Engage | Explore | Envision
HABIB UNIVERSITY’S
SCHOOL OF ARTS, HUMANITIES & SOCIAL SCIENCES
Engage | Explore | Envision
HABIB UNIVERSITY’S
SCHOOL OF ARTS, HUMANITIES & SOCIAL SCIENCES
Engage | Explore | Design
HABIB UNIVERSITY’S
WHAT MAKES SCHOOL OF ARTS, HUMANITIES AND The School of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (AHSS) at Habib University (HU) was established in order to produce citizens that will lead developmental and design advancements in Pakistan, and the world. In today’s rapidly developing world it is integral that we are aware of the increasing number of inevitable social, political and climatic complexities which our society will face. Students are encouraged, from day one, to get involved, engage, innovate and collaborate with each other, and their surroundings. Through real world experiences and a practical approach, HU aims to foster a new generation of scholars who can positively impact society and become socially-responsible citizens. In order to give HU students the space and flexibility to better understand the world, and how to engage with it effectively, AHSS offers two four-year undergraduate programs: BSc (Honours) Social Development & Policy and BA (Honours) Communication & Design. Students at HU will experience the worlds of communication, design, social development and policy with the support of distinguished scholars, state-of-the-art facilities and unprecedented global collaborations with prestigious institutions. Students in AHSS will learn to apply technical and practical expertise with deliberate care, purpose and responsibility through HU’s interdisciplinary focus on education. The flexibility of AHSS’ programs ensures that students are able to create their own distinct academic paths, dependent on their interests and aspirations through AHSS’s unique curricular framework, which focuses not only on the theoretical and technical facets of its programs, but also on the practical aspect.
D SOCIAL SCIENCES AT HABIB UNIVERSITY UNIQUE? Students are encouraged to explore other fields of study, depending on their interests and aspirations, by taking electives and minors in the range of fields of study offered by HU. AHSS’s renowned international faculty engages students in collaborative research and innovative learning methods from their freshman year, encouraging students to hone their ability to think analytically and thus creatively respond to complex challenges effectively. The interdisciplinary nature of the curriculum, through its integration with the liberal arts and sciences, ensures that graduates are not limited to the program which they have studied. There will be a myriad of career options open for graduates within the fields of communication, design, development, policy and beyond.
“Modern education is all about individual liberty, willingness to accept change, intellectual honesty, and constructive rebellion. Critical thought allows individuals to make a revolutionary difference and to invent the future.” Dr. Pervez Hoodbhoy, The Pakistan Development Review, 2009, article: “Pakistan’s Higher Education System”
INTEGRATION OF LIBERAL ARTS & SCIENCES In today’s increasingly technology-dependent world, humanities and design students are required to have a level of proficiency in of science and technology and a comprehensive understanding of the role it plays in society. The significance of integrating AHSS with the liberal arts and sciences is to help students venture beyond a focused field of study, step out of their comfort zones and gain exposure to a broad and inclusive range of subjects while developing a wide range of thinking capabilities. It will also help students develop an understanding of history, culture and society and give them the opportunity to engage, think critically and be able to solve complex problems faced by society. The Habib Liberal Core is an integral part of HU’s educational model and comprises of eleven courses, based on seven unique forms of thought, which all students are required to take. These courses allow students to engage with an interdisciplinary range of subjects in order to graduate with a comprehensive understanding of society, science and the world around them. Through the Liberal Core, students are taught to think, act and, most importantly, create logically. The Humanities and Social Sciences component of the Liberal Core is built around a recurring interdisciplinary engagement with the history, philosophy, structures and features of the modern world. The Physical and Natural Sciences Component of the Liberal Core simultaneously engages students in scientific thought through courses in deductive and quantitative reasoning, natural scientific method, analysis and the nature and place of science in modern societies.
The Liberal Core at Habib University has been the most enriching part of my time at Habib University. Even though it has been my first semester here, the education I have received here has made a massive difference in my personal growth. This is because the Liberal arts education focuses on questioning the world around us. The education has enabled me to become aware of my own opinions and biases. Amna Shoaib, SDP, Class of 2020
HISTORICAL AND SOCIAL THOUGHT
FORMAL REASONING
CREATIVE PRACTICE
SEVEN FORMS OF THOUGHT
PHILOSOPHICAL THOUGHT
LANGUAGE AND EXPRESSION
NATURAL SCIENTIFIC METHOD AND ANALYSIS
QUANTITATIVE REASONING
THE HU FACULTY Habib University faculty members are pioneers in their fields. HU faculty comprises of keen intellectuals, with global experience with renowned academics and prominent industry experts, who will help students bridge the gap between education and industry. Their unparalleled research expertise and real world experiences, combined with their knowledge of current affairs and changing global issues, assures students of a diverse and unique experience under their mentorship. With a student-faculty ratio of 12:1, HU ensures that each and every student gets the individual attention and academic support they require.
FIELDWORK & PRACTICUM EXPERIENCES In order to ensure that students have a substantial amount of practical and hands-on experience within their fields of study, all AHSS students are required to complete a practicum within their major. Social Development & Policy students must complete a mandatory Field-work Practicum and Communication & Design students must complete a mandatory TransDesign Practicum. These requirements ensure that our students will graduate with a diverse range of practical experiences within real world situations.
THE PLAYGROUND The Center for Transdisciplinarity, Design and Innovation, or The Playground, was designed exclusively for creative collaborative work that helps to transform the teaching and learning experience at Habib University. At the heart of this initiative is the commitment to being playful - to experiment, get your hands dirty, create new rules for engagement, learn from failures and thoughtfully de/reconstruct the way we learn and teach. The Playground is a physical space for students and faculty to explore, innovate and collaborate as they share knowledge, work on projects and network. Students can also lead mini workshops or use the space and resources to brainstorm, ideate and prototype their projects and activities.
CMD The Center for Media and Design (CMD) provides a multidisciplinary platform for research, practice and critical reflection in the fields of media, expression and design. The multifaceted activities attempt to respond adequately to new communication technologies, media and expressive forms and the rapid transformation of social structures.As well as developing interdisciplinary projects and engaging in local and international collaborations, CMD acts as a hub for talks, symposia, exhibitions, literary readings and the arts, such as film, video, music, dance and theater. CMD’s work aims to be socially responsive, open to experimentation and keenly aware of its historical and local contexts.
IDRAC The Interdisciplinary Development Research and Action Center (IDRAC) at Habib University fosters thoughtful research and action on key development challenges facing Pakistan, and the larger South Asian region. It aspires to bring together academic scholars, policy-makers and development practitioners so that these critical arenas of social analysis and change can benefit from collaborating instead of operating in isolation. Drawing upon the multidisciplinary strengths of the SDP faculty at HU, IDRAC hosts a series of activities that will strengthen existing efforts of social cohesion and sustainable development in the region. IDRAC aims to emphasize the role of an educational institution in serving society and contributing to its well-being.
GLOBAL LEARNING HU is committed to ensuring that students have access to international exposure through HU’s extensive global linkages, easing their path to graduate school, and providing them with a global platform in order to pursue their passions. HU students will have the opportunity to explore multiple industrial and academic platforms and gain invaluable academic and cultural exposure from all over the world. HU’s global network extends beyond summer exchange programs and research opportunities to include lectures series and visiting faculty lectures in order to give students a comprehensive and vibrant educational experience. HU’s global network extends beyond summer exchange programs and research opportunities to include lectures series and visiting faculty lectures to give students a comprehensive and vibrant educational experience. The HU Community has engaged with eminent scholars and inspirational industry professionals from around the world including Dr. Vali Nasr, current Dean of the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.
G OPPORTUNITIES Our global network includes institutions such as Stanford University, University of California - Berkeley, Carnegie Mellon University, Texas A&M University, Harvey Mudd College and the University of Michigan. “Your learning will extend beyond the walls of this campus, with numerous opportunities to not only learn in classrooms around the world, but to also bring those classrooms to Habib University, with technology easing distances in the world of today.� [Wasif Rizvi, Founding President of Habib University, 2017]
Dream | Discover | Design
BS
COMMUNICATION AND DESIGN
BA (Honours)
COMMUNICATION & DESIGN (C&D) Communication and Design are fundamental human activities that bind us to each other and to the societies in which we work and play. Communication refers to any process that transmits, produces, reproduces, structures, embodies or transforms culture, and that shapes and influences our interpersonal and social behaviors and relationships. Design refers to any human practice that requires the thoughtful, methodological, coherent reconstruction or reproduction of our material or abstract worlds. While both emerge from historically grounded expressive practices, these activities are mutually interdependent; we rarely separate our perceptions and judgments about design from the meanings these designs provoke. HU’s BA (Honours) Communication and Design program will introduce students to texts, movements, thinkers, designers, visual artists and writers from diverse cultures, geographical regions and historical periods. This introduction will help students develop a range of methodological approaches for rigorous comparative analyses of artistic, cultural and social forms. Studio work forms an essential component of most courses so that students can learn how to build and shape even as they refine their critical sensibilities in purpose-built spaces. All good authors, advertisers, filmmakers, journalists, and politicians— and other professional communicators—know that effective communication depends crucially on deliberate design. In order to ensure that students are engaging with a variety of areas of study, and develop their leadership skills, C&D has been integrated with the Habib Liberal Core. C&D students will become acutely aware of how to responsibly design and innovate while taking into account the social, cultural and economic ramifications while expanding their scientific and technological knowledge and expertise.
For the complete course description, scan this QR code
PROGRAM STRUCTURE COMMUNICATION & DESIGN CORE REQUIREMENTS Students are required to complete 13 C&D courses in order to complete this requirement. Courses include Elements of Aesthetics, Shaping Modernity: Art and Thought in the 19th Century and From Runes to Bytes: Media Histories, Theories and Practices I and II. PRACTICUM REQUIREMENT All C&D students must complete the required TransDesign Practicum course in order to graduate. This practicum will provide the intellectual and contextual background for the transdisciplinary practice while allowing students to work on projects and inventions that may be implemented as solutions for problems in the real world SENIOR CAPSTONE PROJECT The two-semester capstone project, comprising of 3 required courses, requires students to bring together what they have learned during their time as undergraduates through the creation of an original work in any medium of their choice, in consultation with their advisors. ELECTIVES All C&D students are required to complete 9 elective courses including courses in the following areas of study: Social Development and Policy and the Arzu Center for Regional Languages and Humanities. UNIVERSITY REQUIRED COURSES All students at HU are required to complete the 11 mandatory Habib Liberal Core courses.
“The C&D program offered at Habib University enables me to think systematically and critically. The curriculum challenges us with precision and focus to make sure we are engaged in learning, which is the best part. In my opinion, as far as academic atmosphere is concerned, Habib University is one of the best and it truly helps a student grow and prosper.� Alina Halai, C&D Class of 2020
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BSc (Honours) SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND POLICY
BSc (Honours)
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT & POLICY (SDP) HU’s BSc (Honours) Social Development and Policy program aims to equip students with the knowledge and technical expertise required to find new methodologies and avenues to approach the challenges of development, the multi-faceted process of social, economic and political transformation, at home and abroad. The first program of its kind in Pakistan, SDP aims to nurture an interdisciplinary and comprehensive understanding of development and social change — one that is firmly rooted in an ethic of care and grounded in a sense of place. This program will equip students with interdisciplinary thinking and analytical skills that will allow them to understand and tackle a range of problems and challenges in their academic and professional careers. The SDP program employs an interdisciplinary approach to the study of social issues and integrates perspectives and skills drawn from a wide range of disciplines, including anthropology, history, economics, sociology, political science, religious studies, philosophy, literature and environmental studies. This pioneering major aims to train a new generation of social scientists and development practitioners who incorporate lived experience into policy design at the organizational, national and international level. Students will be exposed to seminal ideas in social and economic thought that will enable them to understand and critique the processes of economic growth, development and social change. They will explore how major development concerns such as poverty, gender inequality, urbanization and human rights are shaped by historical forces and processes of political power. Students will be asked to examine the role of states, development institutions, markets and civil society in relation to human well-being.
For the complete course description, scan this QR code
PROGRAM STRUCTURE SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT & POLICY CORE REQUIREMENTS Students are required to complete 6 core courses including Development and Social Change, Social Theory, Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods (QRM1 and QRM2) and International Political Economy. LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT All SDP majors must fulfill a language requirement by successfully completing at least 3 courses in a single language through the Arzu Center for Regional Languages and Humanities. FIELD WORK PRACTICUM All SDP majors are required to complete a Practicum, which is an application of the skills and competencies learned in SDP Program. This practicum must be a minimum of six (6) weeks and can be broadly interpreted in consultation with an assigned practicum adviser. SENIOR CAPSTONE PROJECT All SDP students must complete a senior Major Research Report (MR2) or an Honors Thesis. ELECTIVES Students within the SDP program are required to take 10 electives classes. UNIVERSITY REQUIRED COURSES All students at HU are required to complete the 11 mandatory Habib Liberal Core courses.
SDP SPECIALIZATIONS Students majoring in Social Development and Policy will be able to specialize in the following concentrations:
POLITICAL ECONOMY The Political Economy concentration will focus on the ways state and market institutions may encourage (or discourage) economic prosperity, and on the impact of structural forces on income and wealth distribution. Students will develop an understanding of the dynamics of markets, taking into account formal and informal, legal, illegal and unregulated forms of market exchange and trade.
SOCIAL & CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY The Social and Cultural Anthropology concentration will focus on key questions about the structures of social forms, societal problems, the diversity of human experiences and the sustainability of practices. Students will have the opportunity to study a variety of themes central to the social sciences, including cultural beliefs and practices, identities, mobility, historical legacies, traditions, globalization, infrastructural development, technological development, social movements and institutional arrangements.
“From my first day here, Habib University has enabled me to learn as much as I want to. I can already see myself changing for the better, having developed strong opinions about certain issues that societies around the world face. I have the opportunity to learn and engage in thought provoking discussions with scholars across the world - all within the walls of a world-class institution.� Sara Liaquat, SDP Class of 2019
MINORS AT HU Minors can be an integral part of a student’s degree program and can expand their academic possibilities to allow for diverse experiences. Students who undertake minors are able to venture into other disciplines in order to customize their degrees. Minors will allow students to explore a range of interests and graduate with a honed interdisciplinary focus. If AHSS students, regardless of their major, wish to expand their fields of specializations, they can take an optional minor program to supplement their major. In order to qualify, students must take a required set of courses from their chosen field.
Minors Offered by HU Programs Minor offered by the School of Science and Engineering: • Computer Science Minors offered by the School of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (AHSS): • Social Development & Policy • Comparative Liberal Studies (CLS) • History • Philosophy • Religious Studies
Minors Offered by Integrated Science and Mathematics (iSciM) The Integrated Science and Mathematics (iSciM) program aims to enrich the HU student experience by offering diverse courses in the natural sciences and mathematics. iSciM enables students from all disciplines at HU to increase their exposure to various scientific disciplines that prepare them to understand and participate in key issues including global warming, energy, environmental issues and health. Minors offered by iSciM: • Physics • Mathematics
Minor Offered by The Arzu Center for Regional Languages and Humanities The Arzu Center for Regional Languages and Humanities contributes to HU’s overall vision and institutional mission by fostering pedagogy, research and scholarship in various languages from Pakistan. The Center’s scope of work covers a wide range including language instruction, translation from and into the regional languages, development of pedagogical material, cultural and literary preservation and the promotion of language-based activities. Minor Offered by The Arzu Center: • English and Comparative Literature (ECL)
“One of my favorite courses has been on Virginia Woolf. Aside from being given the opportunity to conduct online archival research in the form of Woolf 's letters, diaries and articles - our close reading of To the Lighthouse played a major role in the animation and typography projects I was undertaking the same semester. We're encouraged to be very sensitive of the historical and socio-political conditions that surround the works and people we study - a type of attention to detail that has carried over to even the books, video games and television shows I enjoy in my downtime.� Saadia Pathan, C&D, Class of 2018
OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM: STUDENT PROJECTS AND INTERNSHIPS AHSS students have the opportunity to design and implement their own projects in order to utilize and showcase their entrepreneurial and reflective design skills in real world situations. Students also have the chance to work with relevant organizations to learn more about implementing skills learned in class. The following are just a few of the projects, initiatives and internships that students have worked on in the past:
ORANGI PILOT PROJECT
As part of their course on cartography, students attended a two-week workshop conducted by the Orangi Pilot Project (OPP), an NGO located in Orangi Town, Karachi. The Orangi Pilot Project aims to strengthen community initiatives through action research and extension. Students learned how to map out neighborhoods, conduct surveys and use maps to understand and solve relevant urban issues.
STUDENT FILMS AND ANIMATION
Students are encouraged to explore the theoretical sides of communication and design, and actively engage with the practical side in the form of moving media projects and productions. Students have worked on a number of films and animations throughout their time at HU including Sapna, an award-winning documentary based on the life of Sapna, a transgender living in Karachi.
RABIA CITY
Students in the Fall 2016 TransDesign Practicum class, a requirement for C&D students, worked on a project at Rabia City, one of the biggest housing projects in Pakistan. Students worked with building residents and the cleaning crew to create a sustainable garbage chute within the building for residents to throw their garbage into without littering the street outside. This design may be deployed in other flats as well.
THE AGA KHAN RURAL SUPPORT PROGRAM: GILGIT
Shaheera Pesnani, SDP, Class of 2019, spent eight weeks interning with the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme in Gilgit during the summer. Shaheera worked on the Gender and Climate Change project and had the opportunity to collect data for ‘The Effects of Climate Change and The Role of Women in Disaster Risk Reduction’.
MAINSTREAMING GENDER IN KARACHI’S PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION POLICY
Neha Panjwani, SDP, Class of 2018, wrote a paper on “Mainstreaming Gender in Karachi’s Public Transportation Policy”. The paper focused on the challenges faced by women and third genders in Pakistan’s transportation networks. By drawing on principles of gender mainstreaming interventions in public transportation in other countries, and data from first-hand interviews with local conductors, she presented a policy with pragmatic recommendations, paying close attention to issues of inclusion, accessibility, safety and mobility. Her paper was accepted for the 5th International Conference on Sustainable Development (ICSD) in Rome, Italy. The committee of ICSD also offered to publish her paper in the European Journal of Sustainable Development.
TRANSITIONING TO UNIVERSITY LIFE HU is committed to providing its students with an exceptional and empowering academic experience. To ensure that students make the most of the opportunities available, HU offers holistic academic and wellness services to engage, advise and support the leaders of tomorrow. Transitioning to a university environment can be stressful, which is why HU’s Office of Academic Performance (OAP) and The Wellness Center run academic and non-academic support centers, workshops and counseling services on campus to make sure that HU students get all the help they need for a fulfilling and successful academic experience.
The Office of Academic Performance The Office of Academic Performance (OAP) provides a variety of academic and advisory services for students on campus through the following support centers: EDUCATIONAL HELP, SERVICES AND ACADEMIC SUPPORT (EHSAS) CENTER Carefully selected and supportive peer tutors are available at the EHSAS Center to help students learn concepts, techniques and strategies for specific courses as well as provide an accessible and comprehensive space for academic support. THE WRITING CENTER The Writing Center provides students with multiple services to improve their writing, grammar, reading, comprehension and communication skills. These services include writing workshops, presentation preparation and one-on-one appointments with writing tutors.
Students participate in a group study session at the EHSAS Center.
The Office of Student Life The Office of Student Life enables HU students to engage in exciting trips, events, workshops and engagement opportunities through a variety of clubs and societies. Students are able to broaden their perspectives, and enhance entrepreneurial skills, by creating and running diverse initiatives which would allow them to share ideas and collaborate with each other. Some of these initiatives include HU Adventure Society (HAS), Pi Phi Society, HU Public Speaking Club (HUPSC), Anime, Aaraish-e-Khayal, Mouseequi, Purple Lion Productions (PLP) and the Habib University Entrepreneurship Society.
The Wellness Center The Wellness Center encourages a healthy campus environment by empowering and helping the HU Community make positive and informed lifestyle choices. The Wellness Center offers a range of services including wellness and stress management workshops, counseling services, sports centers and other recreational facilities.
Students from the club, Mouseequi, take part in an improvised jam session at the HU Amphitheater.
HU CAMPUS AND FACILITIES Practical experience plays an integral role in AHSS’s curricular framework. Students will have the opportunity to work on practicing design and development practices learnt in class through a range of distinct and diverse media in these state-of-the-art facilities and learning spaces. Students taking design, moving media production, animation and other design courses have access to the following customized learning spaces:
The Design Studio & Communication Lab The Design Studio and Communications Lab are dedicated spaces for students to conceive, develop and design communication materials. Through academic coursework, students actively engage with a range of methods of visual and digital production and gain skills in typography, photography, illustration and editing, among others. Students have individual workstations in order to ensure their undivided attention during classes and allow them the freedom to explore their distinct design capabilities.
The Film Studio The Film Studio at HU is a dedicated space for students taking moving media production courses to explore their film production, making, directing and editing interests. The Film Studio is not only a state-of-the-art studio but a comprehensive production space where students have the opportunity to complete film projects from start to finish and access to equipment that meets global industry standards; students can edit their projects in the Editing Suite, and finish their production work in the Color Grading Suite with the DaVinci Resolve 12 for ultra-high resolution footage. Students also have access to the Sound Design Studio, which is equipped with an AVID M40 S6 control surface and 7.1 Surround Sound.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER HABIB UNIVERSITY The Habib University learning experience aims to enable its students to graduate with an edge over other graduates in the evolving job market and academic sphere. They will not only be able to meet the demands of future employers, but will be well-prepared to initiate their own creative enterprises and to embrace new career possibilities successfully. HU’s Office of Careers Services aims to support students in developing and enhancing their skills to prepare them for internships, employment (on and off-campus), entrepreneurship and graduate school opportunities. The Office of Career Services at Habib University also invites leading industry experts for talks open specifically to the HU community, where students may interact with mentors. Speakers previously hosted include the filmmaker Jami and Mr. Kimihide Ando from the Mitsubishi Corporation.
Programs Offered by the Office of Career Services • Job Placement: The Office of Career Services organizes job fairs, arranges internships, provides career counselling, facilitates networking with potential employers and helps students create work portfolios, write and polish resumes and prepare for job interviews. • Program for Future Entrepreneurs: Workshops are organized to support students in understanding the various aspects of entrepreneurship which may include providing an incubation space, facilitating in arranging seed money and connecting them with industries and mentors. • Preparation for Graduate School Entry: Students are facilitated in selecting an appropriate graduate school and program with the support of a faculty advisor. Career Services assists students in developing a strong application and preparing for graduate school tests. HU students have interned at a number of organizations throughout the past year including: AIESEC Colombo South Aman Foundation ARY Digital British Council Karachi CIRCLE Women Deloitte Harvard South Asia Institute HUM TV
Indus Motors Luminative Solutions Mano Animation Studios Nestle Oxford University Press Pakistan Chowk Initiative Planning Commission of Pakistan IAL Saatchi & Saatchi
IAL Saatchi & Saatchi Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company The Citizens Archive of Pakistan The Express Tribune The Indus Hospital Unilever USAID Sindh Capacity Development Project (SCDP)
AHSS seeks to produce innovators and leaders in the increasingly important fields of development, communication, design, media and more who are able to view the world with a distinct perspective. HU aims to ensure that its students have a seamless transition from the classroom to the outside world, whether they choose to pursue further studies, establish their own business or work in a myriad of industries. HU nurtures future leaders who will have the ability to ENGAGE with local and international communities, EXPLORE different ways of approaching development and design and ENVISION innovative solutions and infrastructures to change the way we learn, work and live.
Engage | Explore | Envision
HABIB UNIVERSITY’S
SCHOOL OF ARTS, HUMANITIES & SOCIAL SCIENCES
HABIB UNIVERSITY:
UNIVERSITY AVENUE, OFF SHAHRAH-E-FAISAL, GULISTAN-E-JAUHAR, KARACHI For complete course description and department requirements, see Habib’s online course catalog at www.habib.edu.pk
https://habib.edu.pk/academics/ahss/ www.habib.edu.pk
+92 21 11 10 HABIB (42242)
HabibUniversity
admissions@habib.edu.pk