College of Liberal Arts Information

Requirements for Degrees
For students entering the College of Liberal Arts, the degree of bachelor of arts or bachelor of science is awarded after four years (eight semesters) of full-time study and with successful completion of the equivalent of thirty-four full-credit semester courses. (Study in summer school at other institutions does not count as a semester under this policy.) A cumulative average of C- (1.67) or higher is required for graduation. No more than two of the thirty-four courses may consist of fieldwork or internship placements. Up to two semesters of full-time study after matriculation at Tufts may be spent at other approved four-year institutions or on approved foreign-study programs. (See Residence Requirement in the general information section for details.) 

Three-fourths of all courses taken at Tufts with standard grading must be completed with a grade of C- or better. There is no rigid program of courses that must be taken by every student. Students are regarded as individuals and each student is encouraged to pursue a course of study appropriate to his or her training, experience, aptitudes, and plans for the future. Within a framework designed to ensure both breadth and depth in intellectual development, there is a broad range of choice. Students work with their advisers to select those courses best suited to their particular needs and interests.

Each student selects courses to fulfill the foundation and distribution requirements according to the following plan. All courses used to fulfill these requirements must be taken for a letter grade, not pass-fail.

Foundation Requirements
The faculty recognizes the following elements as basic to any program leading to a bachelor's degree in liberal arts, whatever a student's particular interests may be. First, an educated person in our society must be able to write coherent English, and must be able to apply that writing ability to the critical analysis of information and ideas in any field. Second, the study of another language and of foreign cultures is indispensable to a liberal education; such study provides a basis for locating oneself within a larger cultural and international context. Courses in college writing, foreign language and culture, and world civilizations constitute the foundation of a liberal arts education at Tufts.

The foundation requirements should be met early in a student's college career, so that these courses may serve as a foundation for later work. Where appropriate, a single course, examination, or other unit of work may be credited toward the fulfillment of both the foundation and the distribution requirements.

1. Writing
Two semesters of college writing are normally required for graduation in liberal arts. In general, students should complete this requirement in the first year. Most students do so by taking English 1 (Expository Writing) in the first semester and, in the second semester, English 2 (College Writing Seminar) or another approved writing course (such as Philosophy 1). Students taking courses approved as English 2 substitutes may not count them as English 2 if taken before or at the same time as English 1. Students for whom English is a second language may take English 3 with consent of the instructor. Courses taken toward fulfillment of this requirement must be taken for letter grades, except English 3, which is pass-fail.

There are also other alternatives for satisfying the college writing requirement. In summary, the requirement may be satisfied in any of the following ways:

· Exemption from the entire requirement by attaining a score of five on the Advanced Placement Test in English Language and Composition or English Literature and Composition; an A on the British A-Level exams; or a score of seven on the Higher-Level International Baccalaureate.

· Exemption from the first half of the requirement by attaining one of the following: a score of four on the Advanced Placement Test in English Language and Composition or English Literature and Composition; a score of 760 or above on the SAT II Test in Writing/English Composition; a score of five or six on the Higher-Level International Baccalaureate, six or seven at the Subsidiary Level; or a B on the British A-Level exams. Students so exempted from the first half of the requirement must complete English 2 or an equivalent course.

· Satisfactory completion of English 1 and 2 or 3 and 4.

· Satisfactory completion of English 1 and one of the approved alternative courses (which may not be taken concurrently with English 1). These courses vary from year to year; students and their advisers should ascertain which alternatives are offered and approved in any given semester.

· Satisfactory completion of English 3, or English 1 and English 2 or 4, or an approved alternative course.

· Completion of English 1 with a grade of A or A- (resulting in exemption from the second half of the requirement).

 
2. Foreign Language/Culture Option
This foundation requirement has two parts. First, every student must satisfy a basic language requirement, demonstrating knowledge of a foreign language equivalent to three semesters of college courses. The second part of the requirement may be satisfied in several different ways. Students may take advanced courses in the same foreign language or they may undertake study of a second language. For some students, however, the introductory study of a foreign language establishes that they have neither the inclination nor the aptitude to continue such study. In these cases, the imposition of an advanced language requirement forces both students and faculty into unwelcome and unprofitable situations. Students are thus offered the alternative of studying a foreign culture through courses taught in English.

Foreign nationals whose native language is not English and who have received a substantial portion of their education in their native language are exempt from the foreign language requirement at Tufts. Determination of such exemption shall be made by the appropriate dean based on transcripts or other equivalent documentation.

PART I. BASIC LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT
Entering students are expected to demonstrate competence in a second language equivalent to three semesters of college courses. Secondary school transcripts are not accepted as evidence of language competence. Language competence may be determined on the basis of a placement examination taken at Tufts, SAT II Subject Test scores, or a college transcript. Entering students who do not demonstrate the required level of competence must take college language courses until that level is reached.

PART II. CONTINUED LANGUAGE STUDY / CULTURE OPTION
After the basic language requirement has been satisfied, the student has four options:

1) To continue study in the foreign language used to fulfill the basic language requirement until two courses have been completed at the third-year level; e.g., French 21-22 or French 31-32, German 21-22 or German 33-44. Since the fourth-semester college-level course (e.g., French 4, Spanish 4) is normally a prerequisite for courses at the advanced level, the option usually involves taking three courses beyond the basic language requirement. Entering students may be placed in advanced language courses or may be exempted from them on the basis of a placement examination, SAT II Subject Test scores, or college transcripts, as described under Part I above.

2) To complete courses through the third college-semester level (for example, Spanish 1 through 3) in a language different from the one used to satisfy the basic language requirement.

For students in the Class of 2009, American Sign Language may be used to fulfill this option.

3) To complete three credits dealing with a single culture or designated cultural area, either the same as or different from the language taken to fulfill Part I. The course must deal with a foreign culture. For purposes of this requirement, a foreign culture is defined as having non-English speaking origins. Anglo-American, English, Anglo-Irish, and Anglo-Australian cultures do not qualify, but Aboriginal Australian, Celtic, and African-American, Latino/a, and Asian American, for example, do to the degree that they are discrete from the Anglo-American tradition. 

For students in the Class of 2009 who elect to take this option, at least one course must focus on the region of origin. For instance, a student choosing the East Asian and Diasporas culture area must take at least one course rooted in East Asia, not the U.S.

Culture courses are listed at the end of this section and are regularly updated on the bulletin Web site. Students wishing to submit courses that are not on this list (or its updated semester supplement) must petition the Academic Review Board; forms are available in Dowling Hall.

4) Foreign language courses beyond the third college-semester level may be counted as part of the culture option, e.g., Spanish 4, French 4, or courses at higher levels. For example, a student who has completed four semesters of foreign language study may choose to complete the foundation requirement by taking two culture courses in the same culture area as that of the language studied.

Travel or residence in another country, while admittedly educational, may not be applied toward fulfillment of the culture option. Courses accepted for transfer from other colleges or universities may be used upon approval of the Academic Review Board. Policies governing the acceptance of courses in satisfaction of the language requirement and culture option are established by the Academic Review Board.

3. World Civilizations
The world civilizations requirement focuses on an in-depth study of a non-Western civilization or civilizations, or the interaction of non-Western and Western civilizations with equal attention given to both. The definition of the non-Western world is considered to include Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America, and selected indigenous cultures of Oceania and North America.

The course taken in fulfillment of the world civilizations requirement may be used to fulfill the culture option or that distribution requirement for which the course would normally be appropriate, but not both.  

For an updated list of courses that have been approved by the Academic Review Board, visit www.ase.tufts.edu/bulletin/worldciv. For approval of courses that do not appear on this list, a petition form--available at Dowling Hall--with a course syllabus must be submitted to the chair of the Academic Review Board.

4. Quantitative Reasoning
The quantitative reasoning requirement is designed to impart basic mathematical skills that students will need throughout their studies. Students with a mathematics SAT score of 560 or above are automatically exempt from this requirement.

Students with a mathematics SAT score below 560 must take Mathematics 4 in the fall semester of their first year. For these students, Mathematics 4 will fulfill one credit of the two-credit mathematical sciences distribution requirement. Students who wish exemption from Mathematics 4 must pass the placement examination offered by the mathematics department during orientation week. 

Distribution Requirements
The faculty holds that a student enrolled in any program leading to a liberal arts degree must demonstrate a reasonable acquaintance with each of the following five areas of inquiry: the humanities, the arts, the social sciences, the natural sciences, and the mathematical sciences. As in the case of the foundation requirement, a student may be granted credit toward fulfillment of the distribution requirement in any of these areas on the basis of an examination such as the AP or International Baccalaureate.

No single course may be credited toward fulfillment of the distribution requirement in more than one of the five areas. (Any history course may be counted toward fulfillment of either the humanities or the social sciences requirement, but not both.) Courses completed as part of the foundation requirement or the concentration requirement, however, may also be used toward fulfillment of the distribution requirement (with the exceptions noted below). No more than two of the ten courses used in fulfillment of the distribution requirement may be from a single department or program.

Special restrictions apply to Experimental College courses. Approval of the Academic Review Board must be obtained in all cases; only one Experimental College course may be counted toward the ten courses needed to fulfill the distribution requirement; and those that are graded pass-fail may not be used to satisfy any distribution requirement.

The following courses have been approved by the Academic Review Board. 

1. Humanities
The humanities consists of disciplines addressing cultural, literary, and philosophical questions, both from a critical and historical perspective. American Studies 102; Anthropology 186; Chinese (except 1-4, 21, 22, 81, 121, 122, 123, 124); Classics (31, 32, 37, 38, 45, 75, 91 [Roots of English],135, 136, 137, 140, 141, 143, 146, 151 only); Community Health 106, 183; Comparative Religion; English (courses numbered 33 and above only, except 62); European literature; French (except 1-4, 21, 22, 75, 121, 122, 124); German (except 1-4, 21, 22, 34/134, 78, 79, 85, 114, 121); Greek (except 1, 2); History; Italian (except 1-4, 21, 22, 75); Japanese (except 1-4, 21, 22, 95, 96, 121, 122, 123, 195, 196); Judaic Studies (except 142); Latin (except 1-2); Philosophy (except 33, 114, 168, 170); Russian (except 1-4, 21, 22, 80, 121, 122); Spanish (except 1-4, 21, 22, 121, 122, 124); Women's Studies 72; World Civilizations; World Literature.

2. Arts
The arts include study of critical and historical aspects of the creative and performing arts, as well as studio experience in those areas. Art and Art History; American Studies 101; Child Development 175; Classics (27, 55, 56, 163, 164, 167, 168, 187, 188 only); Dance; Drama; English (5, 6 other than journalism sections, 9, 10, 13, 14, 22 only); German (78, 79, 85 only); Music; Psychology 80; World Literature (166 only). Courses in theater and film (unless offered by, cross-listed with, or approved by the drama or art and art history departments) must be approved by the Academic Review Board before they may count toward fulfillment of this requirement. Only one film course can be counted toward the arts distribution requirement. The Academic Review Board has approved the following film courses as counting toward the arts distribution requirement: Chinese 81; Drama 175; English 62; French 75; German 85; ILVS 50, 100; Italian 75; Judaic Studies 142; and Russian 80.

3. Social Sciences
The social sciences are concerned with the study of human behavior and human institutions. American Studies (12-20 only); Anthropology (except 20, 124, 150, 182); Child Development (1, 4, 7, 51, 61, 62, 64, 90, 143, 151, 152, 155, 158, 160, 161, 163, 191, 193 only); Classics (37, 38, 185, 186 only); Community Health (1, 2, 55, 104, 108, 182, 185, 186 only); Economics (except 3, 13, 105, 107, 108); Education (1, 11, 103, 106, 114, 123, 170, 171, 172, 184, 196, 198 only); Entrepreneural Leadership; German (68, 114 only); History; Modern Languages 114; Music (16 only); Peace and Justice Studies (1 only); Political Science (except 103); Psychology (except 25, 26, 27, 29, 31, 32, 40, 45, 46, 48, 49, 53, 103, 104, 107, 108, 109, 110, 112, 123, 124, 127, 128, 129, 140, 148; Sociology (except 101); Urban and Environmental Policy (205 only); Women's Studies (72 only).

4. Natural Sciences
The natural sciences examine systematically the inanimate and animate world, of which human beings constitute a part. Anthropology (20, 124, 150, 182 only); Astronomy; Biology (except 16, 107, 132); Chemistry; Child Development (156 only); Civil and Environmental Engineering (194 only); Community Health (107 only); Environmental Studies 105; Geology (except 9); Nutrition (101 only); Occupational Therapy (101, 102, 103, 104 only); Philosophy (168 only); Physics; Psychology (25, 26, 27, 29, 32, 40, 45, 46, 48, 49, 103, 104, 112, 123, 124, 127, 128, 129, 148 only); Urban and Environmental Policy (281 only). See Engineering/Technology Option below.

5. Mathematical Sciences
The mathematical sciences use quantitative and symbolic reasoning to model the natural world. Biology (132 only); Child Development (140 only); Computer Science; Economics (13, 105, 107, 108 only); Mathematics (except 4, which counts only for students with a mathematics SAT score below 560; see the quantitative reasoning requirement); Philosophy (33, 103, 114, 170 only); Political Science (103 only); Psychology (31, 107, 108, 140 only); Sociology (101 only). See Engineering/Technology Option below.

ENGINEERING/TECHNOLOGY OPTION
Engineering/technology utilizes mathematical and scientific concepts to deal with problems in the physical world, such as designing components, processes, or systems, or analyzing natural phenomena. Each student must normally complete four course credits in the combined areas of mathematical sciences and natural sciences, with an option in engineering/technology. One course credit from the following may be substituted for one course credit in either the natural sciences or mathematical sciences distribution area. EN-3-CHE Biotechnology Engineering; EN-5-CHE Skyscrapers, Architecture, and Engineering; EN-6-EECS Computer Processing of Images, EN-8-ME Machines; EN-10-ME Prototyping Home Robots; EN-13-ME Power Production; EN-14-ME The Way Things Work; EN-17-ME Materials, Design, and Manufacturing; EN-21-CEE Computers and the Environment; EN-23-CEE Infrastructure Engineering; EN-24-CEE Earthquake Engineering; EN-25-ME Life in Moving Fluids; EN-26-ME Design and Performance of Musical Instruments; EN-27-ME Energy Technologies; EN-28-ME Sound and Society;  EN-29-BME Biomedical Engineering Primer; EN-31-ECE Exploring Laser Light; EN-33-CEE Engineering Health: Past Successes and Future Challenges; EN-35-ECE History of Radio Technology; EN-39-CEE Bridge Design; EN-43-MEE Gourmet Engineering; EN-44-CHE Microbrewery Engineering; EN-47-CS Exploring Computer Science; EN-53-ME Fortran 90/95; EN-55-ME Behind the Scenes. 

Students are advised to attend to their distribution requirements early. The following page provides a clear and simple way to record progress toward fulfilling graduation requirements. 

Summary Sheet of Requirements

Foundation Requirements

1. Writing

1) __________________________ 2) __________________________

2. Foreign Language/Culture Option

Part I: Competence equivalent to three semesters of college language courses

1) _____________________ 2) ____________________ 3) ___________________

Part II: Three semesters of language or culture option. (Fulfill a, b, or c.)

4) _____________________ 5) _____________________ 6) ___________________

a. Continue in the first language for three more semesters
b. Three semesters in a second language (including ASL)
c. Culture option--there are two ways to fulfill the culture option:

1. Continue through the fourth or fifth semester of the language used to fulfill Part I, and take one or two courses in the same culture area as that language.

2. Take three credits related to a single culture either the same as or different from the language taken to fulfill Part I. One course must focus on the region of origin. See the on-line list of approved culture courses.

3. World Civilizations  1) _______________________

This course may also be used to toward a culture OR a distribution, but not both.

4. Quantitative Reasoning  1) ______________________

A score of 560 or above on the mathematics SAT will exempt a student from this requirement. (No credit is received.) Students with a mathematics SAT score below 560 must take Mathematics 4 in the fall semester of their first year. Only for these students will Mathematics 4 fulfill one credit of the two-credit mathematical sciences distribution requirement.

Distribution Requirements
Two course credits in each area. No more than two of the ten credits may be from the same department or program. Two approved half-credit courses in technology may be taken instead of either one credit in natural sciences or one credit in mathematical sciences.

Humanities  

1) _________________________ 2) ___________________________

Arts

 1) ________________________ 2) ___________________________

Social Sciences  

1) ________________________ 2) ___________________________

Natural Sciences 

1) ________________________ 2) ___________________________

Mathematical Sciences

1) ________________________ 2) ___________________________

Concentration Requirement
The object of the concentration (or major) requirement is to provide the student with an integrated and thorough program of study in a well-developed field of learning. Most students satisfy the concentration requirement within established academic departments and programs, selected from among those listed below. An alternative program, called Plan of Study, is available to students with unique academic interests not clearly encompassed by the established fields of concentration. All courses used toward fulfillment of the concentration requirement must be taken for letter grades.

Department or Program Major
Students are expected to choose their major field of interest in the sophomore year and to have a faculty adviser in the major field during the second semester of the sophomore year. With the assistance of the faculty adviser, the student plans a concentration program of ten or more courses as specified by the major department. In some cases, the student must complete prerequisite courses in addition to those that actually constitute the concentration program. Detailed concentration recommendations (including prerequisites, if any) precede the listing of course descriptions for every major department and program. These recommendations provide standard but not inflexible guidelines for satisfying the concentration requirement in that field.

For students with multiple concentrations, no more than half the courses used to fulfill the requirements for one concentration may be used to satisfy the requirements for a second or subsequent one. However, for courses taught in a foreign language beyond the third-year level of instruction, this overlap can be extended: up to 80 percent of the courses used to fulfill the requirements for one concentration may be used to satisfy the requirements for a second or subsequent one. Departments and programs may further restrict the amount of overlap between concentrations. Students who wish to complete two sets of concentration requirements are urged to continue to design such programs with minimal course overlap.

Listed below are the available departmental, interdepartmental, and program concentrations:

Plan of Study Major
Plan of Study offers a student the opportunity to create an individual concentration area corresponding to a unique set of interests, yet meeting the spirit of the concentration requirement. The most common kind of major in Plan of Study involves a selection of courses from two or more departments, appropriate to an interdisciplinary area such as Latin American studies or film studies.

The Plan of Study major consists of an integrated program of at least ten courses, including a two-semester thesis course (All College 91-92) or a substantial project comparable in scope to a thesis, including a written component. In this course, the student integrates material learned in the several selected disciplines into a final project, culminating in a substantial thesis. Students in Plan of Study are eligible for thesis honors. In order to complete a Plan of Study, the student must have a high degree of initiative and self-discipline. Also, no more than two courses used to fulfill another major may be used toward the Plan of Study and students may not triple major if one major is the Plan of Study.

A student who wishes to select the Plan of Study major must submit an application summarizing the planned program no later than the spring semester of the sophomore year. Each applicant selects an advisory committee of three faculty members who support the application, including representatives from at least two departments. (At least two of the committee members must be full-time members of the Arts and Sciences faculty, with the rank of lecturer or above; at least one of the committee members must be a tenure-track member of the Arts and Sciences faculty.)

In consultation with the advisory committee, the student develops plans for his or her program, which are then submitted as part of the application to the chair of the Arts and Sciences Committee on Curricula. The student is expected to work closely with the advisory committee throughout his or her tenure as a Plan of Study major. Close consultation with the principal adviser is especially important while the student is working on the final project.

Application forms are available in Dowling Hall. For more information, visit http://studentservices.tufts.edu/academicservices.htm.

Additional Graduation Requirements
Other courses to complete the thirty-four credits required for graduation may be selected without restriction. However, students should be guided in their choice by the purpose of promoting breadth as well as depth in intellectual development. In planning their programs of study, students should keep in mind that a good general education in the humanities, the arts, the sciences, mathematics, and the social sciences is a distinguishing characteristic of members of all the established professions. Faculty advisers are ready at all times to aid and counsel in making decisions.

The degree of bachelor of arts or bachelor of science is conferred on all students who complete this program. Students whose major concentration has been in applied physics, astrophysics, biology, chemistry, computer science, environmental studies, geology, mathematics, physics, or psychology will receive the degree of bachelor of science unless they make formal application for the degree of bachelor of arts to the senior class dean four months prior to the date on which they expect to complete degree requirements.

Seniors must file a degree sheet the semester prior to their expected date of graduation. (Consult Academic Services in Dowling Hall.)

Undergraduate Minor Programs

Disciplinary (or Departmental)
In addition to completing the courses for the concentration requirement, an undergraduate may elect to enroll in a minor program in a different, although possibly related field. A minor is a coherent group of four to six credits that may be a limited version of a field of concentration or a group of courses having closely related subject matter, e.g., area studies. Minors are optional and in no way replace the field of concentration.

The object of a minor program is to present students with the basic concepts in a single scholarly discipline, including an introduction to appropriate methodologies and ways of thinking about the subject. All courses used in fulfillment of a disciplinary minor must be taken for a grade.

No more than two courses used to fulfill a foundation, distribution, or concentration requirement may be counted toward fulfillment of the minor. Students may not complete both a minor and a concentration in the same discipline, nor may they enroll in more than one disciplinary minor. Not all departments have minors, so students should consult departmental listings in this bulletin or departmental offices for additional information.

Interdisciplinary
The Interdisciplinary Minor Program involves a designated group of five credits from at least three departments or programs of the university, bringing to bear the knowledge and perspectives of various disciplines on a single subject. Students may select a minor from among the programs approved by the Subcommittee on Academic Minors of the Committee on Curricula. These minor programs are listed below.

In addition to the five credits, a student is required to complete an appropriate project, such as a thesis, an oral presentation, or a performance, which integrates the knowledge and methodologies of the disciplines involved. The integrative project will be given one-half or one course credit under a CIS (Center for Interdisciplinary Studies) 95-96 designation and will receive a letter grade. The topic of the project must receive initial approval from an instructor of one of the courses taken by the student for the specific minor program. This instructor will also agree to direct the student's work on the project. The project will be evaluated by at least one other faculty member whose courses are part of the particular minor program, and who will then consult the project director regarding the grade to be assigned. The student is responsible for selecting the faculty members who will participate in this aspect of the program.

In a further effort to synthesize knowledge acquired in the program, the faculty members involved in each minor will arrange two meetings for all students who will be working on their project in that particular academic year. The first meeting, scheduled for the fall semester, will give to the students the opportunity to consult the faculty regarding project topics, resources, and methodology. The second meeting, held at the end of the spring semester, will provide a forum at which the participants in the minor will discuss their work with others interested in the same general area and share the views and insights gained by participation in the particular minor program.

A course taken as a part of the interdisciplinary minor program must be taken for a letter grade and may not be used toward the fulfillment of the foundation requirements. A maximum of two credits from an interdisciplinary minor may be counted toward a major or majors; up to two credits may be used for distribution requirements.

Students may submit a Declaration of Minor form to the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies only after they have declared a major concentration. At the completion of their minor program, students must submit a Minor Certification form, bearing the signatures of the faculty coordinator of the minor and of the two or more faculty members involved in the evaluation of their project, the title of the project, and a list of the five courses taken.

The approved Interdisciplinary Minor Programs are:

Africa in the New World
Asian Studies
Cognitive Science
Engineering Science Studies
Ethnic Groups in America
Film Studies
Latin American Studies
Latino Studies
Mass Communications and Media Studies
Medieval Studies
Multimedia Arts
Urban Studies
Women's Studies

See the alphabetical listings in this bulletin for a description of these programs and the name of the faculty coordinator, who in each case can provide more information and an updated list of approved courses.

Degrees with Honors
Honorable mention (cum laude) is conferred at commencement on students who achieved a record of four credits of A or A- in satisfying their concentration requirements--including related fields--and whose cumulative average for all Tufts courses is 3.40. For students in the Class of 2009, the new criteria are five credits of A or A- and a cumulative average of 3.50.

High distinction (magna cum laude) may be conferred at commencement on students who achieved a record of six credits of A or A- in satisfying their concentration requirements, including related fields, and whose cumulative average for all courses is 3.60 or better. Students must be recommended in writing by their departmental chairperson or advisory committee. For students in the Class of 2009, the new criteria are six credits of A or A- and a cumulative average of 3.65.

Highest distinction (summa cum laude) may be conferred at commencement on students who achieved a record of six credits of A or A- in satisfying their concentration requirements, and whose cumulative average for all courses is 3.75 or better. Such candidates normally shall achieve at least one credit of A or A- in each area of the distribution requirement. For students in the Class of 2009, the new criteria are six credits of A or A- and a cumulative average of 3.80. Candidates in the Class of 2009 will also be required to earn A or A- grades in four of the five areas of the distribution requirement. All of these As must be received in courses offered by a department or interdisciplinary program at Tufts.

It is important to emphasize that the numerical criteria for magna cum laude and summa cum laude determine only eligibility for consideration; actual award of these honors is contingent on departmental recommendation. A description of additional departmental criteria (such as independent research) for honors recommendations is available from each academic department. In addition, for students recommended for summa cum laude, the department will solicit two letters (one of which is expected to come from outside the department) supporting their recommendation. Finally, summa cum laude is awarded only by special vote of the entire faculty, recognizing extraordinary achievement in the breadth, as well as the depth, of the student's intellectual development. Students whose permanent record includes a serious disciplinary infraction will not normally be eligible for summa cum laude honors. Exceptions to this policy can be made only after disclosure by the dean of students of the details of the infraction and subsequent vote by the faculty.

Grades in courses taken at institutions other than Tufts shall not be considered as criteria for honors. Exceptions to this rule are courses taken through cross-registration, the Swarthmore Exchange Program, the Mystic Seaport Program, or Tufts programs abroad.

See also Thesis Honors Program.

Phi Beta Kappa
Founded at the College of William and Mary in Virginia on December 3, 1776, Phi Beta Kappa is the highest national academic honor for students in the liberal arts. There are chapters of Phi Beta Kappa at 242 colleges and universities. Delta Chapter of Massachusetts at Tufts University was established on September 7, 1892, and women became eligible from the time of their acceptance at Tufts. Although second-semester juniors and all seniors will be considered without any action on their part, students can be recommended for election to Phi Beta Kappa by their major departments or by individual professors. Election is determined by the student's cumulative average together with his or her program: the courses selected in the field(s) of concentration and in fulfilling the foundation and distribution requirements, the general nature and difficulty of the program, its breadth and depth, the student's progress in the program, and the use of the pass-fail option. In recent years, 5 to 6 percent of the graduating seniors have been elected to Phi Beta Kappa.

Thesis Honors Program
The Thesis Honors Program allows students to pursue a program of independent study usually leading to a senior thesis and a qualifying examination. (In some fields, the thesis may take the form of a creative project or research experience.) The principal purpose of the program is to give special impetus to the development of self-reliance, individual initiative, habits of critical analysis, and correlation of knowledge. Intensive specialization in a field of knowledge may be considered an appropriate corollary in some cases, depending on the student's individual approach and the particular area of investigation. Students pursuing the Plan of Study major or a CIS thesis are eligible for thesis honors.

Since this is an honors program, admission is restricted to students whose names have appeared on the Dean's List at least once before the senior year. Application should be made no later than the end of the junior year. The student is responsible for finding an advisory committee (usually three professors, one of whom should be outside the student's major department). Admission to the program requires formation of an advisory committee, consent of the student's adviser, and approval either of the chair of the student's major department, or in the case of a CIS thesis the CIS Board. The membership of the advisory committee and the title of the thesis must be registered with Academic Services.

The advisory committee will be chaired by a member of the student's major department or by the sponsor of the thesis in the case of a Plan of Study. The committee will direct the student's reading and research or other creative work, and will guide the student in preparing for a qualifying examination in the area of investigation. All such programs will include a thesis course, which normally will count as two one-semester credits. Students who would like to be recommended for degrees with honors by departments or programs that require a thesis should be aware that a thesis within their own department or program is required and a CIS thesis will not usually count as a substitute.

The thesis may be of a creative, critical, or historical nature, or may embody critical analysis of the results of experiments carried out by the student under supervision. Its subject and scope will be agreed upon in advance by the student and sponsor and approved by the committee. The completed thesis will be presented for consideration no later than two weeks before the last day of classes of the student's final semester.

Each candidate for a degree with thesis honors is required to undergo examination on the thesis and on the principal area of investigation (or major concentration). The specific character of the examination is determined by each department or advisory committee and may be oral or written or both.

The department or advisory committee is empowered to determine the level of thesis honors to be awarded, basing its recommendation on an evaluation of the thesis. Degrees are designated bachelor of arts or bachelor of science, with highest thesis honors, with high thesis honors, or with thesis honors. (Thesis honors will be indicated on the student's transcript, but not on the diploma.) Students who, in the judgment of the department or advisory committee, have not attained the standards required for a thesis honors designation, but whose work is worthy of a degree, are recommended for the bachelor of arts or bachelor of science degree subject to the general regulations. Students who, in the judgment of the department or advisory committee, have attained the standards required for a thesis honors designation may also receive the degree summa cum laude, magna cum laude, or cum laude, in accordance with the procedures governing degrees with distinction.

For answers to frequently asked questions and a style sheet, visit the Web site: www.ase.tufts.edu/wts/student/thesis.asp.

Cross-Registration
Up to twenty course enrollments are available at Boston College, Brandeis University, and Boston University during both the fall and spring semesters for undergraduates enrolled full time. There is no exchange of fees, and both course credits and grades are recorded at the home institution.

Tufts students are limited to a total of two courses taken in departments for which there is no Tufts equivalent (e.g., business). Enrollment in any course by a guest student is subject to the prerequisites and requirements for the course. Guest students are subject to all the requirements of the course, including attendance, according to the schedule and calendar of the host institution. Application forms, course bulletins, and other information may be obtained from Academic Services.

Domestic Exchange and Off-Campus Programs
Tufts offers student exchanges with three institutions: Lincoln University, Spelman College, and Swarthmore College. Juniors in good standing and exceptional sophomores may participate. For the Lincoln and Spelman exchange programs, participating students pay tuition to their home institution, but pay charges for room, board, and special fees to the host institution. For the Swarthmore exchange program, students pay all charges to their home institution; there is no exchange of fees. The course credits and grades earned in the exchange programs by Tufts students are recorded on the Tufts transcript. 

Sophomores and juniors are also eligible to participate in a one-semester program in American Maritime Studies, accredited by Williams College and held at Mystic Seaport, Connecticut. Both credits and grades are recorded. Also, qualified students may participate in courses offered by the Massachusetts Bay Marine Studies Consortium. For more information on these programs, contact Academic Services.