MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics offers prospective research students access to one of the world’s leading environments for work at the intersection of transportation, logistics, supply chain, analytics, and operations.
Students interested in research-oriented graduate study with CTL faculty can pursue several pathways, including a research master’s degree, an interdepartmental doctoral program in transportation, and selected PhD options through affiliated MIT departments.
Master of Science in Transportation (MST)
Students interested in research with the MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics (CTL) may pursue that work through the Master of Science in Transportation (MST), a two-year, research-oriented graduate program administered by MIT’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE). Students in the program earn the Master of Science in Transportation degree.
The MST is designed for students seeking advanced study in transportation and related systems, with opportunities to build strong foundations in analytical methods, transportation systems, logistics, supply chain management, and interdisciplinary research.
For students working with CTL faculty, the program offers access to research in areas such as transportation, logistics, supply chain, machine learning, and operations research. The MST is well suited for students with a strong technical background preparing for careers in industry, government, or academia, and may also serve as a pathway to doctoral study.
Interdepartmental PhD in Transportation
Students seeking to conduct doctoral research with the MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics (CTL) may do so through the Interdepartmental PhD in Transportation, a research-focused doctoral program administered through MIT’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE). Students in the program earn a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Transportation.
The program’s interdepartmental structure allows students to develop an individualized course of study that crosses disciplinary and departmental boundaries while conducting original research under the supervision of MIT faculty.
For students advised by CTL faculty, research may focus on transportation systems, logistics, supply chain management, freight, urban mobility, optimization, and data-driven decision making, and related fields. This is the primary doctoral pathway for students interested in conducting research in collaboration with and under the supervision of CTL faculty and researchers.
The MST and Interdepartmental PhD in Transportation help prepare students to do exactly that, and MIT CTL is an ideal place for that work.
Other programs:
PhD Opportunities in Logistics and Supply Chain through CEE and IDSS
Students interested in doctoral research in logistics and supply chain may also pursue other PhD programs at MIT, depending on their intended topical and methodological focus. For instance, applicants to the doctoral programs of the MIT Institute for Data, Systems, and Society (IDSS) or the MIT Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) may indicate their interest in research on logistics and supply chain related problem statements as part of their application. In consultation with faculty and departmental committees, students admitted to these programs can develop interdisciplinary research programs aligned with CTL’s research areas.
This pathway is appropriate for students whose interests align strongly with the curriculum in a particular PhD program and who want to make a scientific contribution within that program that connects with CTL’s broader research mission.
