4 ms·

MIT doesn't have a CS degree, only 6-3 or 18-C. And doesn't offer honors. Actually, the thing that I absolutely adore is that MIT doesn't do "honorary" degree

by sanj 19y ago

MIT doesn't have a CS degree, only 6-3 or 18-C. And doesn't offer honors. Actually, the thing that I absolutely adore is that MIT doesn't do "honorary" degrees. You earn it.

mhartl 19y ago
Of course, "earn" is a matter of degree (no pun intended). I mean, MIT has been known to grant "engineering" PhDs for things like this: http://philip.greenspun.com/panda/ http://philip.greenspun.com/panda/
- neilc 19y ago
  I would definitely call that the exception rather than the rule.
- pius 19y ago
  Um, no. MIT didn't grant Phil Greenspun a PhD for writing a textbook. He did a little something called grad school.
  - mhartl 19y ago
    Um, yes: http://philip.greenspun.com/panda/thesis/ http://philip.greenspun.com/panda/thesis/
tlrobinson 19y ago
That's just silly. Honorary degrees are just that, honorary, to honor someone. You don't hear people talking about how they received "their degree" from some university when in fact it was actually an honorary degree. I don't feel like my degree is somehow cheapened because my university gives honorary degrees to people who didn't "earn it".
- pius 19y ago
  I wouldn't say it's silly, I'd just say it's a difference in culture. No need to be defensive. :P MIT was started as a reaction to other universities whose graduates couldn't do anything "useful." (That is William Barton's word, not mine.) At that time, supposedly prestigious colleges were accepting and graduating rich and powerful students who could talk the talk, but couldn't make any real contributions when it came to math, economics, physics, or any other hard science or engineering discipline. So, MIT was founded to be a utopia of meritocracy where no one cared where you were from or who your father is, all anyone wanted to know is "can you do the work?" Furthermore, MIT was founded on the principle that if you've graduated from MIT, you are guaranteed to be capable of useful contributions to society. This was considered to be a binary question -- either you're an MIT graduate or you aren't. That's why honor rolls are anathema to the Institute. At the end of the day, this means that honorary degrees, athletic scholarships, and status-based admissions were out from the beginning because they are diametrically opposed to the mission of the Institute. What was (and is) in? Rigorous math, physics, chemistry, biology for every single graduate, no matter if they are mechanical engineers or music majors.
  - mwerty 19y ago
    >MIT was founded to be a utopia of meritocracy where no one cared where you were from or who your father is, all anyone wanted to know is "can you do the work?" At $34k a year? The key word is 'founded' I guess.
    - pius 19y ago
      Actually, MIT has need-blind admission AND guarantees to meet 100% of all admitted students' financial need (as determined by FAFSA). I got well over $120,000 in scholarships without which I couldn't have gone.
      - pchristensen 19y ago
        How long has this been going on and how well is it publicized? A dozen years ago when I was applying to colleges, I really wanted to go to MIT but tuition was more than my mom earned a year so I didn't even apply. That's great if other good students can avoid missing out like I did.
sethg 19y ago
6-3 is computer science and 18-C is mathematics with a CS focus, right? I believe the song said "honor roll", not "honorary". MIT does not have an honor roll. IIRC it has given out one honorary degree, to Winston Churchill.
- pius 19y ago
  Yup, 6-3 is EECS with a CS focus (you still learn basic EE) and 18-C is math with a CS focus. And you're right, MIT does not have an honor roll, though the professors of certain computer science classes have awarded letters of distinction for outstanding performance during a particular class. This is by no means a standard thing. MIT has never given an honorary degree. This tradition is so deeply rooted in the Institute's culture that I would bet a year's salary that it won't ever happen. MIT has allowed certain people to serve as "honorary lecturers." That's what Winston Churchill did.

by sanj 19y ago

MIT doesn't have a CS degree, only 6-3 or 18-C. And doesn't offer honors. Actually, the thing that I absolutely adore is that MIT doesn't do "honorary" degrees. You earn it.

mhartl 19y ago

Of course, "earn" is a matter of degree (no pun intended). I mean, MIT has been known to grant "engineering" PhDs for things like this: http://philip.greenspun.com/panda/ http://philip.greenspun.com/panda/

neilc 19y ago
I would definitely call that the exception rather than the rule.
pius 19y ago
Um, no. MIT didn't grant Phil Greenspun a PhD for writing a textbook. He did a little something called grad school.
- mhartl 19y ago
  Um, yes: http://philip.greenspun.com/panda/thesis/ http://philip.greenspun.com/panda/thesis/

tlrobinson 19y ago

That's just silly. Honorary degrees are just that, honorary, to honor someone. You don't hear people talking about how they received "their degree" from some university when in fact it was actually an honorary degree. I don't feel like my degree is somehow cheapened because my university gives honorary degrees to people who didn't "earn it".

pius 19y ago
I wouldn't say it's silly, I'd just say it's a difference in culture. No need to be defensive. :P MIT was started as a reaction to other universities whose graduates couldn't do anything "useful." (That is William Barton's word, not mine.) At that time, supposedly prestigious colleges were accepting and graduating rich and powerful students who could talk the talk, but couldn't make any real contributions when it came to math, economics, physics, or any other hard science or engineering discipline. So, MIT was founded to be a utopia of meritocracy where no one cared where you were from or who your father is, all anyone wanted to know is "can you do the work?" Furthermore, MIT was founded on the principle that if you've graduated from MIT, you are guaranteed to be capable of useful contributions to society. This was considered to be a binary question -- either you're an MIT graduate or you aren't. That's why honor rolls are anathema to the Institute. At the end of the day, this means that honorary degrees, athletic scholarships, and status-based admissions were out from the beginning because they are diametrically opposed to the mission of the Institute. What was (and is) in? Rigorous math, physics, chemistry, biology for every single graduate, no matter if they are mechanical engineers or music majors.
- mwerty 19y ago
  >MIT was founded to be a utopia of meritocracy where no one cared where you were from or who your father is, all anyone wanted to know is "can you do the work?" At $34k a year? The key word is 'founded' I guess.
  - pius 19y ago
    Actually, MIT has need-blind admission AND guarantees to meet 100% of all admitted students' financial need (as determined by FAFSA). I got well over $120,000 in scholarships without which I couldn't have gone.
    - pchristensen 19y ago
      How long has this been going on and how well is it publicized? A dozen years ago when I was applying to colleges, I really wanted to go to MIT but tuition was more than my mom earned a year so I didn't even apply. That's great if other good students can avoid missing out like I did.

sethg 19y ago

6-3 is computer science and 18-C is mathematics with a CS focus, right? I believe the song said "honor roll", not "honorary". MIT does not have an honor roll. IIRC it has given out one honorary degree, to Winston Churchill.

pius 19y ago
Yup, 6-3 is EECS with a CS focus (you still learn basic EE) and 18-C is math with a CS focus. And you're right, MIT does not have an honor roll, though the professors of certain computer science classes have awarded letters of distinction for outstanding performance during a particular class. This is by no means a standard thing. MIT has never given an honorary degree. This tradition is so deeply rooted in the Institute's culture that I would bet a year's salary that it won't ever happen. MIT has allowed certain people to serve as "honorary lecturers." That's what Winston Churchill did.