Maryland vs. Tufts: Which university has smaller undergraduate class sizes?

Tufts offers smaller undergraduate class sizes and more consistent access to discussion-based courses than the University of Maryland. Its much smaller undergraduate population means introductory courses are less likely to feel anonymous, and seminars become common relatively early in many majors. Maryland can provide strong faculty contact, but students usually need to be more proactive about reaching it.

At Tufts, many humanities, social-science, and interdisciplinary courses are built around seminar discussion, close reading, workshops, and faculty-led conversation. Even in larger introductory classes, students are typically entering a smaller campus environment where office hours, research groups, and departmental events are easier to navigate. This is especially noticeable in majors where writing, policy discussion, languages, or lab collaboration are central.

Maryland is a large public research university, so high-demand introductory courses in fields such as computer science, business-related subjects, psychology, biology, and economics may be held in sizable lecture formats. Those courses often use teaching assistants for discussion sections, labs, grading, and some student support. Upper-level Maryland classes can become quite small, particularly within a major, honors programs, research labs, and specialized electives, but that experience is less uniform across the undergraduate curriculum.

For a student who places a high priority on regularly knowing professors and participating in small classes from the beginning, Tufts has the clearer advantage. At Maryland, the same outcome is possible, but it often depends more on choosing smaller departments or programs, attending office hours, and seeking research or honors opportunities early.