What degrees are granted upon completion of the LGO program?
All LGO graduates earn two MIT degrees:
What engineering departments participate in the LGO program?
The LGO program is affiliated with seven departments within the MIT School of engineering:
What are engineering tracks and are they required?
Some engineering departments, including Engineering Systems and Mechanical Engineering, require students to focus on a specialty area or track. Other departments, such as Civil and Environmental Engineering and EECS, offer optional tracks for LGO students.
Read about each program's tracks on on the engineering program pages:
What are the engineering tracks for Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Systems?
Mechanical Engineering offers four tracks for LGO students: Manufacturing, Energy and Environmental Sustainability, Biomechanics, and Ocean Systems Management. ESD offers four tracks for LGO students: Manufacturing Systems and Supply Chains, Systems Engineering, Enterprise Architecture, and Energy and Environmental Sustainability. LGO students within these departments must select one of the track offerings.
Can I change my engineering department once the program begins?
Transferring into a different engineering department is entirely at the discretion of the LGO program directors. If the transfer is approved by LGO, you must then be accepted into the engineering department into which you are trying to transfer.
How flexible is the academic timeline for LGO's curriculum?
LGO's rigorous structure is integral to the completion of two master's degrees in two years. While the program is open to considering flexibility in exceptional situations, deviation from the format is not recommended. Within LGO's structure, however, there is ample flexibility in the areas of academic opportunity and individual program focus.
LGO offers only full-time, on-campus study. Part-time and distance study are not available.
Offering LGO students the opportunity to earn two MIT degrees in two years is one of the program's highlights. In exchange for this accelerated opportunity, LGO has implemented a rigorous program structure, including a six-month internship. The summer program is essential to the two-year program, so all LGO students must start in the summer.
What companies are members of the LGO partnership?
LGO industry partners include a highly select group of global manufacturing and operations companies spanning industries from aerospace, automotive and biotech to electronics, pharmaceutical, and retailing. See a complete and current list of LGO partner companies.
What kind of internships does LGO offer?
During their second year, students conduct a six-month, on-site internship at an LGO partner company, working closely with company staff to solve a specific operations-related challenge. The main types of internships are:
How are internships distributed?
LGO students bid on a list of available internships according to their preferences. LGO then assigns students based on these preferences and also on partner company needs, simulating a hiring process that takes both sides into account.
All students are guaranteed internships. A committee of LGO second-year students helps manage this process with LGO staff. For specific questions on the LGO internship, contact Ted Equi (tedequi@mit.edu), LGO Research and Internship Manager.
Is there an obligation to work for a partner company after graduation?
No, although students admitted to LGO should make a good-faith effort to consider employment by our partners. Students are encouraged to use the networking and career development opportunities offered through LGO to become familiar with its partner companies and associated job opportunities, as well as with other manufacturing and operations companies.
Partner companies fund the program with the expectation they will hire LGOs to meet their manufacturing/operations leadership needs. This industry/academic partnership allows LGO to offer its unique and generous fellowship. Students seeking careers in banking, financial services, or consulting should consider programs other than LGO that are more aligned with these career goals.
My current employer is not an LGO partner but would like to sponsor me. Is that possible?
While company sponsorship of students into LGO is primarily reserved for LGO partners, LGO occasionally allows non-partner companies to sponsor an employee in the program. Those companies are asked to pay the student's full tuition plus a $50,000 premium. In addition to sponsoring the employee, the fee allows the company to sponsor an LGO internship in the same academic cycle. LGO has found that the students who have come from non-partner organizations have enriched the cohort, and students have discovered that after their two years in the program, they carry back to their organizations the knowledge and skills acquired in the diverse LGO environment.
If you do work for a partner company and are interested in sponsorship, speak with your Human Resources department or the company's LGO Operating Committee member. You may also contact Josh Jacobs, LGO Director of Operations and Partner Integration.
Sponsored students have no advantage in the admissions process, and all applications are reviewed on an equal basis.
What is the admissions deadline for LGO?
The application deadline is December 15, 2013.
How many people applied last year? How many students were admitted?
Of the 286 applications received last year, 56 were admitted and 48 matriculated.
The difference is in the outcome of your application if you are not admitted into the LGO program. If you apply to LGO through MIT Sloan but are not accepted, your application will automatically be considered for Round II of MBA admissions. If you apply to LGO through an engineering department but are not accepted, your application may be considered for admission by that department's S.M. or Ph.D. program. You should research the engineering departments to determine if your application will still be considered if not accepted to LGO.
There is no formal process by which we can help you to make the decision about which school to apply through. We suggest that you determine where your strengths lie and weigh them against the school's acceptance criteria. Once the program begins, virtually no difference exists between students who applied through the School of Engineering and those who applied through MIT Sloan School of Management.
I am not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Can I still apply to the LGO program?
LGO welcomes international applications. While the LGO Admissions Committee carefully considers all applications, preference may be given to those who are legally authorized to work where our partner companies have major facilities.
If I apply to LGO through MIT Sloan, can I be considered for Round I of MBA admissions?
No. If you apply to LGO through MIT Sloan, your application will first be considered by LGO. In the event you are not accepted by LGO, your application would then be considered for Round II of general MBA admissions.
I do not have an undergraduate degree in engineering or science. Can I still apply to LGO?
It's important for a student's academic history to demonstrate an ability to keep up with the rigorous requirements of the MIT engineering curriculum. Without a bachelor's degree in engineering or science, chances of admission are relatively low. If you feel that your transcripts reflect a strong record in math, science and/or engineering courses without an engineering or science degree, we encourage you to complete an application.
Do I need work experience to apply to the program?
The most competitive applicants have three or more years of full-time, postgraduate work experience (the minimum is two years). On average, LGO students have four to five years of full-time professional experience. The LGO Class of 2014 had an average of 5.01 years of experience prior to entering the program.
What if I don't have work experience in manufacturing or operations?
LGO accepts students from diverse backgrounds. Each successful applicant must clearly explain why LGO would be the best next step toward furthering his or her educational and career goals and how his or her current background (particularly with regard to technical ability and leadership experience) would contribute to the class' group dynamic.
If you already have a master's degree in engineering, you are encouraged to apply as long as you pursue a different engineering discipline for the LGO program. Some students have had a Ph.D. in engineering upon entering the program. If you already hold an MBA, please address in your application why you choose to pursue an MBA through the LGO program.
Some restrictions may apply to applicants in your situation. You should research the engineering discipline(s) you are interested in to assure academic eligibility and include on your application why you feel an additional master's degree in this field would benefit your future goals. Choosing your department of entry on the Application Process page of our website will give you more information about LGO's eight affiliated engineering departments. The contact information for admissions in each department is also available there.
Do I need to take both the GRE and the GMAT?
No. Test requirements differ depending on whether you submit an application to LGO through the MIT Sloan School of Management or through a participating engineering department. MIT Sloan applicants may submit the GRE or the GMAT. If you are applying to LGO through an engineering department, you must take the GRE.
The GMAT or GRE is required of all applicants and must be taken before submitting your application. Once your online application is submitted, we will not allow replacement of your test scores. Test scores are only valid for five years.
What are the average GMAT and GRE scores?
Visit the first-year class profile for more details. Please keep in mind that averages are not minimums, and that all applications are carefully considered.
Is the TOEFL or the IELTS required?
MIT Sloan School of Management does not require the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), although most engineering departments require it for students whose native language is not English. If you are applying through an engineering department that requires TOEFL or IELTS, you must submit current scores prior to the admissions deadline for your application to be considered complete.
What school/departmental codes do I use when requesting my test scores to be sent to MIT?
All application materials should be submitted through your department of entry. LGO will receive completed applications from MIT Sloan School of Management and the School of Engineering after the admissions deadline. If you submit late materials, contact both your department of entry and LGO via email as soon as you can. We do not guarantee full consideration of materials submitted after the application deadline.
Where should I send my official transcripts?
If you're applying to LGO through the School of Engineering, you should check with your engineering department about whether they require you to mail-in hard copy versions of your transcript(s). If they do not require them to be sent in hard copy, you may just scan and upload them into the online application system.
Who should I ask to write my technical/academic letter of recommendation?
Your technical/academic letter of recommendation should come from a professional or academic source, such as a supervisor or professor with knowledge of your technical abilities. A good technical recommendation might include information about analytic skills, thoroughness, technical expertise and depth and how they are demonstrated, creativity, and problem-solving skills.
The technical letter should also be able to address an applicant's ability to look deeply into a technical or engineering problem.
If applying through the School of Engineering letters or recommendation should be submitted to your department of entry according to their instructions. Online recommendations are strongly preferred. If applying through the MIT Sloan School of Management, recommenders must submit recommendations online. Mailed recommendations are not accepted.
What is the admissions notification date?
Decisions will be mailed by February 28, 2014.
Does LGO offer feedback to non-admitted applicants?
The LGO Admissions Committee evaluates each applicant both as an individual and against the merits of other applicants the same year. It is difficult to single out one reason for the decision on any applicant, and we are therefore unable to provide individual feedback. We welcome reapplications and encourage you to identify clearly additional experiences and achievements since your initial application.
Please see our fellowship and scholarship page.
Please see our program costs page.
What are my options for visiting LGO?
We encourage prospective applicants to visit MIT LGO in the fall through our Ambassadors Program. To request a visit, please email our LGO student Ambassadors at visit-lgo@mit.edu.
LGO also offers a variety of other programs and events to help you learn more, including our annual Ambassador Day in November. We also participate in the Sloan-on-the-Road recruiting sessions in many domestic locations.
We will selectively interview individuals who submit an application to the LGO program. These interviews will be by invitation and at our initiative only; not all applicants will be interviewed. All interviews take place on campus in January, February, or early March.
