B.A. (Hons.) Liberal Arts & Humanities
October 28, 2023 2024-02-29 4:56B.A. (Hons.) Liberal Arts & Humanities
B.A. (Hons.) Liberal Arts & Humanities
FOUR YEARS PROGRAMME
What is Liberal Arts and Humanities?
Liberal arts and humanities are the study of general and classical subjects that offer insight into the human condition. These studies develop skills in logic, reasoning, and communication. Liberal arts subjects include humanities, social sciences, physical sciences, and mathematics. Humanities courses cover topics such as history, literature, philosophy, and language.
About The Programme
The B.A. (Hons.) in Liberal Arts and Humanities (BALH) is the flagship programme of the Jindal School of Liberal Arts and Humanities (JSLH). This four-year degree programme combines broad-based training in core liberal arts disciplines, as well as a range of skill-based courses alongside the possibility of creating individual study pathways through the majors. The overall programme offers students the choice to curate a plan that fits their interests and passion.
JSLH offers three different pathways, depending on their interest: Single, Double and Self-designed Major. These pathways span across 12 disciplinary areas.
Foundation courses
All the BA Liberal Arts and Humanities students have to undertake 20 foundation courses. These carefully designed courses equip the students with an interdisciplinary foundation.
Major Courses
A student has to complete 12 courses based on their selected Major. There are a total of 13 Majors available with JSLH. Additionally, there are options of Self-designed as well as Double Major.
Elective
In addition to the courses available for a specific major, a student can take 9 elective courses based on their interests. These elective courses could be school electives or cross-elective (university wide courses).
Fourth-year pathways
In the fourth year, a student has to decide whether they want to pursue research or the usual coursework.
Research pathway
Students need to write a capstone thesis demonstrating knowledge, research skills and ability to analyze and present information. Additionally, they have to take 4 advanced elective courses.
Coursework pathway:
B.A. (Hons.) Liberal Arts students need to take 10 advanced elective courses over two semesters to create a cluster of interest.
Internships:
Students have the option to undertake five internships, a mix of academic and corporate. These are meant to expose Bachelor of Liberal Arts students to real-world practices. The Office of Career Services is dedicated to the student’s internships.
What is Liberal Arts Education?
Liberal arts education emphasizes the development of critical thinking and analytical skills, the ability to solve complex problems, and an understanding of ethics and morality, as well as a desire to continue to learn. Liberal arts majors is not limited to a specific major, but rather the institution that provides a broad and interdisciplinary curriculum. Liberal arts in India is a relatively new concept, but it is gaining popularity among students who want to explore diverse fields of knowledge and pursue their passions. Liberal arts in India aims to produce well-rounded and adaptable graduates who can contribute to the society and the world.
Scope of the Course
The scope of BA Liberal Arts Subjects is vast, as students can learn about various topics such as history, literature, philosophy, sociology, psychology, economics, physics, chemistry, biology, engineering, management, and more. These courses also develop critical thinking, communication, creativity, and problem-solving skills, which are essential for the 21st century. Students who complete these courses can pursue higher education or careers in diverse fields, depending on their interests and goals.
BA Honours in Humanities are courses that focus on studying human culture, society, and values. These courses cover history, literature, philosophy, language, and more. The scope of BA in Humanities & Social Sciences or BA Hons. in Humanities is broad, as students can gain insight into the human condition, the diversity of human experiences, and the challenges and opportunities of the contemporary world. These courses also develop skills such as analytical thinking, communication, ethics, and cultural awareness, which are valuable for the 21st century.
Major at JSLH
There are a total of 13 majors available at JSLH. A student has to decide on their major choice at the end of their third semester. On the ‘Majors day’, the major co-ordinators make presentations about what each of the majors entail and what are the future outcomes. The students then decide on their choice of major in consultation with various major co-ordinators as well as their mentors.
Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior based on robust research methods. The psychology major in the School of Liberal Arts and Humanities at O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU) is designed to provide you with the knowledge, skills and awareness required to apply psychological principles to the world around you. While retaining the essence of a scientist practitioner model which emphasizes theoretical knowledge and practical skills, the psychology major embedded within the BALH program amalgamates this traditional approach with inter-disciplinarity. It is geared towards training students to conceptualize complex world phenomena though a psychological lens rooted in a multidisciplinary perspective.
This approach draws upon knowledge, perspectives and methods drawn from the arts and sciences. Creating course content that examines the intersection between psychology and other disciplines provides scope for divergent disciplinary perspectives that foster essential graduate attributes of critical thinking for problem solving as well as generate curiosity for lifelong learning in an ever-changing world. Combined with an experiential pedagogy that places emphasis on self-reflection and analysis, we believe that our students are well equipped to pursue graduate studies in psychology as well as branch out to explore the interconnections within psychology and related disciplines, whether it be through professional commitments, research or academic pursuits.
Elective courses:
Psychology-1 (Foundational Course)
Social Psychology
Counselling Psychology
Science and Philosophy of Well-Being
Methods, Ethics and Techniques in Psychology
Biological Foundations of Behavior
Empathy and Compassion
Cognitive psychology
Abnormal Psychology
Psychology, Buddhism, & Buddhist Psychology
Life-Span Development
Cultural Psychology
Power, Politics and Psyche
Mindfulness, Stress Reduction and Well Being
Psychology of Visual Aesthetics
Future Prospects:
Graduate studies in Industrial/ Organisational Psychology, Clinical and Counselling Psychology, Health Psychology, Criminal Psychology, Social Psychology and Behavioural Neuroscience
Community mental health research projects
Human resource management and Employee Assistance programs
Publicity, Communications, Digital Marketing and Advertising department of corporate organizations
Education sector
Work as a content writer
Business has emerged as the most significant contributor to GDP. A 2021 McKinsey Global Institute report estimates business contributing 62% to the GDP in OECD countries. In addition, expanding international trade has been a key driver of international business. Exponential technologies are ushering new paradigms in every aspect of business. The opportunities, challenges, and complexities of starting, managing and growing a business therefore offer options that are intellectually stimulating, professionally enriching, and personally rewarding. The International Business Major at JSLH is unique in that it is situated in a Liberal Arts milieu and therefore benefits from the interdisciplinary nature of all the foundation courses and offers pathways which are unlikely in traditional business programs. As an example, you may have an opportunity to integrate your understanding of various foundational liberal arts disciplines such as psychology, economics, sociology, environment & sustainability, philosophy, and others, during discussions in an IB class. This interdisciplinary and integrative nature enables you explore aspects of business from the perspective of diverse and multiple stakeholders thereby preparing you to become a more aware agent of change to make business a force for good.
Elective courses:
Design Thinking (foundation course)
Introduction to International Business
International Marketing
Introduction to Accounting
Design Thinking
Technology and Innovation in Global Business
Social Entrepreneurship
Green Marketing
Financial Management
International Human Resources Management
Global Business Strategy
Neuromarketing for Digital Media
Behavioral Economics & Finance
Organizational Behavior and HRM
60+ electives aligned with IB on offer from various schools of JGU
Future Prospects:
Set you up to ace your higher studies in India and abroad
Apply your analytical skills in think tanks or consulting firms
Join an existing start-up or family business
Work for large Indian and global corporates
Start and grow your own venture
Work with the government
Pursue a career in Teaching & Research
The Economics major at JSLH aims to instil fundamental economic thinking in an interdisciplinary set-up. Economics is traditionally understood as the ‘science of humans as a relationship between ends and scarce means with alternative uses’ (Lionel Robbins, 1932). In addition to internalizing these micro aspects of human behavior, students are also introduced to macroeconomics. The students are then trained in applying this dual perspective- micro and macroeconomics in various economic aspects, including political (Political Economy), developmental (Development Economics), and environmental (Environmental Economics), among many others. A crucial advantage of an Economics major is the training in numerous quantitative techniques, including Game Theory and Econometrics. These transferable tools can then be applied to approach various questions of local, national, or global significance.
Economics is a dynamic and fertile discipline that has borrowed significantly from psychology, sociology, law, political science, history, mathematics, and philosophy, allowing students to appreciate a genuinely interdisciplinary major. An Economics major, thus, enables a student to conceptualize, analyse and gain valuable insights into significant contemporary questions critically, making the world a better place.
Economics elective courses:
Economic perspectives (foundation course)
Microeconomics
Macroeconomics
Game Theory
Political Economy
International Political economy
Development Economics
Introduction to Network Economics
Global Economy
Environment Economics
Public Economics
Econometrics
Advance Inquiry into Logical Methods
Economic History
Behavioural Economics & Finance
Future Prospects:
Economics training at JSLH provides solid foundation for higher studies in India and abroad.
Think tanks or consulting firms require students trained in Economics, for both qualitative and quantitative skills.
The analytical skills developed during Economics major are transferable across various fields, which encourages independent thinking, and hence entrepreneurship.
Working with the government and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
Work for large Indian and global corporates, requiring analytical and statistical skills.
Societies tell stories about themselves. These stories take varied shapes in sustaining a range of social structures and institutions. Sociology and anthropology are disciplinary methods which offer ways with which to uncover these stories and their working in a society. These methods could be applied to ‘traditional’ topics such as family, kinship, religion to those of markets, political institutions, bureaucracies, military, corporations, NGOs and so on. They are crucially geared towards difference in the making of the modern world – why do people from different societies have different reactions to the same things (e.g. McDonald’s burgers)?
Concepts like time, space, structure, agency, representation are analyzed in these disciplines with a view to how different societies use these concepts differently. Anthropology and sociology are both theoretical as well as empirical disciplines, and they provide us with a knowledge of the many social patterns and alternatives that exist in the world, and a variety of theoretical lenses which can be used to study how people actually live in different social and cultural settings. They also help us develop an understanding of how societies have developed historically along with an awareness of contemporary social issues. They have an applied side to them too, where sociological and anthropological concepts can be used to address wider issues and problems in societies and to develop relevant responses and policies.
As a student taking the Sociology and Anthropology Major, you will build on concepts and paradigms introduced in your foundation courses like Sociology and the Interdisciplinary Seminars to develop an in-depth understanding of society, its institutions, structures, and a range of current issues that arise from social life.
Elective Courses:
- Key Texts in Sociology and Anthropology
- Emerging Questions in Sociology and Anthropology
- Thinking About the Field
- To be Human in the Digital Era
- Sociology of Arts and Creativity
- Sociology of Health and Well-Being
- Sociology of the Environment
- School, Classrooms, and Curriculum
- Sociology of Science and Technology
- Social Inequalities
- Social Identities
- Cultures and Representations
- Culture of Cities
Future Prospects:
- Students in this major have been accepted in top universities in India and abroad
- Media, Communications and Journalism
- Humanitarian, Non-Profit and Social Sector
- Government, Public Policy and Advocacy
- Education, Ed-Tech and Education Management
- Consumer Industries- marketing and advertising
The Literary Studies major at JSLH undertakes the cultural exploration and scholarly study of varied kinds of texts, literary and often otherwise, including, but not limited to those written in English. In our efforts to do so, we often cross the boundaries of time, language and genre, keeping in mind the complex routes of cross-cultural exchanges and fertilization that lie at the basis of all literary and artistic endeavours. To that end, the major aims to impart the important skills of critical reading and thinking, analysis, synthesis and creativity, critique, and reflective writing on, and sometimes of, literature — as form, text, edition and publication, hyper-text or another category. Keeping in mind an interdisciplinary focus, the students in Literary Studies major are also often encouraged to explore literature vis-à-vis the other arts and media, interrogating in the process conjunction of literary and cultural texts with socio-economic history, political movements, ideologies and other intellectual developments. In other words, along with the more “traditional” and “canonical” literary texts, students in the program are also trained to read and analyse “non-literary” and/or “non-traditional” forms such as film and new media, through the lens of different schools of literary criticism and theory.
Elective Courses:
- Classical Foundations of Literature
- Reinventing the Wheel Literature in/as Adaptation
- Renaissance Literature
- Novel and Politics
- Nineteenth-Century Literature
- Culinary Fictions: Food and Cultural Forms
- Introducing Urdu: History, Politics, Poetics
- Audience and Fan Cultures in the Digital Age
- Gender in Literature and Visual Arts
- Global Speculative Fiction
- Cybercultures, New Media, and Digital Cultures
- Reading Harry Potter
- Creative non-fiction
- Visual Arts, Literature and Gender
Future Prospects:
- Pursuing higher degrees (MA, PhD) in literature and allied disciplines in India and abroad
- Pursue higher education in creative writing and arts (MFA)
- Work as a journalist, writer or editor in specialized fields
- Work as media and cultural professionals in corporate houses
- Join the ever-growing educational sector in India and abroad
- Work for the development and non-profit sector
- Work for the publishing industry
- Work as a cultural entrepreneur
Ranging from climate change to ecosystem health to population growth and social responsibilities, the world needs people who are knowledgeable of the social, economic, geopolitical, and environmental considerations of these issues, and who can develop sustainable solutions to such problems. An Environment and Sustainability major from a liberal arts background is more advantageous because the interdisciplinary knowledge helps students to understand a problem from multiple perspectives which enables them to bring critical thinking and problem-solving skills to understand a particular situation. An E&SD major from a liberal arts perspective can combine this with psychology, international business, political science and international relations, economics, sociology and anthropology, visual arts to name a few.
The E&SD major will help students develop concrete skills and analytical abilities, and gain hands on experience relevant to careers in government agencies, non-governmental organizations, private industry, and academic fields. In the 21st century there is a need to effectively communicate environmental messages and take stewardship of setting up green start-ups, to be advocates of carbon credits, finding sustainable fuel resources, fight climate change, and more importantly work towards ensuring our existence on the planet. An E&SD major An EVS major will prepare you for all of this.
Elective courses:
- GIS: A hands-on Primer for Spatial Information Analytics
- Sociology of the Environment
- Global Environmental Governance
- Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) Framework
- Waste Management and Circular Economy
- Water in the Sustainable Development Framework
- Environmental Management and Green Marketing
- Global Emerging Environmental Issues in the Anthropocene
- Environmental Changes and Mental Health in the 21st Century
Future Prospects:
- Higher studies in India and abroad
- Work for organizations in “Green Jobs”
- Green entrepreneurship and sustainable start-ups
- Work with government and non-governmental agencies
- Urban planner
- Environmental Consultant
The Political Science and International Relations major will take a comprehensive view of the two disciplines in equal measure. An inter-disciplinary approach is used build on the starts we have made with the foundation course in political science and IR. We will critically examine, in greater depth, the concepts and theories on the evolution of the State; the development of notions of freedom, justice, sovereignty, individual and human rights, and citizenship; the complex mechanism of government formation and functioning including electoral processes; constitutional imperatives; division of power within branches of governments; the influence of various kinds of interest groups and political movements that underscore limitations of prevailing governments and effect either a contestation of the State or a change in its character.
While we maintain a good focus on the independent Indian state as our object of study in some courses, others will focus on political frameworks and their functioning in major geo-political players in the contemporary world. An attempt will be made to understand contemporary politics in relation to wider and larger cross-currents when it comes to inter-state interactions in the International Relations courses in order to strike a balance between theories of political science and international relations and the realities of the contemporary world. Although the larger focus is on studying the State, there will be many other ideas that emanate from it will also be investigated in both political science and international relations, viz. institutions, feminism, international settlements, diplomacy, governance, globalisation.
Elective courses:
- Thinking About Democracy (foundation)
- International Conflict, Order and Justice
- Theories of International Relations
- Theories of Political Science
- Comparative Politics
- Political Sociology
- Indian Politics
- Critical Concepts in Peace and Security
- Indian and Western Political Thought.
- Political Economy (IR) / Area Studies
- International Conflict & Justice (IR)
Learning outcomes: The Political Science and International Relations major will engage with and enhance student critical thinking capacity and command over national and global political issues. It will help equip students with a toolbox to work with the nuts and bolts of politics. It will do all this while examining social and political reality with a diversity of theoretical lenses and hopefully empower the student to undertake complex intellectual tasks in the future.
Future prospects: In the past in India and elsewhere in the world political science and international relations majors have become bureaucrats, politicians, writers, journalists, publishing industry professionals, and corporate communications executives. They have gone on to become civil servants, diplomats and foreign policy impresarios working in transnational organizations.
The major in visual arts is an interdisciplinary program that integrates studio practice with theoretical study of art history and art theory. The program offers a variety of courses ranging from drawing, painting, and sculpture to photography, video, sound, performance, and community art. The training in traditional and contemporary skills and the exposure to cutting-edge art, enable students to develop their distinctive approach to artmaking. The program pays special attention to visual culture’s role in our society and develops the students’ ability to decipher and encode images. In addition to the curricular courses, the students participate in field trips to art galleries and museums and attend seminars and artist talks. During the program’s final year, students learn to conduct academic and artistic research.
Elective courses:
- Introduction to Ceramics
- 2D Study-1 (Drawing), 2 (Color)
- Curation and Art Management
- Introduction to Printmaking
- 3D Study 1 and 2
- Still Image
- Introduction to Painting
- Western Art History and Theory 1 and 2
- Installation Art
- Introduction to Sculpture
- South Asian Art History and Theory 1 and 2
- Video and Sound
- Introduction to Critical Theory
- Advance Sculpture
- Generative Art
- All Other courses offered by BFA program (hyperlink)
Future Prospects:
- Set you up to ace your higher studies in India and abroad.
- Apply your creative skills in designing, art management and curation.
- Participate in exhibitions, biennales, and other art events.
- Work as a freelance artist.
- Start and grow your own art venture.
- Work for Art Galleries and Museums.
Digital Humanities is a new field that brings together the arts, humanities, and technology. The DH major at JSLH will help students to become sensitive, critical, and reflective readers and users of digital tools and spaces by understanding their embeddedness in political, social, and economic contexts. Technologies such as digital mapping, quantitative textual analysis, spatial story-telling and social media analysis will equip students to understand and study the arts as well as humanities disciplines through digital computational tools. DH is interdisciplinary in its foundation, and the courses in this JSLH major are taught by faculty across the social science disciplines— environmental studies, economics, history, literary studies, sociology, and art.
Elective courses:
- Foundations of Digital Humanities
- Sociology of Science, Technology, and Digital Society
- Intro to MS Excel and R
- Data structures, algorithms, and visualizations
- Digital Storytelling
- Digital Ethnography
- GIS: A Hands-on Primer for Spatial Information Analytic
- Cultural Studies
- Public History & Archives
- Digital Art
- To be Human in the Digital Era
- I’m So Online: Examining Digital Storytelling
- Fandom Uploaded: Audience and Fan Cultures in the Digital Age
- Video and Sound
- Programming, Arduino and Internet
Future Prospects:
- Careers in Media; Education; Marketing, all forms of research.
- Art and Cultural Heritage and appreciation
- Museums and public history
Non-profit organisations
Through values, assumptions, and narratives, religions permeate our lives in often unacknowledged ways. The Comparative Religion and Culture major offers students an interdisciplinary exploration of the world’s diverse religious traditions and their cultural contexts. By examining religions from multiple perspectives and engaging with cultural analysis, this major equips students with a rich understanding of the complexities and interconnectedness of global cultures. Through the comparative approach, students develop the ability to analyze and interpret religious texts, symbols, and rituals, while also exploring the broader social, political, and historical forces that influence religious traditions. This interdisciplinary perspective encourages students to think critically about the ways in which religions shape and are shaped by cultural, economic, and environmental factors.
The major introduces students to the academic study of religions, to the ideas and methods which have shaped the field. Courses cover thematic explorations in a comparative perspective, societal expressions of religiosity, analysis of religious texts, probes into the philosophical foundations and psychological aspects of religions, and, broadly speaking, their impact on the shaping of individual and collective identities. Students often engage in experiential learning opportunities, such as field trips to religious sites, participation in religious ceremonies, and immersive cultural experiences, which allows them to gain a deeper appreciation for the lived realities of diverse religious communities. Moreover, in an increasingly interconnected and multicultural world, a deep understanding of different religious and cultural perspectives is indispensable. The Comparative Religion and Culture major equips students with the tools to navigate complex social and cultural landscapes, fostering interfaith dialogue, and promoting mutual understanding and respect. By promoting a deeper appreciation for diversity, this major contributes to the development of responsible global citizens who are equipped to address the complex challenges of our time with empathy and cultural sensitivity.
Elective courses:
- Problems and Methods in Religion Studies (foundation course)
- Society and Religion
- Religions as Texts
- Systems of Release (Comparative Soteriology)
- Philosophical foundations of Religions
- Psychological Aspects of Religion
Future Prospects:
- Opens the way to higher studies in India or abroad and pursue careers in academia
- Opens up opportunities in the spheres of interfaith dialogue, activism, community development, social work and NGOs
- Prepares for careers in journalism, international relations, cultural exchange programs.
More generally, the developed analytical and critical thinking skills are valued in professions requiring cross-cultural understanding, empathy and effective communication
This major will prepare professionals who can plan, sustain and develop strategies to effectively address the contemporary challenges of marketing art and culture in a fast-changing global economy. It will deliver comprehensive knowledge of the social, economic and legal landscape of culture, the modes of governance, infrastructure, and ideas of identity & labor within cultural and creative industries. It is grounded in interdisciplinary methods of critical enquiry to explore the historical as well as emergent modes of production, distribution and audience engagement to prepare students to work in the complex globalized cultural sectors.
The major offers flexibility to students to focus on a particular cultural sector to develop a capstone project in which students are expected to synthesise and apply the core concepts acquired from the program. Possible areas of concentration include theatre and performance, visual arts, dance, music, tourism, heritage, design, gaming and food. Through simulations, guided experiences, field trips and case studies-based research, students will hone the skills required to work in multi-dimensional arts environments. Outcome-based workshops by scholars, art practitioners, programmers and industry experts will enable understanding best practices, allow students to conceptualize and strategically execute cultural events and plan marketing, promotion and fundraising campaigns. Students will gain practical experience relevant to working in their chosen creative sector by undertaking short term internships in arts organisations, festivals, galleries, cultural centres, production houses, theatre/ dance companies etc.
Elective courses:
- Understanding Creative industry & cultural infrastructure 1: Theories, Definitions, Debate
- Understanding Creative industry & cultural infrastructure 2:Identity, Creativity, Labour
- Arts and Disability
- Introduction to Arts & Cultural Policy
- Politics and Cultural Economic
- Archival practices: exploring Museums, Galleries and Other Cultural Spaces
- Fundamentals of data collection, analysis and interpretative frameworks
- Financial planning and management in the Arts
- Festivals: Arts, community and Public Space
- Strategic Marketing, Publicity and Communication
- Curation and Arts Management
- Children, Media and Culture
- Approaches to Researching Culture
- Culture and the City
- Marketing Music and Sonic Arts
Learning outcomes:
- To curate, plan and execute novel projects and programmes/art festivals/cultural events that require sensitised organisational efforts, strategic marketing and fund raising
- To conceptualise expansion and growth of cultural organisations towards financially viable practices that have a wide audience reach.
- To assess risks and opportunities for collaboration and community building in the creative sector
- To communicate effectively and with sensitivity to cultural or other relevant contextual factors within the global creative sector
- To better pitch and advocate necessary artist causes at the community, state and international platforms
- To conceptualise programmes that employ art in order to catalyse and support positive social change
Future Prospects:
Graduates of this course will be well-placed to pursue careers in cultural management, curation and programming, project implementation, finance and data analysis, communication, promotion and fund-raising, policy consultants, strategic marketing, audience development, branding and media strategy in the cultural and creative sectors. They will be equipped to work for both-government and non-government institutions, art & cultural organizations working in regional/local, applied, community and international contexts. Students will be assisted in securing internships/project related assignments/ consultancy in .production houses, festivals, museums and galleries as consultants, art managers, curators and programmers, digital content creators etc.
A student opting for a Double Major can combine any of the two, of the 13 Majors on offer. A student opting for Double Majors must complete 12 advanced Major courses of both Majors.
In the credit structure this implies they need to use up all elective credits, plus take 3 additional electives.
What Makes It Different at JGU
The B.A. (Hons.) in Liberal Arts and Humanities programme at JSLH offers two dual-degree options for students who want to enhance their academic and professional opportunities. These dual-degree programmes provide students with a diverse range of academic and cultural experiences, exposure to different teaching and learning styles, and access to international networks and career opportunities. They are designed to enhance students' critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving skills, and prepare them for a dynamic and globalized world.
The first option is a four-year B.A. (Hons.) in Liberal Arts and Humanities, where students can choose from 12 specializations and have the option to study abroad for a semester facilitated by JSLH.
The second option is a unique four-year dual-degree programme with Rollins College in the United States or Deakin University in Australia. Students who choose this option will study the first two years at JSLH and the next two years at the partner university. Upon completion of the programme, they will receive a B.A. Honours degree in Liberal Arts from JSLH and a Bachelor of Arts from Rollins College or Deakin University in a subject of their choice.
To be eligible for admission to the B.A. Hons. Liberal Arts and Humanities programme at JSLH, applicants must have completed the 10+2 level of schooling or its equivalent in humanities, science, or commerce, with a minimum aggregate of 60% marks from CBSE, ISC, State Boards, IB, Cambridge, and other recognized boards. Those who will complete their Class 12 in 2022 are also eligible to apply.
The admission process for the Liberal Arts programme is unique and holistic. Candidates will be evaluated based on their personal statement, supplemental question, Class 10 and 12 marks, faculty interview, and at par JSAT/SAT/ACT score, over three rounds of admissions.
|
Semester-1 (25 credits) |
Semester-2 (25 credits) |
First Year |
|
|
|
Semester-3 (24 credits) |
Sesester-4 (24 credits) |
Second Year |
|
|
|
Semester 5 (24 credits) |
Semester 6 (24 credits) |
Third Year |
|
|
|
Semester 7 and 8 |
|
Fourth year |
Compulsory courses for both pathways
Research pathway
Coursework pathway:
|
|
The B.A. (Hons.) Liberal Arts and Humanities programme is designed to provide students with a strong interdisciplinary foundation in the liberal arts, including courses in mathematics, history, sociology, expressive and creative arts, literature, languages, and writing. These courses are taught in the tradition of liberal arts education and encourage students to engage in practices of inquiry and contemplation, which are essential for the creation of knowledge and learning in the field of humanities and social sciences.
In addition to the foundational courses, the curriculum includes major courses, cross-listed electives, and internships. Students must complete at least 180 credits to graduate, with each course carrying four credits.
The curriculum is divided into four years, with the first two years focusing on foundational courses in areas such as environmental studies, expressive arts, Spanish, communication skills, social science, economics, philosophy, literature, and psychology. The third year offers an optional semester abroad, as well as courses in thesis seminar and major courses, along with cross-listed electives. The final year is dedicated to thesis submission and research projects.
Students pursuing the four-year B.A. (Hons.) degree will graduate with a specialization in one of eleven areas, including digital humanities, marketing arts and culture, comparative religion, economics, environment and sustainable development, expressive arts, sociology and anthropology, history, international business, psychology, literary studies, philosophy, and political science and international relations. Students may also opt for a self-designed major in consultation with faculty directors.
All majors are designed to meet international standards and reflect the best trends in liberal arts course design globally, and consist of at least 10 courses plus two thesis seminars for a total of 48 credits.
- Foundation courses: 15
- Major and Advanced courses: 25
- Electives: 5
- Internships: 6
The elective courses offered to students pursuing the Bachelor of Arts (Hons.) in Liberal Arts and Humanities programme at JSLH are diverse and interdisciplinary. Students have the opportunity to explore various areas of study, including law, humanities, management, business and finance, international affairs, governance and public policy, environment, architecture, and languages.
The list of electives is subject to change each semester, allowing students to continually explore different subjects. Elective courses are worth credits, which are determined by the number of instructional hours.
Some of the available electives include “Blood and Antiquities and Archaeopolitic,” “Transformative Actions in Public Space: Exploring Contemporary Theatre & Performance,” “Philosophical Approaches to the Mind,” “China’s Foreign Policy,” and “Feminist Classics: East and West.” There are also courses focused on topics such as art history, climate change, energy and sustainability, sociology and anthropology, and the history of ancient civilizations.
Overall, the elective courses offered at JSLH provide students with a wide range of opportunities to explore their interests and broaden their knowledge across multiple disciplines.
Graduates of B.A. (Hons.) in Liberal Arts and Humanities have a wide range of career opportunities in various industries. They can work in fields such as advertising, design, journalism, publishing, corporate communications, consultancy, digital marketing, relationship management, analytics, NGOs, the corporate sector, performing arts, public relations, and more.
The interdisciplinary nature of the programme equips students with a diverse range of skills and knowledge, making them highly sought-after by employers. Graduates are known for their strong critical and creative thinking skills, effective communication, and adaptability to complex situations. These qualities make them responsible members of society and successful professionals.
Moreover, students have the flexibility to choose from a variety of liberal arts courses and design their own majors, making them independent thinkers and creators. This creativity helps them extensively when they work in a professional or academic domain.
The Office of Career Services at Jindal School of Liberal Arts & Humanities provides students with ample opportunities for internships, networking, and career guidance. They have collaborated with leading companies and organisations to offer internship opportunities to students, giving them valuable work experience and practical exposure to their chosen field.
Graduates can also pursue higher education in various fields, such as law, business, media, and more. Additionally, students who opt for the dual-degree programme with partner universities in the US or Australia have the opportunity to work in those countries after graduation, further expanding their career prospects.
Jindal School of Liberal Arts & Humanities offers a mentorship programme to every student enrolled in the B.A. (Hons.) Liberal Arts and Humanities programme, including the Sociology programme. Each student is paired with a faculty mentor who will guide them through their three years of study. Regular meetings between the mentor and student are held every other week, with a minimum of two hours each month. The mentor serves as the first point of contact for any personal or academic issues that the student may encounter. This programme aims to help students discover their potential and provide guidance throughout their undergraduate study and beyond. The mentorship programme is designed to create a supportive environment where each student is well-known to a faculty member, in line with the values of a sociology education.