Welcome to another edition of Trivia Tuesday, where we examine differences in the programs, resources, and opportunities offered by the leading business schools. Today we’re turning our attention to two unique aspects of the academic year at MIT Sloan: the mid-semester Sloan Innovation Periods and the mid-year Independent Activities Period.
The Sloan Innovation Period, or SIP, takes place for a week at the midpoint of each semester. The SIP was introduced to the curriculum to provide an opportunity for all Sloan students and faculty members to explore interests in ways not possible within the standard framework of courses. All classes and activities stop for the week while faculty members organize seminars and other activities designed to provide students with opportunities for hands-on leadership experiences and exposure to the latest research of Sloan professors. Past areas of study include explorations of individual learning styles, social network analysis for managers, value chain roadmapping, and globalization, development & standards. Participation in SIP is required of both first- and second-year students as part of the MBA graduation requirements and most Sloan students report that they appreciate the opportunity to step back and reflect on their learning while exploring topics outside the curriculum.
In addition, while other MBA students are home in January, resting up for the second half of the school year, students at MIT Sloan use the winter break to explore new topics and make new connections on campus. Every winter break at MIT, students, faculty, staff and alumni across the Institute are able to use the special four-week January term to organize or participate in a wide range of activities. Included as part of tuition, the Independent Activities Period, or IAP, offerings typically include how-to sessions, lectures, tours, recitals, athletic events, forums and films. Since members of the MIT community are responsible for proposing and organizing IAP events, the available activities change depending on the interests of the MIT campus at large.
Because the IAP is open to all members of the MIT community, the month-long session gives Sloan students an opportunity to form connections with students and faculty outside of the business school. This kind of extended opportunity for campus-wide interaction is unique to MIT Sloan among the leading business schools. These connections may help create many of the business/science partnerships that underlie MIT Sloan’s reputation as a center for the commercialization of new technologies.
For more information on unusual academic opportunities available to MBA students, be sure to visit the schools’ websites or check out the special programs featured in the Clear Admit School Guides!
