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

School of Engineering >
Academic Probation
Students who fail to meet these guidelines may be
placed in any one of the following categories at the
end of semester.
Probation I: Probation I indicates that a student’s
academic performance has not met expectations
and he or she is encouraged to seek support in order
to improve future performance.
Probation II: Probation II indicates significantly
weak academic performance during a single
semester, or a lack of meaningful academic progress
over more than one semester.
Probation III: A student on Probation III is not
considered to be in good academic standing. The
student has demonstrated very poor academic
performance and is urged to take a voluntary leave
of absence.
Required to Withdraw: Students in this category are
required to withdraw for one to four semesters.
Tufts will accept transfer credit for no more than
one semester’s and one summer’s work completed
during the absence.
Permanent Academic Withdrawal: In rare instances, a
student will be required to withdraw permanently
from the university.
Grade Requirements
For graduation, grades of C- or better are required
in 67 percent of the courses submitted for the
degree. It is expected that grades of C- or better
will be earned in at least 75 percent of the courses
taken in the concentration.
Degrees with Honors
Distinction (cum laude) is conferred at
commencement on deserving students who earned
an academic average of 3.20 or higher.
High distinction (magna cum laude) is conferred
at commencement on deserving students who had
an academic average of 3.50 or higher.
Highest distinction (summa cum laude) is
conferred at commencement to deserving students
who have a cumulative grade point average of 3.80
or higher.
These nominations are approved by a special
vote of the faculty.
The above criteria may be replaced by special
evaluation of the Tufts academic record if
substantial transfer credit is submitted in fulfillment
of the degree requirements, or if the degree
program is of unusual duration. Students whose
permanent record includes a serious disciplinary
infraction will not normally be eligible for degrees
with honors.
Tau Beta Pi
Tau Beta Pi, the national engineering honor society,
founded in 1885, affords engineering students the
same recognition for high scholastic achievement
and exemplary character as is provided for liberal
arts students in Phi Beta Kappa. The Tufts chapter
is designated as Delta Chapter of Massachusetts.
Thesis Honors Program
The Thesis Honors Program allows students to
pursue a program of independent study usually
leading to a senior thesis and a qualifying
examination. The principal purpose of the program
is to give special impetus to the development of
self-reliance, individual initiative, habits of critical
analysis, and correlation of knowledge. Students
pursuing a CIS thesis are eligible for thesis honors.
Because this is an honors program, admission is
normally restricted to students whose names have
appeared on the Dean’s List at least two times
before their senior year. Students may take on an
honors thesis with one semester on the Dean’s List
if they have transferred to Tufts or have received
special permission from their department. The
application process should be completed during the
junior year, including the summer of the senior year.
The student is responsible for finding an advisory
committee (one principal advisor who is a full-time
faculty member in the School of Engineering, and
at least one other full-time faculty member from
the faculty of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering, or
industry expert). Admission to the program requires
formation of an advisory committee, consent of the
student’s advisor, and approval of either the
student’s major department, or in the case of a CIS
thesis the CIS Board. The membership of the
advisory committee and the title of the thesis must
be registered with the Academic Resource Center.
The advisory committee will be chaired by a
full-time faculty member in the School of
Engineering. Exceptions to this rule may be made
at the discretion of the department chair for the
student’s major. The committee will direct the
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