IITM BS Minor in Generative AI: Courses and Rules

The IITM BS Minor in Generative AI needs three courses: Large Language Models, Deep Learning Practice, and Mathematical Foundations of Generative AI. Each is 4 credits, so the minor is 12 credits. They count inside the 142 credits of the BS in Data Science. The minor has no prerequisite of its own.

Courses in the Generative AI minor

This minor has been available from the September 2025 term. The details below come from the degree level course table (updated 18 March 2026).

• Code mismatch. The minor list gives Large Language Models the code BSCS5004. The course table gives BSDA5004. The course name is the same, so confirm the code with support when you register.
• Level 5 courses. The handbook says level 5 courses are harder than level 3 and level 4 courses. The credits and the course fee are the same as a level 4 course.

Prerequisites for each course

The minor itself has no prerequisite, but two of its courses do.

• Large Language Models needs Deep Learning (BSCS3004).
• Deep Learning Practice needs Deep Learning (BSCS3004).
• Mathematical Foundations of Generative AI has no prerequisite in the table.

Deep Learning is a mandatory BSc level course, so you will take it anyway. Finish it before the two courses that need it.

Rules for this minor

• The 12 credits count within the 142 credits for the BS degree.
• You get the minor only with the BS degree, not with the BSc.
• IIT Madras issues a separate document for the minor. Your transcript and degree certificate do not change.
• You can earn more than one minor if you finish every course of each.
• One course can count for only one minor. See the next section.
• If a minor has a prerequisite, it is checked when the minor is given, and the order does not matter. This minor has none.

Overlap with other AI minors

Deep Learning Practice is also a course in the Cloud Computing for AI minor. Large Language Models is also in the Multimodal AI Systems minor. The handbook uses Deep Learning Practice as its example: you can claim it in only one minor.

So if you want Generative AI plus one of those two, a course will be missing from the second minor. The handbook does not name a replacement. Ask support before you plan two AI minors. See the full list of IITM BS minors, the Cloud Computing for AI minor and the Multimodal AI Systems minor.

Who this minor may suit

The course names focus on language models, practical deep learning and the maths behind generative models. It may suit you if you liked the Deep Learning core course and want to go further in that one area.

How to plan it alongside your electives

After the five mandatory BSc level courses, you have about 36 elective credits across the BSc and BS levels. This minor uses 12. All three courses are marked as offered in May 2026, September 2026 and January 2027, though offering depends on registration numbers. The DS electives list shows what else you could fit in.

Common questions

I did the Deep Learning and GenAI option in the diploma. Does it count?

No. The minor names three specific degree level courses. The diploma course Introduction to Deep Learning and Generative AI (BSDA2001) is a different course and is not one of them.

Is this minor harder than the Economics and Finance one?

All three courses here are level 5. The handbook says level 5 courses are more complex than level 3 and level 4 courses. The Economics and Finance courses are level 3 and level 4.

Can I use Deep Learning Practice for this minor and as the prerequisite for Multimodal AI Systems?

The handbook does not say. It says a course can be counted to only one minor, but it does not say whether a prerequisite counts as "used". Ask support before you rely on this.