IISc offering a novel four year BS programme

Academic details of the BS Programme The BS Programme is a four-year programme organized into eight semesters. The final two semesters are devoted exclusively to a research project. Six major disciplines are offered: Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Materials, Mathematics, and Physics. For a well balanced and well rounded learning experience, each student is required to take a minimum number of courses in engineering and humanities. The programme is designed to provide a deep interdisciplinary experience to the students. Semesters 1,2,3: Systematic exposure to the pillars of scientific, mathematical



and engineering principles will take place during the first three semesters. In each of these semesters, the students will take one course each in physics, chemistry, mathematics, biology, engineering and humanities. Teaching of the compulsory core courses in science and engineering will include substantial components of laboratory demonstrations and hands-on experiments. The students will also be exposed to courses in humanities that will help them appreciate science and its societal implications and also sharpen their skills in communicating science to both experts and to society at large. Semesters 4,5,6: At the beginning of the fourth semester, each student will choose a discipline for specialisation ("major") according to his/her academic interest. The following specialisations are available: (1) Biology (2) Chemistry (3) Environmental Science (4) Materials (5) Mathematics (6) Physics. All these disciplines are interdisciplinary in nature in that there will be adequate exposure to other disciplines. The number of students in each discipline will be approximately the same. Both the academic interest of the student and his/her performance in the first three semesters will be considered to allocate the major disciplines. In addition to a "major" discipline, a student may also choose a discipline as a "minor" discipline. In each of these semesters, the students will take four courses in the chosen major and minor disciplines. They will also take one elective course in engineering and one seminar course in humanities. Semesters 7,8: A research project will be started in the seventh semester along with advanced elective courses. The final semester will be devoted exclusively to the project. The project should be in the chosen major discipline or an interdisciplinary topic that has a substantial overlap with the major discipline.

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