Declaring a minor

What you need to know

Minor programs consist of five to seven subjects, with a typical program including six. You must designate your minor between the end of your sophomore year and Add Date one full term prior to receiving your degree. Minors must be associated with an SB degree program and cannot be awarded independently. You may not minor in the area of your major and you may not earn more than two minors.

Minors are also not allowed in either field of composite degrees, such as the SB in Mathematics with Computer Science or the SB in Computer Science and Molecular Biology. The Committee on Curricula (CoC) has the authority to determine whether a specific combination is permissible.

Key points to remember:

• A minor may include subjects that count toward the General Institute Requirements (GIRs).
• Subjects taken for a minor may also count toward your departmental degree requirements with approval from your major department and the CoC.
• The minor advisor may approve transfer credit for your program, but at least half of your minor subjects must be MIT subjects.
• Of the six subjects required for a HASS minor, at most five may count toward your eight-subject HASS Requirement and only one may count toward the distribution component.

What you need to do

• Meet with the minor advisor in your chosen field to plan your program of study and complete an application. Bring a copy of your unofficial transcript to the meeting.
• Review the additional guidelines and procedures for minoring in a HASS field.
• File your minor completion form by the end of the third week of the term in which you plan to receive your SB degree, even if you are taking subjects in your final term to complete the minor.
• Late submissions are charged a $50 fee and may jeopardize your minor.

Minor fields

There are a wide variety of minors for you to choose from. Subject requirements are listed in the MIT Bulletin under each department. For information on minors in fields within HASS, Management, or Energy Studies, visit these links:

• Minor in HASS
• Minor in Management or Management Science
• Minor in Energy Studies
• Minor in Biomedical Engineering

For information on minors in Science, Engineering, Mathematics, and Architecture, contact the undergraduate office in your field of interest.