Thinking about becoming an IR major? Already a declared IR major and have a few questions? Find answers below to some commonly asked questions regarding this process.

Prospective Majors

• How do I declare an IR major?
• How do you find an IR Advisor?

Important information as an IR Major:

• What tools can I use to plan my IR major?
• How do I study abroad and what are the guidelines for transferring credit to the IR major?
• How do I get a letter of recommendation?
• How do I graduate?

For additional information on policies and procedures for IR majors, please visit http://ase.tufts.edu/ir/irMajors.htm

How do I declare an IR major?
To officially declare a major in International Relations students must submit two forms:

1. "Undergraduate Major Form - Liberal Arts" (blue) - to Student Services (Dowling Hall)
2. "IR Major Supplemental Declaration Form" (yellow) - to the IR Program (Cabot 605)

Both forms are also available outside the IR Program Office. Students are encouraged to declare anytime freshman or sophomore year and need to do so by the end of sophomore year. Be sure to pick up your IR Handbook too!

How do I find an IR Advisor?
To complete the major declaration forms, students need the signature of an IR Core Faculty advisor. The intent is to link you to one of your most important resources as soon as you have decided to pursue IR. Majors typically choose their faculty advisor in one of two ways:

1. If they know a professor through previous course experience, they may wish to select them, pending availability.
2. They may prefer to choose an advisor on the basis of common interest or career goals even if there is no prior familiarity. [Example- Students interested in working in finance upon graduation should look for an economics advisor.]

Students should review the faculty websites through the IR website (http://ase.tufts.edu/ir/faculty.htm) or departmental websites to narrow down their choices and then introduce themselves to a few prospective faculty members during their office hours. This is the best way to discover shared interests and find an advisor that best suits your interests.

Before visiting a prospective faculty advisor, students should prepare an "IR Planning and Concentration Form" outlining both courses taken and the requirements fulfilled to that point. They should also think through what their tentative academic and career goals are and ask the faculty member to suggest how the IR major can best meet those goals. The appropriateness of an advisor may best be judged by their ability to answer that question thoroughly.

*Students who need additional help finding an advisor that suits their needs are invited to meet with the IR Program's Assistant Director during office hours.

Maximizing the Advising Experience
Many students go through Tufts knowing only their advisor's signature, which is a lost opportunity to maximize one of their most valuable resources. Advisors can suggest multiple academic alternatives to accommodate a student's needs and potential career paths and they are often the best resources for letters of recommendation.

Letters of Recommendation
Whether for career opportunities, graduate school, study abroad, scholarships, internships or academic honors, students will at some time during their undergraduate career need a letter of recommendation from their advisor or a faculty member they have come to know. There are a few things students should keep in mind when making such requests. Letters of recommendation are time-consuming for those who must write them, and certain times of the year are likely to be busier for faculty than others. To facilitate the writing of letters of recommendation, the following guidelines should be observed:

Prepare in advance: Make any requests for recommendations months before deadlines. Faculty are under no obligation to meet your last-minute requests.

Select someone who knows you: Make sure your advisor (or professor) knows who you are. Nothing is less compelling than a letter of recommendation from someone who does not know you. It is your responsibility to get to know your faculty as early as freshman or sophomore year. Your senior year may be too late.

Provide useful information: A transcript, resume, and information about the scholarship, graduate program, or job to which you are applying are very useful for your advisor or professor when writing.

How to Graduate: IR Major Degree Sheet Process
In order to graduate, students need to complete the following steps:

1. All students need to fill out a university form as well as a major concentration form for each major:
• University degree sheet found online at Student Services site
  

  Instructions for Completing University Degree Sheet Part III: Major Concentration Requirements

• IR Planning and Concentration Form found online or in the IR Program office (Cabot 605).

  IR Major Degree Sheet Instructions – includes this year’s degree sheet due dates and common mistakes

• Double majors will also need to fill out a major concentration form for their second major as well as the double major section on the IR Planning and Concentration Form
   
2. Once students fill out the forms, their advisor(s) must review and sign them.
3. After students have obtained their advisor's signature, they need to bring ALL forms to the IR Program office (Cabot 605) for review and the IR Program Director's signature. Double majors need to have their second major concentration form signed first and then bring all forms to the IR Program office.
4. Once the IR Program Director has signed the degree sheet, students will be emailed to pick up and bring their forms to Student Services (Dowling Hall). The IR Program will keep a copy of all forms, and students should be sure to retain a copy for their own records.

*Students should keep in mind that courses selected on their degree sheets will be used to evaluate honors eligibility. Therefore, if more than one course meets a given requirement, students may wish to use the course that carries a superior grade to maximize GPA.

*DUE DATE: These forms are due by early November senior year; however, they take time to process at each step so students should plan accordingly and start the process early.

For AY 2009-2010, due dates are:

Friday, October 2^nd – For students graduating in February 2010
Monday, November 9^th – For students graduating in May 2010

If you have any additional questions about degree sheet procedures, please contact the IR Program office (Cabot 605).

Back to top.