The Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) will restructure its five-year integrated MSc programmes by providing an exit option in the fourth year.
Students who wish to opt out in the fourth year of their studies will get BA Honours degree. A meeting of the academic council to be held on August 5 will ratify the proposal. The decision forms part of the implementation of a recommendation by the Department of Higher Education to introduce four-year degree programmes. The existing integrated five-year MSc programmes are in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biological Sciences, Computer Science, Statistics and Photonics.
Restructured curriculum
“The curriculum of the five-year integrated programmes will be restructured in tune with the proposal to offer the exit option in the fourth year. Those completing the five-year term will receive the postgraduate degree,” Vice-Chancellor P.G. Sankaran said.
Though the university had initial plans to start new four-year programmes, it was put on hold in view of the inference that it may require considerable infrastructure upgradation. The time required for framing the syllabus and curriculum for these courses was also taken into consideration. As the government wanted the universities to launch the four-year degree programmes without delay, the authorities decided to restructure the existing five-year integrated programmes by providing an exit option in the fourth year.
The department had asked the universities to introduce four-year programmes in select areas this academic year itself. Most of the varsities had lined up at least a few courses for this year and have plans to add more programmes in the next academic year.
