Candidates of any degree offered by the Department may pursue their studies in the Environmental Policy and Planning Group. Applications for the MCP and PhD degree programs are made to the Department. For information on admissions and financial aid and instructions on how to apply, please visit the Admissions page.

Undergraduate study

Undergraduate students can pursue either a major or a minor degree in Course 11 with a concentration in environmental policy and planning. Students take courses totaling 57 units to create the concentration. Students also can take Course 11 courses for a HASS concentration in Urban Studies, as well as an EPP concentration within the Minor in Public Policy.

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Master's study

Master of City Planning

EPP students enrolled in the Master of City Planning Program spend two years taking the DUSP core courses and electives that form a personalized concentration. The core, which consists of the following courses, ensures familiarity with key concepts, debates, tools, and techniques in urban studies and planning:

  • Introduction to Environmental Policy and Planning
  • Gateway, Planning Action
  • Gateway, Planning Economics
  • Microeconomics (or test out)
  • Planning Communications and Digital Media (or test out)
  • Quantitative Reasoning and Statistical Methods (or test out)
  • Practicum

In addition to the core, students are required to thesis preparation course and produce a thesis. Most students take many of their electives within EPP. These are complemented by classes in DUSP, at other units at MIT, and at other universities in the Boston area.

Master of Science

Advanced professionals who have a thesis topic they wish to pursue can enroll in a one-year Master of Science degree program. Prospective candidates should contact the DUSP faculty member they wish to work with in advance of applying to discuss potential advisement. While the SM degree requires completing 66 units, 42 of which are H-level, plus a thesis, the specific course of study and thesis project are determined by each candidate under the supervision of his or her advisor.

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Doctoral study

The doctoral program is designed for people interested in advanced academic research. The program is tailored to the needs of individual students, with a program of study developed jointly by the student and the student's advisor, under guidelines and course requirements set by the Department's Ph.D. committee. A standard program involves four semesters of classes and an additional two to four semesters to complete doctoral exams and to prepare and defend the dissertation.

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