about
MIT’s newest major provides a foundation for students to work in applied computation, data analytics, public policy, economic development, urban design, management, and planning.
In the years to come, solutions to the complex global problems, which are increasingly urban, will require an understanding of large amounts of data and a facility with analysis, visualization, sensors, and even the integration of artificial intelligence into planning and policy-making contexts in a democratic and ethical manner. At the same time, the fields of computer science and machine learning can benefit from the urgency and “hands-on” nature of the sorts of challenges presented in policy-making and urban planning contexts and can lead to democratic and ethical innovations of technology. In short: urban planners have excellent problems, and computer scientists have excellent tools.
The subjects in the major combine ethics, justice, public participation, policy, and design with statistics, data science, geospatial analysis, visualization, robotics, and machine learning to craft equitable solutions to complex urban problems.
The 11-6 degree allows undergraduates to learn the theory and practice of (1) urban planning and policy-making including ethics and justice; (2) statistics, data science, geospatial analysis, and visualization, and (3) computer science, robotics, and machine learning.
To accomplish these ends, the required subjects include core courses in both computer science and urban planning fundamentals, as well as lab and project-based courses that will help students synthesize and integrate across the two departments. On the Urban Studies and Planning side, students will also receive a grounding in the political, sociological, legal, and ethical aspects of collecting and using new information flows and new civic technologies to design and manage city resources and urban spaces around the world. They will also learn the techniques of for data visualization, applied spatial analysis, urban design, and making public policy formulation and implementation.
For the predominantly technically-minded undergraduates at MIT, working within real urban contexts and environments will expose them to:
- Fundamental and socially-relevant questions of equity, fairness, diversity, and implementation in a global context;
- Specific applications of technology and systems in environmental management, transportation, infrastructure financing, cybersecurity, provision of housing, and job creation.
- Diverse contexts in which technology is tested and used, especially at the critical intersections between government and industry; policy-making and implementation; and in both the developed and developing world.
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Degree Requirements
COMPUTER SCIENCE REQUIREMENT | URBAN PLANNING REQUIREMENT |
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6.0001 Introduction to Computer Science and Programming in Python
6.0002 Introduction to Computational Thinking and Data Science
6.042[J] Mathematics for Computer Science
6.006 Introduction to Algorithm
6.009 Fundamentals of Programming
6.031 Elements of Software Construction
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11.001[J] Introduction to Urban Design and Development
11.007 Urban & Environmental Technology Implementation Lab
11.188 Urban Planning and Social Science Laboratory (CI-M)
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Select one of the following options:
Option 1 (12 units) 6.008 Introduction to Inference
Option 2 (24 units) 6.034 Artificial Intelligence
OR 6.036 Introduction to Machine Learning 6.041 Introduction to Probability
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Select one of the following subjects:
6.805 Foundations of Information Policy 1
11.002 Making Public Policy
11.011 The Art and Science of Negotiation
11.165 Urban Energy Systems and Policy
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ELECTIVES |
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Select One Advanced Computer Science Elective | Select Three Urban Science Electives |
6.803 The Human Intelligence Enterprise
6.811[J] Principles and Practice of Assistive Technology
6.815 Digital and Computational Photography
6.837 Computer Graphics
6.170 Software Studio
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2.00A Fundamentals of Enineering Design: Explore Space, Sea, and Earth
4.032 Design Studio: Information and Visualization
4.432 Modleing Urban Energy Flows for Sustainable Cities and Neighborhoods
6.805[J] Foundations of Information Policy
11.123 Big Plans and Mega-Urban Landscape
11.137 Financing Economic Development
11.148 Environmental Justice: Law and Policy
11.156 Healthy Cities: Assessing Health Impacts of Policies and Plans
11.158 Behavior and Policy: Connections in Transportation
12.010 Computational Methods of Scientific Programming
15.276 Communicating with Data
IDS.012[J] Statistics, Computation and Application
IDS.060[J] Environmental Law, Policy, and Economics: Pollution Prevention and Controls
11.113 The Economic Approach to Cities and Environmental Sustainability
11.154 Big Data, Visualization, and Society
11.155[J]/STS.005[J] Data and Society
11.165 Urban Energy Systems and Policy
11.169 Global Climate Policy and Sustainability
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SENIOR THESIS / PROJECT Select one of the following options:
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Option 1 | Option 2 |
6.UR Undergraduate Research in EECS
AND 6.UAR Seminar in Undergraduate Advanced Research (CI-M)
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11.THT[J] Thesis Research Design Seminar (CI-M)
AND 11.THU Undergraduate Thesis
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COURSE PETITION PROCESS
Students who apply for a course petition should first submit a petition form and contact their advisor for a brief consultation. Students need to explain why the petition is necessary and how it fits into their curriculum. Advisor will evaluate the feasibility of each case and endorse a petition request to DUSP undergraduate administrator. For more specific questions, students should contact DUSP undergraduate administrator Sandra M. Elliott (sandrame@mit.edu).
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Ask a Question
Do you have questions about the major, classes, or on-going research? Want to get involved with the new major or discuss how 11-6 would prepare you for future endeavors? Listed below are volunteer faculty and staff who are eager to answer your questions, please reach out to them directly via the provided email address.








Additional Resources
Coming soon, current student resources, alumni resources, and more.
Do you have general questions about the 11-6 major such as: is this the right major for me? How can I be involved as a faculty advisor? Feel free to reach out to any of the individual faculty or staff members above or contact the 11-6 committee at: urban-science-com@mit.edu