Date:29/03/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/03/29/stories/2006032918140300.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Varsity to offer more skill development programmes

Staff reporter

Innovative, career-oriented diploma and advanced diploma programmes

Value-addition courses Project or fieldwork essential New M.Sc. programmes

CHENNAI: A host of new courses will be offered by the University of Madras from the coming academic year. These courses are in keeping with the varsity's endeavour to introduce more skill development programmes.

Many of the new career-oriented courses are diploma or advanced diploma programmes. An advanced PG diploma course in sports psychology instituted under the UGC innovative programme will be on offer at the JBAS College for Women. Eligibility is a post-graduate degree in any field.

The course will focus on exercise physiology, fitness, principles of psychology in sports and required intervention. A trained sports psychologist can considerably enhance the performance of athletes and take care of their mental wellbeing. Many of the new diploma and advanced diploma programmes have been introduced as add-on courses for students pursuing degrees at the varsity. These value-addition courses are on the following subjects: Human Relations, Co-operative Management, Co-operative Banking, Human Rights, Community Development, Multimedia and Oracle and Digital Electronics and Micro-processor applications. Project work or fieldwork will be an essential part of the courses.

Undergraduate students who have completed certificate courses can move on to diploma programmes and, in turn, to advanced diploma programmes.

The department of French is all set to offer an M.A. programme in French (Translation) while the Department of Indian Music will offer PG courses in Folk Music and in Rhythmology. New M.Sc. programmes to come up are in Pharmacology, Advanced Biochemistry, Cyber Forensics and Information Security.