Charm School at
MIT is a "degree" program founded in
1993 and designed to teach
undersocialized engineers how to behave properly in
polite society. It consists of a series of
courses offered every
IAP, and the
degree received is a
function of the number of courses taken. Finishing six classes will give you a
Bachelor of Science in
Charm, eight a
Masters', and twelve a
doctorate. (
Transfer credit is not accepted.)
Courses are offered in such topics as how to tie a tie, how to ask for a date, and proper table manners. For the more socialized and less humorously-minded, there are also seminars on good interview behaviour, manners for international travelers, and etiquette in a dozen situations.
The school is popular among students, attracting 700-800 attendees in 2000, and has been covered by national media, including CNN and Good Morning America. Miss Manners was the graduation speaker several years ago. According to the Charm School's web site, it has even inspired similar programs at other institutions.