<p>Does anyone know a good location to understand the distribtion requirements, and in particular whether you can fullfill any with the Mystic Seaport Program. Also, is it recommended that you fullfill your foreign language while abroad, such as French at Talloires?</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>Tufts student bulletin</p>
<p>[Undergraduate</a> Education at Tufts University](<a href=“Homepage | AS&E Students”>Homepage | AS&E Students)</p>
<p>What is the Mystic Seaport Program?</p>
<p>You can petition non-Tufts classes to count for distribution requirements pretty easily I think.</p>
<p>II Green</p>
<p>If you are interested in Environmental Science, here are some highly regarded science heavy programs at Woods Hole on Cape Cod. Credit would come via transfer from sponsoring university, although Tufts has a cross registration program with BU.</p>
<p>[SEA</a> Semester | Study Abroad with SEA Semester: Ocean Science & Sailing Program - Nautical, Maritime, & Oceanography Studies | Academics - Collaborative Programs](<a href=“http://www.sea.edu/academics/collaborative_programs]SEA”>Academics and Research - Sea Education Association)</p>
<p>[Semester</a> in Environmental Science: Aquatic Course](<a href=“http://ecosystems.mbl.edu/ses/aquaticcourse.html]Semester”>http://ecosystems.mbl.edu/ses/aquaticcourse.html)</p>
<p>If I remember correctly Talloires program is more culture than language centric (there is another program that is language centric) so it tends to fit if you are using the culture option.</p>
<p>Here is the info on the Mystic program. This is more interdisciplinary and hence less science heavy than the programs I listed. </p>
<p>[url=<a href=“http://web.williams.edu/williamsmystic/Home.html]Home[/url”>Williams-Mystic | The Coastal and Ocean Studies Program of Williams College and Mystic Seaport Museum]Home[/url</a>]</p>
<p>One of the programs I listed has a program to complement this with more science</p>
<p>
[quote]
You can petition non-Tufts classes to count for distribution requirements pretty easily I think.
[quote]
That’s been my son’s experience. The problem is he doesn’t need any more distribution credit. He’s gotten credit for a year of Arabic, but he’s not getting any IR credit for all the Arabic history/diplomacy courses he’s taking while doing a junior year abroad in Jordan. He hadn’t really fully realized the impact of this when he went into Tufts. It means he’s taking a lot more IR type courses than he expected to.</p>
<p>The Annecy program is more language-centric</p>
<p>[Tufts</a> University European Center in Talloires, France](<a href=“http://ase.tufts.edu/europeanCenter/programs/annecy/index.asp]Tufts”>http://ase.tufts.edu/europeanCenter/programs/annecy/index.asp)</p>
<p>Thanks All!</p>
<p>Just to clarify </p>
<p>The IR major has a unique language requirement which is more rigorous than the general language requirement. It requires more courses and they all have to be language courses. This is because the major requires a very high level of fluency in the chosen language. It is possible to test out of some of the levels.</p>
<p>The general language requirement has the option of substituting foreign culture classes for some of the language courses. It is possible to test out of some/all of the levels of the language portion.</p>
<p>Engineering majors do not have a language requirement because engineers tend to have their own unique foreign language(s).</p>
<p>[International</a> Relations Program : Tufts University](<a href=“Homepage | International Relations Program”>Homepage | International Relations Program)</p>
<p>Well thankfully the Arabic department is giving him credit for taking Arabic, not calling it a gen ed requirement. I knew more language was required of IR majors, but had forgotten for others you can get out of it with culture courses if you aren’t an IR major. </p>
<p>In any event that wasn’t meant to be my point, my point is that if you take courses in your major overseas, they may not count for your major if it’s not a Tufts sponsored program. This is particularly annoying in IR because nearly everything offered in most of the programs my son has looked into are basically IR courses. Definitely check with your department before you commit to a program. </p>
<p>In general if you only take on semester overseas you’ll have enough flexibility that it won’t be a problem. My son is taking the full year abroad and needs to be very careful that it all works out.</p>
<p>Mathmom- your son may find that he meets the requirements for a second major in Arabic.
I seem to remember that a double major between IR and a language was somewhat common. If he is doing the work, he might as well get the credit…</p>
<p>Bringing up another old thread because it’s relevant. Study abroad is definitely encouraged at Tufts because of its ability to transform your college experience for the better - which it certainly did for me and my friends. It is a great way to fulfill your language requirements (as the OP had asked) but more than that, it really impacted my view on the world and satisfied a bit of my wanderlust.</p>