Discovering the joy of future-forward electrical engineering

MIT's new Course 6-5 (Electrical Engineering With Computing) has become the third-most selected major among first-year students since launching last fall. The program bridges traditional electrical engineering with computing through flexible specialization tracks including Circuits, Electromagnetics and Photonics, and Quantum Systems Engineering. A key differentiator is hands-on learning: students tape out real chip designs, test state-of-the-art silicon photonics hardware, access quantum hardware, and complete capstone projects with city governments and nonprofits. Enrollment in 6-5 now roughly equals the combined enrollment of the older 6-1 and 6-2 programs.