Doctor of Philosophy in Transportation

Graduate Programs in Transportation

Program Requirements

MIT graduate-level subjects taken to fulfill the requirements of the Master of Science in Transportation degree may be counted toward the doctoral program requirements.

Core Subjects
1.200[J]Transportation: Foundations and Methods12
11.251Frontier of Transportation Research 16
Select one of the following:12
Applied Category Theory for Engineering Design
Demand Modeling
Resilient Networks
Logistics Systems
Behavioral Science, AI, and Urban Mobility
Computation/Analytics12
Select one of the following:
Machine Learning for Sustainable Systems
and Modeling with Machine Learning: from Algorithms to Applications
Statistics, Computation and Applications
Machine Learning
Statistical Learning Theory and Applications
The Analytics Edge
Advanced Analytics Edge
Core Research Area24
Select two subjects from one of the five approved areas:
Performance and Optimization
Resilient Networks
Nonlinear Optimization
Network Science and Models
Fundamentals of Probability
Discrete Probability and Stochastic Processes
Introduction to Mathematical Programming
Introduction to Mathematical Programming
Robust Modeling, Optimization, and Computation
Machine Learning and Statistics
Reinforcement Learning: Foundations and Methods
Machine Learning for Sustainable Systems
and Modeling with Machine Learning: from Algorithms to Applications
Optimization for Machine Learning
Modern Mathematical Statistics
Inference and Information
Algorithms for Inference
Machine Learning
Statistical Learning Theory and Applications
Deep Learning
Advances in Computer Vision
Mathematical Statistics: a Non-Asymptotic Approach
Statistical Reinforcement Learning
Machine Learning Under a Modern Optimization Lens
Planning and Policy 2
Behavioral Science, AI, and Urban Mobility
Comparative Land Use and Transportation Planning
Urban Transportation Planning and Policy
Logistics 3
Logistics Systems
The Theory of Operations Management
Supply Chain Analytics
and Supply Chain: Capacity Analytics
Demand 4
Demand Modeling
Advanced Demand Modeling
Statistical Method in Economics
and Estimation and Inference for Linear Causal and Structural Models 5
Econometrics 5
Unrestricted Electives 654
Thesis
1.THGGraduate Thesis 7540
Total Units660

Note: Students in this program can choose to receive the Doctor of Philosophy or the Doctor of Science in Transportation. Students receiving veterans benefits must select the degree they wish to receive prior to program certification with the Veterans Administration. 

1

Taken twice for a total of 6 units.

2

The Policy and Planning area also requires a written exam.

3

Students who DO NOT take 1.260 to fulfill the Core requirement, must take either 15.764, or 15.762 and 15.763. Students who DO take 1.260 to fulfill the Core requirement must 

4

Students who do NOT take 1.202 to fulfill the Core requirement must take 1.202, and either 1.205 or 14.382. Students who DO take 1.202 to fulfill the Core requirement must take either 1.205 and 14.382, or 1.205, 14.380, and 14.381.

5

For either 14.380 and 14.381, or for 14.382, students can instead choose one of the following, more advanced subjects: 14.384 Time Series Analysis, 14.385 Nonlinear Econometric Analysis, or 14.386 New Econometric Methods.

6

Students choose subjects in consultation with their advisor.

7

Thesis units are based on the average duration of the doctoral program (five years) but will vary based on how long the student remains in the program.