Guidebook of Curriculum BS MS Dual Degree Program IISER Pune August 2015
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Guidebook of Curriculum BS MS Dual Degree Program IISER Pune August 2015 ^maVr` {dkmZ {ejm Ed§ AZwg§YmZ g§ñWmZ Vision and Mission Establish scientific institutions of the highest caliber where teaching and education are totally integrated with state-of- the-art research Make learning of basic sciences exciting through excellent integrative teaching driven by curiosity and creativity Entry into research at an early age through a flexible borderless curriculum and research projects Guidebook of Curriculum BS MS Dual Degree Program IISER Pune August 2015 ^maVr` {dkmZ {ejm Ed§ AZwg§YmZ g§ñWmZ Indian Institute of Science Education & Research (IISER) Pune Contents Page No. BS MS Program Curriculum: Introduction 1-2 Biology Introduction 3-4 List of Courses 5 Details of Courses 6-27 Chemistry Introduction 28-30 List of Courses 31 Details of Courses 32-56 Mathematics Introduction 57-59 List of Courses 60 Details of Courses 61-81 Physics Introduction 82-83 List of Courses 84-86 Details of Courses 87-107 Earth and Climate Science Introduction 108 Details of Courses 109-110 Interdisciplinary Courses 111-112 Humanities and Social Sciences 113-114 Objectives The IISER model of education is concept-based and inquiry-driven, as opposed to the more traditional content-based models. There is a strong emphasis on the interdisciplinary nature of today's science, and recognition of the importance of research experience in undergraduate education. Courses offered in the undergraduate program at IISER Pune form part of a comprehensive program that will enable the students to understand the basic laws of nature and develop necessary skills to apply them to any desired area or discipline. The program is planned as student-centric collaborative learning. Students get trained for a career in basic sciences or any related applied science or technology. General Pattern Courses offered during the first two years (Semesters I to IV) are meant as basic and introductory courses in Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics and Earth and Climate Science. These are common and mandatory for all students. These courses are meant to give a flavor of the various approaches and analyses and to prepare the students for advanced courses in later years of study. In addition, there will be Interdisciplinary Courses for computational skills and mathematical methods. Students are also given training to develop skills in Communication, Creative & Technical Writing and History of Science through courses in Humanities and Social Sciences. In the third and fourth years (Semesters V-VIII), students have the freedom to choose advanced courses based on their interest and inclination. Courses offered in the first two years would help them make an informed judgment to determine their real interest and aptitude for a given subject. Students also have the freedom to choose advanced courses from more than one discipline to achieve interdisciplinary expertise. One of the novel features that the curriculum at IISER Pune offers is semester-long projects called Lab Training / Theory projects, which are given the same weightage as a regular course of 3 credits. By availing this, a student can work in an experimental lab or take up a theory project every semester. This is meant to help the student get trained in research methodology, which will form a good basis for the year-long project work in the fifth year. Only one such course per semester is permitted. The fifth year will be devoted to a thesis by research, which completes the requirements of the program. Credits and Coursework Every student has to register for approximately 21 credits in a semester. During Semesters I-IV, the student has to register for all the courses offered. During Semesters V-VIII, she/he can register for up to 25 credits per semester, the 1 IISER Pune BS MS Dual Degree Program Curriculum, August 2015 minimum being 18. Each credit earned requires 2.5 hours of study per week. This includes contact hours and self study as shown in the table below. Credits Semesters Nature of course Contact hours Self study* per week hrs/week 3 Semester I-IV Introductory 2 lectures & 1 tutorial 4.5 3 Semester I-IV Lab courses 1 Session of 3 hours 4.5 2 Semester I-IV IDC/HSS/ECS 2 3.0 4 Semester V-VIII Advanced and 3 7.0 basic courses 3 Semester V-VIII Introductory/ 2 5.5 Interdisciplinary/ Specialized 4/3 Semesters V-VIII Lab courses 4/3 6/4.5 3 Semester V-VIII Lab training/ 3 4.5 Theory project *The contact hours are to be supplemented by self study that includes assignments, seminars, projects, library work and group work. Details of Courses The list of courses offered from each discipline with brief contents and lists of reference books is given below. Other relevant details like objectives, prerequisites, topic in detail, pattern of assessment, additional books for study and reference etc. will be prepared by the course instructor and communicated to the students well in advance before start of each semester. 2 BIOLOGY The overarching philosophy of the curriculum in Biology stems from one of the primary mandates of the IISERs—to expose undergraduate students to interdisciplinary research in the basic sciences and to provide them with the necessary skills, knowledge and training to pursue successful careers in science. The first four semesters serve as an introduction to Biology. Keeping in mind the diversity amongst the incoming students in their school education, we introduce all students to the unity and diversity of biology and the hierarchy of organization of biological systems. We emphasize the distinctness of biological systems while demonstrating the continuum from the physical/chemical world to Biology. The courses in these semesters introduce variation, evolution, diversity and the irreducible complexity of life and biological systems. The unity of life is presented through a thorough description of biology at sub-organismal (reductionist as well as systems view) and organismal levels. At the sub-organismal reductionist level, students are introduced to the building blocks of life (biochemistry and molecular biology), information perpetuation and transfer (genetics), cells as the basic functional unit of life (cell biology) and higher levels of organization (tissue systems and physiology). In terms of the systems view at the sub-organismal level, the students learn about design principles of biological systems (systems biology) and the development of the organism. In organismal biology, students focus on interactions of the organisms with the environment, dynamics of populations/communities and evolution at various temporal and structural scales. Courses in the third and fourth years cover in greater detail the content introduced in the first two years. Courses such as cell and molecular biology, biophysics and biochemistry, physiology, genetics, biostatistics and evolution and ecology comprise core courses that allow students to obtain a deeper understanding of biology. Advanced courses in areas such as immunology, neurobiology, disease biology, developmental biology, ecology, and epigenetics provide students an opportunity to gain a specialized and comprehensive understanding of those fields. Building on the foundations in physical, mathematical, chemical and information sciences, the Biology curriculum integrates concepts, examples and techniques from other disciplines. Experts from other disciplines regularly contribute to courses in Biology, and the curriculum emphasizes quantitative and computational applications in biology through courses in mathematical biology, biostatistics, bioinformatics, biophysics, chemical biology and computational biology. There is a strong emphasis on using current primary literature in the classroom. This ensures a continually updated content, and at the same time, trains students to read, understand, and critically evaluate the primary scientific literature. 3 IISER Pune BS MS Dual Degree Program Curriculum, August 2015 Participatory teaching techniques such as group learning, assignments and student presentations are actively used. To encourage research-based learning techniques, our lab courses of the first three semesters are designed with small open-ended experimental modules. Third and fourth year students are encouraged to participate in lab/theory projects in Biology research groups in addition to the classroom-based courses. These provide an opportunity to independently design and carry out laboratory and/or theoretical projects and participate in reading projects, often leading to meta-analysis of published literature in a given field. The goal is to expose students to contemporary research practices and tools including literature reviews, advanced techniques, data collection and analysis, and to scientific writing and presentation. In the final (fifth) year, students undertake an independent, stand-alone research project. The project can be carried out in any laboratory within or outside Pune. The goal is to develop the technical, analytical and cognitive skills necessary to pursue a career in scientific research. This is the culmination of the training from the previous years and is an opportunity to directly participate in the process of knowledge production in Biology. 4 List of Courses in Biology Semester I 1. BIO 101 Introductory Biology I: Basic Principles [3 credits] 2. BIO 121 Biology Lab I: Basic Biology [3 credits] Semester II 3. BIO 102 Introductory Biology II: Cellular and Molecular Biology [3 credits] 4. BIO 122 Biology Lab II: Biochemistry, Genetics & Molecular Biology [3 credits] Semester III 5. BIO 201 Introductory Biology III: Evolution and Ecology [3 credits] 6. BIO 221 Biology Lab III: Ecology and Evolution [3 credits] Semester IV 7. BIO 202 Introductory Biology IV: Biology of Systems [3 credits] Semester V and VII 8. BIO 301 Lab Training/Theory Project [3credits] 9. BIO 310 Biostatistics [4 credits] 10. BIO 311 Advanced Cell Biology [4 credits] 11. BIO 312 Animal Physiology I [4 credits] 12. BIO 313 Advanced Molecular Biology [4 credits] 13. BIO 314 Bioinformatics [4 credits] 14. BIO 320 Genetics [4 credits] 15. BIO 322 Biophysics I [4 credits] 16. BIO 334 Neurobiology I [3 credits] 17.