Professional Development

Professional Development

At the MIT School of Engineering, technical expertise goes hand in hand with leadership and professional growth. Through a range of programs, undergraduates can build the skills and confidence to lead effectively and pursue any career path with clarity and purpose.

Programs

GEL is a contiguous one- or two-year program with a new cohort of approximately 150 students admitted for each academic year. Participation in the GEL program gives students the opportunity to meet and bond with peers outside their major, which strengthens their leadership ability. GEL is also a caring community that connects students to exclusive professional development opportunities, and powerful industry and alumni networks, fueling their success.

Gordon-MIT Engineering Leadership Program (GEL)

Gordon-MIT Engineering Leadership Program (GEL)

The Bernard M. Gordon-MIT Engineering Leadership Program (GEL) complements MIT’s technical education by developing engineers with both the technical and leadership skills to maximize impact.

GEL’s innovative program develops leadership, teamwork, and communication skills in real-world engineering contexts. Founded with industry stakeholder input on a core set of Capabilities of Effective Engineering Leaders, GEL’s rigorous curriculum combines academic coursework with a hands-on, team-based experiential engineering leadership lab.

GEL
  • 1,300+

    1,300+ GEL alumni

  • 92%

    92% of GEL alumni recommend GEL to current students

  • 85%

    85% of GEL alumni remain in engineering or related fields

GEL is a contiguous one- or two-year program with a new cohort of approximately 150 students admitted for each academic year. Participation in the GEL program gives students the opportunity to meet and bond with peers outside their major, which strengthens their leadership ability. GEL is also a caring community that connects students to exclusive professional development opportunities, and powerful industry and alumni networks, fueling their success.

GEL Programming

GEL Year One

In GEL Year One (for juniors and seniors), students learn leadership theory and practice as members of and leaders of teams. They engage in carefully crafted experiential learning activities to gain valuable engineering leadership capabilities. Students who complete GEL Year One earn the Certificate of Engineering Leadership.

GEL Year One Requirements

GEL Year Two

In GEL Year Two (for GEL Year One grads), students further develop as engineering leaders. They help lead the program, coach GEL Year One students, engage with industry guests, and receive personalized mentoring. Students who complete GEL Year Two earn the Advanced Certificate of Engineering Leadership.

GEL Year Two Requirements
Five students gather around a table, closely examining small objects and papers, appearing to collaborate on a project or assignment in a classroom with a perforated wooden wall in the background.
Two people stand at the front of a classroom, presenting to a group of seated students who are watching attentively. Blackboard notes and name tags are visible, suggesting a workshop or seminar setting.
Two students focus on assembling or repairing a small robotic vehicle with wires and tools at a table, while others watch or work in the background in a classroom setting.
A group of students stands in a classroom, talking and holding clipboards and papers. Other students are sitting at desks, and the room has perforated wooden walls. The atmosphere appears collaborative and focused.

Undergraduate Practice Opportunities Program (UPOP)

Undergraduate Practice Opportunities Program (UPOP)

UPOP is a yearlong professional development program for MIT sophomores that builds the skills and confidence to excel in any career—whether in industry, research, or academia. Students benefit from interactive classes and workshops, 1:1 advising, and support from UPOP’s dedicated community of staff, mentors, program alumni, and employer network members, to strengthen their communication, teamwork, and problem-solving abilities. It’s a hands-on bridge between classroom learning and the professional world.

UPOP
Two young women sit at a round table, smiling and talking during a group event. One wears a black shirt that says UP and the other holds a cup. Other people are gathered at tables in the background.
Three people sit on the floor building a tall structure from pencils and foam boards, while others build similar structures in the background at an indoor event.
A young man stands, holding markers, in front of a table and a large easel with sketches of boxes and measurements. People work in the background inside a decorated hall with murals on the wall.

MIT School of Engineering Communication Lab

The MIT School of Engineering Communication Lab (Comm Lab) helps engineering students and postdocs strengthen the communication skills essential to their research and careers. Through one-on-one coaching with trained Communication Fellows, targeted workshops, and online tools, participants learn to write clearly, present effectively, and design visuals that make complex ideas accessible. 

Communication Lab

Comm Lab Voices: Clients Share Their Stories for the Comm Lab’s 10th Anniversary

Departmental Comm Labs

Get support from a discipline-specific Communication Lab: