The Department of Life Sciences was established in 1963 with the inception of the college and was renamed the Department of Botany in 1994. Initially, Botany was offered at the First and Second Year levels. In June 1998, the department expanded to offer a full-fledged three-year undergraduate programme affiliated with Goa University.With the introduction of the Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) in 2017, the Honours Programme in Botany was initiated. From June 2022, under NEP 2020, students can opt for either a three-year degree or a four-year Honours programme.

The Department organizes an array of activities like Wild Flower Exhibition, Certificate courses in Mushroom Cultivation, Homemade Herbal Products, Collection, Isolation and Identification of Micro Fungi and Culturing and Mass Production of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi. Field trips are conducted and consultancy services are provided for identification of plants. Students are also sent for Internship training. The Department publishes its Newsletter “Plantae”.

Botany graduates have opportunities in higher studies, research, teaching, and applied plant sciences. Students may pursue M.Sc., Biotechnology, Genetics, Marine Science, Bioinformatics, and Ph.D. programmes. Career avenues include research and agricultural institutes, environmental organizations, Indian Forest Services, and teaching. Graduates may also pursue entrepreneurship in horticulture, floriculture, mushroom cultivation, landscape development, ecotourism, agricultural farms, and nursery management.