CALLING FOR APPLICATIONS – BACHELOR OF SCIENCE HONOURS DEGREE PROGRAMME (4-year degree) – 2024/2025
Dear student,
The Faculty of Natural Sciences is pleased to announce the offering of the BSc Honours Degree Programme for the Academic Year, 2024/2025. The Honours Degree will be offered in the following subjects of specialization:
- Botany
- Chemistry
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Zoology
This programme aims to provide opportunities to develop scientific skills and knowledge application with emphasis on practical work that develop technical and analytical skills, develop positive attitude, values and transferable skills such as communication and ICT, team work and problem-solving skills required of professional scientists, to develop a pool of future scientists to give leadership in research and innovation, academics with the additional advantage of having experience in open and distance learning and enhance the potential in our undergraduates to pursue postgraduate studies here and abroad.
As outcomes of this programme, a graduate is expected to have acquired, upon completion of the honours degree, a sound knowledge and skills to understand and make informed judgement about contemporary issues, trends and developments in the area of specialization, developed critical and analytical thinking and acquired problem-solving skills and developed transferable skills and acquired practical, technical and research skills in the area of specialization in order to be able to undertake research that has relevance to the country.
We have witnessed a continued demand for honours degree graduates both in Sri Lanka and abroad and this programme is expected to offer better employment opportunities and postgraduate study prospects for students.
The curriculum of the BSc honours Degree is designed to give students an in-depth knowledge of the subject of specialization and the courses have been specially selected to cater to the contemporary needs of the society. The credit value of courses, level-wise, in the subject of specialization offered at Levels 5 and 6 are in line with the credit requirement as stipulated by the Sri Lanka Qualification Framework (SLQF).
The courses for the honours Degree will be delivered via a hybrid mode of study with a considerable component of face-to-face teaching and practical sessions, field visits and a research project. Therefore, attendance is compulsory for all academic activities at Levels 5 and 6 of this programme. Please note that this programme will be conducted at CRC only.
The essential preliminary details about eligibility criteria for admission, criteria for the award of the BSc honours Degree in the relevant subject of specialization and the method of selection are given below:
Eligibility criteria for admission to the Bachelor of Science Honours Degrees in Botany/Chemistry/Physics/Zoology
The BSc Honours Degree Programme is a four-year programme, comprising courses, adding up to a total of one hundred and twenty (120) credits from Levels 3, 4, 5 and 6. Students will be selected for the honours Degree on the completion of Level 3 and Level 4. To be eligible to register for the BSc Honours Degree Programme leading to the BSc honours in a particular subject, a student should fulfill the following criteria, within four (04) consecutive academic years from initial registration in B.Sc. Programme.
- A minimum of C grades for thirty (30) course credits of regular courses at Level 3, AND,
- A minimum of C grades for twenty-four (24) course credits at Level 4, including twelve (12) course credits from the subject of specialization and, at least eligibility for sitting final examination for the other six (06) course credits, AND
- A minimum GPA of 3.00 in course credits adding up to twenty (20) course credits of Levels 3 and 4, from the subject of specialization, AND,
- At least a Pass grade or Exemption for each of the continuing education courses CYE3200, LEE3410/LTE3401/LTE3406 and CSE3213/CSE3214.
Award of the Degree of Bachelor of Science Honours Degrees in Botany/Chemistry/Physics/Zoology
The Programme of Study leading to the award of the Bachelor of Science Honours Degrees mentioned above comprises courses adding up to a total of one hundred and twenty (120) credits of regular courses and continuing education courses.
To be considered for the award of the Bachelor of Science Special Degree, a student shall require to successfully complete:
- thirty (30) credits at Level 3 comprising eight (08) credits each from any three chosen subjects and six (06) credits from among specified open elective courses at Level 3, AND,
- thirty (30) credits at Level 4 comprising twelve (12) credits each from any two subjects offered at Level 3 and six (06) credits from the remaining discipline chosen at Level 3, AND,
- a minimum of C grades for thirty (30) course credits at the Level 5 of the Programme of Study; comprising twenty-four (24) course credits from the subject of specialization, including all the compulsory courses specified by the respective Department, and remaining six (06) course credits from any subjects and/or open elective courses at the Level 5, AND,
- a minimum of C grades for thirty (30) course credits from the Subject of specialization at the Level 6 of the Programme of Study, including all the compulsory courses specified the respective Department include a minimum of six (06) course credits of research component, AND,
- a minimum GPA of 2.00 in course credits adding up to one hundred and twenty (120) course credits at Levels 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the Programme of Study AND,
- a minimum C grade or exemption for the courses CYE3200, LEE3410/LTE3401/LTE3406 and CSE3213/CSE3214.
Eligibility criteria for admission to the Bachelor of Science Honours Degree in Mathematics
The BSc Honours Degree in Mathematics Programme is a four-year programme, comprising courses, adding up to a total of one hundred and twenty (120) credits from Levels 3, 4, 5 and 6. Students will be selected for the honours Degree in mathematics on the completion of Level 3 and Level 4. To be eligible to register for the BSc Honours Degree Programme in mathematics leading to the BSc in mathematics, a student should fulfill the following criteria, within four (04) consecutive academic years from initial registration in B.Sc. Programme.
- A minimum of C grades for thirty (30) course credits of regular courses at Level 3 including Pure Mathematics and Applied Mathematics as Major subjects, AND,
- A minimum of C grades for twenty-four (24) course credits at Level 4, including twelve (12) course credits from Pure Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, at least eligibility for sitting final examination for the six (06) course credits in minor subject, AND
- A minimum GPA of 3.00 in course credits adding up to forty (40) course credits of Levels 3 and 4, from the Pure Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, AND,
- At least a Pass grade or Exemption for each of the continuing education courses CYE3200, LEE3410/LTE3401/LTE3406 and CSE3213/CSE3214.
For the award of the Bachelor of Science honours Degree, a student shall require to complete the above requirements within eight (08) academic years from his/her initial registration to the BSc Degree Programme. For the award of the classes of the Bachelor of Science Honours Degree, a student shall require to complete the above requirements within six (06) academic years from his/her initial registration to the BSc Degree Programme.
Those who do not complete within the stipulated period may exit at level 5 to be considered for the Degree of Bachelor of Science or at Level 4 to be considered for Higher Diploma in Science.
Method of Selection
Those interested in following the B.Sc. Honours Degree Programme and have acquired the necessary eligibility criteria for admission as specified in this document, are required to submit the duly completed application form to Assistant Registrar/Faculty of Natural Sciences, The Open University of Sri Lanka, P.O. Box 21, Nawala, Nugegoda on or before 17th May 2024.
Please note that only those who satisfy the above criteria, based on academic performance at Levels 3 and 4 and the interview conducted by the respective Department concerned will be selected for the Honours Degree in a particular subject. In case you are planning to apply more than one subject please indicate your order of subject preference for specialization in your application. If and when an applicant is not selected to follow the Honours Degree in the subject of his/her first choice, he/she will be considered for the Honours degree in the subject of his/her second choice, if any.
The Registration for the BSc Honours degree will be held on 22nd May 2024 at CRC only. The fees for Levels 5 and 6 will be Rs. 3,435.00 per credit for the academic year 2024/2025. This fee will be revised periodically. An additional payment will be required as Laboratory fee for practical sessions for certain courses with practical components.
Please contact the relevant Heads of the Departments on or before re-registration for more details and information regarding final selection for registration for the Special degree programme.
The Application Forms will be available on the Faculty website.
With Best Wishes
Prof. G.W.A. Rohan Fernando
Dean/Faculty of Natural Sciences
10.04.2024
