BSc in Biology
From molecules to ecosystems — understand patterns and processes of life.
Our programme encourages you to observe and explore the life around you while making connections across disciplines. We equip you with quantitative skills and the ability to conduct independent work. We provide an enabling environment to read biological texts, learn skills for conducting experiments, data analysis and visualisation, and understand how knowledge is created in this scientific discipline.
The biology major helps students develop important skills like critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical reasoning. It encourages students to become independent learners.
Who should join us?
At Azim Premji University join us if you are looking for a programme that will provide a rigorous and integrative exposure to life sciences. If you are interested in understanding the relationship of disciplines within biology and the field of biology to other branches of science, then this is the programme for you. We provide you with opportunities to become aware of the relevance of biological tools and techniques to understand how to sensitively address the relationship between the life sciences and society. Our well equipped laboratories hone your experimental skills and our focus on reading academic biological texts take you places in the field of academia.
Why study with us?
We offer Interdisciplinary Openness
Our programmes encourage you to explore and follow your interests. We design our courses to ensure that you can specialise in a subject of your choice while learning various subjects across disciplines.
A Common Curriculum for all students
You will meet all your classmates at the beginning of your course to build all the tools you need for your four years of study. This includes foundational courses, an understanding of India, interdisciplinary studies, and courses in creative expressions.
We provide Academic Assistance
Our consistent academic assistance through language support, peer tutoring, faculty mentorship etc ensures that you meet the programme’s academic requirements.
We ensure Financial Support
We extend need-based financial assistance to students that cover tuition and accommodation expenses.
Programme Structure
Course Structure
The biology major at Azim Premji University seeks to provide a modern, liberal education in the life sciences with a strong connection to India. Students in the major receive an integrated view of biology, develop an understanding of how it is related to other scientific disciplines and become aware of how life sciences can be applied to address problems in India. The curriculum of the major is designed to develop capacities for critical thinking and quantitative reasoning and impart experimental and analytical skills. In both its conception and its design, the curriculum challenges the traditional view of biology as descriptive and non-mathematical.
The Common Curriculum will introduce students to the study of the themes and areas that emphasise and build critical and analytical abilities, and sensibilities for dialogue, reflection and cooperative learning. The Common Curriculum has three sub-components organised as below:
Foundations: Build capacity for critical thinking, reasoning and communication.
Understanding India: India’s history, society and possible future.
Creative Expressions
As an essential component of the core curriculum, Creative Expressions courses utilise artistic mediums, sports, and embodied learning to cultivate creativity, foster social cohesion, and build resilience. Encouraging students to take risks in unfamiliar disciplines, these courses nurture curiosity, self-discovery, and overall well-being. Through Creative Expressions, students are empowered to participate with meaningful social connection, fostering a community of active and responsible citizens.
Core courses are compulsory set of 11 courses that a student majoring in Biology has to take. The courses provide a rigorous and integrative exposure to the life sciences. Students will explore phenomena at multiple length and time scales (from molecules to ecosystems). This integrative exposition will be enabled by well-crafted pedagogic techniques and a thoughtful combination of classroom-based and experiential learning.
What is Biology?
Disciplinary Major
Uses case studies from the Indian context, and provides a glimpse of the vast scope and interdisciplinary nature of modern biology.
Introduction to Organisms and Ecosystems
Disciplinary Major
Focuses on the organismal, and ecosystem level understanding of Biology.
Quantitative thinking for biologists
Disciplinary Major
Highlights the importance of quantitative methods and data handling in the life sciences, and enables students to carry out basic quantitative tasks.
Biology of the Cell
Disciplinary Major
Introduces students to the structures and processes within cells.
Form and function: Integrative approach to anatomy and physiology
Disciplinary Major
Uses examples from the entire tree of life, and provides an overview of how form and function are intricately linked.
Introduction to Ecology
Disciplinary Major
Explores interactions between organisms and their environments and how these interactions shape the distribution and abundance of species.
Evolutionary Biology
Disciplinary Major
Examines patterns and processes by which evolution occurs and shapes life forms.
Chemistry and Biochemistry
Disciplinary Major
Explores the chemical basis of life.
Introduction to Genetics
Disciplinary Major
Explores the classic and modern trends in genetics as well as its applications.
Laboratory Techniques
Disciplinary Major
Enhances laboratory skills and makes students independent in carrying out laboratory protocols and using instruments.
Seminar
Disciplinary Major
Emphasises the integrative nature of Modern Biology.
Students must be prepared for the world of work at the end of the programme should they choose to enter it. We aim to provide the required skills and competencies for this through a Minor featuring courses in an Occupational or Interdisciplinary theme. These sets of courses are aimed to provide both conceptual understanding and skills and tools that will allow students to contribute through work and further study.
Students can opt for a Minor in any one of the indicative areas listed below:
- Education
- Media and Journalism
- Data and Democracy
- Sports and Fitness
- Climate Studies
- Arts
The selection of these indicative areas is based on the availability of courses and our evaluation of the student’s interests and academic needs. For each cohort, a final list of available courses will be announced at the end of their second semester.
Students can craft their own educational experience by selecting courses in the following ways:
- Students will have the option to take additional courses in their Disciplinary Major.
- Interdisciplinary Minor that will enable them for their further higher studies or career pathways.
These courses could also be selected to enhance and broaden their
- Language skills and Quantitative reasoning capacities/programming skills.
- Understanding of themes outside their Major subject.
Classroom Practices
The programme focuses on an integrated approach to the life sciences, offering training in different areas within the field. We have wet lab, dry lab and farm within our campus. Students are encouraged to ask thoughtful questions, explore different subjects, and find answers through research and discussions.
Honours Projects
The honours with research or internship section of the curriculum prepares students to further deepen their understanding and capabilities and allows for different pathways into higher education or entry into the workforce.
Publications
The publications for 2023 are available here, https://publications.azimpremjiuniversity.edu.in/view/year/2023.html
Some other references are:
● Bio Club — A student run club where fun things of biology are explored. Bio club conducts nature walks, talks by guest speakers, discussions on current topics and also generates a monthly newsletter.
● Lab Open house- open for the entire university community to see various hands-on experiments and projects students do in the biology lab. This is an annual event.
● Bio Labs — Biology laboratories at Azim Premji University have state-of-the-art facilities, instrumentation and equipment that support work in molecular, organismal, computational and ecological fields. Some of the facilities that are available include instrumentation for DNA and protein work, plant tissue culture, growth chambers, fly laboratory, microscopy (dissection and fluorescence stereomicroscopes, and several compound microscopes), greenhouse and facilities enabling field work. Biology labs support an inclusive, collaborative atmosphere conducive for undergraduate learning.
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