Degree Programs @ Open University of Sri Lanka OUSL

The B.A in English and English Language Teaching is a four year special degree which includes the study of Applied Linguistics, English Language Teaching, Literature and relevant areas of Education. It is meant for anyone who wishes to enter the ELT profession and, would, therefore require a sound knowledge of the theories of ELT.

The BA in Social Sciences is a 3 year multi-disciplinary degree offered in the English medium. The BA in Social Sciences offers you the opportunity to obtain a multi-disciplinary social science training while also selecting a stream in which you can obtain a special orientation. Students who register for the BA can choose from the following 4 streams: 1. Economics and Development Studies 2. Communication Studies 3. Politics and International Relations 4. Society and Culture Studies

This Programme is developed by the Department of Secondary and Tertiary Education with the aim of providing opportunities for those who have the Higher Diploma in Drama and Theatre of the Tower Hall Theatre Foundation to join the teaching profession. In the long run, those who complete the Diploma in Teaching (Aesthetic subjects) from the Colleges of Education can also be given the opportunity to enroll in the programme with minor modifications to the syllabus.

The Department of Secondary & Tertiary Education of the Faculty of Education offers this Inter-Faculty programme of study, in collaboration with the Faculty of Natural Sciences. It is a four year programme of which the first two years (Levels 3 and 4) will be devoted to the teaching of Science subjects and the last two years (Levels 5 and 6) to Education subjects. It is a 144 credit programme in which candidates are required to acquire 36 credits at each of the levels.

The Department of Special Needs Education has developed this programme jointly with the Department of Social Studies of the Faculty of HSS.The duration of this programme is four years and the first two years (Levels 3 & 4) will be devoted to teaching Social Studies courses and last two years (Levels 5 & 6) to Education courses.

Bachelor of Industrial Studies Study Programme is especially designed and offered by the Faculty of Engineering Technology for those who have engaged in a particular industry or intend to join the industry. The entry qualification for this Study Programme is the passing of three subjects at G.C.E. (A/L) Examination- Sri Lanka or equivalent. The subjects required to be passed vary with the specialization. (See under Admission for details) The minimum duration of the programme is four academic years. For those who have higher qualifications can obtain exemptions from certain courses and could complete the degree in less than four years. (See under Further Details, for accepted qualifications for which exemptions could be claimed) The Programme is offered in the specializations of Agriculture, Apparel production and management, Fashion design and product development, and Textile manufacture.

The Department of Legal Studies offers the Degree of Bachelor of Laws (LLB). The degree is offered with the intention of teaching core courses in law required for the degree.

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In our rapidly changing socio-economic environment, there is a growing demand for trained personnel in management of business and other managerial fields. Conceptually equipped, trained managers are increasingly in demand. The concerted national and international thrust towards international-demand-driven economic activities generates pressure for developing relevant human resources for the conduct of complex business management in local/foreign trade and commerce. However, due to a lack of adequate institutional arrangements and economic hardships, a large number of persons, particularly in outlying districts continue to miss the opportunity for gaining an education in management especially at the degree level. There is also the need to cater to those in employment and to those who wish to further their education in management studies. The primary purpose of introducing the DIM/BMS degree programme is to meet these felt needs of the country. Upgrading knowledge and skills in management is likely to improve the efficiency of performance of business and other organizations thus contributing to higher national productivity.

Medical laboratory service plays an important role in patient care as this service contributes clinical decisions with respect to disease prevention, diagnosis, treatment and the management of diseases. The OUSL provides an opportunity to registered medical laboratory technicians who are practicing in the country to join with this degree program and to become a graduate who will demonstrate the ability to comprehend, apply and evaluate information relevant to the role of a Medical Technologist/Medical Laboratory Scientist, technical proficiency in all skills required to practice in the profession, the ability to effectively communicate and interact with patients, physicians and other health professionals, in a manner consistent with employer standards, attitudes consistent with professionalism, concern for high quality health care, potential management and leadership roles.

This programme aims to produce a professional pharmacist with knowledge, favorable attitudes and skills in Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences to suit the needs of the healthcare sector and in relevant academic and research fields. The B.Pharm Programme is of four years duration as follows, Level 3 – First Year Level 4 – Second Year Level 5 – Third year Level 6 – Fourth year The academic value of the courses for each of these years is 36 credits. Those who are obtained Grade Point Average of 2.8 at the end of the level 5 (For 108 credits), are selected to the Level 6. They are eligible to obtain the Bachelor of Pharmacy Special Degree (144 Credits).

Nursing is identifying and responding to human responses in terms of promoting people’s health and well-being. Therefore the core of nursing practice has been built on the science of health and the art of care. The nursing professionals must be able to use their intellectual ability blended with humanistic feelings to extend their services to the society. Within the demand driven health care system today, many nurses are facing challenges in achieving higher educational opportunities when adhering to their professional obligations towards the society. With the demand for qualified nurses greater than ever, those entering this field must be well educated, adaptable, technology-enabled, and act as patient advocates. Thus, this post RN degree programme in OUSL is commenced from July 1994 and is being offered to registered nurses at the request of the Ministry of Health. It is offered through the distance mode of education, similar to the post RN degrees conducted by foreign countries. This programme was initiated with academic assistance provided by the Athabasca University and was funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) for a period of five years (1992 – 1997). The Department of Health Sciences is committed to excellence in teaching, research, and in-service learning. The program of B.Sc. in Nursing at the Open University of Sri Lanka provides innovative and distinctive education to registered nurses in Sri Lanka who possess a minimum of two years experience in practice. This programme provides an opportunity for nurses to achieve an advanced level of skill and knowledge in evidence based practice, education, and leadership. The programme is designed to develop research skill, leadership and management skill, critical thinking, problem solving, and analytical skills among nurses enabling them to go beyond the application of technical procedures at the bed side. Rather, this would help nurses take leading roles in transforming an increasingly complex health care system in the country.

The Bachelor of Software Engineering (BSE) programme is intended to produce quality, skilful graduates in this rapidly developing discipline, which covers one of the major fields of computing according to the ACM/IEEE curriculum guidelines. The degree has been specially designed in response to industry demand to produce graduate software engineers.

Bachelor of Technology (Engineering) Study Programme is the engineering degree programme offered by the Faculty of Engineering Technology, which is recognized by the Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka (IESL). The entry qualification to the Programme is the passing of GCE (A/L) examination – Sri Lanka in mathematic stream or equivalent. The minimum duration of the programme is four academic years. For those who have higher qualifications can obtain exemptions from certain courses and could complete the degree in less than four years. (See under Further Details, for accepted qualifications for which exemptions could be claimed) The Programme is offered in the specializations of Agricultural, Civil, Computer Electrical, Electronic and Communication, Mechanical, Mechatronics, and Textile and clothing engineering.

Bachelor of Computer Engineering is a four (04) year degree programme specializing in Computer Engineering. This degree programme is accredited by Institute of Engineers Sri Lanka (IESL) allowing the students to obtain the membership of this prestigious Institute.

The courses offered for Computer Engineering integrate both software and hardware aspects of computing. Graduates can work in the fields of Embedded systems, Computer Hardware Design, Computer Networking or Software Development.