Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Pilani has announced two new courses for the 2026-27 academic year, reflecting the growing overlap between technology, management, and life sciences.
The institute will offer a five-year inter-campus dual degree program in collaboration with BITS School of Management (BITSoM) in Mumbai, as well as a new BE in pharmaceutical engineering.
The dual degree program follows a 3+2 structure. Students will spend the first three years of their B.E. program at BITS Pilani campuses in Pilani, Goa, or Hyderabad, and then transfer to BITSoM in Mumbai to complete a two-year full-time MBA. They will receive both degrees after five years of study.
Reduces total time by one year.
This approach will provide students with early exposure to management thinking, industry perspectives, and real-world problem solving while developing strong engineering fundamentals. According to the official press release, the program "reduces the overall time by one year compared to the traditional B.E., followed by the MBA route."
How do admissions work?
Admission to the dual degree program will be via BITSAT in the direct mode. Students already enrolled in B.E. Programs at BITS Pilani can take a vertical transfer route. Those who achieve a minimum CGPA of 7.0 at the end of their second year will be eligible to advance to the MBA phase without taking entrance exams such as the CAT, GRE, or GMAT. However, vertical transfer applicants will face an additional selection process.
Along with this, BITS Pilani is introducing a B.E. in pharmaceutical engineering to meet the rising demand in the pharma and biotech sectors. The course is designed to combine core engineering knowledge with pharmaceutical sciences, covering areas such as drug formulation, bioprocess engineering, regulatory science, and computational modelling.
What Does the Curriculum Cover?
The curriculum integrates core engineering principles with pharmaceutical sciences, covering topics like drug formulation, bioprocess engineering, regulatory science, and computational modeling. It also reflects the sector's evolution, with a focus on AI and machine learning for drug discovery, biologics and gene therapies, and Industry 4.0-driven manufacturing.
The BITS Pilani Vice Chancellor said that “These new programmes reflect our vision of integrating deep technical education with emerging fields and management excellence, ensuring that our graduates are prepared not just for today’s opportunities but for the innovations that will define tomorrow.”
