EDUCATION
At MIT, we revel in a culture of learning by doing. Education lies at the center of the Institute’s mission, and the field of transportation is no different: we combine analytical rigor with curiosity, play, hard work, and an appetite for solving some of the world’s most complex conundrums—all in service to society. We offer a dynamic mix of programs and degrees for undergraduate and graduate students to prepare them for careers as leaders in the field of transportation.
Graduate Programs
Shaping tomorrow's leaders in transportation
Led by MIT’s Mobility Initiative, the Institute’s cross-disciplinary graduate program in transportation provides graduate degrees for students interested in transportation studies and research. Students choose from a wide range of introductory and advanced subjects related to transportation and engage with real-world projects and challenges to build an education that prepares them to be the leader’s of tomorrow’s transportation system. Click here for a program overview.
Master of Science in Transportation
The Master of Science in Transportation (M.S.T.) degree program emphasizes the complexity of transportation, lying at the intersection of technology, operations, planning, management, and policy-making. The program is interdepartmental, drawing on coursework, faculty, and research staff from across MIT. During the two-year program, students work closely with a research advisor to select an individually-designed area of focus within the realm of transportation. Requirements include coursework across different aspects of transportation, as well as specialized work in the designated area of choice. A more detailed description of the course requirements can be found here.
Requirements
66 units of graduate level subjects, including:
-
Core: three subjects
-
Computation/Analytics: one subject
-
Policy, Technology & Society: one subject
-
Individually designed program based on MST program areas: one to two subjects
-
MST Thesis, equivalent to 24 units
Applications are due on December 1,2024.
Interdepartmental Doctoral Program in Transportation
The interdepartmental doctoral program in transportation provides a structured and follow-on doctoral program for students enrolled in MIT’s Master of Science in Transportation program or other transportation-related masters degree programs at MIT or elsewhere. The interdepartmental structure of the program allows students greater flexibility in developing individual programs of study that cross both disciplinary and departmental lines. The program is administered by the Transportation Education Committee, a faculty committee responsible for admissions and oversight of program requirements. A more detailed description of the course requirements can be found here.
Requirements
-
120 units of graduate level subjects, including a doctoral core program consisting of two subject areas
-
General exam (following the completion of academic year two)
-
PhD proposal (during academic year three)
-
PhD Thesis, equivalent to 24 units
Applications are due on December 1,2024.
MIT's Transportation Program is hosting an information webinar on October 22, 2024 1PM ET in which participants will learn more about requirements, courses, student life and the application process. Register here.
The MIT Mobility Initiative is soliciting nominations for the Dan and Eva Roos Thesis Prize to be awarded to an outstanding MIT PhD thesis in the field of transportation. Submissions are due every June. More details can be found here.
MIT's Transportation Program offers coursework in a wide array of disciplines and cluster areas, including automation, AI, data visualization, urban planning, computer science, aviation, freight & logistics, operations research, public transport, and more. For a full overview of mobility-related courses at MIT this semester, visit our Courses Page for a list of transportation and mobility-related courses (broadly defined) for Fall 2024.