Structure & Curriculum
Students who graduate with a bachelor’s degree after more than 3 years (late graduates) and students who have taken a break of up to one year after their UG graduation (gap students) are also eligible to apply for the ASP, provided the following condition is met: at the beginning of the Monsoon semester of the ASP, the start of their UG studies cannot be longer ago than 5 years. This is to secure compliance with UGC Guidelines, according to which UG+ASP must be completed in no more than 6 years.
Such students must submit a formal application to the OAA, comprising a statement of interest in joining the ASP supplemented by faculty and/or departmental references in support of their application. These applications will be decided on by a committee that will seek input from various stakeholders and provide students with a final decision on their application.
The ASP offers students a defining liberal arts experience that blends academic rigour with a wide range of elective options across a variety of subjects. These options include:
- Completing an Advanced Major
- Converting a Minor or previously taken elective courses into a Second Major Equivalent
- Converting a Major into an Interdisciplinary Second Major Equivalent
- Completing an Independent Capstone Project
- Completing a Minor
- Completing a Concentration
- Undertaking the Ashoka Quest, a year-long social internship programme [currently on hold]
- Taking any courses they wish, without completing any of the above options.
Academic Requirements for the ASP
Basic Requirements
All ASP students, by completing the Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Studies and Research, will become eligible to apply for postgraduate programmes in North America and other parts of the world that require 12 years of study at the secondary school level and 4 years of study at the university level. A total of 32 credits is required to graduate from the ASP with a Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Studies and Research.
Students can complete up to 2×22 = 44 credits during their ASP year, up to 52 credits if they also take two courses in the summer preceding the ASP year. Credits, if any, that are used to complete undergraduate requirements do not count towards the 32 credit minimum requirement. Students must in any event take enough courses during their ASP year that they can meet the 32 credit requirement. Typically, this means that they will take between 16 and 22 (max.) credits per semester. If students take summer courses that count towards the ASP or decide to take more courses in the Spring and fewer in the Monsoon, they may do so as long as they adhere to 2) and to the minimum credit requirement of 12 credits per semester. For students who are trying to complete their undergraduate degree requirements (up to 8 academic credits), a maximum of 6 courses will be allowed in the first semester of the ASP if required. ASP students are eligible to take any undergraduate course offered at Ashoka University for which they have fulfilled the prerequisite(s). Students can also take 4000 level seminars where these are offered.
If students opt to pursue specific credentials, such as e.g. a Minor or Concentration, wish to convert a Minor into the equivalent of a second Major, pursue an Advanced Major, etc. they will take courses as per the requirements of the specific programme. The specific requirements for each of the options are spelled out below.