Other Academic Exploration Subjects
The subjects listed below count towards the normal credit limit but have been recommended by departments as good ways for first-year students to explore.
The list includes a wide variety of subjects that are suitable to different exploration approaches. Some focus on one specific foundational topic, others provide a broad overview of the major, and still others offer a deep dive into a more advanced or hands-on aspect of the major.
Many subjects on this list are also sophomore-level requirements for majors, so make sure you are academically prepared to take whatever subjects you select. For more guidance on subject selection, don’t hesitate to reach out to the Undergraduate Administrators in each department.
| Subject ID | Subject Name | Term Offered | Units |
| 1.020 | Engineering Sustainability: Analysis and Design | SP | 12 |
| 1.097 | Introduction to Civil and Environmental Engineering Research | IAP | 6 |
| 1.101 | Introduction to Civil and Environmental Engineering Design I | FA | 6 |
| 1.102 | Introduction to Civil and Environmental Engineering Design II | SP | 6 |
| 2.00 | Introduction to Design | FA (2nd half) | 6 |
| 2.00A | Fundamentals of Engineering Design: Explore Space, Sea and Earth | SP | 9 |
| 2.00B | Toy Product Design | SP | 9 |
| 2.00C[J] | Design for Complex Environmental Issues: cBuilding Solutions and Communicating Ideas | SP | 9 |
| 2.674 | Introduction to Micro/Nano Engineering Laboratory | SP | 6 |
| 2.722 | D-Lab: Design | SP | 12 |
| 2.982 | Ecology and Sustainability of Coastal Ecosystems | FA | 9 |
| 3.003 | Principles of Engineering Practice | SP | 9 |
| 3.006 | NEET Seminar: Advanced Materials Machines (first years need to contact NEET Advisor, Nathan Melenbrik, enm@mit.edu, if interested) | FA, SP | 3 |
| 3.091 | Introduction to Solid-State Chemistry | FA, SP | 12 |
| 3.094 | Materials in Human Experience | SP | 9 |
| 4.021 | Design Studio: How to Design | FA, SP | 12 |
| 4.02A | Design Studio: How to Design Intensive | IAP | 9 |
| 4.110 | Design Across Scales and Disciplines | SP | 12 |
| 4.301 | Introduction to Artistic Experimentation | FA, SP | 12 |
| 4.520 | Visual Computing I | SP | 12 |
| 4.605 | A Global History of Architecture | SP | 12 |
| 4.657 | Design: The History of Making Things (CI-H) | SP | 12 |
| 5.12 | Organic Chemistry I | FA, SP | 12 |
| 5.301 | Chemistry Laboratory Techniques | IAP, SP | 6 |
| 5.302 | Introduction to Experimental Chemistry | IAP | 3 |
| 5.60 | Thermodynamics and Kinetics | FA, SP | 12 |
| 6.100A | Introduction to Computer Science Programming in Python | FA, SP (1sthalf) | 6 |
| 6.100L | Introduction to Computer Science and Programming | FA, SP | 9 |
| 6.100B | Introduction to Computational Thinking and Data Science | FA, SP | 6 |
| 6.2000 | Electrical Circuits: Modeling and Design of Physical Systems | FA, SP | 12 |
| 6.2030 | Electronics First Laboratory | SP | 12 |
| 6.C01 | Modeling with Machine Learning: from Algorithms to Applications | SP | 6 |
| 20.C01 | Machine Learning for Molecular Engineering | SP | |
| 22.C01 | Modeling with Machine Learning: Nuclear Science and Engineering Applications | SP | 6 |
| 6.9600 | Mobile Autonomous Systems Laboratory: MASLAB | IAP | 6 |
| 6.9610 | The BattleCode Programming Competition | IAP | 6 |
| 6.9620 | Web Lab: A Web Programming Class and Competition | IAP | 6 |
| 6.9630 | Pokerbots Competition | IAP | 6 |
| 7.002 | Fundamentals of Experimental Molecular Biology | FA, SP | 6 |
| 7.01x | Introductory Biology | FA, SP | 12 |
| 7.102 | Laboratory in Molecular Biology | IAP | 6 |
| 8.20 | Introduction to Special Relativity | IAP | 9 |
| 8.21 | Physics of Energy | SP | 12 |
| 8.223 | Classical Mechanics II | IAP | 6 |
| 8.s50 | Color Perception Technology | IAP | 6 |
| 9.00 | Introduction to Psychological Science | SP | 12 |
| 9.01 | Introduction to Neuroscience | FA | 12 |
| 10.00 | Molecule Builders | SP | 6 |
| 10.10 | Intro to Chemical Engineering | FA, SP | 12 |
| 11.001J | Introduction to Urban Design and Development | FA | 12 |
| 11.002J | Making Public Policy (CI-H) | FA | 12 |
| 11.004 | People and the Planet: Environmental Histories and Engineering | SP | 12 |
| 11.005 | Introduction to International Development | SP | 12 |
| 11.011 | The Art and Science of Negotiation | FA, SP | 12 |
| 11.013J | American Urban History (CI-H) | FA | 9 |
| 11.014J | History of the Built Environment in the US (CI-H) | FA | 9 |
| 11.016J | The Once and Future City (CI-H) | SP | 12 |
| 11.123 | Big Plans and Mega-Urban Landscapes | SP | 9 |
| 12.000 | Solving Complex Problems | FA | 9 |
| 12.001 | Introduction to Geology | FA | 12 |
| 12.002 | Introduction to Geophysics and Planetary Science | SP | 12 |
| 12.003 | Introduction to Atmosphere, Ocean and Climate Dynamics | FA | 12 |
| 12.031J | Fundamentals of Ecology | FA | 12 |
| 12.11 | Nature’s Sandbox: A Record of Great Moments in Earth History | IAP | 2 |
| 12.409 | Hands-On Astronomy: Observing Stars and Planets | SP | 6 |
| 14.01 | Principles of Microeconomics | FA, SP | 12 |
| 14.02 | Principles of Macroeconomics | FA, SP | 12 |
| 14.30 | Introduction to Statistical Methods in Economics | FA | 12 |
| 14.73 | The Challenge of World Poverty (CI-H) | FA | 12 |
| 15.0111 | Economic Analysis for Business Decisions | FA | 9 |
| 15.053 | Optimization Methods in Business Analytics | SP | 12 |
| 15.276 | Communicating with Data | SP | 12 |
| 15.279 | Management Communication for Undergraduates (CI-M) | FA, SP | 12 |
| 15.312 | Organizational Processes for Business Analytics (CI-M) | FA | 12 |
| 15.359J | Innovation Engineering: Moving Ideas to Impact | FA | 12 |
| 15.373J | Venture Engineering | SP | 12 |
| 15.501 | Corporate Financial Accounting | FA, SP | 12 |
| 15.8141 | Marketing Innovation | SP | 9 |
| 15.s41 | Special Seminar in Managemen6t | IAP | 3 |
| 16.00 | Introduction to Aerospace and Design | SP | 6 |
| 16.632 | NEET Sophomore Seminar: Autonomous Machines | FA | 3 |
| 16.S685 | Special Subject in Aeronautics and Astronautics | SP | Units arranged [P/D/F] |
| 17.03 | Introduction to Political Thought | SP | 12 |
| 17.01J | Justice (CI-H) | SP | 12 |
| 17.20 | Introduction to the American Political Process (CI-H) | FA | 12 |
| 17.30J | Making Public Policy (CI-H) | FA | 12 |
| 17.40 | American Foreign Policy: Past, Present, and Future (CI-H) | FA | 12 |
| 17.41 | Introduction to International Relations (CI-H) | SP | 12 |
| 17.50 | Introduction to Comparative Politics (CI-H) | SP | 12 |
| 18.062J | Mathematics for Computer Science | FA, SP | 12 |
| 18.03 | Differential Equations | FA, SP | 12 |
| 18.05 | Introduction to Probability and Statistics | SP | 12 |
| 18.06 | Linear Algebra | FA, SP | 12 |
| 18.095 | Mathematics Lecture Series | IAP | 6 |
| 18.200/18.200A | Principles of Discrete Applied Math (SP is CI-M) | FA, SP | 12, 15 |
| 18.510 | Introduction to Mathematical Logic and Set Theory | FA | 12 |
| 18.600 | Probability and Random Variables | FA, SP | 12 |
| 18.700 | Linear Algebra | FA | 12 |
| 18.703 | Modern Algebra | SP | 12 |
| 18.781 | Theory of Numbers | SP | 12 |
| 18.900 | Geometry and Topology in the Plane | FA | 12 |
| 20.001 | Introduction to Professional Success and Leadership in Biological Engineering | FA | 3 |
| 20.020 | Introduction to Biological Engineering Design Using Synthetic Biology | SP | 9 |
| 20.051 | NEET Sophomore Seminar: Living Machines | FA+SP | 6+6 |
| 21A.00 | Introduction to Anthropology: Comparing Human Cultures | SP | 12 |
| 21A.01 | How Culture Works | FA | 12 |
| 21A.157 | The Meaning of Life | SP | 12 |
| 21G.101 | Chinese I | FA, SP | 12 |
| 21G.111 | Chinese Calligraphy | IAP | 12 |
| 21G.301 | French I | FA, IAP, SP | 12 |
| 21G.401 | German I | FA, IAP, SP | 12 |
| 21G.501 | Japanese I | FA, IAP | 12 |
| 21G.611 | Russian I | FA, IAP | 12 |
| 21G.701 | Spanish I | FA, IAP, SP | 12 |
| 21G.901 | Korean I | FA, IAP | 12 |
| 21G.800 | Accelerated Introductory Portuguese | SP | 12 |
| 21G.901 | Korean I | FA, IAP | 12 |
| 21H.001 | How to Stage a Revolution (CI-H) | FA | 12 |
| 21H.102 | American History since 1865 (CI-H) | SP | 12 |
| 21H.132 | The Ancient World: Rome (CI-H) | SP | 12 |
| 21H.160 | Islam, the Middle East, and the West | FA | 12 |
| 21H.165 | A Survey of Modern African History | SP | 12 |
| 21H.172J | Latin America through Film | SP | 12 |
| 21H.185J | Environment and History (CI-H) | FA | 12 |
| 21L.000J | Writing About Literature (CI-HW) | FA | 12 |
| 21L.003 | Reading Fiction (CI-H) | FA, SP | 12 |
| 21L.004 | Reading Poetry (CI-H) | FA, SP | 12 |
| 21L.009 | Shakespeare (CI-H) | FA | 12 |
| 21L.015 | Children’s Literature (CI-H) | FA, SP | 12 |
| 21L.310 | Bestsellers | FA (1st half) | 6 |
| 21L.320 | Big Books | FA, SP (2ndhalf) | 6 |
| 21L.434 | Science Fiction and Fantasy | FA | 12 |
| 21M.011 | Introduction to Western Music (CI-H) | FA, SP | 12 |
| 21M.030 | Introduction to World Music (CI-H) | FA, SP | 12 |
| 21M.051 | Fundamentals of Music | FA, SP | 12 |
| 21M.065 | Introduction to Music Composition | FA, SP | 12 |
| 21M.080 | Introduction to Music Technology | FA, SP | 12 |
| 21M.301 | Harmony and Counterpoint I (some music experience required) | FA, SP | 12 |
| 21M.600 | Introduction to Acting | FA, SP | 9 |
| 21M.601 | Drawing for Designers | FA, SP | 9 |
| 21M.603 | Introduction to Design for the Theater | FA | 12 |
| 21M.605 | Voice and Speech for the Actor | FA, SP | 9 |
| 21M.606 | Introduction to Stagecraft | FA, SP | 9 |
| 21W.747 | Rhetoric (CI-H) | FA, SP | 12 |
| 21W.755 | Writing and Reading Short Stories | FA, SP | 12 |
| 21W.759 | Writing Science Fiction (CI-M) | SP | 12 |
| 22.01 | Introduction to Nuclear Engineering and Ionizing Radiation | FA | 12 |
| 22.011 | Nuclear Engineering: Science, Systems and Society | SP | 3 |
| 22.03 | Introduction to Nuclear Design (associated with “Clean Energy Systems” NEET thread) | FA | 6 |
| 22.04J | Social Problems of Nuclear Energy (CI-M) | SP | 12 |
| 24.00 | Problems of Philosophy (CI-H) | FA | 12 |
| 24.01 | Classics of Western Philosophy (CI-H) | SP | 12 |
| 24.013 | Philosophy and the Arts (CI-H) | FA | 12 |
| 24.02 | Moral Problems and the Good Life (CI-H) | FA | 12 |
| 24.04J | Justice (CI-H) | SP | 12 |
| 24.05 | Philosophy of Religion (CI-H) | FA | 12 |
| 24.06J | Bioethics (CI-H) | FA | 12 |
| 24.09 | Minds and Machines (CI-H) | SP | 12 |
| 24.191 | Being, Thinking, Doing (or Not): Ethics in Your Life | SP | 6 |
| 24.900 | Introduction to Linguistics (CI-H) | FA, SP | 12 |
| 24.917 | ConLangs: How to Construct a Language | FA | 12 |
| CMS.100 | Introduction to Media Studies (CI-H) | FA, SP | 12 |
| CMS.301 | Introduction to Game Design Methods | SP | 12 |
| CMS.309 | Transmedia Storytelling: Modern Sci-Fi | SP | 12 |
| SP.361 | Majors and Careers through a Terrascope Lens | IAP | 3 |
| STS.003 | Ancient Greeks to Modern Geeks: A History of Science (CI-H) | SP | 12 |
| STS.004 | Intersections: Science, Technology, and the World (CI-H) | FA | 12 |
| STS.006J | Bioethics (CI-H) | FA | 12 |
| STS.050 | The History of MIT | SP | 12 |
| STS.075J | Technology and Culture | FA, SP | 9 |
| WGS.101 | Introduction to Women’s and Gender Studies (CI-H) | FA, SP | 12 |
| WGS.110J | Sexual and Gender Identities | FA | 12 |
| WGS.225J | The Science of Race, Sex, and Gender | SP | 12 |
Additional SHASS Subjects
You can find the Fall 2023 list of introductory classes for students looking to fulfill their HASS GIRs at: http://shass.mit.edu/undergraduate/classes. SHASS faculty feel these subjects are particularly appropriate for students without any previous experience in SHASS fields. Students are more than welcome to take classes not listed here, but this should be a helpful starting point for students who aren’t sure where their interests lie.