Learning Communities
A learning community is a group of students, faculty and staff with common academic goals and interests who meet regularly to collaborate on classwork and engage in discussion.
Learning Communities are noted for their efforts to improve overall student success on campus, both inside and outside of the classroom. MIT’s learning communities are student-focused and provide students the opportunity to participate in small, interactive classes, have access to their own physical lounges on campus, and participate in a variety of programs and events.
If you are interested in joining one of the first-year Learning Communities (Concourse, DesignPlus, Terrascope, or ESG), please see the video and content below for more details.
View the Learning Community Video
Concourse
An integrated program of humanities, math and science GIRs dedicated to exploring fundamental human questions. Small classes with upper class tutors to help you master the subject. Staff and students come together weekly during the Friday Advising Seminar lunch, devoted to deep intellectual conversation. Concourse is limited to 50 students. If you are interested in joining Concourse, please be sure to rank it as your first preference on the advising application and answer the additional question about why you are interested in joining the community. Contact: Linda Rabieh, lrabieh@mit.edu.
DesignPlus
Design is an interdisciplinary field and way of working that spans many departments and schools at MIT. DesignPlus is a new community to help first-year students build design into the rest of their MIT education, supporting them in any field they may choose. It’s a space for hands-on experimentation and exploration, acquiring technical skills, finding mentors and mutual support, and having fun. DesignPlus allows students to attend seminars and weekly lunches; receive technical training to use makerspaces; connect with design-oriented peers, faculty, and guests; work with advisors to select a mix of academic and experiential opportunities; conduct design projects from start to finish. The program is flexible to account for diverse student interests within the field of design. It is limited to 30 students. If you are interested in joining, please be sure to rank DesignPlus as your first preference on the advising application and answer the additional question about why you are interested in joining the community. Contact: Paul Pettigrew, paulpett@mit.edu.
View the DesignPlus Video
Terrascope
This community us founded on the basic idea that first-year students at MIT are ready to take control of their own education to tackle big and important problems. Students draw on diverse perspectives, inter-disciplinary research and program-specific resources to address complex sustainability issues. Terrascope has no enrollment limit; typically 40-60 students participate. If you are interested in joining Terrascope, please be sure to rank it as your first preference on the advising application and answer the additional question about why you are interested in joining the community. Contact: Michelle Contos, mcontos1@mit.edu.
Experimental Study Group (ESG)
GIRs are offered in small classes (of fewer than 12) which facilitate significant student input and interaction. Students can take classes in both the mainstream and in ESG, and upperclass students have the opportunity to become more involved in teaching within the program. Students will be able to attend community activities, weekly luncheons, study sessions, and social events. ESG is limited to 55 students. To apply to ESG, you must complete the advising application AND review this information on this link. Contact: Graham Ramsay, ramsay@mit.edu.