Double Degree Programme Framework and Guidelines

1. Definition

A double degree consists of a combination of two separate degrees from two discipline areas in the same Faculty or in two different Faculties.

2. Double Degree Programmes (DDPs)

There are specially designed double degrees developed by Faculties such as B.Soc.Sci.(Hons) in Economics and LLB, B.Eng.(Hons) and BBA, as well as double degree combinations initiated by students themselves.

For the student-initiated double degrees, except for certain prohibited combinations identified by the Faculties, all other combinations will be allowed.

A student will, however, be allowed to pursue Honours in the second degree programme only if he/she pursues Honours in the degree programme which he/she was originally enrolled in, that is, a student may pursue either Honours in both degrees or only Honours in the first degree and non-Honours in the second degree. Pursuing Honours is subject to meeting the requisite qualifications.

3. Application to Enroll in Double Degree Programme

A student must declare his/her intention to enroll for a double degree just after completion of between 60 MCs to 80 MCs, that is, just after the third semester or fourth semester. The credits must be obtained from NUS modules (letter graded or satisfactory/unsatisfactory (S/U) graded) and must not include credits earned from Student Exchange Programmes (SEPs) or Advanced Placement Credits (APCs).

The student must apply to both Faculties and obtain the written approval of both Faculties. Each application will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. The Faculty/Faculties must inform the Registrar’s Office when the student’s application has been approved.

Students who would like to pursue a double degree are advised to plan their modules carefully even before the third or fourth semester.

For specially designed double degrees developed by Faculties, students may apply for direct admission during the admissions exercise or after completing the first year of study. 

4. Acceptance Criteria

The minimum CAP requirement for acceptance to the second degree programme for all Faculties is 4.0. Both Faculties/Departments would normally consider if the student has read some modules in the respective areas intended for the double degree, so as to make a judgment about the student’s ability and potential.

5. Programme Requirements and Double Counting

(a) The student will, in consultation with the undergraduate advisor of the Faculty/Faculties, work out the requirements for the double degree programme.

(b) University Level Requirements:

(i) Students need to satisfy one set of Singapore Studies (SS) Module and General Education Module (GEM) requirements only. The prevailing rules relating to satisfying the GEM requirements in the different subject groups shall apply. In accordance with the existing GEM requirements –

1. (1) Students taking double degree combinations involving degrees from faculties in Group A (Science and Technology) and Group B (Humanities and Social Sciences) must take one GEM each from the Subject Group A and Subject Group B.

1. (2) Students taking double degree combinations in which one of the degrees is from the School of Design & Environment (which comes under both Group A and B) must take one GEM each from Group A and Group B.

1. (3) Students taking double degree combinations involving degrees from faculties in Group A (Science and Technology) or within the same faculty in Group A must take at least one GEM from Group B (Humanities and Social Sciences). Students taking double degree combinations involving degrees from faculties in Group B (Humanities and Social Sciences) or within the same faculty in Group B must take at least one GEM from Group A (Science and Technology).

(ii) If a student reads GEMs which are cross-listed with the second degree programme, and uses them to fulfil the major requirement for the second degree, then the student should have taken other additional GEMs to fulfil the GE requirement.

(iii) Students will not be required to take breadth modules if the degrees are from two different Faculties, as modules taken from one Faculty will satisfy the breadth requirements of the other Faculty. Students must take breadth modules if the degrees are within the same Faculty.

(c) Faculty Requirements: A student reading for a double degree within the same Faculty will only need to fulfil one set of faculty requirements. If the two degrees are from two Faculties, both sets of faculty requirements will have to be fulfilled.

(d) Major Requirements: At least two-thirds of each major must be fulfilled by distinct (i.e. not overlapping) modules. A minimum 60% of major credits of each of the degrees must be letter graded and factored in the CAP of each degree.

(e) Unrestricted Electives: Students will not be required to take Unrestricted Elective (UE) Modules. However, if UE modules are taken, these can be used to count towards the requirement of either degree programme.

(f) USP Requirements: USP students must satisfy the same 48 MCs of USP requirements as needed for a single-degree programme, that is, eight First-Tier modules (including the compulsory Writing and Critical Thinking modules) and four Advanced Modules. The Advanced Modules, can be drawn from either the first or the second degree programme, or a combination of both.

(g) Modules used to fulfil the major requirements of both degrees may not be used to

fulfil the requirements of a minor as well.

(h) Students can declare up to a maximum of 12 MCs as S/U (taking into account the maximum number of MCs that may be excluded from computation of CAP).

(i) Both Faculties/Departments must be satisfied that all the graduation requirements for its respective degree have been fulfilled.

6. 60-MC limit on Level 1000 modules

For students admitted from AY2007/08 onwards, the rule of 60-MC limit on Level 1000 modules is applicable to the modules counted towards each degree in the DDP. That is to say, DDP students should not exceed 60 MC of Level 1000 modules within each of the two individual sets of modules meant for each of the two degrees. In other words, the Level 1000 modules are not counted in a cumulative manner for the whole DDP.

7. Level of Study

In determining a student’s level of study, the same principles as that currently used for single degrees will apply, that is, advancement to the next level of study will be based on number of MCs or particular modules completed.

8. Computation of Cumulative Average Points (CAP)

(a) The CAP for both degrees will be computed separately and the two CAPs, one each for the respective degrees reflected separately on a single transcript.

(b) The process and method for computation of CAP is as follows:

During the registration for modules in each semester, the student must declare which modules he/she wants to use to count towards fulfilment of each of the two degrees. Any changes to the module declarations may only be made during the final semester before graduation, subject to the approval of the Faculty/Faculties. The grades from modules that may be double counted (Singapore Studies,GEMs, faculty requirements or majors) will be used twice to compute the CAP for each of the two degrees. If Unrestricted Elective (UE) modules have been taken, the grades obtained will be used to compute the CAP for either one of the two degrees.

9. Continuation Requirement and Exit

• .For students admitted before AY2011/12: A student who does not maintain a CAP of 4.0 in modules contributing to the original degree for any two consecutive semesters will be required to withdraw from the DDP by withdrawing from the second degree programme. A warning will be issued if the CAP falls below 4.0 in a semester.
• For students admitted with effect from AY2011/12 onwards: A student who does not maintain a CAP of 4.0 in modules contributing to the original degree, and a CAP of 3.5 for the second degree for any two consecutive semesters will be required to withdraw from the DDP by withdrawing from the second degree programme. A warning will be issued if the CAP falls below 4.0 for the original degree in a semester, or below 3.5 for the second degree, or both.

However, this DDP continuation rule is not applicable in the final graduating semester.

A student may decide to withdraw or can be asked to withdraw from the double degree programme by withdrawing from the second degree programme. However, he/she is not allowed to withdraw from the first degree (i.e. originally offered degree) programme and transfer to the second degree programme. All the modules which the student has taken to fulfil the requirements of the second degree will be reflected in the transcript and included in the computation of the CAP for the single degree.

No DDP withdrawal is allowed in the midst of a semester (except for graduating cases). DDP students can request to withdraw from the second degree after results release up to the first week of the following semester. DDP students exiting the programme shall be allowed to exercise S/U on the modules taken in the immediate past semester provided they submit their S/U requests to their home faculty by the first week of the following semester.

10. Minimum MC Requirements for Double Degrees

The minimum MC requirements for the double degrees are as follows:

Double Degree Programme Minimum MC Requirement

Two Honours (4-year) degrees - 200 MCs

One Honours (4-year) and one Bachelor’s (3-year) degree - 180 MCs

The above are minimum requirements, the actual total MCs will be dependent on the requirements of each of the two degrees and how much double counting is permitted as specified by the respective Faculties/Departments.

11. Residency Requirement

The residency requirement is 50% of the minimum required MCs for the double degree programme that is, 100 MCs for a Double Honours degree (two honours/4-year degrees) and 90 MCs for an Honours and a Bachelor’s degree (one honours/4-year + one 3-year degree). Credits earned from modules taken on S/U basis cannot be used to count towards the residency requirements.

12. Maximum Period of Candidature

The maximum period of candidature for the double degrees is six years. The two degree programmes must be undertaken and completed within a single continuous candidature period (save for the usual provisions for leave of absence).

13. Awards

The student will be eligible for award of medals and prizes for both degrees.

14. Dean’s List

The student will be eligible for inclusion on the Dean’s List for both degrees.

15. Nomenclature for Double Degrees

Double degrees will be expressed as two separate degrees, for eg., B.Eng.(Elect.) and BBA Honours. For student-initiated double degrees, the degree the student was originally enrolled in will be mentioned first.

16. Conferment of Degree

Two separate degrees will be conferred with the same conferment date and two degree scrolls issued, one for each degree.