One of the most common questions that I am asked when speaking with prospective Tufts applicants is “what is your business major like?” Which is a difficult question to answer, because at face value, it’s a simple “no” response as there is no traditional business major or school at Tufts. But to answer the underlying question of “does Tufts prepare students for a career in business, finance, or consulting,” the answer is a resounding yes! Read on to learn more about the myriad of ways that Tufts supports students, both as undergraduates and alumni.
Academics
Tufts will prepare you no matter what you choose to major in, but many students interested in business related fields will choose to major through the Department of Economics. There are two majors available here: economics and quantitative economics. Both majors carry STEM certification and include courses in mathematics, principles of economics, intermediate microeconomic theory, intermediate macroeconomic theory, and statistics. However, the standard economics major is more flexible choice of courses while the quantitative economics major follows a more mathematical approach to the study of economics and provides the background recommended for those contemplating graduate study in economics or the more quantitative areas of business and finance. There is also a minor in economics offered, as well as a minor in finance that provides a foundation in the formal economics of financial markets. Outside of the Department of Economics, there are two other business-related minors available to Tufts undergraduates: entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship for social impact. We’ll discuss those in the next section.
Derby Entrepreneurship Center and Gorden Institute
This Center, colloquially known as the DEC, is the hub for entrepreneurial learning experiences at Tufts. The DEC offers a breathtaking array of opportunities for students interested in entrepreneurship and business broadly. The two minors they offer are two of the most popular at Tufts, providing a learning experience that students can tailor to their interests. The DEC also hosts five entrepreneurial competitions, including the famous $100k New Ventures Challenge where Tufts undergraduates can pitch their venture ideas and win cash and other prizes valued at over $250,000. They also host workshops, a speaker series, support an internship program and an accelerator program, as well as a pre-college summer bootcamp. The Gordon Institute oversees the DEC, but also offers programs of its own. Focused on students in our School of Engineering, it has academic programs in engineering management as well as leadership and management.
Career Center
Tufts’ Career Center is an incredible resource for students at all points in their academic journey. Whether you’re stepping in for drop-in advising, virtual and in-person workshops for resumes and cover letters, and multiple career fairs each year. Almost 90% of Tufts students will complete at least one internship before they graduate, and nearly two thirds will complete two or more. This is in no small part due to the incredible work that our Career Center does to support Jumbos. They work in what we refer to as career communities, or collections of similar fields, to help students understand that a career is more than just one job or one pathway. Alumni can even use their resources at any point after graduation, whether by joining in as an alumni mentor to current undergraduates or getting help with a career shift later on down the road. And there is a lot of support for students interested in business: 22% of recent Tufts graduates went into a career in business, consulting, or finance after graduation.
Student Organizations
Most Tufts students find their closest friends through student organizations, and those interested in business have a plethora available to them. There is Jumbo Ventures for entrepreneurial-minded students, 180Degrees Consulting for Jumbos who want hands-on experience with one of the most popular fields for recent graduates, and the Investment Club for those looking to hone their stock market chops, among many others. With over 350 organizations to choose from, and a straightforward process for creating your own, there is always room to explore your interests and share them with the rest of the Tufts community.
Hopefully by now you can see a little of why so many students at Tufts find their way into business-related fields after graduation, even without a business school or major on campus. Tufts is here to prepare you, every step of the way, regardless of what path you wish to choose.