The Bachelor of Arts (BAM) is a multidisciplinary undergraduate programme offered by the School of Social Sciences (SOSS). It is designed to give learners exposure to different disciplines across the humanities and social sciences, along with interdisciplinary and skill-oriented learning.
This guide explains the BAM programme structure, available disciplines, course codes, credit requirements, semester pattern, and the different courses offered under the programme.
Bachelor of Arts (BAM) at a Glance
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Programme Name | Bachelor of Arts |
| Programme Code | BAM |
| School | School of Social Sciences (SOSS) |
| Eligibility | 10+2 or its equivalent |
| Medium of Instruction | English & Hindi |
| Minimum Duration | 3 years |
| Total Credits | 120 |
The programme follows a multidisciplinary approach, and students have to select three disciplines from the groups specified by the University.
What is the BAM Programme?
The Bachelor of Arts programme combines discipline-specific, interdisciplinary and skill-based courses.
According to the Prospectus, its objectives include introducing learners to important themes in humanities, social sciences and related areas, developing the ability to understand and analyse their surroundings, improving academic and practical skills, and developing reading and writing abilities through assignments and exercises.
The programme requires students to select three disciplines.
Disciplines Available in BAM
The programme offers 14 disciplines:
- Anthropology
- Economics
- Education
- English
- Hindi
- History
- Mathematics
- Philosophy
- Political Science
- Psychology
- Public Administration
- Sanskrit
- Sociology
- Urdu
Students select three disciplines to complete the Bachelor’s Degree.
Discipline Groups
The disciplines are divided into five groups. A student can select only one discipline from any one group.
| Group | Available Disciplines |
|---|---|
| Group 1 | English, Hindi, Urdu, Sanskrit |
| Group 2 | Sociology, Education |
| Group 3 | Political Science, Public Administration, Mathematics, Philosophy |
| Group 4 | Economics, Anthropology |
| Group 5 | History, Psychology |
For example, a student choosing English from Group 1 cannot select another discipline from Group 1. The remaining disciplines have to be selected from other groups.
BAM Programme Structure
The Bachelor’s Degree requires 120 credits, which are completed over six semesters.
The credit distribution is:
| Category | Credits |
|---|---|
| Discipline Specific Courses (DSC) | 72 |
| Vocational Courses (VOC) | 12 |
| Ability Enhancement Courses (AEC) | 8 |
| Skill Enhancement Courses (SEC) | 16 |
| Interdisciplinary Course (IDC) | 6 |
| Value Added Course (VAC) | 6 |
| Total | 120 |
The 72 Discipline Specific Course credits consist of 24 credits from each of the three selected disciplines. Each DSC carries 6 credits.
Semester-Wise Credit Distribution
The credit load is arranged as follows:
| Semester | Credits |
|---|---|
| 1st Semester | 18 |
| 2nd Semester | 22 |
| 3rd Semester | 20 |
| 4th Semester | 20 |
| 5th Semester | 20 |
| 6th Semester | 20 |
| Total | 120 |
The Prospectus explains that students study two disciplines in the first semester and introduce the third discipline in the second semester. Over the six semesters, four courses from each selected discipline are completed, giving 24 credits per discipline.
Discipline-Specific Courses
The following are the discipline-specific courses listed for BAM.
Anthropology
| Code | Course | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BANC131 | Anthropology and Research Methods | 6 |
| BANC132 | Fundamentals of Biological Anthropology | 6 |
| BANC133 | Fundamentals of Social and Cultural Anthropology | 6 |
| BANC134 | Fundamentals of Archaeological Anthropology | 6 |
Economics
| Code | Course | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BECC101 | Introductory Micro Economics | 6 |
| BECC103 | Introductory Macro Economics | 6 |
| BECC107 | Statistical Methods for Economics | 6 |
| BECC118 | Indian Economy | 6 |
English
| Code | Course | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BEGC131 | Individual and Society | 6 |
| BEGC132 | Selections From Indian Writing: Cultural Diversity | 6 |
| BEGC133 | British Literature | 6 |
| BEGC134 | Reading The Novel | 6 |
Education
| Code | Course | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BESC131 | Education: Concept, Nature and Perspective | 6 |
| BESC132 | Structure and Management of Education | 6 |
| BESC133 | Curriculum, Teaching-Learning and Assessment | 6 |
| BESC134 | Education as a Practice | 6 |
Hindi
| Code | Course | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BHDC131 | Hindi Sahitya Ka Itihaas | 6 |
| BHDC132 | Madhyakaleen Hindi Kavita | 6 |
| BHDC133 | Modern Hindi Poetry | 6 |
| BHDC134 | Hindi Prose Literature | 6 |
History
| Code | Course | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BHIC131 | History of India From The Earliest Times Upto 300 CE. | 6 |
| BHIC132 | History of India From C.300 To 1206 | 6 |
| BHIC133 | History of India from c.1206 to 1707 | 6 |
| BHIC134 | History of India from c. 1707 to 1950 | 6 |
Mathematics
| Code | Course | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BMTC131 | Calculus | 6 |
| BMTC132 | Differential Equations | 6 |
| BMTE141 | Linear Algebra | 6 |
| BMTE144 | Algebra | 6 |
Public Administration
| Code | Course | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BPAC101 | Perspectives on Public Administration | 6 |
| BPAC102 | Administrative Thinkers | 6 |
| BPAC103 | Administrative System at Union Level | 6 |
| BPAC104 | Administrative system at State and District Levels | 6 |
Psychology
| Code | Course | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BPCC131 | Foundations of Psychology | 6 |
| BPCC132 | Introduction To Social Psychology | 6 |
| BPCC133 | Psychological Disorders | 6 |
| BPCC134 | Statistical Methods and Psychological Research | 6 |
Political Science
| Code | Course | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BPSC101 | Understanding Political Theory | 6 |
| BPSC102 | Constitutional Government and Democracy In India | 6 |
| BPSC105 | Introduction to Comparative Government and Politics | 6 |
| BPSC107 | Perspectives on International Relations and World History | 6 |
Philosophy
| Code | Course | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BPYC131 | Indian Philosophy | 6 |
| BPYC132 | Ethics | 6 |
| BPYC133 | Logic | 6 |
| BPYC134 | Western Philosophy: Modern | 6 |
Sanskrit
| Code | Course | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BSKC131 | Sanskrit Padya Sahitya | 6 |
| BSKC132 | Sanskrit Gadhya Sahitya | 6 |
| BSKC133 | Sanskrit Natak | 6 |
| BSKC134 | Sanskrit Vyakaran | 6 |
Sociology
| Code | Course | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BSOC131 | Introduction To Sociology | 6 |
| BSOC132 | Sociology of India | 6 |
| BSOC133 | Sociological Theories | 6 |
| BSOC134 | Methods of Sociological Enquiry | 6 |
Urdu
| Code | Course | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BUDC131 | Study of Prose and Poetic Form In Urdu | 6 |
| BUDC132 | Study of Urdu Classical Ghazal | 6 |
| BUDC133 | Origin & Development of Urdu Language | 6 |
| BUDC134 | Study of Urdu Nazm | 6 |
Interdisciplinary Courses
Along with the selected disciplines, the programme includes an Interdisciplinary Course (IDC). The following courses are listed:
| Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BEGG171 | Media and Communication Skills | 6 |
| BHDG175 | Madhyakaneen Bharatiya Sahitya Evam Sanskriti | 6 |
| BPAG171 | Disaster Management | 6 |
| BPCG171 | General Psychology | 6 |
| BPYI101 | Applied Ethics | 6 |
| BMDG171 | Disability, Society and Culture | 6 |
| BABG171 | Understanding Ambedkar | 6 |
| BDIG171 | Introduction to Migration and Diaspora | 6 |
| BSOG171 | Indian Society: Images and Realities | 6 |
| BSKG178 | Pracheen Bharatiya Rajniti | 6 |
The Prospectus specifically identifies BMDG171, BABG171 and BDIG171 as Open to All.
Ability Enhancement Courses
The Ability Enhancement category contains the following courses:
| Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BEVAE181 | Environmental Studies | 4 |
| BSKAE182 | Sanskrit Sahitya | 4 |
| BUDAE182 | Study of Urdu Progressive Poetry | 4 |
| BHDAE182 | हिंदी भाषा और संप्रेषण | 4 |
| BEGAE182 | English Communication Skills | 4 |
Skill Enhancement Courses
BAM also includes Skill Enhancement Courses. The Prospectus lists courses such as:
- BANS183 – Tourism Anthropology
- BCHS183 – Laboratory Management Skills
- BCOS183 – Computer Application in Business
- BEGS183 – Writing and study Skills
- BHDS183 – Anuvaad Sidhaant Evam Pravidhi
- BHIS183 – Traditions and Perception of Craft in Bharat
- BPCS183 – Emotional Intelligence
- BPCS185 – Developing Emotional Competence
- BSSS183 – Life Skill
- BTTS183 – An Introduction to Machine Translation
- ONR 02 – Basics of Hydrology
- BANS184 – Public Health and Epidemiology
- BPCS184 – School Psychology
- BPCS186 – Managing Stress
- BSOS184 – Techniques of Ethnographic Film Making
- BCOS184 – E-Commerce
- BSLS183 – Elementary Spanish
- BFDI073 – Introduction to Fashion Industry
- BPCS187 – Managing Human Resources
- BSOS185 – Society through the Visual
- BEGS185 – English Language Teaching
- BFLS183 – Elementary French
- BPCS188 – Application of Social Psychology
- BEGS186 – Business Communication
- BPAS186 – Stress and Time Management
Each course listed in this category carries 4 credits.
Value Added Course
The Value Added Course listed for BAM is:
BEDSV101 – Value Education – 6 credits.
BAM Study Resources by Course Code
Students looking for material can use their course code to locate the relevant resource.
For example:
- BANC131 – Anthropology and Research Methods
- BECC101 – Introductory Micro Economics
- BEGC131 – Individual and Society
- BESC131 – Education: Concept, Nature and Perspective
- BHDC131 – Hindi Sahitya Ka Itihaas
- BHIC131 – History of India From The Earliest Times Upto 300 CE.
- BMTC131 – Calculus
- BPAC101 – Perspectives on Public Administration
- BPCC131 – Foundations of Psychology
- BPSC101 – Understanding Political Theory
- BPYC131 – Indian Philosophy
- BSKC131 – Sanskrit Padya Sahitya
- BSOC131 – Introduction To Sociology
- BUDC131 – Study of Prose and Poetic Form In Urdu
These codes correspond to the discipline-specific courses listed in the Prospectus.
How to Find the Right Course Material
The easiest way to identify the correct resource is to start with your programme and discipline, then check the exact course code.
For example:
BAM → English → BEGC131
or
BAM → Economics → BECC101
or
BAM → Political Science → BPSC101
Using the course code helps avoid confusion between courses with similar names or courses belonging to different programmes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the programme code for Bachelor of Arts at IGNOU?
The programme code is BAM.
What is the eligibility for BAM?
Students with 10+2 or its equivalent are eligible according to the Prospectus.
How many disciplines are selected in BAM?
Students select three disciplines from the prescribed groups. Only one discipline can be selected from each group.
How many credits are required for the degree?
The Bachelor’s Degree requires 120 credits.
How many credits does each selected discipline carry?
Each selected discipline contributes 24 credits, for a total of 72 Discipline Specific Course credits.
What is the medium of instruction?
The medium of instruction is English & Hindi.
Can students leave the programme before completing three years?
Yes. The structure provides an exit option after the first year with a UG Certificate and after the second year with a UG Diploma, subject to the additional credit requirements specified in the Prospectus.
Conclusion
The Bachelor of Arts (BAM) is structured around a multidisciplinary approach. Students select three disciplines from five groups and complete discipline-specific courses alongside interdisciplinary, ability-enhancement, skill-enhancement, vocational and value-added courses.
For students preparing for their individual papers, the course code is the most useful identifier. Whether you are studying BEGC131, BECC101, BHIC131, BPSC101, BPCC131, BSOC131 or another BAM course, checking the exact code before accessing study resources can help you find the material relevant to your paper.