Quick Links

Overview of Course 6 Curricula

Course 6 offers six different majors:

6-1: Electrical Science and Engineering (and a 6-1/8-flex option for double majors in Physics)

6-2: Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

6-3: Computer Science and Engineering

6-7: Computer Science and Molecular Biology

6-9: Computation and Cognition

6-14: Computer Science, Economics and Data Science

The first three -- 6-1, 6-2, 6-3 -- are housed entirely within the EECS Department. The latter three -- 6-7, 6-9, 6-14 -- are offered jointly with a second department. Click here for the degree requirements for all majors except 6-9. Click here for information about 6-9.

We give an overview of each curricula below, as well as the process for requesting changes in your degree requirements (“petitions”).

Overview of Curriculum for 6-1, 6-2, 6-3

Each curriculum (6-1, 6-2, 6-3) begins with an Introductory Subject. These subjects provide opportunities to identify, formulate, and solve authentic engineering problems by using principles from multiple foundational areas in EECS. These subjects are intended to help students make informed decisions about which foundational subjects are of most interest to them. Students also have a Programming Skills requirement and a Math requirement, which they typically complete in their first year as majors.



Students take three Foundation Subjects. These subjects are intended to provide students with foundational knowledge that will serve students well not only immediately after graduation but throughout the next decade.



After the Foundation Subjects, students take three to four Header Subjects. These subjects are intended to build depth in areas that are introduced in foundation subjects, providing a solid credential in an area of interest to future employers and/or graduate programs.



To end this progress, students take two Advanced Undergraduate Subjects (AUSes), which are intended to build on foundation knowledge to develop advanced (and often state-of-the-art) expertise in a field of interest.



Students also take one to two elective subjects in EECS, and an additional subject that fulfills part of MIT’s Communication Requirement.



As students select their various Foundation, Header, and Advanced Undergraduate Subjects, they are also subject to various constraints. Depending on their major, they may be required to take a Department Lab (DLAB) subject, an Independent Inquiry (II) subject, or achieve a certain amount of breadth across the Department.

Complete degree requirements are listed here.

Overview of Curriculum for 6-7, 6-14

The 6-7 curriculum includes subjects from many departments: EECS, Biology, Chemistry, Bioengineering, etc. Students begin with introductory subjects in EECS, chemistry, and biology. They progress through work in algorithms (6.006 and 6.046), additional work in biology (7.05, 7.06), as well as laboratory subjects. From there, they take two advanced electives: one in biology, and one in computational biology.

Complete 6-7 degree requirements are listed here.

The 6-14 curriculum includes subjects from EECS, Economics, and Management. Students receive substantial preparation in math and probability, algorithms, machine learning, and economics. From there, they progress through more work in economics, and take advanced electives in both data science and theory.

Complete 6-14 degree requirements are listed here.

Overview of Curriculum for 6-9

The Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences administers the 6-9 major. More information can be found here.

Overview of Petitions Process

Students are allowed to petition for changes to their degree requirements. Petitions are evaluated on a case-by-case basis; there is no petition that is always approved, and very few that are always declined. The goal is to develop a plan that makes sense for the particular student, while still achieving the goals of the curriculum.

We recommend that students communicate with their advisor before submitting a petition. The petitions process for 6-1, 6-2, 6-3, 6-7, and 6-14 is initiated by the student here. Once a student has submitted the petition, their advisor will be asked to weigh-in, and then the Department will make a decision.

