To declare a major or minor in the School of Science and Engineering you must contact the appropriate departmental office. The Major/Minor Declaration Form requires the approval of the Department Chair. When declaring your major you will receive a Major Advisor to help schedule your Major and/or Minor required courses. The signed major/minor declaration form must be turned in to the student's Newcomb-Tulane advisor. Students who choose to pursue a double major need to fulfill requirements for both majors and also take enough courses to have 18 non-overlapping courses. Check with each of your major advisors to determine any additional restrictions (e.g., some majors do not count some courses in the list of non-overlapping courses). Twenty-four credits in the major may not overlap with the minor. No courses counting towards one minor will count towards a second minor. Students must earn a GPA of at least 2.000 in courses counting towards the major or minor.
Full Major and Minor requirements, department and program information, and courses offered by the School of Science & Engineering can be found on Tulane's Newcomb-Tulane Course Catalog
SSE students are encouraged to do research with a faculty member to gain additional experience and expertise in their chosen field. Unless a student is paid to do the work, they may earn independent study credit. Students register for independent study in the faculty member's department after discussing the details of the research, time commitment, responsibilities, etc. with the faculty member. Typically students earn 1 credit for 3-4 hours/ week, 2 credits for 6-8 hours/week and 3 credits for 10-12 hours/week, on average. (This means that some weeks the student might work 15 or more hours and another week (e.g., during midterm exams), the student might only work 5 hours.) Scheduling is done with the faculty member. Independent study can be taken for up to six A-F graded credits. Additional credits are earned by signing up for the S/U graded credits. Again, all registration is done within the faculty member's department. For some majors, the independent study may count to fulfill major or minor credit. Check with your major advisor if you are not sure. Some majors also give credit for research performed with other faculty (e.g., at the medical school), so check with your major advisor to see what your options are.
The mathematics requirement is defined in the Tulane University Undergraduate Course Catalog. Departments may recommend, or require, particular mathematics or science courses for their majors, and students are advised to consult the major department’s listing in the current course catalog. A review of the required courses for all School of Science and Engineering students has been provided.
Tulane students involve themselves in community development, aid and enrichment as they complete their public service requirements. The Center for Public Service administers the public service requirement of the undergraduate core curriculum. It is the belief that public service, rooted in an academic setting contributes to the development of student civic engagement and responsibility. Students learn that the community is a place to utilize and showcase their knowledge and skills to bring support and change for the greater good. In turn, students gain a greater understanding of the course material and are able to contextualize the academic knowledge into broader applications.
At Tulane, we believe that effective writing is central to learning and communication. Tulane students develop the intellectual, organizational, and expository skills appropriate to university study. Through writing intensive courses, our students learn to communicate within their chosen field of study.
Neither Newcomb Tulane College nor the School of Science and Engineering have a capstone requirement for graduation. However, some SSE departments require a capstone as part of their major requirements. Students should contact their major department to determine if a capstone is required, and, if so, what options the student has for completing this requirement.
To be eligible for study at another regionally accredited institution in the United States, a student must be in good standing in Newcomb-Tulane College, having earned the minimum credits and cumulative grade point average (GPA) appropriate for her or his class standing. The student also must not be on disciplinary or honor board probation. Any courses taken at another institution must be pre-approved by the department that would give the transfer credit.Students should contact each department directly (start by looking at their web site!) to see how it handles transfer credit. Click here for more information about transfer credits.
Students who have grievances about grades or other issues should follow the Tulane procedures outline in the Grievance Procedure.
Academic Advising Center
The Academic Advising Center is a resource provided to Tulane’s undergraduate students for help with course selection, academic planning, monitoring degree requirements, pre-professional planning and more. You are encouraged to meet with your Newcomb-Tulane Academic advisor (in addition to your advisor for your major/minor) to guarantee that you are on the right track academically.
Study Abroad
Studying abroad is a meaningful experience for students, because they find education in and outside of the classroom. Many get the chance to visit multiple countries and cultures during their study abroad program. And they return to campus with stories of their adventure and memories to last a lifetime.
A common misunderstanding is that Science and Engineering students are unable to participate because of a regimented course schedules or difficulty in transferring credits from an outside university. The Office of Study Abroad can assist School of Science and Engineering students in planning their study abroad experience. In addition, advisors in each academic department are available to talk to students about fulfilling major requirements while studying abroad.
