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Undergraduate

"

I knew coming into MIT I wanted to be Course 1 in order to further my knowledge in environmental science and prepare myself for a career that could help change our world's path as we deal with the fallout of climate change. ”

Ava Gillikin '23
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I like that through Course 1 I can combine my interest in engineering, material science, and sustainability. ”

Karissa Wenger '23
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Coming into MIT, I was excited to pursue civil engineering. It seemed like the perfect intersection between design and STEM, and my FPOP and mini-UROP experiences only reinforced that. ”

Vivian Cheng '23
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I had opportunities to be part of many really cool projects in Course 1: studying the effects of volcanic smog as part of TREX Hawaii, exploring microbial ecology in UROP, and building a variable rainmaker and automated solar water purifier in my design classes. ”

Majdolene Z Khweis ’15

Welcome to Course 1

Our core mission is to educate, inside and outside the classroom.

MIT CEE equips you with the fundamental skills to succeed as an engineer in today’s complex world through our general engineering ABET accredited undergraduate program. Grounded in science and engineering, we understand the world, invent and lead with creative design. Our students pursue education in classrooms, laboratories, design subjects, as well as field subjects. Many of our students pursue opportunities such as UROPs, experiences abroad through MISTI, or participate in many of MIT’s stimulating activities.

We pursue big engineering through innovations which may begin locally, but scale broadly and quickly to impact people everywhere.

Recognizing the changing world MIT CEE is innovating the engineering curriculum and has designed an undergraduate program that builds on the deep history of the department while growing to meet the challenges in the world today and tomorrow.

One of the founding departments of the Institute, MIT CEE is a leader in the professional and academic evolution of civil and environmental engineering education that fosters a unique combination of hands-on learning and theory, or hand and mind, the motto of MIT.

UNDERGRADUATEDegree Structure and Requirements

Our Bachelor of Engineering ABET accredited undergraduate degree consists of 1) General Institute Requirements (GIRs), 2) General Department Requirements (GDRs), 3) one of three Cores (Environment, Mechanics & Materials, or Systems) each with 54-60 units, 4) Elective Subjects (48-60 units), and 5) Unrestricted Electives (48-54 units). For a complete summary of the General Institute Requirements, please refer to the MIT Course Catalog.

1.000 Introduction to Computer Programming and Numerical Methods for Engineering Applications
1.010A Probability: Concepts and Applications
1.073 Introduction to Environmental Data Analysis
or
1.074 Multivariate Data Analysis
18.03 Differential Equations
1.013 Senior Civil and Environmental Engineering Design
1.101 Introduction to Civil and Environmental Engineering Design I

Environment
The Environment core focuses on Earth’s systems and cycles, introducing students to principles in environmental chemistry, microbiology, fluid mechanics and hydrology. Students enrolled in the environment core do revolutionary fieldwork during IAP.

1.018 Fundamentals of Ecology
1.060 Fluid Mechanics
1.061A Transport Processes in the Environment I
1.070A Introduction to Hydrology and Water Resources I
1.080 Environmental Chemistry
1.091 Traveling Research Environmental eXperience (TREX): Fieldwork
1.106 Environmental Fluid Transport Processes and Hydrology Laboratory
1.107 Environmental Chemistry and Biology Laboratory

 

Mechanics & Materials
The Mechanics and Materials core focuses on the principles of mechanics necessary to understand how materials behave at scales from the nano to the macro

  • 1.035 Mechanics of Materials
  • 1.036 Structural Mechanics and Design
  • 1.050 Solid Mechanics
  • 1.056 Introduction to Structural Design
  • 1.060 Fluid Mechanics
  • 1.104 Sensing and Intelligent Systems

Energy, Transportation, and Societal Systems
The Energy, Transportation, and Societal Systems core explores big data, system modeling and analysis, sustainability, and energy and transportation systems.

1.020 Engineering Sustainability: Analysis and Design
1.022 Introduction to Network Models
1.041 Transportation Systems Modeling
15.053 Optimization Methods in Business Analytics
1.102 Introduction to Civil and Environmental Engineering Design II
1.050 Solid Mechanics OR 1.060 Fluid Mechanics

Students are required to take at least 48 units of Restricted Electives selected from subjects offered within or outside CEE to form a coherent program of study under supervision by CEE faculty. For examples of suggested electives, please scroll down to see sample tracks.

Unrestricted Electives
Students are required to take at least 48 units of Unrestricted Electives. This requirement can be met by any combination of subjects of the student’s choosing.

UNDERGRADUATESample Tracks

To help you plan for your undergraduate career, we have combined your core, electives and restricted electives into tracks. The dynamic structure of the undergraduate degree program allows students to choose one of our existing tracks, realize distinct, modified tracks, or to design a great variety of possible subject combinations to tailor their individual educational experience.

Mechanics and Materials Tracks

Sustainable materials and resilient infrastructure are critically important today as our communities strain to sustain limited natural resources, accommodate growth, and replace declining infrastructure.

Learn More

Environmental Engineering Tracks

Help protect and extend the planet’s natural resources to improve the lives of people everywhere.

Learn More

Systems Engineering Tracks

Systems engineering is a contemporary interdisciplinary field where students design and manage large, complex systems over their lifecycles.

Learn More

Careers across many fields

Our graduates teach and carry out pioneering research in universities, work for and lead engineering firms, launch their own start-ups, and hold leadership positions in government and nonprofit organizations. With a degree in Course 1 you can pursue careers in fields as diverse as energy and environment, engineering design, law, medicine and public health.