Interdisciplinary Learning
Interdisciplinary learning is a cornerstone of a Tufts education. The world's problems are not divided neatly into categories—and we believe your education shouldn't be either. A Tufts education will offer you the flexibility to explore a wide range of ideas while encouraging you to connect them across disciplines, preparing you to be an effective problem-solver in an interconnected world.
Study Between Three Schools
A hallmark of a Tufts undergraduate education is the ability to take advantage of its three undergraduate programs. Students in the School of Arts and Sciences, the School of Engineering, and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts always have the option to take courses across all three schools, and often they can even pursue a minor in another school if they choose.
Interdisciplinary work is also encouraged within schools, with each course of study having been designed to cover many fields. Majors like International Relations, Civic Studies, and Human Factors Engineering are not confined to a single department. At SMFA at Tufts, students design their own studio art major from courses of their choosing that often span multiple departments. Students also have the unique opportunity to take courses taught from vastly different perspectives, combining knowledge from different fields in order to explore specific issues. In addition, Tufts offers a major in Interdisciplinary Studies through the School of Arts & Sciences, and a thesis program through the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies.
Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life
Tisch College builds an enduring culture of active citizenship at Tufts across all areas of study. More than half of all undergraduate students report participating in community service or civic engagement activities while at the university. Through curricular and co-curricular activities, these students address pressing social issues by working with local, national, and international organizations.
Tisch College offers an intensive leadership program for undergraduates, an honors society for graduating students who demonstrate excellence in civic engagement, and a service learning program for incoming students. It offer an array of special internships, fellowships, courses, and events. Tisch College engages with faculty from across the university through professional development, support for research, collaborations with local organizations, and other opportunities that shape a community of scholars committed to civic engagement.
The College for Civic Life also conduct some of the most influential research about civic engagement in the United States. They use that scholarship to inform both its own programming as well as national conversations about the role of citizens, especially young people, in civic life. Tisch College is the home of the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning & Engagement (CIRCLE), the nation’s leading source of research on youth civic engagement. It also houses the new Institute for Democracy & Higher Education (IDHE), which conducts research on student political agency and democratic participation on college campuses.
Tisch College combines education, research, and practice to serve as a hub for students, faculty, and community members across Tufts who are committed to civic engagement and to its ability to change the world for the better.
Experimental College
Often referred to as the ExCollege, the Experimental College at Tufts offers small, participation-based courses that engage Tufts undergraduates in ideas shaping the world today. The Experimental College is dedicated to innovation and collaborative learning and teaching. Students from all programs and majors are exposed to subjects and teachers beyond traditional classrooms and discover possibilities they never could have imagined.
The ExCollege bridges the academic with the world of work, and includes students in all aspects of the college structure. Our faculty come from a range of professions and teach with passion. Students participate by designing, selecting and teaching our courses. At the ExCollege, they learn the value of interdisciplinary education, engaged leadership, and active citizenship.
Each semester brings new courses, ranging from critical contexts for thinking about politics, popular culture, world religions, technology, law, communications, social issues, business, healthcare, ethics and more.
Click here to view classes currently being taught in the ExCollege!
Pre-Professional Advising
Tufts offers pre-professional advising and support for several pathways, including medical, dental, veterinary, and law. Students work with advisors to prepare for their chosen professional field, and these advisors continue to be available to students even after graduation. Students from all three schools and in any degree program may choose to pursue a pre-professional pathway. While some graduate school pathways, such as medicine, require certain courses be taken during a student's time in college, they do not require specific majors. This works well with Tufts interdisciplinary focus on education, allowing students to pursue any course of study that interests them while still preparing for a career in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, or law. Click the links below for more information on the different pre-professional pathways.
Pre-Health Advising (includes medical, dental, and veterinary pathways)
