| Sophia College For Women | |
|---|---|
| Established | 1941 |
| Religious affiliation | Roman Catholic |
| Academic affiliation | Society of the Sacred Heart of Jesus |
| Location | Bhulabhai Desai Road, Mumbai - 400 026 |
| Affiliations | University of Mumbai |
| Website | Official website |
Sophia College For Women is an undergraduate women's college established in 1941 by Society of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It is affiliated to the University of Mumbai.[1] The governing body of The Society for the Higher Education of Women in India runs the college. The Religious Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and lay staff form the staff of the college. Sophia, as the name suggests, stands for Wisdom in Greek Σοφία.[2][3][4]
The Society of the Sacred Heart, a Roman Catholic religious order was founded in France in 1800, by St. Madeleine Sophie Barat, a young Frenchwoman. Mother Catherine Andersson brought the Society to India in 1939.
The Sophia College campus area and the land in the vicinity belonged to the British East India Company, and was later subdivided and sold. The property changed several hands before it was acquired by the Society of the Sacred Heart in 1940 from the Maharaja of Bhavnagar. A part of the property was given to the Parsi family of Ashburner in the early 19th century. The bungalow which is now the main building was named Somerset House after Sir Henry Somerset, one of the commanders-in-chief of the Bombay Presidency. In 1882, the property was acquired by the Honourable Badruddin Tyabi. He built Somerset Annexe, the nucleus of the present science building. In 1917, Hormusji Nosherwanjee Vakeel bought the property and added the east-west wing. In 1923, the house was occupied by the Maharaja of Indore before the Maharaja of Bhavnagar bought the house in 1937. In 1939, Archbishop Roberts S. J. of Bombay invited the Sacred Heart nuns to start a women's college in Bombay and in 1940, The Society bought the property. The Home and Social Culture centre was formally opened by Archbishop Roberts and the name adopted; Mother Andersson became the first principal.
In 1941,the Arts Faculty was started. The University of Bombay granted temporary affiliation to the college for first year and intermediate classes. In 1942 the extension of affiliation was granted for Bachelor of Arts classes. In 1945, the Sophia motto, crest and colours were adopted. In 1950, the University of Bombay granted permanent affiliation to the college. In 1952, the Science Faculty was started with classes up to the Intermediate Science level. In 1966, the Intermediate Science course was extended into a Bachelor of Science degree. In 1970, Sophia Polytechnic was introduced. In 1975, the Junior college was introduced. In 1978, the postgraduate Diploma Course in Clinical Analysis was started. In 1993, the post graduate diploma course in Quality Assurance in the Food and Pharmaceutical Industries was introduced. At the start of the 21st century, the Sophia Centre for Women's Studies and Development and Sophia Andersson Annexe was inaugurated. Later in 2003, the Bachelor of Mass Media was introduced.
The design of the crest draws upon Indian artistic traditions. On the outer edge is a row of pearls; inside, a lotus blossom design. In the centre is a tree, a traditional Indian symbol.
The lotus symbolises purity and goodness. The lotus flower, which has its roots in stagnant water and mud, presses up through the water towards the light and emerges in full bloom above the refuse and muck beneath. It represents a seeker of wisdom, who conquers the problems surrounding them. The tree is a symbol of life and unity, growth and expansion, strength and shelter. From the Bhagavad Gita
Men call the Aswattha – the Banyan tree
Which hath its boughs beneath, its roots above,
Are green and waving hymns which whisper truth……
The ever-holy tree. Yea! for its leaves
The tree with its roots symbolizes that lives are anchored in God, and to make the college remember their position in Christian thought.
The motto is “Urdhva Mula” – “Roots Upwards”. It aims to motivate students to always strive for betterment. College Song:
For Wisdom stands Sophia's name
And sets our hearts with love aflame
Our freedom founded first in Thee.
O God, free us from craven fear
And may we know that Thou art near.
We long to soothe all earthly pain
We pledge to Thee our might and main
Our hearts we offer Thee anew
Our lives shall stand for all that's true.
Thy wisdom shall direct our way
Thy love shall be our joy and stay
Our goal shall be true liberty
Aside from academic advancement, Sophia claims to encourage students to think critically, become self-reliant, generate social awareness, make students more tolerant and respectful towards others, and to imbue them with a sense of social justice.
Junior College: The Junior College offers courses set down by the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary Education, Mumbai Divisional Board, leading to the Higher Secondary Certificate Examination (H.S.C.). The college processes MHCET forms, for medical, engineering and pharmacy courses, for Sophia College S.Y.J.C students. At the Junior college level, arts, science and vocational are offered to students for their initiation to college education. They can choose arts if they wish to acquire a Bachelor of Arts or science to acquire a Bachelor of Science or medical, engineering and pharmacy degrees. Vocation courses in economics, logic, history, philosophy, sociology, psychology and political science are offered.
The optional science subjects are physics, chemistry, biology and mathematics.
The Senior College offers a wider range of courses.
Since Sophia College is affiliated to The University of Mumbai, it follows the course syllabus set by the university. Sophia College holds exams for the University of Mumbai in the college compulsory papers such as Foundation Course I: Social Awareness and Personality Development, Communication Skills in English, a compulsory language: Hindi or French; Foundation Course II: Scientific Method and Science Technology and Development; Mass Communicationand Investment Analysis is offered in the first and second year of a Bachelor of Arts.The papers that students can opt to specialize in at graduating level are psychology, philosophy, Hindi literature, education, statistics, economics, history, French literature, English literature, sociology and political science.
Compulsory papers such as Foundation Course I: Social Awareness and Personality Development, Foundation Course II:History, Methodology and Philosophy of Science are offered in the first two years of a Bachelor of Science. An Applied Component Group in the final year is offered in Drugs and Dyes, Environmental Sciences, Food Production and Preservation and Post-Harvest Technology. Students can opt to specialize in chemistry, microbiology, zoology, physics, mathematics, life sciences and statistics.
The University of Mumbai introduced the Bachelor of Mass Media, a three-year course leading to a degree in journalism and advertising in the 2000-01 academic year. The course covers various aspects of study related to mass media. A student can specialise in either advertising or journalism in the third and final year of the course. Sophia College introduced the BMM in 2003–04 as it was deemed as important to the advancement of women. Besides the usual lectures, workshops, seminars and field trips, there is an optional internship at the end of the second year.
Post-graduate degree courses (M.Sc.) of the University of Mumbai are conducted by three departments. The M.Sc. programme in life science, specializing in neuroscience, was the first of its kind in India. The departments of microbiology and biochemistry also run the M.Sc. course.
This program was inaugurated in 1978 and is open to B.Sc. and M.Sc. students (both men and women) majoring in Microbiology, Biochemistry, Life Sciences, Zoology and Chemistry. It is a one-year programme with clinical rotations and internships in Mumbai's major hospitals. Besides eleven subjects related to Medical Technology, the course offers extra credit courses in English, Mathematics, Computers, Sales Management and Laboratory Management.
This is a one-and-a-half year full-time autonomous course in collaboration with various food and pharmaceutical industries. It was inaugurated in 1993. The curriculum includes the basic elements of Quality Assurance. Starting with raw materials, the course takes the students through the stages of on-line production and packaging, to finished products and the legal implications of quality control. Emphasis is placed on industrial orientation, together with laboratory skills and techniques required in industry.
The course spans four semesters. It includes input by guest lecturers from the industrial sector and experimental work at analytical laboratories in the city, followed by an eight-week apprenticeship period in a company. The course is open to both men and women with a B.Sc. degree in Chemistry, Microbiology, Life Sciences or Biochemistry.
The objective of the UGC scheme is to introduce career and market-oriented skill-enhancing add-on courses that have vocational utility. All regular senior college students can opt for various certificate courses parallel to their B.A., B.Sc. and B.M.M. programmes. The certificate courses are in Women’s Empowerment and in Cooking and Baking.
Field trips are an important part of the cooking and baking course. These include visits to biscuit factories and the baking areas of hotels. Both courses invite guest speakers to talk about new trends in the food industry.
The students in all three courses complete written assignments and take written examinations for fulfilling their grade requirements. The prospectus and syllabus are available at the Sophia Centre for Women’s Studies and Development (SCWSD).
This programme was launched for the first year B.A. class in June 1993. Ten students are now selected each year for a course of study that will help them to pursue goals beyond the confines of the university syllabi. Under the guidance of their lecturers, the students work on research projects and present seminar papers. They are required to participate in some form of social work.
The selection for this programme is through a quiz followed by a written test in the form of an essay. The process will conclude with an interview. The programme extends over four academic terms. Students who satisfy all the requirements of the course will receive the Mahindra Search for Talent Scholarships. The Mrs. Geeta Khandelwal prizes are awarded to the students who secure second and third places in the programme.
The Science Excellence Programme for Advancement in Science Studies was inaugurated on College Day, 12 December 1991.
This programme was instituted with to supplement the solely examination-oriented university syllabus. The emphasis is on motivation, creativity, and independent thought.
The programme lasts for four semesters. It involves article writing and small research projects that can be conducted in laboratories. Students who satisfy all the requirements of the course will receive the Mahindra Search for Talent Scholarships. The Mrs. Margaret Rebello Sequeira prizes will be awarded to the students who secure second and third places in the programme.
National Social Service (N.S.S.) is considered by Sophia College to be important. Sophia claims that students have always been encouraged to respect and reach out to the underprivileged. Students can served for 120 hours per year to gain examination marks, and they are sent to help at social welfare organisations.
The library houses a large collection of books (fiction and non-fiction), journals (both national and international), biographies, encyclopedias, dictionaries, art books and maps. Audio-visual materials, such as CD-ROMs, VCDs films, slides and filmstrips, are also available. The library has a separate Reference Room where reference books are stocked. Article indexing from newspapers and journals subscribed to by the library, and catalogue search, have both been computerized. The library awards The St. Madeleine Sophie prize to the most well-read student of the year.
An internet Tri-Band connection is available at a costs, as are courses in using the computers. The computing facilities can be used for coursework and personal matters.
The J. N. Heredia Counseling Center has a professional counsellor who caters to staff, students and the community.
The centre has a library with a large collection of books and journals on women’s issues, legal documentation, reference and referral services, and short-term courses for awareness-raising and development of skills. The courses are open to both men and women. The library which contains books, magazines and journals focusing on women and women’s issues. The Centre has a documentation unit for women’s health, domestic violence, HIV-AIDS and other social issues. Students as well as outsiders can become members of the library. Research publications on issues related to women are available for sale and reference.
The centre is involved in outreach activities for gender justice and empowerment of women. It is involved in collaborative ventures with the NSS unit of the college.
The centre provides academic courses such as certificate courses in Counselling for Caregivers, Basics of Food and Nutrition, and Social Work with a focus on women’s issues.
Short-term Certificate Courses in Health Work, Needlecraft, Foodcraft, Gardening, Functional English and Repair of Home Appliances are available and open to outsiders.
The campus is has three main carnival events held annually in addition to ongoing extra-curricular activities.
The Peace Fortnight starts on 1st August. It starts with an inter-faith prayer service. Hiroshima and Nagasaki days are also observed. The college clubs organise various competitions,workshops etc. The fortnight-long event culminates on August 15, Indian Independence Day, with a large peace march from the college to the historic August Kranti Maidan, where the Quit India independence movement was launched.
Kaleidoscope is an annual inter-collegiate youth festival organised by the students. It attracts more than 10,000 students from Mumbai and other parts of India.
Ananya is a unique intercollegiate festival that focuses more on academic and socially relevant themes. Every year, a theme linked to the goals of the college is chosen. This theme is incorporated in both classroom teaching and co-curricular activities. Students can participate in a variety of academic activities relating to the theme, in the form of talks, seminars, workshops, assignments, debates, discussions, minor research projects and presentations.
Some of the themes in past years were: Woman: A New Awareness, Women and Health, and Women and Environment. The year-long activities culminate in Ananya, a two-day intercollegiate event, when competitions, workshops, presentations and exhibitions on the chosen theme are held.
The college also has various other Intra-Collegiate events & competitions organized by the in-house clubs.
There are a range of extra-curricular clubs and activities, open to all students.
The junior college holds an Annual Talent Search. Students get to host,perform as well as organise the show.
The Sports Association aims to increase sportsmanship, student fitness, self-confidence and leadership. There are facilities for hockey, basketball, badminton, table-tennis, carrom, chess, track and field,Yoga and swimming. A sports day is conducted annually, and teams are also organized to compete against other institutions. Hiking expeditions are also offered.
The Bharatiya Sanskrit Parishad is an Indian culture club. Their annual event "Sanskriti" is a 3 day festival that invites students to participate in various competitions.
The Sophia College English Dramatics Association (SCEDA) is a drama club; the SCEDA Annual Play is a major feature of the association.
The English Literary Society aims to encourage interest in literature and the arts through discussions, recorded programmes, readings and talks by outside speakers.
The International Relations Club draws together students interested in public affairs, at domestic and foreign level, and is based on discussion of current events.
Sigma Sophia seeks to enhance understanding of the applications of the natural, physical and biological sciences and their role in society through debates, seminars, career talks and outings.
The Nature Club aims to foster awareness of, and an interest in the natural environment and the need for conservation. Various trips are organized by this club throughout the year.
The World Music Club encourages an interest in western music, and the playing of and listening to classical or modern popular music. The annual event 'Ripples' invites individual and group participation in song and dance.
The Mass Media Club aims to strengthen communication by exposing students to various forms of the media, such as audio-visuals, films and the printed word. It encourages students to be aware of current trends and events, and to influence public opinion through the media.
The Association of Christian Students holds regular meetings to reflect on the members’ spirituality. They engage in prayer and doctrinal sessions, as well as outreach.
The Film Society is part of the BMM department and screens films every Friday. This is followed by a discussion and analysis session.
The Art and Design club aims to bring together all the Art lovers. Various competitions,workshops are organized by the club throughout the year.
The Sophia Shree Basant Kumar Somani Polytechnic was founded by the Society of the Sacred Heart in June 1970. It claims to emphasise not only on academic and professional excellence but the all-round development of its students as well.
Since 2002, the Polytechnic has also been running five extension centres in rural/semi-rural Maharashtra. These are funded by the central government through the Community Polytechnic Scheme. The activities conducted include tailoring, cookery, computer literacy, chalkmaking, candlemaking, jewellery, rexine bag making, embroidery and vermicomposting. The tailoring classes are all supervised by Sophia staff.
There are undergraduate courses such as a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality.
The SPJ Sadhana School of Sophia College teaches 125 mentally challenged children in an attempt to help them operate in mainstream society, with as much freedom and self-sufficiency as possible.
A team of teachers and therapists evaluates the students to tailor programs to cater for their strengths and weaknesses. After some years of development, a five-year vocational course was launched. The course covers training in art and crafts, tailoring, fast food cookery, and office skills. The students are also taught behavioural skills to make them employable.
Alumni of the Sophia College include Vasundhara Raje, the Chief Minister of Rajasthan from December 2003 to December 2008, and Priya Dutt, a politician representing the Indian National Congress in the Lok Sabha since 2005 for an electorate in Mumbai. Outside politics, Farah Khan Ali is a gemologist and jewellery, while Shweta Salve, Shanana Goswami, Amrita Rao and Preetika Rao all Indian actresses, are also alumni.