Bengaluru City University (BCU) is offering a Bachelor of Arts degree in foreign languages, a first-of-its-kind programme in the state.
The varsity will kickstart the foreign language course with a BA programme in French, which is being offered at its constituent college for women at Malleswaram from the current academic year.
Vice-Chancellor Prof Lingaraja Gandhi said no other varsity in Karnataka is offering foreign language as a core subject. “All these years, French and German have been offered as optional subjects. For the first time, we are offering a bachelors course in French, making it a core subject,” he said.
The university has extended the last date for application till October 11. Interested students who have passed PUC II can apply at www.bcu.ac.in or http://bcuportal.com.
Students can even visit the Multi-Disciplinary Women’s College located in Malleswaram 13th Cross.
The varsity is also planning to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with Japanese and Spanish embassies to have native teachers.
Dr Jyothi Venkatesh, chairperson, Centre for Global Languages, also in-charge principal of the Multi-Disciplinary Women’s College, said some embassies have approached them with the offer of having a native speaker “who will be here for two years and train our teachers”.
“We are soon signing an MoU with the Japanese embassy,” Jyothi said.
New courses, new departments
The BCU is starting some new courses and new departments in the current academic year, Gandhi told a press conference on Thursday.
It is establishing four new departments for postgraduate courses at its Central College campus: Arts and Aesthetic, Urban Studies and Planning, Environment and Climate Change, and Technology.
Under these departments, the varsity is offering courses like Animation Design, Interior Design, Urban Studies and Planning, Environmental Science and Computer Science.
Higher student intake
Following the state Department of Collegiate Education’s order to increase the intake for undergraduate courses for the current academic year, BCU has received applications from 30 colleges asking for a higher intake of students.
“There is a huge demand for admissions this year and we are expecting applications from more colleges to increase their intake,” said Prof Lingaraja Gandhi, BCU Vice-Chancellor.
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