Ashoka Scholars Programme in Physics

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Ashoka Scholars Programme in Physics

Ashoka University offers a year-long Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Studies and Research (DipASR) to students who have completed the three-year Bachelor’s Programme, during which students can take a wide range of elective options across a variety of subjects, as well as gain valuable research experience in specific disciplines. Students must complete 32 credits to graduate from the ASP and may choose to complete an advanced major in a particular discipline or may choose to study subjects across disciplines.

Structure & Curriculum

The fourth year ASP provides the opportunity for students to study physics at a level more advanced than the usual undergraduate level. Alternatively, students wishing to broaden their education further can use it to take a minor/concentration in any other subject or simply take whatever courses in any department they wish to. The following avenues are open to those who wish to pursue the Ashoka Scholars’ Programme in Physics:

  1. Advanced Major
  2. Capstone Project and Thesis
  3. Other Options (Minor/Concentration/Double Major)
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  • Advanced Major

    The advanced major is for students intending to pursue higher studies and research in physics. It would enable them to take some advanced physics courses as well as get an idea of research through the capstone project/thesis.

    The requirements for getting an Advanced Major in Physics are as follows. Students are required to take 24 physics credits in the 4th year (overall 32 credits). This will include the project/thesis [which will carry 8 credits for the whole year- equal to 2 courses] and also 4 additional 4000 (or higher) level physics elective courses [at most one of these can be a 4000 or higher level course cross-listed by physics] . Two courses (8 credits) may be taken from outside the department. The primary advisor (if there is more than one) should be from the physics department at Ashoka University.

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  • Capstone Project and Thesis

    Interested students should talk to prospective advisors about possible projects in their 6th semester. After mutual agreement – the advisor agrees to guide the student and the student agrees to work on one of the projects suggested by the advisor – students should start with necessary background reading / preliminary work over the summer before the start of the fourth year. At the end of the 7th semester the project would be assessed with a presentation and report – this will be evaluated by the physics faculty. Students without satisfactory progress at this stage may not continue for the thesis subsequently. At the end of the 8th semester the thesis has to be submitted and defended before a panel which may also include some external members. It is mandatory to successfully complete the capstone project and thesis to be eligible for the advanced major.

  • Other Options (Minor/Concentration)

    Students not opting for the advanced major – ASP students with no physics specialization -are free to take any courses in the 4th year, there being no thesis requirement in the 4th year in this case. Those minoring in physics (or taking it as a concentration) may take physics courses accordingly to meet the necessary requirements.

More About Ashoka Scholars' Programme

All undergraduates graduating with Bachelor’s Degrees at the end of their third year, or who have completed by that time at least academic 92 credits of their degree programme, are eligible for admission into the Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Studies and Research programme, also known as the Ashoka Scholars Programme (ASP). Students who need to complete up to 8 credits of their undergraduate degree must do so within the first semester of the ASP. All students who fall into either of these categories must formally apply for admission to the ASP towards the end of the Spring semester of their third year. The exact date will be circulated by the OAA.

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Student Stories

Why Physics?

ASP offered me the opportunity to test all the skills I had acquired in the past three years and in a way helped me figure out things that I am really interested in. The rigour in doing a capstone thesis shows how challenging yet interesting research work can be. The fourth year gave me the freedom to take up courses from other disciplines alongside physics and widen my ways of thinking and sets of skills. I have seen friends who wanted to take a different route from their major and ASP served as a perfect transition for them. So, it really is something that helps one in deciding what to move on ahead with and that is very important.

Anand Waghmare

ASP 2021

Frequently Asked Questions

Depends. Only if the capstone project + thesis option and 4 physics elective courses (level 4000 and above) are completed in the fourth year. Otherwise, the fourth year may also be used to get a double major / minor in other subjects.

Thesis is mandatory for an Advanced Major in Physics.

A project (Capstone project), the Capstone thesis and 4 Physics electives (level 4000 and above) are mandatory for an Advanced Major in Physics.

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