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Sustainable and Global Development
Concentration Information
Two tracks are possible in this program. One track, in Engineering for Sustainability, is intended for students interested in work on sustainability in the context of US industry or in other industrialized settings. The other track, in Engineering for International Development, is intended for students interested in applications of technology for the developing world. Many of the classes listed below are relevant to both US and International concentrations. This track can be coupled to the minor programs in Environmental Engineering Science or Applied International Studies, as well as several HASS minors (recall that classes in your concentration may also be counted towards your minor). One of the tricky aspects of putting together a 2-A curriculum in sustainability is that there are many excellent classes at MIT relevant to sustainability that do not necessarily include engineering content.
Concentration Class Suggestions
Recommended REST subjects: 2.66/4.42, 1.018
REST subjects with reduced engineering: 12.003 (6 engineering units), 12.102 (6 engineering units), 12.120 (6 engineering units)
Suggested subjects with full engineering content (i.e. for the classes listed below, the number of units is the same as the number of engineering units):
Sustainable Development
- 1.006: Tools for Sustainable Design
- 1.009: Climate Change
- 1.020: Ecology II: Engineering for Sustainability
- 1.080/1.107: Environmental Chemistry and Biology
- 2.500: Desalination and Water Purification (GRAD)
- 2.60: Fundamentals of Advanced Energy Conversion
- 2.650: Sustainable Energy
- 2.66J Fundamentals of Energy in Buildings
- 2.729: D-Lab: Design
- 2.812: Solving for Carbon Neutrality at MIT
- 2.813: Environmentally Benign Design and Manufacturing
- 2.814: Exploring Sustainability at Different Scales
- 3.080: Economic and Environmental Materials Selection
- 3.081: Industrial Ecology of Materials
- 3.087: Materials, Societal Impact and Social Innovations
- EC.711: D-Lab: Energy
Global Development
- 1.020: Ecology II: Engineering for Sustainability
- 1.080/1.107: Environmental Chemistry and Biology
- 1.851J: Water and Sanitation Infrastructure in Developing Countries (GRAD)
- 2.650: Sustainable Energy
- 2.66J Fundamentals of Energy in Buildings
- 2.729: D-Lab: Design
- 2.813: Environmentally Benign Design and Manufacturing
- 2.965J: International Supply Chain Management (GRAD)
- 3.080: Economic and Environmental Materials Selection
- EC.711: D-Lab: Energy
- EC.721: Wheelchair Design in Developing Countries
Suggested subjects with limited or no engineering content (the number of engineering units listed below are estimates; the exact number will be determined in the context of the student’s complete program. If no units are indicated, in general no engineering credit will be awarded for that particular class.):
Both Sustainable and Global Development
- 1.801J: Environmental Law, Policy, and Economics: Pollution Prevention and Control (HASS-S)*
- 4.231J: SIGUS Workshop
- 11.491J: Economic Development and Policy Analysis I (GRAD)
- 11.601: Introduction to Environmental Policy and Planning — 3 engineering units (GRAD)
- 12.021: Earth Science, Energy, and the Environment
- 12.301: Climate Science
- 12.346: Global Environmental Negotiation
- 12.377: The History of Earth's Climate
- 12.385: Science, Politics, and Environmental Policy
- 12.387: People and the Planet: Environmental Governance and Science
- 14.42: Environmental Policy and Economics (HASS-S)*
- 14.44: Energy Economics and Policy (HASS-S)*
- 14.74: Foundations of Development Policy (I) (HASS-S)*
- 14.771: Development Economics: Microeconomic Issues and Policy Models (GRAD)
- 14.772: Development Economics: Macroeconomics (GRAD)
- 17.181: Sustainable Development: Theory, Research and Policy (I) (HASS-S)*
- 12.348J: Global Climate Change: Economics, Science and Policy — 6 engineering units
- EC.701: D-Lab: Development (I) (HASS-S)*
- EC.715: D-Lab: Disseminating Innovations for the Common Good (I)
- MAS.665J: Development Ventures (GRAD)
*Note: no subject may count as both a HASS and a 2-A concentration subject. Including a HASS subject in your concentration is only allowed if you take extra HASS subjects.
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