2013–2014 The Bulletin - USS at Tufts - Tufts University

Graduate School of Arts and Sciences >
Thesis
In some departments, a thesis is required for the
master’s degree; in others, the thesis is optional or is
not required. A thesis should show the student’s
competence in independent investigation and
should demonstrate critical power as well as ability
in expression.
Foreign Language
Some departments require demonstration of
proficiency in an approved foreign language. The
schedule for proficiency exams is available from the
graduate arts and sciences dean’s office.
Comprehensive Examination
Candidates for a master’s degree may be required to
pass a comprehensive examination conducted by a
committee of the graduate faculty. The character of
the examination is determined by each department,
and may be either oral or written or both.
Recommendation for the Degree
Candidates for the master’s degree must submit an
application to graduate and complete the graduate
exit survey. The candidate cannot be recommended
to the faculty for a degree unless the application to
graduate is completed, endorsed by the department,
and submitted to Student Services in Dowling
Hall. See the Graduate Student Handbook for
details.
Time Limit
All credits to be counted toward a master’s degree
must be earned within five calendar years just prior
to the granting of the degree. Candidates for the
M.F.A. must complete all degree requirements in
three years. Petitions for extension of time require
the approval of the Graduate School of Arts and
Sciences or the School of Engineering
Combined-Degrees Programs
The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and the
Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy administer
a combined-degrees (M.A./M.A.L.D.) program in
international environmental policy. Students must
be accepted simultaneously by both the Fletcher
School of Law and Diplomacy and the Department
of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning
within the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
and must complete the two degrees within five
years. The program consists of twenty-three course
credits taken over three years, resulting in a jointly
advised thesis.
The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and
the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and
Policy administer a combined-degrees (M.A./M.S.)
program for students interested in urban and
environmental policy and agriculture, food, and
environment. Students must be accepted simultaneously
by both the Friedman School of Nutrition
Science and Policy and the Department of Urban
and Environmental Policy and Planning within the
Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and must
complete the two degrees within five years. The
program consists of twenty-three course credits that
include a two-credit thesis.
The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and
the Boston College School of Law administer a
combined-degrees (M.A./J.D.) program. Students
apply to each school independently and may
complete the program in four years.
Doctor of Philosophy Degree
The doctor of philosophy degree is conferred by the
university only to advanced students who demonstrate
exceptional achievement in original scholarship.
This degree prepares students to become
scholars, to make original contributions to their
field, and to communicate and disseminate this
information to others. Doctoral candidates will
develop their ability to evaluate critically and
synthesize information from many sources and
apply it to specific problems. Students must practice
their work ethically, as appropriate to that field.
During the dissertation, the student is apprenticed
to a faculty advisor who is an expert in the field of
inquiry.
Opportunity for doctoral study and research is
selective, and admissions are contingent on the
recommendation of the department concerned. A
student planning to follow such a program should,
if possible, arrange an interview with the chair or
graduate advisor of the department in which he or
she wishes to study.
When a student enrolls in a doctoral program
with a master’s degree in the relevant subject area
from an accredited college or university, the number
and identity of the courses and other requirements
needed to satisfy the predoctoral dissertation
obligations are negotiable with the department. A
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