molliebatmit

To expand, the humanities requirement has several sub-requirements.

1. Eight humanities, arts, and social science classes.
   1. Two communication-intensive HASS classes
   2. Three to four classes which make up a concentration
   3. Three HASS distribution classes
      1. All three from different lists

Some of those categories overlap -- for example, many HASS distribution classes are also communication intensive, and you can concentrate in an area in which you took a HASS-D/CI-H, if you want.

collegeguy2k7

Don't worry scooby, the humanities requirement(s) ARE confusing :P

mollie did a pretty good summary though. I just wish the humanities requirement website(s) made that more intuitive

molliebatmit

This is about the five zillionth time I've explained it, though, and I think this is the only time I explained it well enough that someone might actually understand.

It is really confusing. I have a friend who's in danger of not graduating this year because he didn't realize that two of his HASS-Ds were actually in the same category.

momboys

Mollie, wouldn't a student's advisor catch the HASS problem? Don't most students see their advisor before they choose their classes?

Also, how can you determine which grad school majors won't or don't like to admit MIT undergrads to the grad program? Thanks

pebbles

math and physics.

molliebatmit

Advisors are sometimes good for helping you choose classes in your major. They are rarely really up on the minutiae of the HASS requirement. I found my advisor very helpful when discussing graduate school applications, career plans, and life in science, but my friends were most helpful when I was choosing classes.

I mean, ultimately, my friend who's in danger of graduating should have realized his mistake a long time ago. There's an up-to-date degree audit on the student records system, so at any time of day or night, you can see which requirements you've fulfilled and which ones still need to be fulfilled -- his degree audit clearly says he's only taken courses in two HASS-D categories.

I don't know which departments still have no-inbreeding policies. To be honest, I wouldn't worry too much about it -- MIT undergrads don't have many problems getting into top grad programs in their fields, even if they're encouraged to go elsewhere.

collegeguy2k7

It depends on the advisor. Most will expect that you are aware of the requirements and have planned to have them all fulfilled by graduation.

My advisor mostly looks at my performance the previous semester, the classes I plan to take this semester, and whether or not the planned workload is consistent with my ability to handle it based on previous experience.

Your advisor will likely have more input for fulfilling your major requirements rather than general institute requirements such as the HASS and HASS-D's.

scooby_hermione

thank you so much!

I guess the original question I was going to ask before I got completely befuddled by the requirements was, is it often that a student will take more than one humanties class per semester? How difficult would this be, namely, for the freshmen year? Would current MIT students--mollie, pebbles and collegeguy--advise against this?

collegeguy2k7

It might be a little difficult taking multiple humanities classes freshman year because of the credit limit cap.

Usually most freshman (and upperclassmen for that matter) take 1 HASS class per semester and start hammering away at the other general institute requirements as well as some of the introductory classes of their intended major.

In the end though, there is definitely room for choice. You can play around with the order you fulfill the GIR's based upon your preference, so you can definitely take two humanities classes in a semester if you want. This becomes easier if you can declare sophomore standing second semester, and bypass the credits cap.

As for difficulty in actually taking two humanities classes at the same time, I don't think you'd have a problem there. If you want to get a head start on finishing up that HASS requirement, go for it

molliebatmit

I agree with collegeguy's post. Most people don't do it freshman year, just because they're limited to taking four classes and a seminar and generally want to get the General Institute Requirements out of the way.

I took two HASS classes during two terms at MIT. My advice is to avoid taking two communication-intensive HASSes the same semester you're taking a communication-intensive class in your major. But otherwise, it's totally doable.

Many upperclassmen stick to the three technical classes + one HASS per semester model, probably because it's nice to have one class per semester where you're not thinking in equations.

Spartan Pho3nix

false!
My general take on the Hass Req (along with people I've talked to) is that it greatly increases student apathy. Especially when you like all your classes...but then you have this ugly HASS rearing it's heard. Blurgh.

mootmom

Gee. Students I know really *like* their HASS classes.

collegeguy2k7

It depends on the HASS class... I have had to take a few classes I didn't really like just because they had to be in different categories.

I did however enjoy my economics and spanish HASS classes !

(Yes economics is HASS!)

pebbles

I like my writing class immensely

scooby_hermione

thanks very much. It sounds like I'll opt to keep it to one humanties course freshmen year--I suspected that would be wise, but I just wanted to confirm.