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Review of Education (1 July 2006 – 30 June 2007)

Careful attention was given in the review year to the development of a number of concurrent, joint and double degree programmes* with overseas partners as well as double degree programmes between NUS Faculties. (Please see listing in orange box). Double and concurrent degree programmes were designed to stretch students, and respond to the growing multidisciplinary interest (for example, between Engineering and Economics) and the recognition of the need for diverse abilities and skills in the increasingly complex world. Joint, double and concurrent degree programmes with highly-regarded overseas universities offered students the opportunity to learn from the best of two institutions.

A framework was developed in the year that introduces more flexibility for students to mix and match different disciplines in their programme of learning, specifically, in the form of double majors. A list of 14 second majors** will be on offer in academic year 2007-2008, allowing students to pursue a primary major and a second major in another discipline.

At the 2007 Admission Exercise, three new double degree programmes*** and three new concurrent degree programmes**** were offered for the first time for direct admission in the freshman year. The programmes were well received.

The development of double major, double degree and concurrent degree programmes offered within and across Faculties, is expected to give further impetus to the broadening of intellectual horizons. That NUS is a comprehensive university has meant it can develop many challenging and interesting combinations of disciplines in these programmes to equip students with a more holistic approach to problem-solving.

Complementing the degree programmes with overseas universities are yet other efforts aimed at offering students opportunities for international exposure and experience in an increasingly globalised world. In the review period, the University stepped up efforts to achieve its target of having one in two undergraduates venture overseas, and of these, one in five to spend at least a semester abroad on student exchange at partner universities.

The year was notable for the awards that were introduced to enable students to experience abroad some form of learning and living in a different social and cultural setting.

The NUS Awards for Study Abroad (NASA) were launched to help deserving students with their travelling and living expenses while on overseas programmes. There are three categories of awards. The NASA (Exchange Awards) fund students embarking on student exchange programmes. The NASA (Enhancement Awards) are dedicated to students taking part in summer programmes and field studies programmes. The NASA (Degree Awards) are reserved for students starting out on joint/double/concurrent/sequential degree programmes with overseas partner universities.

New student exchange agreements were signed in the review period with 9 universities, with a significant number focused on exchange through summer programmes. Through one such agreement, the University Scholars Programme offered summer exchange opportunities for its students with Stanford University.

Footnotes:

* Concurrent Degree Programmes allow students to pursue a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree concurrently from the same Faculty/ School or from two different Faculties/Schools. Some of the requirements for the Bachelor’s degree can be double counted towards the Master’s degree so that a student can complete both degrees in a shorter period of time than it would take to complete them separately.

Joint Degree Programmes combine the strengths of both NUS and our partner university’s curricula and integrate international experience fully into a student’s course of study. Students will be jointly taught and assessed, and jointly awarded a degree.

Double Degree Programmes allow students to graduate with two different degrees in two disciplines from the same Faculty/School or two different Faculties/Schools within NUS. Modules taken are allowed to be double counted towards the requirements of both degrees, so that the student is able to complete the two degrees in a shorter period of time than it would take to complete both degrees separately.

** The second majors are Management, Management (Technology), Communications and New Media, Economics, Geography, History, Psychology, Southeast Asian Studies, Chemistry, Life Sciences, Mathematics, Physics, Statistics as well as Financial Mathematics.

*** The double degree programmes are in Business Administration and Communications & New Media; Computing and Mathematics/Applied Mathematics; and Law and Life Sciences.

**** The concurrent degree programmes are a Bachelor of Business Administration (Honours) with a Master in Public Policy; a Bachelor of Computing (Honours) with a Master of Entertainment Technology and a Bachelor of Laws with a Master in Public Policy.

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