BS Botany Subjects and Syllabus in Pakistan: Semester-wise HEC Scheme
BS Botany in Pakistan is a four-year program of eight semesters. Under the Higher Education Commission’s (HEC) 2024 curriculum, it needs at least 135 credit hours, including general education, botany major courses, allied courses, a three-credit internship and a three-credit capstone project. Subjects range from Cell Biology and Diversity of Plants in the first semester to Plant Biotechnology and Economic & Industrial Botany in the last.
HEC’s scheme is a standard, but universities may rearrange the sequence, change course titles and credits, and add courses. Your own university’s scheme may therefore differ from the table below. For entry requirements, see BS Botany eligibility criteria . You can also open the.
BS Botany subjects semester by semester
This is HEC’s suggested scheme from its 2024 Botany curriculum. Credits are shown as total (theory-lab). GE marks general education courses, and ID marks interdisciplinary courses. All unmarked courses are major courses.
|
Semester |
Courses and credits |
Total credits |
|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Cell Biology 3 (2-1); Diversity of Plants 3 (2-1); Introduction to Environmental Science, GE, 3 (2-1); Quantitative Reasoning I, GE, 3 (3-0); Functional English, GE, 3 (3-0); ICT Applications, GE, 3 (2-1) |
18 |
|
2 |
Fundamentals of Plant Taxonomy 3 (2-1); Biodiversity & Conservation, ID, 3 (3-0); Fundamentals of Genetics & Evolution, ID, 3 (2-1); Social Sciences, GE, 2 (2-0); Quantitative Reasoning II, GE, 3 (3-0); Expository Writing, GE, 3 (3-0) |
17 |
|
3 |
Phycology & Bryology 3 (2-1); Mycology 3 (2-1); Plant Anatomy & Embryology 3 (2-1); Arts & Humanities, GE, 2 (2-0); Islamic Studies (Ethics for non-Muslim students), GE, 2 (2-0); Ideology & Constitution of Pakistan, GE, 2 (2-0) |
15 |
|
4 |
Phytogeography 3 (2-1); Principles of Plant Ecology 3 (2-1); Principles of Plant Biochemistry 3 (2-1); Fundamentals of Plant Physiology 3 (2-1); Civics & Community Engagement, GE, 2 (2-0); Entrepreneurship, GE, 2 (2-0) |
16 |
|
5 |
Advanced Plant Ecology 3 (2-1); Advanced Plant Biochemistry 3 (2-1); Advanced Plant Physiology 3 (2-1); Microbial Botany 3 (2-1); Pteridophytes & Gymnosperms 3 (2-1); Biostatistics, ID, 3 (2-1) |
18 |
|
6 |
Systematics of Angiosperms 3 (2-1); Plant Pathology 3 (2-1); Molecular Genetics, ID, 3 (2-1); Sustainable Development Goals, ID, 3 (3-0); Artificial Intelligence in Botany, ID, 3 (3-0); Elective I (3) |
18 |
|
7 |
Analytical Techniques in Botany 3 (1-2); Field Botany 3 (2-1); Forensic Botany 3 (2-1); Scientific Inquiry & Research Methods, ID, 3 (2-1); Elective II (3) |
15 |
|
8 |
Plant Biotechnology 3 (2-1); Economic & Industrial Botany 3 (3-0); Evolutionary Trends in Plants 3 (2-1); Elective III (3); Capstone Project (3) |
15 |
“Introduction to Environmental Science” is a suggested course. A university may offer any natural science course in that slot.
How the 135 credit hours are divided
|
Component |
Credit hours |
|---|---|
|
General education (12 courses) |
30 |
|
Major / discipline-related (26 courses, including three electives) |
78 |
|
Interdisciplinary / allied (7 courses) |
21 |
|
Internship |
3 |
|
Capstone project |
3 |
|
Minimum total |
135 |
The semester tables add up to 132 credits. The internship makes up the remaining 3, because it is not listed in any semester. In the credit notation, 3 (2-1) means two theory credits and one lab credit. HEC says one lab credit means three contact hours a week. Regular semesters carry 15–21 credit hours.
What the main subjects cover
|
Area |
Courses |
What you study |
|---|---|---|
|
Plant diversity and classification |
Diversity of Plants; Fundamentals of Plant Taxonomy; Phycology & Bryology; Mycology; Pteridophytes & Gymnosperms; Systematics of Angiosperms |
Major plant groups, how plants are named and classified, algae, mosses, fungi, ferns, conifers and flowering plants |
|
Structure and cells |
Cell Biology; Plant Anatomy & Embryology |
Plant cell organelles, cell division, tissues, and the development of embryos and seeds, usually with microscope work |
|
How plants function |
Principles of and Advanced Plant Biochemistry; Fundamentals of and Advanced Plant Physiology |
Enzymes, metabolism, photosynthesis, respiration, hormones and responses to stress |
|
Ecology and environment |
Principles of and Advanced Plant Ecology; Phytogeography; Biodiversity & Conservation; Field Botany |
Plant populations, distribution patterns, conservation and collecting plants in the field |
|
Genetics and evolution |
Fundamentals of Genetics & Evolution; Molecular Genetics; Evolutionary Trends in Plants |
Inheritance, DNA and gene expression, and how plants evolved |
|
Microbes and disease |
Microbial Botany; Plant Pathology |
Plant-microbe interactions, disease symptoms and control |
|
Applied and modern topics |
Plant Biotechnology; Economic & Industrial Botany; Forensic Botany; Artificial Intelligence in Botany; Analytical Techniques in Botany |
Tissue culture and genetic engineering, plant-based industries, plants as forensic evidence, machine learning in plant science and lab instruments |
|
Research skills |
Biostatistics; Scientific Inquiry & Research Methods; Capstone Project |
Statistics, experimental design, ethics in research and an independent project |
Internship, capstone and degree requirements
-
Internship: HEC requires a three-credit internship of six to eight weeks, preferably during a semester or summer break. It cannot be replaced with extra coursework or a capstone.
-
Capstone project: A three-credit capstone, which may take the form of a research report or thesis, is also mandatory. It cannot be replaced with extra coursework or an internship.
-
CGPA: The minimum CGPA at graduation is 2.00 out of 4.00, though a university may set a higher standard.
-
Duration: A minimum of 4 years and a maximum of 6, with a possible extra year in extraordinary circumstances.
HEC scheme vs your university’s syllabus
HEC calls its standards a minimum and lets universities rearrange courses, rename them and adjust credits. In practice, schemes vary:
|
Institution |
What its published scheme shows |
|---|---|
|
HEC 2024 curriculum |
Minimum 135 credit hours |
|
University of Peshawar (domain uop.edu.pk) |
Built on the HEC framework with a 135-credit-hour minimum and HEC course titles such as Cell Biology and Advanced Plant Ecology, but with zoology and chemistry courses in some general slots. |
|
University of the Punjab |
Revised 2018 curriculum, 138 credit hours. Its “New Course” page lists titles such as Phycology and Bryology and Anatomy of Vascular Plants, and special papers such as Bioremediation and Recombinant DNA Technology. |
|
Lahore College for Women University |
136 credit hours, with courses such as Invertebrate Diversity and General Inorganic Chemistry in its scheme. |
|
University of Agriculture, D.I. Khan |
At least 132 credit hours, a 6-credit project, and a minimum CGPA of 2.0. |
|
Mirpur University of Science and Technology |
129 credit hours. |
|
An institute at the University of Lahore |
139 credit hours. 1 BACHELOR STUDIES IN BOTANY (BS 4-Year Degree Program) DEPARTMENT OF BOTANY +6 |
Some published schemes pre-date the 2024 curriculum, so a university may still be moving to the HEC standard. Always check the scheme that applies to your admission year. For a list of institutions, see universities offering BS Botany .
Entry and exit options
-
Associate degree: HEC treats the first four semesters as the associate degree in Botany, and BS students may exit with it if the requirements are met.
-
Direct entry to the fifth semester: Candidates with an associate degree in Botany can enter the fifth semester, with deficiency courses of up to 6 credit hours at most. Holders of a two-year conventional BSc can enter with up to 21 credit hours of deficiency courses and at least 45% in the prior qualification. Universities may set higher requirements.
-
Basic eligibility for first-semester admission: HEC’s baseline is a higher secondary certificate in a science group that includes Biology. Universities add their own minimum marks and tests. See BS Botany admissions for current notices.
How to get your university’s exact syllabus
-
Open your university’s Botany department page and find “scheme of studies” or “curriculum”.
-
Check the admission year, because schemes change.
-
Compare total credit hours with HEC’s 135 minimum.
-
Note which electives your department offers.
-
Ask the department which scheme applies to your batch.
More on bs botany
Frequently Asked Questions
How many semesters and credit hours is BS Botany?
Eight semesters and, under HEC’s 2024 curriculum, at least 135 credit hours. Universities may go up to 144.
What are the core subjects of BS Botany?
Cell Biology, Diversity of Plants, Plant Taxonomy, Mycology, Plant Anatomy & Embryology, Plant Ecology, Plant Biochemistry and Physiology, Plant Pathology, Molecular Genetics and Plant Biotechnology, among others.
What are the electives?
HEC requires three electives but does not fix a list. Each university chooses advanced botany courses based on its faculty and resources.
Is there an internship in BS Botany?
Yes. HEC requires a three-credit internship of six to eight weeks.
Is the syllabus the same at every university?
No. HEC sets minimum standards, but universities can rearrange courses and change titles and credits. Published schemes range from 129 to 139 credit hours.
Do I study chemistry and zoology in BS Botany?
HEC’s scheme does not prescribe them. Some universities include zoology or chemistry courses in their general or allied slots, so check your own scheme.
Is there an HEC syllabus update for 2026?
The HEC revised-curricula page I saw lists Botany under 2023-24. Check HEC’s website for any newer revision.