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MIT graduate programs provide collaborative environments for advanced study by students and faculty working together to extend the boundaries of knowledge. MIT boasts globally prominent graduate programs in engineering, science, computation, architecture and planning, management, and the social sciences and humanities. MIT's five schools and one college encompass a broad variety of degree paths, each with their unique requirements. Across all schools and the college, MIT graduate programs offer students the opportunity to gain unparalleled discipline-specific knowledge; to master the tools needed to advance research; and to acquire a bedrock foundation in the skills necessary for career advancement.

This section outlines the general requirements together with other important aspects of graduate education, including admissions and financial aid.

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The PDF includes all information on this page and its related tabs. Subject (course) information includes any changes approved for the current academic year.

MIT Sloan is the leader in research and teaching in AI. Dive in to discover why.

Which program is right for you?

Through intellectual rigor and experiential learning, this full-time, two-year MBA program develops leaders who make a difference in the world.

Earn your MBA and SM in engineering with this transformative two-year program.

A rigorous, hands-on program that prepares adaptive problem solvers for premier finance careers.

A 12-month program focused on applying the tools of modern data science, optimization and machine learning to solve real-world business problems.

Combine an international MBA with a deep dive into management science. A special opportunity for partner and affiliate schools only.

A doctoral program that produces outstanding scholars who are leading in their fields of research.

Bring a business perspective to your technical and quantitative expertise with a bachelor’s degree in management, business analytics, or finance.

Apply now and work for two to five years. We'll save you a seat in our MBA class when you're ready to come back to campus for your degree.

Executive Programs

The 20-month program teaches the science of management to mid-career leaders who want to move from success to significance.

A full-time MBA program for mid-career leaders eager to dedicate one year of discovery for a lifetime of impact.

A joint program for mid-career professionals that integrates engineering and systems thinking. Earn your master’s degree in engineering and management.

Non-degree programs for senior executives and high-potential managers.

A non-degree, customizable program for mid-career professionals.

PhD Program

MIT Sloan PhD Program graduates are leaders in their fields, conducting research with global impact on the complex organizational, financial, and technological issues that characterize an increasingly competitive and challenging business world.

PhD studies at MIT Sloan are intense and individual in nature, demanding a great deal of time, initiative, and discipline from every candidate. But the rewards of such rigor are tremendous: MIT Sloan PhD graduates go on to teach and conduct research at the world's most prestigious universities.

Behavioral & Policy Sciences

Economic Sociology

Institute for Work & Employment Research

Organization Studies

Technological Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Strategic Management

Economics, Finance & Accounting

Accounting  

Management Science

Information Technology

System Dynamics  

Those interested in a PhD in Operations Research should visit the  Operations Research Center .

What We Seek

The MIT Sloan PhD Program looks for a small number of people who will successfully complete our rigorous and demanding program and then thrive in academic research careers. The admission selection process is highly competitive; we aim for a class size of nineteen students, admitted from a pool of hundreds of applicants.

Read about our admissions process and requirements

Program Structure

Coursework PhD students fulfill their coursework and methodology requirements by taking advantage of the more than 150 subjects offered at MIT Sloan — in addition to hundreds more offered across MIT. Students may also avail themselves of courses at other local universities. Course selection is made under the guidance of faculty in the student's research group.

Master’s Thesis In addition to taking elective classes, students in the second or third year of the program are expected to complete their first major research paper which will be a master’s thesis, earning them an SM in Management Research.

General Examinations The single most important hurdle in the PhD experience at MIT Sloan is the General Examinations. The exact form of these exams can vary according to the faculty and students involved, but they always involve written and oral parts given by the area faculty covering all of the relevant material.

Dissertation After students complete the General Examinations, the stage is set for them to begin work on a dissertation or thesis, the most unstructured and difficult part of doctoral studies. Students must choose a topic, define it to the satisfaction of a faculty committee, investigate it thoroughly (including gathering data at field sites), and write the dissertation.

Dissertations typically take one of two forms, either book-style chapters or separate essays. They are usually completed within two to three years of passing the General Examinations. The final step before achieving the doctorate is a public defense seminar, which is open to the entire MIT Sloan community.

PhD Program

Year after year, our top-ranked PhD program sets the standard for graduate economics training across the country. Graduate students work closely with our world-class faculty to develop their own research and prepare to make impactful contributions to the field.

Our doctoral program enrolls 20-24 full-time students each year and students complete their degree in five to six years. Students undertake core coursework in microeconomic theory, macroeconomics, and econometrics, and are expected to complete two major and two minor fields in economics. Beyond the classroom, doctoral students work in close collaboration with faculty to develop their research capabilities, gaining hands-on experience in both theoretical and empirical projects.

How to apply

Students are admitted to the program once per year for entry in the fall. The online application opens on September 15 and closes on December 15.

Meet our students

Our PhD graduates go on to teach in leading economics departments, business schools, and schools of public policy, or pursue influential careers with organizations and businesses around the world. 

Brain and Cognitive Sciences PhD Program

Graduate students in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences are among the sharpest, most innovative brain scientists to be found anywhere. In a given year the department admits less than 5 percent of applicants, and our PhD program is consistently ranked among the best in the world. Students work hard to get here, and they are highly valued in the BCS community.

Innovative:  Our students often take on riskier projects and pilot studies that probe the edges of our technical and scientific knowledge. They can move among projects more easily, and their successes lay the foundation for not only their careers but the future directions of their mentors’ labs.

Collaborative:  Our students bring bold, fresh thinking to the department, and exploring these potentially transformative ideas often means reaching across boundaries of lab, center, and department to build new collaborations. Graduate students help BCS mesh with the rest of MIT.

Supportive: Graduate students are the most frequent mentors of undergraduate students in UROPs , actively guiding and developing those who will become the next generation of top-tier graduate students. BCS graduate students also are helping make sure the department is a welcoming, inclusive, and equitable community.

Overview of the Program

Graduate students in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences work with an advisor and advisory committee to pursue an innovative and rigorous program of original research. Students should aim to complete their PhD in five to six years.  

• Students take three to four of their required six courses
• Students complete required Responsible Conduct in Science training.
• Students complete a minimum of three lab rotations by March 31.
• Students select a thesis advisor by April 30.    
• Students complete the remaining two to three of their academic course requirements by the end of the Spring Term.
• Students complete teaching assistant training and their first teaching requirement.
• Students form their qualifying exam advisory committee, have their first committee meeting, and turn in the completed committee meeting form to BCS HQ by the end of the Spring Term. 
• Students should plan which activities they will participate in to fulfill the professional development requirement .
• Students complete the second teaching requirement.
• Students complete the written and oral qualifying exam in October or November.
• Students form a thesis committee, submit a written thesis proposal to their committee, orally present their proposal to the thesis committee, and receive committee approval, before the end of the Spring Term.
• Students fulfill their professional development requirement by the end of the Summer term of their fourth year.
• Students must meet with their thesis committee once per year.
• Students take the final steps to completing the PhD oral examination (also known as the thesis defense) and submission of the approved written dissertation.

For detailed information on courses, rotations, and other program requirements, see Program Details .

MIT Sloan PhD Program

77 Massachusetts Avenue Building E52 Cambridge MA, 02139

617-253-7188 [email protected]

Website: MIT Sloan PhD Program

Application Opens: September

Deadline: December 1 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time

Fee: $95.00

Terms of Enrollment

Fall Term (September)

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Standardized Tests

Graduate Record Examination (GRE)

• GRE or GMAT score required
• Institute code: 3510
• Must be <5 years old

Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT)

• GMAT or GRE score required
• Department code: X5X-QS-21

International English Language Testing System (IELTS)

• Minimum score required: 7
• Electronic scores send to: MIT Graduate Admissions
• Must be <2 years old

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)

• Minimum score required: 90 (iBT), 577 (PBT)

Waivers are not offered.

Areas of Research

• Economic Sociology
• Information Technologies
• Institute for Work and Employment Research
• Organization Studies
• System Dynamics
• Technological Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Strategic Management

Financial Support

Students in good academic standing in our program receive a funding package that includes tuition, medical insurance, and a stipend. We also provide a new laptop computer and a conference travel/research budget. Please see the Sloan PhD website for more information.

Application Requirements

• Online application
• Statement of purpose
• Three letters of recommendation
• Transcripts
• English proficiency exam scores
• GRE or GMAT scores
• Video statement (for Accounting only)
• Video statement (for Marketing and System Dynamics)

Special Instructions

Additional details about the admissions process can be found in the Admissions section of the PhD Program website.

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