The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras on Tuesday said it has launched the “world’s first” online BSc degree course in Programming and Data Science.
The course will be open to anyone who has passed class 12 with English and Maths at class 10 level, and enrolled in any on-campus undergraduate course. Even the current batch of students who are completing their class 12 are eligible to apply. Graduates and working professionals can also take up this programme.
It will hone students’ skills in managing data, visualising patterns to gain managerial insights, model uncertainties and build models that assist in producing forecasts to make effective business decisions.
The course will be offered in three different stages – Foundational Programme, Diploma Programme and Degree Programme. At each stage, students will have the freedom to exit from the programme and receive a certificate, diploma or a degree, respectively, from IIT Madras. These students will go through course lectures online, submit online assignments and write an in-person qualifier exam at the end of four weeks. In contrast to the typical admission processes of IITs, which are constrained due to the limited number of in-campus seats, in this programme all students who clear (with an overall score of 50 pc) the qualifier exam will be eligible to register for the foundational programme.