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One of the best things about Tufts is the possibilities that come with mixing and matching its over 150 majors and minors. Students have so much freedom over their course load here that it can occasionally lead to moments of indecision. Nonetheless, one aspect of almost every major that alleviates this indecision, is the “capstone” requirement. Usually satisfied through a seminar course, a research project, or a Senior Honors Thesis, these options give Tufts students a chance to put a bow on what they’ve learned and the skills they’ve developed by studying their majors over the course of four years. 

My major, International Relations, requires a capstone course for all six of its concentration paths. Hence, I decided to enroll in one during the fall of my junior year. The IR Department’s website provides a course listing each semester, where each class is matched to the requirements it fulfills. There were four capstone options to choose from for the Fall 2025 term. After evaluating the choices, I settled on PS 0186, “Turkish Foreign Policy,” with Professor Malik Mufti. I previously took, and very much enjoyed, Professor Mufti’s class PS 188-02 “Arab-Israeli Conflict” in Spring 2025. Thus, I was eager to take another class with him, especially one on a topic he is an expert in. 

The class was centered around two main goals: discussion and a final research paper. We met once per week, Tuesdays from 1:30-4:40 PM, on the top floor of Tisch Library, with the desks arranged in a circle. The best part about the course was that, including myself, there were only five students enrolled, which allowed for plentiful, engaging conversations and fruitful one-on-one meetings with Professor Mufti. Outside of participation and the final paper, the only other components of the ultimate grade were two 3-5 page memos, one on the reading material and one on current events. 

For each class session, we received a reading list of books and academic papers, sometimes totaling around 150 pages, to complete by Tuesday afternoon. There was also a list of discussion questions that paired with the readings. Each student was tasked with presenting one question to the class, but it was necessary to prepare responses for all of the prompts to facilitate discussion. While the cumulative page totals were sometimes daunting, the engaging nature of the discussions ensured that I looked forward to completing the reading list each week.

The sessions themselves were lively and never dull. Professor Mufti would share information with us in a semi-lecture-like manner, allowing for input from the class throughout his presentation. The majority of his teachings, and, thus, our talks, revolved around the discussion questions we had prepared at home. Though the conversations were free-flowing, it was important to call back to the readings to support the discourse whenever possible. 

Around the midway point of the semester, Professor Mufti introduced the final research paper’s guidelines to the class. We were free to select any topic that piqued our interest, as long as it related to Turkish foreign policy. It was to be around 30 pages in length, and should draw from the sources provided in the syllabus, as well as any other relevant, scholarly sources we found. I very much appreciated how Professor Mufti walked us through the ideal structure of the paper, ranging from the first sentence to the background information to the conclusion, and his explanation of how to approach forming a research question. Throughout the entire research and writing process, his office door was always open, and he assisted me with formulating my topic and coming up with methods of testing my question. He also read a rough draft of my paper and offered invaluable feedback. 

I will admit, the process of writing a 30-page research paper in the space of a few weeks presents some intellectual challenges. Though I settled on a theme I enjoyed investigating, whether present US-Turkey relations represent a continuity or a break, I deliberated over how to divide my paper into sections, how to properly conclude an ongoing phenomenon, and how many background details to include. I read and re-read each sentence multiple times before breathing a sigh of relief when I sent my paper off to Professor Mufti on the last day of classes.

Ultimately, my experience in Turkish Foreign Policy was invaluable. Not only was I able to check off the capstone requirement in a fascinating, engaging setting, but I gained valuable skills, ranging from distilling information from hundreds of pages of readings to becoming immersed in a research topic to writing in a “non-fluff” manner for 30 pages. For the remainder of my collegiate career and beyond, I will be tasked with generating original thoughts and analysis based on copious research. In those scenarios, I will be confident in my abilities, knowing that I was able to perform that process in Professor Mufti’s class.

Once it comes time for you to take a capstone course, I would definitely recommend taking one in which few students are enrolled. Doing so allows for more fruitful discussions, which compose a majority of the time spent in class, and more individual attention from the professor when it comes to helping with your final paper. Additionally, I recommend taking the capstone class with a professor you’ve previously taken a class with, as they will already understand your strengths and weaknesses, and you will have hopefuly developed a rapport with them. Most importantly, make sure the seminar class is centered around a topic that you enjoy, and that you could see yourself writing a long paper about its content. Research is less of a chore when you are genuinely interested.

So, I hope I’ve been able to share some behind-the-scenes secrets of Tufts’ seminar courses. I truly believe that these classes are the essence of Tufts’ academic culture: inventive, collaborative, discussion-based, and engaging. Though the term “capstone” may be intimidating, it is, after all, just one more class to add to your major. Further, once you've finished your paper, you will be left with an original product you can be proud of. And, if you ever need any insight into US-Turkey relations, you know who to call. 

Photo Credit: Christine Lee, The Tufts Daily