Diversity and Inclusion Leadership

To be an effective leader in diversity and inclusion, you must understand the social contexts and psychological processes that result in implicit bias, discrimination, and marginalization. In the Diversity and Inclusion Leadership program, you will learn the scholarly theories and practical tools to implement institutional changes that promote diversity and foster inclusivity.

Organizations are increasingly creating roles such as chief diversity officers, diversity managers, consultants, educational administrators, human resources, and/or college admissions professionals that can transform their communities. At Tufts, you’ll become the strong, informed, skilled leader that can help create more inclusive organizations.

You will join students from a variety of backgrounds and scholarly fields, all united in their desire to explore diversity in interdisciplinary contexts. Upon completion of the Diversity and Inclusion Leadership master’s program, you will be capable of:

• Engaging in organizational observation using appropriate methods
• Implementing necessary changes to enhance equality and prevent marginalization
• Prioritizing these changes based on the culture and needs of the organization
• Designing and evaluating programs to enact these changes
• Leading organizations through sustainable transformation

Our Approach

Since this program is truly interdisciplinary in nature, you may choose from a suite of courses designed and inspired in part from the suggested training goals of the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education (NADOHE).

Students may complete the program in one to two years depending on academic and summer course load.

• Two-year plan – Individuals in the standard track of the program take two courses per semester and have the opportunity to write a thesis in the second year of this track.
• One-year plan – Individuals in this track should have several years of work experience before attempting the program. Students will need to take to an average of three courses per semester (including summer) and take an internship, practicum, or civic engagement project over the summer.

There are a variety of courses available that allow you to tailor your program to best suit individual goals. The program includes four knowledge components, comprising of one core course and your choice of an elective. The final component consists of a capstone project with thesis or civic engagement/internship options.

I. Individuals, Groups, & Society

• Team-Taught Introductory Core Seminar (2 core courses)
• Social & Historical Context (1 elective course)
• Cultural Sensitivity & Competence (1 elective course)

II. Organizational and Interpersonal Leadership

• Organizational Behavior & Change (1 core course)
• Interpersonal Relations/Conflict management (1 elective course)

III. Research Design, Measurement, & Analytics

• Assessment, Evaluation, & Policy (1 elective course)
• Data Analytics (1 elective course)

IV. Integrative Capstone Experience

An important part of students’ academic and professional development is a practical experience that integrates and synthesizes their knowledge within the areas studied above. Two options are available to meet this requirement:

• Internship, Practicum, or Civic Engagement Option (2 courses)
• Thesis option (2 courses)

1. Online application for admission
2. Scanned copies of all college transcripts
3. Letters of Recommendation: one for certificate programs, two for the engineering management program, and three for all other degree programs
4. Résumé or Curriculum Vitae
5. Personal statement elaborating on your reasons for wanting to pursue graduate study at Tufts
6. Application fee of $85 
7. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university
8. Achieved competitive scores on both the verbal and quantitative reasoning sections of the GRE
9. Applicants who are not native speakers of English are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). A minimum TOEFL score of 90 on the internet based exam is required for M.A., M.S., and Ph.D. applicants, and a minimum score of 85 is required for M.F.A. applicants. The minimum IELTS score is 6.5. 

Scholarships

For students who show scholarly promise, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and the School of Engineering offer scholarships, fellowships, and research or teaching assistantships to full-time students in doctoral programs. The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences also offers awards to full-time students in master’s programs. Certificate students are not eligible for these awards.

• Tuition Scholarships are available in most master's and doctoral programs for qualified students.
• Teaching Assistantships are offered by most departments.
• Research Assistantships are generally available in the science and engineering areas.
• Fellowships are offered to students who demonstrate outstanding records of achievement and a well-articulated plan of study.