Undergraduate Resources

EAPS Academic Resources

Undergraduate Forms

We’re here to support every aspect of EAPS academic programming and are an important part of our students’ support network, helping to connect you with resources and opportunities.

Prospective students, if you have a question about academic life at MIT, or want to arrange a visit, please don’t hesitate to reach out!

Ann Greaney-Williams
Assistant Director of Academic Programs

Room: 54-910
Phone: 617-253-3380
Email: agreaney@mit.edu

On Campus Schedule: Mon, Wed, Thu
Remote Schedule: Tues, Fri

Co-chair of the EAPS Committee on the Education Program and responsible for administrating Course XII undergraduate and graduate programming. Advises students regarding degree requirements, career options, funding, policies and procedures, and Institute resources for student support.



Alana Snelson
Senior Academic Program Assistant

Room: 54-912
Phone: 617-253-3381
Email: asnelson@mit.edu

On Campus Schedule: Mon-Fri

Provides administrative support for the EAPS Education Office, including room scheduling, classrooms and supplies, reimbursements, Canvas sites, student appointments, and various forms, including grading and evaluations, registration, and thesis submissions.

Tom Herring
Undergraduate Officer

Room: 54-322
Phone: 617-253-5941
Email: tah@mit.edu

A Senior Thesis is a requirement of the EAPS major and should have strong experimental, computational, theoretical, or fieldwork content.  The thesis should state the problem, summarize previous knowledge, indicate findings, and the significance of the findings.

Your Senior Thesis Proposal form should be submitted to the EAPS Education Office (54-912) by the Add Date of the term prior to the term in which the thesis will be submitted (e.g. if you will submit the thesis in spring semester, the form is to be submitted in the fall semester), even if you are not registered for 12.THU or 12.TIP that semester.

You will register for 12.TIP, a thesis preparation course, in the semester before you submit your thesis, and 12.THU, in the semester you submit it.

Any EAPS faculty member or research staff person is an acceptable thesis supervisor.

Thesis proposals may detail work that will be conducted outside of EAPS (with a research supervisor in another department) but must have an EAPS Thesis Supervisor.

Research toward a thesis carried out prior to 12.THU and 12.TIP can be conducted for credit under 12.UR, 12.URG, or as “UROP for Pay.” Students enrolled in 12.THU may not simultaneously enroll in 12.UR or 12.URG in the same semester and may not receive financial support that semester through the UROP program for a project related to their thesis research.

If you are submitting a joint thesis for two departments, an EAPS faculty member or research staff person must be a co-advisor on the thesis.

Your thesis advisor will read your thesis and determine a letter grade.

Senior Theses are due in the EAPS Education Office (54-912) by the deadline set on the academic calendar. You need to submit one copy of your thesis. It must be on acid-free archival paper (paper is available in 54-912) with original signatures from yourself and your thesis advisor. They will then be signed by the EAPS Undergraduate Officer.

MIT Formatting for Theses

The MIT thesis FAQs, specifications, and checklists are posted on the MIT Library website. You are responsible for making certain that your thesis is formatted properly and submitted in a timely fashion. Once you submit your final thesis to the Education Office you can not make any changes to it or swap out pages.

Alejandro Paz
EAPS Liaison, MIT Libraries

Room: 14S-203
Email: apaz@mit.edu

Alejandro specializes in information and resources related to Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences (EAPS), and other climate and energy subject areas. If you need help finding research for your thesis or other projects, be sure to reach out to him. He can also put you in touch with other expert librarians.


Visit libraries.mit.edu for information about library services, including:

Check out MIT Libraries’ research guides on EAPS-related subjects:

General MIT Student Resources

The current edition of The Mind and Hand Book is the official guide to MIT’s expectations of all undergraduate and graduate students and also includes a number of useful resources.

We have also included some specific links here that relate to common student needs.


Just for Undergrads

  • Undergraduate Advising Center
    MIT’s academic advising hub for undergraduate students and advisors.
  • Committee on Academic Performance
    The faculty Committee on Academic Performance (CAP) reviews the academic performance of all undergraduates at the end of the Fall and Spring terms, and also hears petitions from students making requests for exceptions to established academic standards. 
  • MIT Undergraduate Association
    As the undergraduate student governing body at the Institute, the goals of the UA include articulating students’ concerns, communicating student opinion to Institute administration, and organizing undergraduate events and activities.
  • Undergrad Student Support Services (S3)
    A friendly and easily accessible support hub for undergraduate students. Whether you’re struggling with a PSET due to personal issues, feeling too sick to take an exam, considering taking time away from the Institute, or just aren’t sure who to talk to, we can help. S^3 is a private resource.

Community Resources

  • Career Advising and Professional Development (CAPD)
    Career guidance, events, training, and one-on-one appointments.
  • MIT Writing & Communication Center (WCC)
    Schedule one-on-one consulting sessions with professional writers. The Center provides free professional advice about all types of writing and speaking/oral presentations. Specialized help is available to non-native English speakers.
  • The Atlas Learning Center
    Online sessions on technical topics, “soft” skill topics (such as leadership, communication, management, and career transitions), and required MIT training modules.
  • MIT Open Learning
    Access MIT course content online, including OpenCourseWare (OCW) and MITx.
  • MIT Teaching and Learning Laboratory (TLL)
    Explore TLL’s programs and services, including workshops, seminars, and consultations related to teaching and learning. The Kaufman Teaching Certificate Program is offered twice a year at no charge to MIT postdocs and graduate students who wish to develop their teaching skills. It is very popular, and sessions typically fill immediately after registration opens.

EAPS REFS – Resources for Easing Friction and Stress

We are a support network of graduate student mediators (REFS) who have completed extensive training with Conflict Management@MIT to provide low barrier, confidential peer-to-peer coaching, listening, de-escalation, and informal mentoring and mediation. This means that if you have a problem — big or small, in lab or at home — we are prepared to listen and talk through possible solutions, all in a strictly confidential manner. If you need more support, we can direct you to one of the many additional resources available on the MIT campus.

As REFS, our mission is to help our peers deal with difficult situations and increase the overall well-being of all members within the EAPS community. Primary emphasis is on graduate student support, but we are also available to undergraduates, post-doctoral researchers, faculty, and staff in EAPS.

MIT Ombuds Office

The MIT Ombuds Office is a confidential* and independent resource for all members of the MIT community, including students, faculty, employees, alumni, and employees of Lincoln Lab, to constructively manage concerns and conflicts related to your experience at MIT. They support your success in work and studies by helping you to analyze concerns, clarify policies and procedures, and identify options to constructively manage conflicts. They also provide systemic feedback to strengthen MIT and promote a fair and respectful culture.

*The only exceptions to this pledge of confidentiality are situations that present a risk of serious and immediate harm to yourself or others.

MIT Office of Religious, Spiritual, and Ethical Life

Comprised of over 20 chaplains and 40 student groups, the Office of Religious, Spiritual, and Ethical Life (ORSEL) reflects the diversity of the institute’s community. Through regular opportunities for worship, meditation, prayer, and study, the office is a resource for students, faculty, and staff, of all faith traditions and belief systems. The chaplains provide religious, spiritual, and educational programming, as well as confidential* counseling and crisis support.

*Chaplains who are ordained clergy within their religious traditions are confidential resources for members of the community.

Institute Discrimination & Harassment Response (IDHR) Office

Contact the Institute Discrimination & Harassment Response (IDHR) Office for more information about resources and reporting options for bias incidences related but not limited to race, religion, sexual orientation, disability, and gender, including sexual harassment and sexual assault.

Violence Prevention & Response (VPR)

VPR is MIT’s primary, on-campus resource for preventing and responding to interpersonal violence, including sexual assault, dating and domestic violence, stalking, and sexual harassment. Their prevention specialists work with the entire campus to educate and raise awareness. Their hotline is available 24 hours a day to support survivors in deciding what to do next. All of their services are free and confidential.

Dean On-Call

In the event of student emergencies, DSL staff and others from across MIT volunteer for the Dean On-Call system, which is just a phone call away.

MIT Health

At MIT Health, approximately 300 clinicians and other professionals provide clinical care, wellness programs, public health resources, student insurance services, and community support for the MIT community, including students, faculty, and staff, including families and retirees.

MIT Health is located in Building E23 — 617-253-4481

MIT Health’s Urgent Care Service is open daily for urgent, but non-life-threatening emergencies. (617-253-1311, 24-hour assistance at 617-253-4481).

Thrive@MIT is a good resource for general community wellness resources on campus.

Student Mental Health + Counseling

MIT Medical’s Student Mental Health and Counseling Services works with students to identify, understand, and solve problems, and to help transform that understanding into positive action. MIT Mental Health is available to anyone in the MIT community with problems, questions, or concerns.

Student Mental Health and Counseling Services is available for telehealth visits (if you are physically in Massachusetts only) and in-person appointments.

To make an appointment, call 617-253-2916 during regular weekday hours.

Mental health clinicians are available 24-hours a day for urgent matters — please call 617-253-2916 for assistance.

DoingWell

DoingWell was developed to empower students to prioritize their wellbeing. DoingWell means getting support whenever you feel like you could use some. During challenging times, it’s important to take care of yourself

Undergrad Student Support Services (S3)

A friendly and easily accessible support hub for undergraduate students. Whether you’re struggling with a PSET due to personal issues, feeling too sick to take an exam, considering taking time away from the Institute, or just aren’t sure who to talk to, we can help. S^3 is a private resource.

GradSupport

Staff in the Office of Graduate Education provide advice and counsel on a variety of issues including faculty/student relationships, changing your advisor, conflict negotiation, funding, academic progress, interpersonal concerns, and a student’s rights and responsibilities.

MIT Graduate Assistance and Information Network (GAIN)

24/7 confidential service for graduate students and their adult household members. One call puts you in touch with work-life experts who can provide personalized resources and referrals across the wide range of topics listed below. GAIN’s work-life experts can also direct you to MIT’s internal resources that are available to support you and your family. MIT GAIN is also available to MIT’s undergraduate veterans

Employee Mental Health + Counseling

MIT cares about the well-being of its community members. Employees or their family members seeking behavioral or mental health services can find a wide range of resources at the HR WorkLife Center site.

MIT HR WorkLife and WellBeing Center

The MIT Human Resources Center for WorkLife and WellBeing is committed to meeting the personal and professional needs of faculty, staff, postdocs, graduate students, and their families. We offer a wide range of programs and services to enhance your quality of life, both at home and at work.

MyLife Services

MyLife Services provides MIT faculty, staff, postdocs – and household members – 24/7 access to a network of experts who are available to help with life concerns. Consultations are available by telephone, video, or text-message.

MindHandHeart

MindHandHeart is a coalition of students, faculty, and staff with fresh insights, new ideas, and diverse perspectives working collaboratively and strategically to strengthen the fabric of our MIT community. MHH is a community-building enterprise, building community through values-centered programming and department support.

MIT’s Institute Community & Equity Office

The Institute Community and Equity Office is MIT’s home for amplifying MIT’s sense of community, inspiring meaningful conversations, building skills, and supporting new inclusion initiatives. We convene and collaborate with students, staff, faculty, and postdocs on programs, projects, and initiatives that cross disciplines, departments, and identities. The ICEO is a steward and advocate for MIT’s shared values: excellence and curiosity, openness and respect, and belonging and community.

MIT Spouses + Partners Connect

A dedicated network for the significant others of MIT students, postdocs, staff, and faculty who have relocated to the Boston area. They organize activities that help you meet people, discover work and career opportunities, improve your English, share experiences and passions, and get information about living and parenting in Boston.

Child Care + Parenting

The MIT Work-Life Center offers a comprehensive network of resources to assist MIT community members in finding or using child care services for children of all ages, as well as an internationally recognized program of parenting resources to support those in the community who are raising children, including biological and adoptive parents, step-parents, guardians, grandparents, extended family, foster parents, and others responsible for children’s care.

Adult + Senior Care

The MIT Work-Life Center offers comprehensive support services for caregivers — our goal being to provide you with solutions to your caregiving challenges, so that you can focus on what matters most: being there for your loved ones.