IIT Delhi launches master’s in cognitive science and economics

New Delhi: The Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT-D), said today that it has launched two new master’s programs in the department of humanities and social sciences.
The institute said it is launching an M.Sc. in Economics and an M.Sc. in Cognitive Science from July 2020. The programmes will have 25 seats each.

The institute said the cognitive science program would be highly interdisciplinary in nature, building on theories and methods from psychology, linguistics, neuroscience, artificial intelligence, philosophy and, anthropology among others.

The programme will help students understand the “architecture and functioning of the human mind”, according to coordinators Samar Husain and Yashpal Jogdand in a release issued by the institute. “Students will develop necessary skills and understanding required to make complex information, technology and systems more accessible. Many industries require such skills and understanding to solve practical problems. Thus, along with pursuing a career in academia, students will be able to work at the crossroads of academic-industry linkages.”

With the starting of these two programmes, the institute aims to capitalize on the expertise of its faculty members from multiple departments, to promote teaching and research while also establishing the critical links with industry.

The institute said that Economics programme aims to impart advanced training in economics with a focus on quantitative skills. The curriculum is designed give exposure to broader issues related to developmental challenges in India and beyond.

The coordinators of the program Sourabh Paul and Ankush Agarwal said in the release that “The economics programme will inculcate in the students the skill of dealing with emerging issues and will encourage students to think out-of-the-box solutions. In keeping with the changes in the discipline of economics, the programme will also encompass a range of techniques from other fields of engineering and technology”.