Admissions

Admission to the Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program is highly selective for applicants with demonstrated proficiency in independent study at the graduate level and whose research area is interdisciplinary and carefully matched to Tufts human, academic and physical resources. The applicant must demonstrate the ability to do independent research/scholarship. Normally this is demonstrated by having completed a master's degree with a thesis requirement at an accredited graduate school, or in some cases by published research. Creative works such as art, musical composition, performance, and performance direction are not acceptable as the sole qualifications for admission into a scholarly doctoral program of study. 

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Application Process and Deadlines

Application to the Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program is a two-step process:

Step One

A Tufts Graduate School of Arts and Sciences application form should be submitted with all documents together with the application fee, transcripts, letters of recommendation, etc. The application deadline for fall admission is November 15.

For Step 1, the required materials are:

1. All Application Requirements
   1. Application Fee
   2. Unofficial Transcripts
   3. Resume/ CV
   4. Official TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test, if applicable
   5. Three letters of recommendation
2. Proposed Committee: The primary advisor must be a tenure stream research faculty member at Tufts, while other members of the committee can be Lecturers or Professors of the Practice. Advisors must be situated in Medford and actively engaged in the field of the proposed research. This is a preliminary list; the final committee will be based on faculty availability.
3. Personal Statement: Include a brief project description (300-500 words): Describe the nature and novelty of your proposed research project. Include answers to the following questions: How is the project interdisciplinary? Why does it not fit into an existing discipline? How do you intend to support yourself financially during the program?

After submission of the Step One application, the Interdisciplinary Doctorate (IDoc) Committee will review the application to determine how it meets the program requirements and notify the applicant if it is appropriate to proceed to Step Two. Recommendation to proceed to Step Two is NOT acceptance into the program.

Step Two

When recommended for Step 2, the applicant will need to complete the following:

IDoc Advisor Commitment Forms

The applicant must assemble an advisory committee consisting normally of at least three faculty members from Arts & Sciences, Engineering, or other schools at Tufts. When an applicant approaches faculty members to serve on their advisory committee, the applicant should tell each faculty member that they can review the first step application to the Interdisciplinary Doctorate Program. Additional members of the advisory committee may be selected from any school at Tufts or, when appropriate, from other universities.

As a component of the admissions process, IDoc must approve the suitability of the advisory committee. One person must agree to serve as the principal advisor and Chair of the advisory committee, providing major direction for the student's progress through coursework, examinations and the dissertation. That person must be a full time tenured or tenure track faculty member of Arts & Sciences, or Engineering, situated in Medford and actively engaged in the field of the proposed research.

All members of the advisory committee must submit, as part of the Step Two application, a statement declaring their commitment to the project, and elaborating their specific role and responsibilities. The advisory committee should review and approve the candidate's Interdisciplinary Doctorate proposal prior to its submission to IDoc.

Proposed Plan of Student and Qualifying Exams

The applicant must compile a list of graduate level courses to be taken for the degree and lay out the schedule in which they will be taken. The applicant, in consultation with the principal advisor, must also specify qualifying examination procedures, which should usually follow the principal advisor's department guidelines. The completed plan of study must include signatures from your committee members. The requirements for completion of the program should conform to the general requirements of the doctoral degree as stated in the GSAS PhD student handbook.

Evaluation of the Step Two application

After the Step Two application is submitted, the IDoc, in its capacity as admissions committee, will call a meeting in which the candidate, the principal advisor, and at least one other member of the advisory committee must be in attendance. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the proposed project, the plan of study, the qualifying examination, the composition of the advisory committee, and to verify that the primary advisor is fully supportive of the proposed plans and willing to serve as primary advisor. A majority vote of IDoc in favor of the proposal will constitute a recommendation for admissions to the Dean of GSAS and to the Engineering Dean of Graduate Education.

Students admitted to the program receive a full tuition scholarship. Admission into the program does not include a teaching or research assistantship, but applicants may explore the possibility of a teaching or research assistant position with their primary PhD advisor.