Program Overview

Overview of the Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program

The Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program is a customized doctoral program for students pursuing studies across multiple departments and programs. It is designed for those interested in pursuing doctoral level studies in areas that cannot be accommodated in one of the departmental doctoral programs within the Schools of Arts and Sciences or Engineering.

Application Requirements

Admission to the program is highly selective and 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. Application to the Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program is a two-step process.

Step 1

• Application fee
• Resume/CV
• Transcripts
  • Please note a Master's degree is highly recommended, but not required.
• Three letters of recommendation
• Personal statement:
  • Personal Statement (limit to 2,500 words): Please give your reasons for deciding to do graduate work in the field you have chosen. We are particularly concerned that you cover these points:
    • What previous experiences and commitments have brought you to consider applying for graduate training?
    • What are your chief objectives in applying now?
    • How do you think this Tufts program will help you in the pursuit of your objectives and vocation?
    • 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?
• Proposed Committee: This is a preliminary list; the final committee will be based on faculty availability. The primary advisor must be a tenure stream (Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Professor) research faculty member at Tufts, while other members of the committee can be Lecturers or Professors of the Practice. Please include this proposed committee list in theWriting Sample section of the application.
• As a part of the application students are expected to indicate plans for financial support in the application. Please include plans for financial support in theWriting Sample section of the application.
• Official TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo English Test scores, if applicable

Step 2

• IDoc Advisor Commitment Forms
  • The applicant must assemble an advisory committee consisting of at least three faculty members from Arts & Sciences, Engineering, or other schools at Tufts. The primary advisor must be a tenure stream faculty member (title of Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, or Professor). Other advisors can be Lecturers and Professors of the Practice. If an applicant is passed to Step 2, these faculty will be sent the applicant’s Step 1 application. The applicant should then reach out to schedule a meeting with the proposed advisors to seek their participation.
  • All members of the advisory committee must submit, as part of the Step Two application, the advising questionnaire, which includes their approval of the planned coursework and qualifying exams, commitment to the project, and expected role as advisor.
• Proposed Plan of Study 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 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

Once the Step Two application is submitted, a zoom-based interview with the candidate, proposed advisor, and the IDoc faculty committee will be scheduled. 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. Applicants are expected to indicate plans for financial support in the application.

Tuition and Financial Aid

See Tuition and Financial Aid information for GSAS Programs.

Faculty

Natasha Warikoo

Lenore Stern Professor in Social Sciences Sociology

• Education, race, ethnicity, immigration, Asian Americans, culture, inequality, qualitative methods

Program Details

• School/Department: Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program
• Program Director: Natasha Warikoo
• Location: Medford/Somerville
• Format: On-campus
• Commitment Options: Full-time, Part-time (Daytime)
• Average Duration: Varies
• Credits: Varies
• Application Deadlines:
  • Fall: Nov 15
  • Spring: n/a
  • Summer: n/a
• Anticipated Entry Term: Fall 2026, Fall 2027, Fall 2028, Spring 2026, Spring 2027, Summer 2026, Summer 2027
• Degree & Program of Interest:
  • Degree: Certificate, Doctorate, Masters
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