Tufts University School of Engineering: A Comprehensive Overview

Tufts University's School of Engineering provides a unique educational environment. It successfully combines the atmosphere of a liberal arts college with the cutting-edge technological resources typically found in a research institution. Located on the university's main campus in Medford and Somerville, Massachusetts, alongside the School of Arts and Sciences (A&S) and the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, the School of Engineering is one of the ten schools comprising Tufts University.

A Legacy of Innovation: The History of Engineering at Tufts

Engineering instruction at Tufts began in the academic year 1865-1866, with the introduction of a three-year degree program in civil engineering. Students completing this program were awarded the degree of Civil Engineer. The Department of Electrical Engineering followed in 1890, and in the academic year 1892-1893, the course of study was extended to four years, granting graduates Bachelor of Civil or Electrical Engineering degrees. The university continued to expand its engineering offerings with the addition of the Department of Mechanical Engineering in 1894 and the Department of Chemical Engineering in 1898.

The formal establishment of an undergraduate College of Engineering occurred in 1898, under the leadership of Gardner C. Anthony. To meet the increasing demand for engineering facilities, Anderson Hall was opened in 1960, providing space for facilities and an engineering library. Graduate study was introduced to the curriculum in 1961, with master's degrees available in all four departments. Doctoral programs followed, starting with mechanical engineering in 1963, electrical and chemical engineering in 1964, engineering design in 1981, and civil engineering in 1985. The College also offered a combined bachelor's/master's degree program. In 1992, the Gordon Institute, an organization dedicated to training leaders in engineering, became part of Tufts University. The College of Engineering officially became the School of Engineering in 1999 when oversight of graduate engineering programs was transferred from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

Admissions and Financial Aid

The School of Engineering is selective. For the Class of 2023, the acceptance rate was 15%, with 667 students being accepted out of 4,371 applicants. Of those accepted, 41% chose to enroll. The academic profile of students entering as part of the Class of 2024 included an average verbal/critical reading SAT score of 711 and an average math SAT score of 764. The average ACT composite score was 34. Furthermore, 53% of enrolled students received financial aid.

Faculty and Administration

The School of Engineering boasts 88 full-time faculty members and a Ph.D. program. The School is led by a dean, who is appointed by the president and provost, with the approval of the Trustees of Tufts College. The School of Engineering, along with the School of Arts and Sciences, constitutes the Faculty of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering (AS&E), a deliberative body chaired by the university president. Historically, Arts and Sciences and Engineering shared a common leadership and budget.

Degree Programs: Shaping Future Innovators

The School of Engineering currently offers Bachelor of Science degrees in a range of fields, including:

Chemical Engineering
Civil Engineering
Computer Science
Electrical Engineering
Environmental Engineering
Data Science
Computer Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Biomedical Engineering

The sixteen majors in the School of Engineering at Tufts are designed for collaborative, interdisciplinary thinkers and builders who like to get their hands a bit dirty. Engineers never work in isolation, and that is why we emphasize collaboration and communication both within and across disciplines. We also believe that there is not one "right" way to do something.

A Hands-On, Project-Based Approach

One of the hallmarks of Tufts Engineering is a project-based engineering education. As a first-year student, one of your first classes will be a hands-on, non-technical, project based engineering class designed to get you working in a team to begin learning the engineering design process. You will end your Tufts engineering journey by working together with a group of your classmates to complete a senior design project. This year-long project will test your engineering skills and will also grant you the opportunity to dive deep into an area of engineering that interests you. Equal parts playful and practical, the projects that students develop in Tufts engineering courses range from educational tools to robotic haunted houses to model buildings that can withstand earthquakes. This hands-on, high-touch approach runs throughout your time at Tufts. Tufts engineers don't simply ask if something can be created; they ask how and why. Deeply immersed in both engineering technical work and the liberal arts, Tufts engineers are nimble and adaptable in and outside of the classroom. Multidisciplinary learning is vital to understanding engineering issues in the context of the larger world. Tufts engineers connect ideas from various disciplines-philosophy to mechatronics-to become the engineers of the 21st century. Each engineering major and minor promotes an ethical and interdisciplinary approach, including significant strength in the areas of human health, sustainability, and the human-technology interface.

Research Opportunities and Facilities

The School of Engineering blends the resources of a top-tier research institution with the strengths of a small liberal arts college. With our emphasis on the undergraduate experience, Tufts offers students the opportunity to collaborate with faculty across all disciplines on their research projects. In fact, 60% of our undergraduates participate in research before graduation. Tufts is also one of the institutions with the easiest ability and heftiest faculty support for undergraduates to conduct their own independent research. If you are someone who wants to dive deep and conduct your own, self-designed research, the Tufts Summer Scholars Program can help you secure funding to conduct research of your own design for ten weeks over the course of a summer. Tufts Summer Scholars of the past have included an Electrical Engineer who researched facial recognition algorithms, focusing on how algorithms behave with alternative images. A Tufts Civil Engineer spent the summer researching the Malden River just north of Boston.

The Nolop Fabrication, Analysis, Simulation, and Testing (FAST) Facility in the Tsungming Tu Complex is one place (of many!) where you can indulge your creativity. Equipped with 3D printers, laser cutters, woodworking and metalworking tools, a full-time staff member to help you out and answer your questions, and more, you can quickly prototype a project (for class or just for fun!) and work with and learn from your peers.

Collaborative Environment and Community Engagement

Tufts engineers do more than math and science. They are also kind, creative, collaborative, logical, enthusiastic, and down to earth. Collaboration is an especially big theme in our School of Engineering. On most problem sets that you complete as an engineering undergraduate, the first question will be “Who did you work on this with?” It is an expectation that you are working together to solve problems-because that is how engineering works in the real world!

During the COVID-19 pandemic, faculty, staff, students, and alumni from the Computer Science department came together to create the Tufts CS Code for Good, a program that matches current students with various community service organizations and projects.

Online Programs: Flexible Learning Options

At the School of Engineering, we shape future leaders and innovators dedicated to improving the world’s well-being. Through our online programs, students engage in an interactive Tufts community while enjoying the convenience of flexible learning options. Our virtual classrooms foster real-time collaboration among peers and faculty, facilitated by web camera-hosted sessions. With intentionally small class sizes, we prioritize active participation and meaningful discussions. Additionally, students can take advantage of online faculty office hours, providing direct access to support and guidance in a dynamic learning environment.

Core Values: Building a Better Future

Tufts School of Engineering is committed to:

Building community: We create a welcoming place where everyone is valued. We respect each other, help one another, and work together. We do our best and listen to what the community needs.
Empowering scholarship, discovery, and invention: Turn your ideas into real-world changes. Our teachers and facilities are top-tier, helping you think creatively and work with others. We connect different areas of study to make big discoveries.
Connecting people and ideas for innovation: Work with businesses, governments, and alumni to make a difference. We help ideas become real by supporting research. Together, we find solutions to problems all over the world.
Transforming graduate education: Learn in small groups where you can try new things. We take an interdisciplinary approach and place emphasis on how engineering affects society. Get ready to succeed anywhere in the world.
Supporting continued learning: Keep learning new skills throughout your life. Our programs help you discover and create new things.

Graduate Programs and Opportunities

Tuition scholarships, teaching scholarships, and research assistantships are awarded on a competitive basis to graduate admissions candidates. Prospective and current students should consult with the individual departments to obtain detailed policies regarding degree requirements and programs. Master's degrees require a minimum of 30 credits and the fulfillment of at least 10 courses at the 100-level or above with grades of S (satisfactory) or at least a B-.

Read also: Exploring Tufts Athletics

Graduate Cooperative Education (Co-Op) Program

Gain up to six months of full-time work experience, build your resume, and develop a competitive advantage for post-graduation employment through the School of Engineering’s Graduate Cooperative Education (Co-Op) Program. The program offers engineering master’s students a unique opportunity to apply the theoretical principles they have learned in their coursework to real-world engineering projects. Get a sense of a company's culture and work environment, learn to interact with other colleagues in the field, and leverage your academic strength towards career advancement.

Dual Degree Master's Program

Develop your innovation, leadership and management skills and build your technical depth with the School of Engineering's Dual Degree Master's Program. You’ll earn two degrees - an MS offered by Tufts Gordon Institute (on-campus Engineering Management or Innovation and Management) and an MS offered by one of the six academic departments within the School of Engineering. And, you earn both degrees in an accelerated timeframe and at a reduced cost. Each degree must be completed consecutively.

Accelerated Master's Program

Tufts School of Engineering offers undergraduate STEM majors and alumni from select partner institutions (Lafayette College, Olin College, Smith College, Union College, and Wellesley College) an accelerated path to a master’s degree in a wide range of programs.

Research Highlights and Centers

Research carried out by faculty and students covers a wide spectrum of fields and disciplines. Examples of research centers and initiatives include:

Tufts Center for STEM Diversity: This center focuses on increasing the participation and success of underrepresented groups in STEM fields.
Tufts CEEO (Center for Engineering Education Outreach): This center promotes engineering education in P-12 classrooms through various programs and resources.
Collaboration with the U.S. Army: Tufts collaborates with the U.S. Army on research related to how people think and respond under stress. The center hosts a virtual reality lab for monitoring neurological, psychological, and behavior responses.

Notable Alumni and Faculty

The School of Engineering has produced many notable alumni and faculty members, including:

John H. Sununu: Former professor of mechanical engineering and dean of engineering, governor of New Hampshire, and chief of staff of the White House for George H. W. Bush.
Vannevar Bush: (B.S., M.S.) A pioneer in computer science and instrumental in the development of the National Science Foundation.
Ioannis N. Miaoulis: (B.S., 1983, M.A. 1986, Ph.D.) President of the Museum of Science, Boston.
Michelle Ann Williams: (M.S., 1986), Dean of Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

tags: #tufts #university #engineering #programs