Frequently Asked Questions for Advisors

1. What are the accepted courses in Humanity/Arts/Social Sciences?
2. What are the accepted courses in Natural Sciences?
3. What are the accepted courses in Mathematics?
4. Where can I find the degree checklist sheets for ABET-accredited programs?
5. What are the important dates for registration, course options, holidays?
6. What is the Pass/Fail option for classes?
7. How do I find out about Advanced Placement (AP) credits and when they may be used?
8. How do I transfer course credit from other institutions to Tufts?
9. How do I obtain an official Tufts transcript?
10. What is the residency requirement and how can I advance my class standing?
11. How do I make the Dean's List?
12. How do I study abroad?
13. How do I find out about undergraduate research opportunities?
14. How do I learn about internship opportunities?

1) What are the accepted courses in Humanity/Arts/Social Sciences (HASS)?
Visit the Registrar's office page for accepted HASS courses.

Courses selected must include a minimum of one credit each in the areas of humanities and social sciences. In addition, at least two courses must be taken in the same department. Ex-college courses are excluded, including those approved for distribution credit by the College of Liberal Arts. The student has the option to satisfy these requirements through a special minor in foreign language and culture in the areas of Chinese, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Russian, or Spanish. Contact the Department of German, Russian, and Asian Languages and Literatures, or the Department of Romance Languages for details.

2) What are the accepted courses in Natural Sciences?
Visit the Registrar's Office page for information on accepted courses in the Natural Sciences in Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Geology, and Physics.

3) What are the accepted courses in Mathematics?
Visit the Registrar's Office page for information on accepted courses in Mathematics.

4) Where can I find the degree checklist sheets for ABET-accredited programs?
Please note that new degree sheets will be updated for August 2008, so please contact Kim Knox, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education, if you are unsure about the correct degree sheet.

A PDF of the checklist for each degree offered by the School of Engineering can be foundon our Degrees and Majors page. You may also download a degree sheet directly by navigating from the School of Engineering home page under Academic/Undergraduate Programs/Degrees and Majors to the specific degree sheet required.

5) What are the important dates for registration, course options, holidays?
Check out the Academic Calendar to find out information about important academic dates such as: last day for AS&E students (except first-year undergraduates) to drop courses without record of enrollment; last day for all undergraduates (including first-years) to select PASS/FAIL option; last day to make up incomplete dates; final exam periods; and major holidays.

6) What is the Pass/Fail option for classes?
Please note that these options will be updated for August 2008.

See the Academic Calendar for registration dates regarding the Pass/Fail option.

The spirit of the pass-fail option is to encourage academic exploration. Certain introductory courses must be taken for a grade (see Introductory Course Requirement). Not more than eight pass-fail credits may be counted toward the credits required for graduation. For the accredited programs, no departmental concentration course may be taken pass-fail and only one foundation credit may be taken pass-fail. Normally, no more than one course per semester may be taken pass-fail. No distinction is made between regular courses that students elect under the pass-fail grading and those courses in which grading is pass-fail. All decisions regarding the pass-fail option must be made within the first four weeks of any term. After four weeks, the only choices are to complete a course under the existing grading system or to withdraw for the remainder of the term.

Introductory Course Requirements
The introductory courses consist of eleven credits:
a. Mathematics 11, 12, 13, 38 (or 22 for computer science majors). Mathematics 17 and 18 may be substituted for Mathematics 11, 12, and 13.
b. Physics 11 with lab
c. Chemistry 1 or 11 or 16
d. Intro CAD (half-credit)
e. Intro to Computers (one credit)
f. One elective half-credit courses in introductory engineering
g. English 1 or 3
The above 9 credits may not be taken pass-fail, except for English 3.

7) How do I find out about AP credits and when they may be used?
Please note that these options will be updated for August 2008.

Examinations of the Advanced Placement Program administered by the College Entrance Examination Board, special placement examinations offered at Tufts University, or other evidence of preparation at the level of college work may be submitted for evaluation by the appropriate department. Such work may result in a student's being placed in an advanced course, but credit is awarded only for appropriate scores on standardized examinations. To determine course placement and credit, if any, based on advanced placement scores, consult the departmental listings below.

Acceleration credits are treated as regular course credits and, where appropriate, are accepted in partial satisfaction of the foundation and distribution requirements of the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Engineering. If the content of a course has been covered by advanced placement, the student may not take that course for credit toward the degree. Students do not need to take the next level course in order to keep the AP credit (except where stated).

Please consult the latest Bulletin for additional information.

8) How do I transfer course credit from other institutions to Tufts?
In order to have academic credits transferred from another institution, the following two requirements must be fulfilled:

a. Secure departmental approval for course content
You should have secured prior departmental approval to receive credit for the course. If you did not do so, please login to WebCenter. All policies and procedures can be found at WebCenter or at this link: Transfer of Credit Policies and Procedures.