We live in a world that seems to be forever changing...a new world with dynamic challenges that requires young enthusiastic adults capable of playing positive and fruitful roles in organizations and communities.
The Symbiosis School for Liberal Arts strongly believes in the importance of a comprehensive education in preparation for career advancement and for the exercise of leadership. We believe organizations and society have an urgent need for creative individuals who will readily learn on the job, after having been exposed to a broad and comprehensive education.
Based on the experiences with liberal arts in the last 11 years, we know that a sound liberal arts education provides a much needed cultural orientation to the world in which we live and equips students with ideas, analytical and communication skills, and global perspectives along with the ability to synthesize knowledge and make informed value judgments.
(From the Director’s Desk)
The liberal arts programme at Symbiosis School for Liberal Arts is a holistic programme designed as a combination of multi, inter and transdisciplinary learning focused on transferability of skills, employability and a spirit of enquiry. The focus is on critical thinking, research, analysis and writing along with civic mindedness. The programme aspires to augment and develop individuals who are critically conscious and able to find a healthy balance between professional and personal growth.
Our Liberal Arts programme is styled very closely on international models while also fulfilling the demands of a higher education programme in India. Students engage with a wide range of courses with the freedom to pick and choose Minor and Major areas of specialization from areas previously considered to be ‘academically incompatible’. A student can combine subjects like Business studies as a Major with a Philosophy Minor or Mathematics & Statistics as a Major with an Anthropology Minor. This gives students a chance to enter hybrid workspaces where expertise from two disciplines offer and edge over others. Unique combinations like Biology and Economics opens up avenues in fields like Health Economics, Policy Making, Pharmacare etc.
SSLA offers students the opportunity to study a four-year full-time Bachelor of Arts (Liberal Arts) Honours Degree and Bachelor of Science (Liberal Arts) Honours Degree program covered over eight semesters. It is mandatory to complete a minimum of 198 credits to graduate with a B.A / B.Sc (Liberal Arts) Honours degree.
Specialization courses (which are in the form of Majors and Minors) are chosen in the 2nd semester and are taught from the 3rd semester onwards. The Majors and Minors offered at SSLA are:
Major Specialization: Mathematics & Statistics, Computer Studies, English, Economics, Psychology, Sociology, Philosophy, Anthropology, Media Studies, Business Studies, International Relations and Political Science & Public Policy.
Minor Specialization: Biology, Women and Gender Studies, History, Film Studies, Peace and Conflict Studies, Physics, Performing Arts and Law.
Following the Liberal Arts tradition, Symbiosis School for Liberal Arts believes that intellectual freedom and growth is the result of a balance of theory, practice and experiential knowledge; open-minded scrutiny and logical arguments. It offers a learning environment that allows personal growth of the students through research and analytical thinking to develop competencies and values required for employability, leadership and social justice in a dynamic global community
The programme requires a student to complete: 20 Cores (compulsory courses including Community Outreach Project and a Seminar Paper) + 6 Electives + 1 Minor* specialization (6 papers) + 1 Major specialization subject (12 papers, including an Internship and a Research Project + Additional Minor (6 papers) / Additional Electives (6 courses) / Double Major (10 papers) without the Minor*.
Certain forms of knowledge are essential for every student, therefore, there are 20 Core compulsory courses spread across eight semesters and ensure a holistic and practical knowledge applicable across professions. Some of these skill-oriented courses include Creative Writing, Computer Fundamentals, Quantitative Reasoning with Mathematics, Staistics & Finance, Legal Awareness among others
The need for an in-depth subject specialization is pursued through the Major (ten papers, a two month long Internship and a Dissertation/ Research Project) and Minor specializations (6 papers) offers the student twin knowledge foundations that may often be applied in complementing roles suited to the professional needs. Specialization courses (which are in the form of Majors and Minors) shall be chosen in the 2nd semester and will be taught from the 3rd semester onwards.
The Majors and Minors offered at SSLA are:
A minimum of 6 Elective courses across disciplines irrespective of their areas of specialization offers the curious mind a constant food for thought often beyond the professional requirement to cater to their individual inquisitive nature. The basket of Elective
courses spread across genetics, mathematics, environment, philosophy, literature, performing arts, theater, religion, art, etc is taught with an inter, multi and transdisciplinary perspectives to bring together a 360 degree understanding.
Liberal Arts is not just a curriculum, but an ideology promoting academic and personal growth, sensitivity towards current and burning issues through:
o Community Outreach Project integrated within the curricula with a 2 month long community service, a report written and presentation on the basis of the field work intends to foster critically conscious citizens of the world.
o Internship in the area of Major specialization is an integral part of the programme with
an Internship Project Report along with a viva and presentation.
o Dissertation or the Research Project and the Seminar Paper : SSLA encourages a culture of research through the Dissertation or the Research Project and the Seminar Paper. Core courses on Research Methods, research proposal and field experience help students perfect their research skills over a period of four years. The seminar course is a mandatory requirement at the end of which the students submit a publishable paper.
o Other Academic Requirement : Inter University credit courses / Integrated Disaster Management Program / Audit Courses / Global Immersion Program are some other courses that students may engage with as per SSLA / SIU rules.
The B.A / B.Sc. (Liberal Arts) Honours degree can be complete by acquiring a Minimum Number of Credits Required (198 Credits) with
198 Credits; with 63 credits to Cores, 12 credits to FCP including Service Learning /COP, 24 credits to Generic Elective, 35 credit to Major Specialization Core, 16 credits to Major Specialization Electives, 24 credits to Minor specialization Cores, 24 credits to Additional chosen Minor Specialization Core and 1 mandatory Audit.
198 Credits; with 63 credits to Cores, 12 credits to FCP including Service Learning /COP, 24 credits to Generic Elective, 35 credit to Major Specialization Core, 16 credits to Major Specialization Electives, 24 credits to Minor specialization Cores, 24 credits to Additional Electives and 1 mandatory Audit.
198 Credits; with 63 credits to Cores, 12 credits to FCP including Service Learning /COP, 24 credits to Generic Elective, 35 credit to Major Specialization Core, 16 credits to Major Specialization Electives, 24 credits to Additional Major Specialization Core, 16 credits to
Additional Major Specialization Electives, 8 credits for Additional Electives and 1 mandatory Audit. No Minor Specialization.
Tentative Programme Structure across the eight semesters (4 Years):