Undergraduate Programs

Independent Study

Consistent with the faculty’s various fields of expertise, the Philosophy Department endeavors to provide a wide range of courses suitable for graduate students, undergraduate majors and minors, and students who are just interested in exploring the subject by taking one or two classes. A student who has very strong philosophical interests in areas of the faculty’s expertise in which courses are not planned for the duration of the student’s tenure at Tufts may be a candidate for doing an independent study. Such a student should have a strong rationale for his or her request as well as a specific vision of the goals of the independent course and potential readings and other materials it might address. He or she should submit a proposal for an independent study to the chair of the department, currently Prof. Nancy Bauer. In rare instances, a faculty member may agree to sponsor an independent study consisting of more than one student.

Faculty are not obligated to agree to sponsor independent studies. We take such courses very seriously and will decline to supervise them when we do not have the time to do a thorough job.

Students approved for independent studies should sign up for Philosophy 193 (Fall) or Philosophy 194 (Spring).