2.671 (CI-M)      Full term Full term
2.674 Not offered Full term (6 units)
2.678 Full term (6 units) Full term (6 units)
18.03 Full term Full term

 

Sample Schedules

Typical Mainstream Schedule

 

Freshman

Fall

Spring

3.091

12

8.02

12

8.01

12

18.02

12

18.01

12

 Elective

12

HASS

12

HASS

12

Total Units

48

 

48

 

Sophomore

Fall

Spring

1st half

2nd half

 

1st half

2nd half

 

 

2.00

6

2.003

12
2.678

6

18.03

 12

2.001

12

HASS

12

2.086

12

Concentration Subject (REST)

12

HASS

12

 

 

 

 

 

Total Units

48

 

48

 

Junior

Fall

Spring

1st half

2nd half

 

1st half

2nd half

 

2.005

12

2.671

12

Concentration subject

12

Concentration subject

12

Concentration subject

12

7.013

12

HASS

12

HASS

12

Total Units

48

 

48

 

Senior

Fall

 

Spring

 

2.009

15

Concentration Subject

12

Concentration subject

12

Concentration Subject

12

Elective

12

Elective

12

HASS

12

HASS

12

Total Units

51

 

48