Depending on their concentration, doctoral students should also achieve competence in economics, behavioral science, and quantitative methods relevant to their concentration. Entering students with previous, formal preparation in any of these disciplines or techniques may waive some of these requirements by demonstrating their mastery of the material to appropriate faculty. The program has no language requirement. In any case, doctoral students fulfill their coursework and methodology requirements in subjects chosen from more than 150 offered at Sloan and hundreds more offered by other MIT departments. Just as important is the learning that takes place when they conduct research with faculty and other doctoral students.
Most students complete their coursework during their first two years in the program.
For many doctoral students this is a first attempt at serious independent research. Research papers are often included in the Sloan School's Working Paper Series. After they complete their coursework and research paper, students prepare for general examinations in their concentration, which is an Institute requirement for the Ph.D. degree. At Sloan, the exact form of the general examinations can vary according to the faculty and students involved, but always involve written and oral parts. After generals, the stage is set to begin work toward a dissertation of several chapters or alternatively, its equivalent in the form of three essays on the same or related topics.