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BA in Social Science

An understanding of our social conditions for both critical analysis and transformative action.

The four-year BA Social Science programme at Azim Premji University offers students a broad-based, multi-disciplinary immersion in the study of Indian society — its structures, institutions, and lived realities.

The vision for the major is grounded in the conviction that at a time when our society appears to be increasingly fragmented and fractured, higher education in the social sciences, especially at the undergraduate level, ought to approach the social’ in an integrated fashion.

This requires putting theoretical and methodological practices of the traditional social science disciplines like sociology, anthropology, history, political science, etc., into conversation with each other, such that they best illuminate our social condition for both critical analyses and transformative action.

Accordingly, the BA Social Science curriculum provides students with a wide-angle exposure to the fundamental theories, concepts, and methodologies in the social sciences, cutting across disciplinary boundaries. It trains them to bring this learning to bear on specific objects of social scientific enquiry, especially in the Indian context, through hands-on fieldwork experience. And, in conjunction with the other facets of the undergraduate programme, it develops in them the technical skills necessary for collating and analysing empirical data of both qualitative and quantitative kinds.

Programme Structure

Course Structure

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.

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

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