M.Sc Subjects, Syllabus and Curriculum Structure - Specialization wise [2024]

Master of Science or M.Sc is a popular postgraduate course available to be pursued in India. It is a 2-year degree program which equips the students with the necessary theoretical foundations and practical expertise to develop a career in the domain of sciences and related fields. 

In this blog, the syllabus, common subjects and the course structure of the program have been detailed as per latest guidelines and educational standards of the University Grants Commission (UGC).

Continue reading to learn more about the syllabus of a Master of Science (M.Sc) degree program in the regular, online and distance modes. 

Master of Science (M.Sc): Course Overview

The Master of Science or M.Sc degree course is a popular choice of higher education chosen by enthusiasts of life sciences, pure sciences as well as engineering and computer sciences. The course has a standard duration of 2 years as other postgraduate degrees.

Certain key details about an M.Sc degree as offered in India is provided below -

Course Name	Master of Science (M.Sc)
Course Level	Postgraduate
Course Duration	2 Years
General Eligibility	Candidates must have a B.Sc/B.E./B.Tech degree from a Recognised University.   Candidate must have scored at least 50% aggregate marks at the graduation level  Candidates with other Bachelor’s degrees having studied Mathematics at the Graduation level are also eligible
Approximate Course Fee	INR 40,000 to INR 1,50,000 for full course
Prominent Specialisations	Physics  Chemistry Mathematics  Statistics   Data Science  Computer Science  Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning  Botany  Zoology  Microbiology
No. of Semesters	4
Modes of Learning	Online Learning Mode  Regular Learning Mode  Open Distance Learning (ODL) Mode
Scholarships and Concessions	Available as per Institution
Institutions Offering the Course	Lovely Professional University (LPU) Chandigarh University  Dr. MGR University  Vivekananda Global University  Amity University  University of Delhi  Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) University of Calcutta  University of Mumbai  Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham Banaras Hindu University University of Hyderabad Jain University
Career Scope	Scientist, Data Scientist, Engineer, Software Engineer, Biologist, Microbiologist, Research Assistant, Statistician, Lab Technician, Developer etc.
Approximate Salary that can be earned	INR 9,24,000

Mode of Learning & M.Sc Syllabus 

Erstwhile in India, conventionally, an M.Sc was available to be pursued as a full-time regular course or a distance/correspondence program. Of late, The course is also being offered in the fully virtual mode -

Thus, as per the guidelines of the University Grants Commission (UGC) and its distance education board (i.e. UGC-DEB), an M.Sc can be pursued in India in three modes currently: 

• MSc Regular Learning Mode
• MSc Online Learning (OL) Mode
• MSc Open Distance Learning (ODL) Mode 

The syllabus for an M.Sc, irrespective of the mode of learning, is quite similar and equivalent. There are no significant differences in the curricular structure, subjects taught, practicals conducted etc. between the regular and the distance or online mode.

Part Time M.Sc	M.Sc After B.Sc
M.Sc After B.Com	M.Sc After B.Tech

Moreover, as per the latest guidelines of the UGC-DEB, whether an M.Sc is being offered in the regular or ODL or online modes, the degree credentials will be considered as equivalent and valid across India (provided they have been completed from a university/institute duly accredited to offer online/distance degrees). 

Course Structure of M.Sc 

Since a Master of Science is a degree course at the postgraduate level, it follows a similar curricular structure as other PG degrees, as illustrated below.

In the case of a regular degree, the student attends regular lectures as well as practicum classes during the period of course completion. In the case of ODL M.Sc course, the practical classes are often slotted during the weekends or during a specific period of the month in an on-campus setting. 

For the case of online M.Sc degree, since the currently offered specialisations in India are limited (mostly related to technology and IT domains), there are new-age technological and ICT-integrated simulation tools that are used for conduction of online practical classes for students. This is done in an endeavour to provide the 360-degree learning experience of an M.Sc program despite the virtual mode. 

What are the Specialisations in Master of Science (M.Sc) Degree? 

The specialisations available in an M.Sc degree usually pertain to pure sciences (such as mathematics, physics, chemistry etc.), life sciences (such as botany, zoology, microbiology and the like) as well as information technology and computer science.

The subjects of the specialisation domain are taught to the student in this degree throughout the 4 semesters along with a few core papers. 

The most frequently pursued specialisations in an M.Sc have been enlisted below -

Physics	Chemistry
Botany	Zoology
Microbiology	Data Science
Computer Science	Information Technology
Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning (AI & ML)	Statistics

Syllabus of M.Sc Degree 

The syllabus for an M.Sc degree would greatly vary depending upon the particular specialisation a student has opted for in the course. Furthermore, in the case of the same specialisation as well, the exact curriculum of the course tends to vary as per institution to institution and from one academic year to another. 

Provided herein are a few of the most central topics and subject areas taught in an M.Sc for various specialisations. 

First Year M.Sc Subjects 

While there are no fixed core courses of an M.Sc across all specialisations, there are certain common courses taught in related areas of the field (e.g. specifically for life sciences, pure sciences or computer sciences).

These papers are generally covered in the first year of the course and a few of them are enlisted here - 

Real Analysis	Functional Analysis
Advanced Algebra	Fundamentals of Research
Research Methodology	Mechanics
Sampling Techniques	Statistical Inference

Specialisation Subjects in M.Sc Degree

The major and in-depth coverage of subjects in an M.Sc degree revolves around the specific specialisation selected by a student for the course. For the majority of the specialisations of M.Sc, the theoretical subjects are taught alongside practicums conducted for the papers, which are evaluated as part of the course curriculum. 

 

Detailed here are a few of the common specialisation papers covered for various subfields in an M.Sc -

1) M.Sc Mathematics

The specialisation of mathematics focuses on the coverage of topical domains ranging from complex mathematical analysis, statistics, algebra, geometry and so on, as enlisted below-. Enquire Now | Online M.Sc Program In Mathematics!

Advanced Differential Equations	Advanced Algebraic Equations
Research Methods & Design	Complex Analysis
Differential Geometry	Numeral Analysis
Measure and Integration Geometry of Numbers	Complex Analysis

2) M.Sc Data Science 

The specialisation of data science revolves around equipping the student with advanced hands-on skills of data science, analytics and business analytics. The specialisation includes coverage of domains ranging from database management and deep learning to Python programming and algebra for data science. Enquire Now | M.Sc Online In Data Science!

Find a few of the key subjects for M.Sc Data Science listed below -

SQL Database	Advanced Database Management Systems
Python Programming	Deep Learning
Optimisation	Applied Business Analytics
Data Structures & Algorithms	Calculus and Linear Algebra for Data Scientists

3) M.Sc Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning (AI & ML)

An up and coming area of computer science, a dual specialisation in artificial intelligence and machine learning for an M.Sc revolves around the coverage of topics like the foundations of AI and ML, their modern applications, implications for business and professional ventures, the technical nuances of AI and ML like programming, development, model testing etc. the domains of AIML like deep learning, NLP and so on. Enquire Now | M.Sc Online In AI and ML!

Find the major specialisation subjects for this course listed below -

Basics of Artificial Intelligence	Machine Learning
Deep Learning	Data Structures & Algorithms
Business Analytics	Computer Vision
AI & Decision Sciences	Business Law & Ethics
Quantitative Research Methods	Natural Language Processing (NLP)

4) M.Sc Botany 

Botany is a domain of the life sciences specifically dedicated to the study of the plant kingdom in sciences. An M.Sc in Botany covers a range of advanced subjects in the discipline including phycology, nuances of taxonomy, cell biology and biomolecules, plant anatomy and morphology and so on, including both theoretical concepts and practicals.

Find the core papers of this M.Sc in Botany enlisted below -

Phycology	Taxonomy of Angiosperms
Cell Biology and Biomolecules	Plant Anatomy and Developmental Biology
Microbial Biotechnology	Plant Physiology and Pharmacognosy
Computer Applications and Bioinformatics	Genetics and Genomics
Bryophytes, Pteridophytes, and Gymnosperms	Paleobotany and Palynology

5) M.Sc Zoology 

Focused specifically on the animal kingdom in the living world, an M.Sc in Zoology is another highly popular specialisation in life sciences covering domains like genetics, genetic engineering, animal physiology, morphology, anatomy and so on.

The major papers of this specialisation are enlisted below - 

Genetics and Genetic Engineering	Ecological theories and applications
Parasites and Immunity	Comparative Animal Physiology
Endocrinology and Neuroscience	Biochemistry and Molecular biology
Taxonomy and Biodiversity	Evolution and Animal Behaviour
Conservation Biology and Wildlife	Biostatistics, Bioinformatics, and Instrumentation
Biotechnology and Applications	Cell and Receptor Biology

6) M.Sc Statistics 

Another specialisation subsumed under the pure sciences and more specifically mathematics, an M.Sc in Mathematics covers a range of subjects in details starting from data description, processing, descriptive statistics, inferential analysis as well as modern statistical tools and technologies to provide an up to date curricular background in the subject domain.

Mentioned herein are a few of the major subjects covered in this course -

Statistical Inference	Statistical Quality Control & Reliability
Numerical Methods	Trend Analysis & Index Numbers
Design of Experiments	Data Mining
Multivariate Analysis & Non-Parametric Methods	Vital Statistics

7) M.Sc Physics 

An M.Sc in Physics covers a range of classical concepts as well as modern development in this field starting through classical mechanics, electrodynamics and so on to the coverage of more modern domains including the likes of quantum mechanics, nuclear and particle physics etc.

The major courses generally covered in this specialisation are mentioned below -

Classical Mechanics	Classical Electrodynamics
Quantum Mechanics	Electronics
Statistical Mechanics	Nuclear and Particle Physics
Atomic and Molecular Physics	Computer Applications in Physics
Astrophysics	Advanced Quantum Mechanics

8) M.Sc Computer Science 

An M.Sc in Computer Science (M.Sc) covers a range of subjects pertaining to the domain of CS and ITES including AI and machine learning, DBMS, programming, graphic designing, web development and so on, allowing a vast scope of career exploration for the student.

Some of the key courses covered in this specialisation include those mentioned herein -

System Software	Language Structure
File Organisation and DBMS	Advanced Programming Language
Computer Organization and Architecture	Computer Graphics
Operating System	Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
Data Networking	System Analysis and Design
Advanced Computer Applications	Data Structures using C

9) M.Sc Chemistry 

An M.Sc in Chemistry is a popular specialisation in the domain of natural sciences that provides a comprehensive education about the various domains of the field such as organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, physical chemistry, advanced quantum chemistry, chemistry of materials and so on.

The major subjects and papers included in this specialisation have been mentioned below -

Inorganic Chemistry	Physical Chemistry
Organic Chemistry	Chemistry of Materials
Advanced Quantum Chemistry	Advanced Chemical Kinetics and Electrochemistry
Chemical Dynamics and Electrochemistry	Modern Techniques and Scope of Chemical Biology
Transition and Non-transition Metal Chemistry	Computational Chemistry

Conclusion 

A Master of Science is a comprehensive 2-year degree course appropriate for science graduates looking to garner enhanced and advanced education in the domain of their specialisation alongside practical skill-building. With the new-age modes of the course including those like a fully online M.Sc degree, students can reap the benefits of completing the course conveniently in a remote mode while upskilling themselves to grow their repertoire of theoretical knowledge alongside applied skills.