Transferring within Tufts: Arts and Sciences to/from Engineering

Transfer from the School of Arts and Sciences to the School of Engineering

A Tufts student enrolled in the School of Arts and Sciences (BA or BS) may initiate a transfer to the School of Engineering provided certain requirements are met. To inquire about the process or to initiate a transfer, students must meet with a Senior Academic Advisor in the School of Engineering.  First-year students should contact John Gearin, and rising sophomores or beyond should contact Tara Zantow. To get the best possible advice about Engineering classes and majors, please make this contact before the start of the semester, or within the first two weeks of classes.

* Note that BFA students are not eligible for the internal transfer – please consult with your SMFA Advising Dean. Furthermore, external Arts & Sciences transfer students are not permitted to apply for an internal transfer during their first semester at Tufts: future internal transfer opportunity to Engineering may not be possible.

During the semester in which a student will be “trying out” the engineering curriculum and being evaluated for internal transfer into the School of Engineering, the Senior Academic Advisor becomes the student's pre-major advisor or co-advisor. At the end of the semester and after grades are submitted, the transfer application will be evaluated by the Internal Transfer Committee. If the requirements below are met, the transfer will be approved, SIS will be updated, the student will declare a major in the School of Engineering, and a faculty advisor in the selected major will be assigned. If the requirements are not met, the student's application may be declined, or deferred for review at the end of the subsequent semester. Please note that a student's application may be deferred only once. A link to the application will be shared with the student once they have met with their SoE Senior Academic Advisor. 

Applying during your first semester of study

• Meet with your designated SoE Senior Academic Advisor and submit an application for transfer.
• You must be registered in 4 courses including 3 appropriate STEM courses (see standards sections).
• Achieve a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 or better.
• Earn a grade of C- or above in all STEM courses.
• Submit any pre-matriculation credit (AP, IB, etc), which needs to be recorded on your transcript prior to acceptance into the School of Engineering.

Applying during your second semester of study, or beyond

• Meet with your designated SoE Senior Academic Advisor and submit an application for transfer.
• If you are a first-year student, you must be registered in 4 courses including 3 appropriate STEM courses (see standards sections).
• If you are a sophomore, you must be registered in 5 courses including 4 appropriate STEM courses (see standards sections).
• Achieve a minimum semester and cumulative GPA of 2.5 or better.
• Earn a grade of C- or above in all STEM courses.
• Submit any pre-matriculation credit (AP, IB, etc), which needs to be recorded on your transcript prior to acceptance into the School of Engineering.

Exceptions to standards/criteria for second-year students and beyond:

Students must meet all the above requirements, with some exceptions*, as well as estimate an approximate graduation date in consultation with a faculty representative in their intended major’s department. If their approximate graduation date exceeds 8 semesters, we will advise the student how to submit a financial statement to the Dean of Academic Advising for review.

* if a second-year student (or beyond) has determined a specific engineering major, their Senior Academic Advisor can adjust the criteria and standards based on the degree requirements as specified on the degree sheet.  The Internal Transfer Committee will evaluate students on these modified criteria.

Math STEM Standard

Transfers to Tufts Engineering are expected to take math courses from the sequence: Math 32, Math 34, Math 42, Math 51, Math 65/CS 61, Math 70. In general, higher level math courses (those with Math 34 as a pre-requisite) may be substituted for courses on the above list.

AP credit for Math needs to be submitted and processed prior to acceptance into the SoE.

Science STEM Standard

Transfers to Tufts Engineering are expected to take natural science courses from the following list: Chem 1/11, Chem 2/12, Physics 11, Physics 12, Bio 13/15, Bio 14, ECS 1, ECS 3, ECS 4, ECS 5, ECS 56, ES 11, Physics 13, AST 32. Higher level natural science courses (with the above-listed courses as pre-requisites) may also be acceptable.

AP credit for Natural Science needs to be submitted and processed prior to acceptance into the SoE.

Engineering/Computer STEM Standard

Transfers to Tufts Engineering are expected to take engineering courses, preferably starting in their first year. At a minimum, a transfer must have completed the number of engineering courses listed below. Examples of courses include: EN 1, ES 2, CS 11, ES 4, ES18.

Application Deadlines/Admissions Timeline

Applications are accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis throughout the calendar year but should be submitted as soon as possible, and additionally, well in advance of the advising period for the subsequent semester.

• Applications submitted after October 15^th during the fall semester and March 10^th during the spring semester will be processed at the end of the Advising Period. (mid-November for the Fall, and Mid-April for the Spring)

Once an application is submitted, the designated SoE Senior Academic Advisor will be assigned as the student’s pre-major advisor to guide them through the semester-long process to “try out” engineering so that the student can determine if it’s a good “fit.”

Candidates for internal transfer will be reviewed by the Internal Transfer Committee at the end of the semester after grades have been posted. Students will be notified of the committee’s decision.  Students may accept or decline admission to the School of Engineering and remain in Arts & Sciences.

Transfer from the School of Engineering to the School of Arts and Sciences

A Tufts student enrolled in the School of Engineering may initiate an internal transfer to the School of Arts and Sciences (BA/BS) during their first year, Sophomore year, or the first semester of their Junior year. However, students with a genuine interest in transferring to Arts and Sciences should not delay. Before initiating an internal transfer, students are very strongly encouraged to consult with their Engineering advising team to discuss their Engineering degree requirements as well as their reasons for a potential transfer.

Students who are interested in pursuing an internal transfer to Arts and Sciences are required to meet with one of the Senior Academic Advisors in Arts and Sciences to discuss the internal transfer process: the purpose of this initial advising meeting is to review the new degree requirements, to create a degree completion plan, and to determine if it would be feasible to graduate within a traditional timeframe. To inquire about the internal transfer process or to schedule an advising meeting, please contact Ericka Miranda (last names A - M) or Allison Vander Broek (last names N - Z).

After meeting with a Senior Academic Advisor, students who decide to officially move forward in initiating an internal transfer to Arts and Sciences will need to submit an application for consideration. Students can only access the application if they have successfully navigated the above steps.

Engineering to Arts & Sciences Internal Transfer Criteria

• Minimum 2.5 term GPA
• Minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA
• Proposed degree completion plan to demonstrate timely completion of all Arts & Sciences degree requirements (i.e. Foundation requirements, Distribution requirements, at least one major, minimum of 120 credits)
• 2^nd semester Sophomores and 1^st semester Juniors must have a Primary Major Declaration form on file, approved by their prospective major advisor

Application Deadlines/Admissions Timeline for First-Years and 1^st Semester Sophomores

The application deadline is November 1^st during the fall semester and April 1^st during the spring semester. Applications received after these deadlines will be reviewed during the next application cycle.

Once an application is submitted, Ericka or Allison will be assigned as the student’s co-advisor (based on the above alphabet split by last name).

Applications received by the deadlines noted above will be reviewed at the end of the semester once all final grades are posted. If internal transfer is approved, students will be officially assigned to Ericka or Allison as their Arts and Sciences pre-major advisor (and the Engineering advisor will be removed).

Application Deadlines/Admissions Timeline for 2^nd Semester Sophomores and 1^st Semester Juniors

Applications are accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis but should be submitted as soon as possible, and additionally, well in advance of the advising period for the subsequent semester.

*Applications submitted during the advising period may not be processed until after the advising period: this could result in a delay to your registration.

Students must have an approved Primary Major Declaration form on file in order for the internal transfer application to be reviewed and processed.

General Notes about Internal Transfer from Engineering to Arts & Sciences

• Students will not be allowed to apply for internal transfer as a 2^nd semester Junior or as a Senior. The final semester for students to apply for internal transfer is the first semester of their Junior year.
• Students are only permitted two attempts to apply for transfer to Arts and Sciences.
• There is an appeal process for students who are denied admission.
• Engineering students who have a previous and/or active academic standing status will not have those statuses removed from their record; furthermore, Engineering students who successfully transfer to Arts and Sciences will be subject to all academic standing criteria (as well as the return to good standing criteria) for Arts and Sciences students.
• External transfer students are not permitted to apply for an internal transfer to Arts & Sciences for the duration of their time at Tufts.  Please consult your Advising Dean to discuss the best path forward for your educational plans.

Questions can be addressed to Ericka Miranda for students with last names A-M or to Allison Vander Broek for students with last names N-Z.