The Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Botany program under Tribhuvan University's (TU) Institute of Science and Technology (IoST) is a 2-year, 4-semester post-graduate degree. It covers a total of 62 credit hours (worth 1,550 aggregate marks) and beautifully blends theoretical plant science, practical laboratory work, rigorous fieldwork, and an independent research thesis.

Semester-by-Semester Course Structure

Semester I (15 Credits — Foundation of Plant Diversity & Evolution)

The first semester completely focuses on the evolutionary transitions of plants and microbes, teaching you specimen collection, preservation, and curation.

• Bot 501: Diversity and Evolution of Microbes and Fungi

• Bot 502: Non-vascular Plants (Algae and Bryophytes)

• Bot 503: Vascular Plants I (Pteridophytes and Gymnosperms)

• Bot 504: Vascular Plants II (Angiosperms)

• Bot 505: Field Work and Seminar

Semester II (15 Credits — Plant Function & Ecological Context)

The second semester introduces structural, functional, and environmental concepts with mandatory field trips for ecological sampling and floristic studies.

• Bot 551: Ecology

• Bot 552: Cytology and Genetics

• Bot 553: Plant Physiology

• Bot 554: Plant Systematics

• Bot 555: Field Work and Seminar

Semester III (18 Credits — Research Methods & Specialization)

This is where the course transitions into specialized research. You take two mandatory research courses alongside specific electives:

• Mandatory Core:

  • Bot 601: Research Methodology and Biological Data Analysis (Theory & Lab)

  • Bot 602: Dissertation Proposal and Seminar (Defending your future thesis plan)

• Specialization Papers (Choose 1 stream containing 2 courses):

  • Ecology: Functional Plant Ecology & Landscape/Global Change Ecology

  • Plant Systematics: Applied Systematics & Biodiversity/Biogeography

  • Plant Biotechnology: Plant Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering

  • Mycology & Plant Pathology: Applied Mycology & Advanced Plant Pathology

• Applied Papers (Choose any 1 out of 4 options):

  • Natural Resources Management | Plant Conservation Biology | Molecular Biology in Plant Science | Food Security and Food Safety

Semester IV (14 Credits — Independent Thesis Research)

The entire final semester is cleared of regular theory classes so you can completely dedicate your time to scientific data collection, laboratory trials, and writing your final thesis paper.

• Bot 651: Case Study / Seminar

• Bot 652: Dissertation Work / Final Thesis Defense (Major Research Project)

Marks & Evaluation System

TU uses a balanced approach to ensure students excel in both regular class performance and final board exams:

• Internal Assessment (40%): Handled directly by the department (like the one at the Post Graduate Degree Campus in Biratnagar or Kirtipur Central Dept.). This includes mid-terms, practical lab files, seminar presentations, and field reports. You must pass the internal component to sit for finals.

• Final Semester Exams (60%): Written board examinations and external practical examinations conducted by the IoST Dean's Office at the end of every six months.

• Passing Threshold: Unlike undergraduate levels, the minimum pass marks for both theory and practical components in TU's M.Sc. program is strictly 50%.

Admission Gatekeeper: To get into the program, you must hold a B.Sc. in Botany (or equivalent Plant Science degree) and successfully clear the competitive, centralized TU IoST Entrance Examination (100 marks, multiple-choice questions based on the B.Sc. Botany syllabus). Admission merit is calculated as 80% Entrance Score + 20% B.Sc. Aggregate Marks.