Coursework are applicable to all AGS and NGSS students.
Students are required to fulfill the following as listed in the table below.
Coursework are applicable to all AGS and NGSS students.
Students are required to fulfill the following as listed in the table below.
| No. |
Area |
Requirement |
Description |
| 1. |
Coursework conducted by NUS faculty and /or RIs. |
Min 30 MCs |
Comprises the following:
1. Compulsory courses
All NGS students have to fulfil 30 MCs which comprises the 3 compulsory NGS courses:
- GS6001 (Research Ethics and Scientific Integrity) to be read latest by the 3rd semester upon enrolment,
- GS5002 ( Academic Professional Skills and Techniques) to be read latest by the 3rd semester upon enrolment,
- GS6883A (Interface Sciences and Engineering) to be read latest by the 4th semester upon enrolment.
Click here for a brief description of the courses.
2. Other courses supported by supervisor and approved by NGS.
3. Click here for a list of modules offered by NGS.
Important note:
- All modules taken should be level 5000 or 6000.
- Levels 1000 - 4000 are undergraduate modules and can only be read as "AUDIT". Students who audit a module will not receive a final grade. Audited modules will not appear on the student's transcript / result slip. No record of attendance will be issued to auditors of a module. Note that it is subject to the host Faculty's approval whether students are allowed to audit a module.
- In special cases, NGS may give approval to Level 4000 modules to be taken as S/U, but only in instances where the background of the students require this. E.g. a student with excellent qualifications in Physics who needs to undertake basic training in Cell Biology to carry out his thesis project.
- Graduate Modules Classified as S/US
- This is applicable to all NGS students who wish to take graduate modules outside their main undergraduate discipline, to be graded on a S/US system and NOT count towards the CAP.
- Student may request for up to 3 modules (12 MCs), with the support of your main supervisor.
- Application for S/U modules has to be done within the first month of the start of the module. Once approved by NGS and the department hosting the module, students are not allowed to reverse their decision, be it before the examination or after the examination results release.
- Any request for changes to the modules after the examination results release such as changing grading basis from S/U to grade, grade to S/U or deleting a module is NOT allowed.
- To apply, download the form here.
NOTE:
The ‘S’ or ‘U’ grades have no effect on the CAP since they carry no grade point. The modular credits earned with an ‘S’ grade will count towards the total number of modular credits that a student needs to fulfil his degree programme. On the contrary, a module with an ‘U’ grade earns no modular credits.
In other words, another module which carries the same modular credit needs to be taken to compensate for the “U” graded module, and it should be noted that the limit of three S/U declarations for electives taken by the candidate cannot be exceeded.
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| 2. |
Laboratory Rotation (optional) |
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- Only for students who have not nominated their main supervisor.
- Prior approval has to be obtained from NGS before the start of a rotation.
- NGS reserves the right to reject any Lab Rotation request if prior approval has not been obtained.
- 2 MCs per rotation in laboratories outside that of the supervisor, co-supervisor or TAC members
- The rotation has to last for at least 2 months and the student’s performance is certified as satisfactory.
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| 3. |
Seminar Series |
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This is an optional module. The main aims of this module are to:
(i) give graduate students the opportunity to participate in scientific seminars/exchanges in a professional manner,
(ii) hone their presentation and communication skills, and
(iii) serve as a platform for exchange of ideas and update of information for the advancement of research.
It is also an avenue for students who wish to participate in seminars organized by the Research Institutes which will held over one year period.
Students should attend at least 30 seminars and present in at least 1 semester. After each seminar attended, a student has to prepare learning journals/logs for all the seminars attended, including the seminar he/she presents. A student’s presentation slides will have to be submitted and together, these will be assessed/graded by a representative from the NGS curriculum committee as well as the RI coordinator (for students who attend the seminars organized by RI).
A ‘Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory’ grade and 4 Modular Credits will be awarded on the basis of attendance, presentation and document submission.
Note : The seminars should be an officially-registered seminar series held by a Faculty/School/Research Institute (RI) and they do not include ad-hoc seminars. Students should check with the NGS Office if they are interested to register for the Seminar Series module. This should not double count towards TA hours. |
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It is Compulsory for all NGS students to fulfil a total of 40 hours of teaching duties, which is normally to be completed by the end of the 2nd year of enrolment at NGS. The teaching requirements should be fulfilled within the academic settings of NUS or where appropriate and subject to approval, other institutions within Singapore. There are different options of clocking the teaching hours, as listed in the table below.
| No. |
Modes of Clocking Teaching Hours |
Maximum Hours to Clock |
Remarks |
| 1. |
Undergraduate Teaching |
40 hours |
- Compulsory for all NGS students to participate in undergraduate teaching in NUS.
- Normally to be completed by the end of the 2nd year of enrolment at NGS.
- Feedback will be required within 4 weeks of the teaching being completed.
- No MCs will be allocated for teaching.
- Marking hours cannot be used as part of teaching hours. Only the direct teaching or demonstrating hours can be clocked
The workflow documents the procedures for undergraduate teaching and research supervision.
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| 2. |
Research Supervision |
10 hours |
- Students are encouraged in the later stages of their research career to participate in supervision of JC, Honours and UROP students undertaking research projects in their host institution, normally in the laboratory of their Main Supervisor or Co-Supervisor (if any).
- This can be used to fulfill up to 25% of the 40 hours teaching requirement, provided it can be adequately documented. The Supervisor and the students being supervised will certify the quality of the supervision.
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| 3. |
NGS Buddy System |
10 hours |
- Students (especially those in the Year 2 or 3 of their study) are encouraged to serve as senior buddies to the freshmen.
- Students are required to meet with the freshman at least 4 times per academic year (at least 2 times per semester). This can be used to fulfil 10 hours from the 40 hours of the NGS teaching requirements, after at least 1 year being buddy with the freshman and with satisfactory feedback from the freshman.
Note: Both the senior buddy and the freshman have to report their meetings in a log / feedback form, 2 times per academic year (once per semester) and submit the completed forms to the NGS office. (The deadline for submission of feedback form is 1 Dec for Sem 1 and 1 Jul for Sem 2).
Click here for the SOP / guidelines on the NGS Buddy System.
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| 4. |
Attendance of NGS PhD Thesis Seminars |
5 hours |
- Students may clock a maximum of 5 hours (or to attend 5 seminars) for their participation. These 5 hours may be used to fulfill the mandatory 40 hours of teaching requirement.
- To be awarded the hours, students have to sign in their attendance at each seminar and after each session, to submit to NGS a PhD Oral Defense Seminar Report Form (as attached) to share what they have learnt.
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| 5. |
Giving Seminar or Talks to Department or Workshop |
5 hours |
These seminars/talks should be a research seminar of >30 mins in length, and excluding those that would count towards the requirement of a seminar-based module, or part of a organized mandatory departmental graduate seminar series.
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| 6. |
Conference Organization |
5 hours |
Students have to submit a request and to seek approval from the NGS Deanery for this option. |
Note for (4) – (6), up to 5 teaching hours could be claimed for each of the above approved academic/educational activities. Any claim of number of teaching hours exceeding the 5 hour cap for any of the activities above is subject to review and approval by the NGS Deanery.
Transfer of Credits
Request / Application has to be submitted to NGS within the first semester of enrolment. For students admitted in January, transfer of credit request to NGS has to be submitted latest by July; Students admitted in August, transfer of credit request to NGS has to be to be submitted latest by December. Applications received thereafter will not be entertained.
Request of Transfer of Credits or Exemption of modules will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Credit transfer may be allowed for (i) NUS modules that have been used towards another degree OR (ii) NUS modules that have NOT been used towards another degree (can be pre-taken during undergraduate study or from withdraw or terminated graduate study), under the following conditions:
- Modules are relevant & have comparable content and level of sophistication.
- Modules are completed less than (< ) 5 years before date of admission to the new programme.
- Modules approved will be transferred with credit and grade.
- Note:
NUS modules that have been used towards another degree. |
Credit and grade transfer of up to 50% of total coursework requirement, is allowed, subject to the conditions given above. |
NUS modules that have NOT been used towards another degree |
Credit and grade transfer of up to 50% of total coursework requirement or more, is allowed, subject to the conditions given above. |
Exemption may be allowed for (i) non-NUS modules that have been used towards another degree OR (ii) non-NUS modules that have NOT been used towards another degree (can be pre-taken during undergraduate study or from withdraw or terminated graduate study), under the following conditions:
- Modules are relevant & have comparable content and level of sophistication.
- Modules may be mapped to a relevant NUS module.
- Modules are completed less than (< ) 5 years before date of admission to the new programme.
- Note:
Non-NUS modules that have been used towards another degree. |
Exemption of up to 50% of total coursework requirement is allowed subject to the conditions given above. |
Non-NUS modules that have NOT been used towards another degree. |
Exemption of up to 50% of total coursework requirement or more, is allowed, subject to the conditions given above. |
The forms are available on http://www.nus.edu.sg/ngs/forms-ngss.html.
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