For over a century, the Department of Economics at MIT has played a leading role in economics education, research, and public service. Undergraduate studies in economics were introduced to MIT in the late nineteenth century. In 1937, the Department added graduate courses leading to a master’s degree, and in 1941, it inaugurated the PhD program that is now renowned worldwide.
The department expanded significantly in the years following World War II. When MIT established the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (SHASS) in 1950, the Economics Department played a central role. By the end of the 1950’s, the department was established as one of the world’s leading centers for economic research.
