OVERVIEW
The Undergraduate Programme at Ahmedabad University aims to not only impart skills to the students but also teach them responsibility and courage so that they can truly fulfil their roles as citizens striving to build a better society. Designed to provide an education that is broad as well as deep, through flexible programmes and curricula, it enables students to explore their various passions while gaining expertise in their chosen fields of specialisation. With innovative pedagogy and ample exposure, it also facilitates inter-disciplinary learning and helps students embrace a wider understanding of their environment. This equips students to discover their own passion in life, better navigate the world, and become an agent of change in their own lives and the society as well. We create an environment that develops in students a life-long love for learning while instilling in them a fervour for finding action oriented solutions to issues facing the society.
Empathy for others who are less endowed and a sense of duty towards contributing to the society whether through their own discipline or their engagement with social organisations is an important ethos that is reflected by our university environment. University is a safe place where students and faculty can use scholarship to address conflicting ideas and diverse opinions & beliefs. Respect for and protection of other’s ideas & beliefs and their right to express it even when they are different from ours is an important object of the undergraduate experience.
STRUCTURE
The Undergraduate programme requires students to complete 120 to 146 credits depending on the programme and School. Integrated Masters Programme that award both bachelors and master’s degrees will have higher credit requirements. Students are admitted to a Programme, i.e., Bachelor of Business Administration or Integrated Master of Science in Life Sciences. Each Programme awards its own degree. Each Programme offers several Majors or areas of specialisation, i.e., one can study in a Bachelor of Science Programme that offers several Majors like Computer Science or Physics etc. You may explore more information on Programmes, Majors, and Minors.
Find out more about the distinctiveness of the Ahmedabad undergraduate programme as well as its structure here (for the 120 credit programmes)
All students entering the undergraduate programme go through our common core, The Foundation Programme, in the first year. This Programme builds the foundations of interdisciplinary learning at Ahmedabad University and engagement with issues of the society through project based learning. The Foundation programme is built around six domains that define contemporary academic and life skills in the 21st century, areas of innovation that are transforming the world, and perspectives that help become a responsible member of any society. This includes:
Data Science | Communication | Behaviour | Constitution & Civilisation | Materials | Biology & Life
The delivery of these areas is done in a thematic manner to develop amongst our students a holistic approach to thinking and enquiry where they would learn to understand multiple issues that defines a problem and learn the art and science of synthesis. Students complete four thematic Studios of learning that integrates the above-mentioned domains together creating a more effective way of thinking and problem solving. The thematic Studios for 2021-22 are:
Water | Environment and Climate Change | Democracy and Justice | Neighbourhoods
The idea is to engage the students’ imagination with contemporary problems that the society, in which they live, encounters. Each theme is explored through a set of domains thereby creating interdisciplinary learning. Students will learn that many systems of knowledge are required to solve challenging problems.
The General Education Requirements are aimed at building breadth further while starting to understand the methods of disciplines that help in building intellectual enquiry, systems of knowledge, and skills from various disciplines. It allows for additional exploration stemming from introduction to disciplines in the Foundation Programme. It also allows the student to discover their passion and explore their interest further.
The following will make up the General Education Requirements at least one course of three credits from each of the following areas (adding up to fifteen credits):
The remaining fifteen credits from anywhere at the university including the above areas (as well as in technology and management) but not in the major area. Communication courses will be included in General Education Requirements.
At least one three credit courses in mathematical/statistical methods/programming among the courses above. A course on Data Science satisfies this requirement. All students at Ahmedabad take this course.
The student shall use the General Education Requirements to build breadth and perspectives. These courses can be taken along with major courses or free electives and in any semester. You are encouraged to spread them through your years at the University.
A Major may require certain courses to be taken as General Education Requirements that will enhance the student’s understanding of the Major discipline further.
A Major is the area of specialization within a programme (e.g., History or Chemical Engineering or Economics & Finance, etc.). The student chooses a Major at the time of entering the University but has flexibility to change the Major as per the prescribed policy. The University also admits students as Undecided – those who would like to choose a programme or major once they are admitted to the university and after taking some courses.
Majors credit requirements vary by School. Some schools (and programmes) require more credits for a major than the sixty credits mentioned above (in such a case, the total requirements for the degree will be higher than 120 credits). Please consult the credit requirements in the Programme and Major sections.
A Major may have the following structure:
The number of credits for the Undergraduate Thesis or Capstone Project or Bachelor of Technology Project can be 15 credits for full semester engagement, within or outside the University, and 6 or 9 credits, spread over one or two semesters, in other cases.
Free electives provide students an opportunity to pursue any particular area in more depth or develop alternate areas of expertise or learn more about many other areas of interest. It can take the following form:
Free Electives provide flexibility to students to customize their education at the University.
All students will complete 30 hours of engagement with society to develop a sense of engagement, concern, build problem solving skills, and understand the role of an engaged member of a society. This will be done through a mandatory course, Engagement with Society, that would be a graduation requirement. This course can be taken anytime during the stay at the University but it is advised that the student engage with the courses during the first two years at the University. The 30 hours of volunteer work may be completed during one semester or during the Winter or Summer Break. This course is offered in many forms and will be offered on a Passed/Not Passed basis. A student can engage with the course first as a student and then as a course support. One of the objectives of the Social Service requirement is to build a value for action in the lives of our student.
The Student Volunteer Programme will identify certain programmes at NGOs and other organisations where the student can complete the requirement. Alternatively the student can identify an organisation and project on her own in Ahmedabad or elsewhere but must seek approval of the project by the Coordinator of the Student Volunteer Programme before commencing the work. Volunteer work could include teaching underprivileged children, participating in adult literacy programmes, distributing blankets or other items, working with old age homes and orphanages, providing support and encouragement to patients at hospitals, cleaning heritage sites, engaging with workers on campus, participating in housekeeping services, cleaning of the Arboretum and terraces on campus, operating a food bank, engaging with the police, Municipal Government, Zoo, Sanitation Services, etc.