"Krea has offered me the opportunity to explore all my interests in the same place, and has changed the way I approach problems and come up with impactful solutions".

Aishwarya Sivaramakrishnan

Cohort of 2022
Passionate about creating measurable social impact in the field of education, and dreams of moving to Germany and owning a library

Biological Sciences at Krea

From microscopes to binoculars, gene sequences to organisms, molecules to ecosystems – welcome to the study of the biological sciences across scales of life at Krea University. Through the major, students will examine the genesis of the various constituents that compose the biological sciences as we understand them today. While there is no historical vector to the study of the small to the large, or vice versa, we will see how contemporaneous discoveries on the one hand, and theoretical and socio-historical considerations on the other, have had considerable reciprocal influence, for example, genetics and the theory of evolution.

The major will also highlight the key role played by technology in enabling both elucidation and discovery, from optics for the study of the cell to artificial intelligence for customised gene therapy. An important aspect of the Biological Sciences major at Krea is an emphasis on ways of knowing, using model organisms and instrumentation, which will generate an appreciation for the evolving discipline. The ethical underpinnings of research in the biological sciences will also be foregrounded, such as the implications of editing the human genome using CRISPR technology and the constant spectre of eugenics since its inception over a century ago.

The Approach

The curriculum has been crafted keeping in mind the need for an integrative approach to produce well-rounded graduates prepared for an ever-changing discipline. Through a higher number of required courses compared to curricula at leading international institutions, we ensure sufficient exposure to and appreciation of all areas of the discipline that are inherently interconnected. Importantly, our curriculum is singular in the manner in which it approaches concepts both within and across courses – not linearly or in silos, but from the point of view of framing questions to develop a holistic understanding of a biological process or event. This approach is different from traditional curricula in biology in the sequencing of how critical concepts are introduced to students. Students majoring in the Biological Sciences will work across levels of scale in the classroom and beyond, gaining experience in the laboratory and in the field. For genetic and cytological considerations, the laboratory will provide the site for exploration. For much of ecology, field studies will be critical.

Required classes will expose students to an entire landscape of possibilities both within the discipline and through cross-links with other disciplines ranging from history to computation. Elective courses will cater to specific interests, be they a desire to integrate concepts across scales of the organisation of life, or focus on targeted understanding at a chosen level. Finally, the capstone thesis will allow students to tackle their chosen domain rigorously within the biological sciences, and build skills required to explore questions pertaining to how life works.

Programme Details