With approximately 300 faculty members, 1200 graduate students, 1000 undergraduate majors, the school is the second largest at MIT.
[4] The Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences (Course XII or EAPS) traces its origins to the establishment of MIT by the eminent geologist William Barton Rogers in 1861.
He also served as State Geologist of Virginia, which explains why geology courses have been taught at MIT for more than a century.
Today, the department seeks to understand the fundamental workings of natural systems by examining physical, chemical, and biological processes occurring across a vast spectrum of time and space.
Their highly integrated research requires direct observation as well as modeling, and the department thrives on interdisciplinary ventures that open new avenues of exploration.
The school is the largest at MIT as measured by undergraduate and graduate enrollments and faculty members.
The Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering (Course XXII) was established in 1958, making it one of the oldest programs of its kind in the nation.
The School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (MIT SHASS) has 13 departments, department-level programs, and faculties granting S.B., S.M., and Ph.D. degrees.
Under special circumstances, admission may be granted to candidates seeking a one-year Master of Science (SM) degree.