Faculty of Science
Undergraduate Education
Degrees Offered
The Faculty offers the following full-time degree programmes:
Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Science (Hons)
Majors available under the Bachelor of Science Programme include:
- Applied Mathematics:
– Specialisation in Mathematical Modelling and Data Analytics
– Specialisation in Operations Research and Financial Mathematics - Chemistry:
– Specialisation in Materials Chemistry
– Specialisation in Medicinal Chemistry
– Specialisation in Environment and Energy - Computational Biology*
- Data Science and Analytics*
- Food Science and Technology*
- Life Sciences:
– Specialisation in Biomedical Science
– Specialisation in Environmental Biology
– Specialisation in Molecular and Cell Biology - Mathematics
- Pharmaceutical Science*
- Physics:
– Specialisation in Astrophysics
– Specialisation in Nanophysics
– Specialisation in Quantum Technologies - Quantitative Finance
- Statistics:
– Specialisation in Data Science
– Specialisation in Finance and Business Statistics
Professional Degree:
- Bachelor of Pharmacy / Bachelor of Pharmacy (Honours)
Multidisciplinary Degree:
- Bachelor of Environmental Studies / Bachelor of Environmental Studies (Honours) [jointly offered with FASS]
Note:
- Environmental Studies, Pharmacy, Computational Biology, Data Science and Analytics, and Pharmaceutical Science are strict four-year programmes, while all other programmes allow for graduation after three years with a general Bachelor of Science degree.
- The Chemistry, Life Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Physics and Statistics majors offer general BSc/BSc(Hons) programmes as well as BSc(Hons) programmes with specialisation. Specialisation is only awarded for BSc(Hons.) programmes. The Faculty also offers a spread of minors, multidisciplinary programmes and special programmes for the educational broadening and enhancement of our students.
Curriculum Structure & Degree Requirements
Bachelor of Science
To be awarded a Bachelor of Science Degree, students must have:
- Satisfied the General Education Requirements comprising:
a. 20 MCs from General Education Modules (GEM) - Satisfied the Programme Requirements comprising:
a. 12 MCs of Faculty requirements for BSc
b. For all Science students (except Pharmacy, Environmental Studies students, students on special programmes like SPS, USP and UTown residential programme and students residing in RVRC), SP1541 Exploring Science Communication through Popular Science is a compulsory Faculty requirement;
c. One set of major requirements. - Completed and passed a Computational Thinking module, according to the requirements. Please refer to the section on Computational Thinking Requirement.
- Accumulated a minimum of 120 Modular Credits (MCs)* (of which no more than 60 MCs may come from Level-1000 modules; Polytechnic Diploma holders who are granted advanced placement credits should refer to the section on Advanced Placement/Exemptions, for more details);
- Obtained a cumulative average point (CAP) of at least 2.00;
- Passed the requisite English Skills module(s) by the fourth semester (only applicable to students who fail to meet the exemption criteria based on the Qualifying English Test (QET) results); and
- Fulfilled all the above within a maximum candidature of four years unless under extenuating circumstances. Semesters spent on approved Leave of Absence (LOA) would be excluded from the period of candidature.
*Students will read a set of Unrestricted Elective Modules (apart from those modules read in fulfilment of General Education and Programme Requirements) to meet the minimum number of MCs required for graduation.
| Summary of Requirements for BSc(Hons) | MCs |
| University Level Requirements | 20 |
| General Education | 20 |
| Programme Requirements** | 64 – 80 |
| Faculty requirements | 12 |
| Major requirements [BSc(Hons)] | 52 - 68 |
| Unrestricted Elective Modules (not including additional MCs due to reduced Programme Requirements (as a result of Major Requirements that can be counted towards Faculty Requirements)]** |
20 – 36 |
| Total | 120 |
**For some multidisciplinary/interdisciplinary majors, part of the 12 MCs from Faculty requirements are built into the major. MCs required under programme requirements will vary from student to student depending on
(1) the student’s choice of major;
(2) the extent to which the Faculty requirements have been built into the student’s major; and
(3) the combination of modules a student reads for his/her major.
This will in turn determine the number of unrestricted elective modules a student has to read to meet the minimum MCs required for graduation. Students are advised to refer to Bachelor of Science [BSc] Programme Requirements for specific MCs requirements with respect to their chosen major.
Bachelor of Science (Hons)
To be awarded a Bachelor of Science (Hons) Degree, students must have:
- Satisfied the General Education Requirements comprising:
a. 20 MCs from General Education Modules (GEMs) - Satisfied the Programme Requirements comprising:
a. 16 MCs of Faculty requirements
b. For all Science students (except Pharmacy and Environmental Studies students, students on special programmes like SPS, USP and UTown residential programme and students residing in RVRC ) SP1541 Exploring Science Communication through Popular Science is a compulsory Faculty requirement;
c. One set of major requirements. - Completed and passed a Computational Thinking module, according to the requirements. Please refer to the section on Computational Thinking Requirement below.
- Accumulated a minimum of 160 Modular Credits (MCs)* (of which no more than 60 MCs may come from Level-1000 modules; Polytechnic Diploma holders who are granted advanced placement credits should refer to the section on Advanced Placement/Exemptions, for more details);
- Completed a mandatory year-long honours project module or the stated alternatives to the honours project module;
- Obtained a cumulative average point (CAP) of at least 3.00;
- Passed the requisite English Skills module(s) by the fourth semester (only applicable to students who fail to meet the exemption criteria based on the Qualifying English Test (QET) results);
- Any other requirements as stipulated by the Faculty for graduation; and
- Fulfilled all the above within a maximum candidature of five years (applicable to students completing single and double majors) where semesters spent on Leave of Absence (LOA) would be excluded from the period of candidature.
*Students will read a set of Unrestricted Elective Modules (apart from those modules read in fulfilment of University Level and Programme Requirements) to meet the minimum number of MCs required for graduation.
Summary of Requirements for BSc(Hons) MCs University Level Requirements 20 General Education 20 Programme Requirements** 100 – 116 Faculty requirements 16 Major requirements [BSc(Hons)] 84 – 100 Unrestricted Elective Modules
(not including additional MCs due to reduced Programme Requirements (as a result of Major Requirements that can be counted towards Faculty Requirements)]**24 – 40
Total 160 **For some multidisciplinary/interdisciplinary majors, part of the 16 MCs from Faculty requirements are built into the major. MCs required under programme requirements will vary from student to student depending on
(1) the student’s choice of major,
(2) the extent to which the Faculty requirements have been built into the student’s major; and
(3) the combination of modules a student reads for his/her major.This will in turn determine the number of unrestricted elective modules a student has to read to meet the minimum MCs required for graduation. Students are advised to refer to Bachelor of Science (Hons) Programme Requirements [BSc (Hons)] for specific MCs requirements with respect to their chosen major.
Bachelor of Pharmacy/Bachelor of Pharmacy (Hons)
Graduation Requirements
To be awarded a BPharm or BPharm (Hons), candidates must satisfy the following:
| Summary of Requirement |
BPharm/BPharm (Hons) |
| University Requirement | 20 MCs |
| Faculty Requirements | Subsumed into Major Requirements |
| Major Requirement | 124 MCs |
| Unrestricted Elective Modules | 16 MCs |
| Total | 160 MCs |
For more details, please visit: https://pharmacy.nus.edu.sg/study/undergraduate/bachelor-of-pharmacy/
Note:
Curricular content and graduation requirements may be subject to changes.
Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Science (Hons) Programme Requirements [BSc/BSc (Hons)]
Graduation Requirements
To be awarded a BSc or BSc (Hons) with a primary major in Chemistry, students must satisfy the following requirements:
| SUMMARY OF REQUIREMENTS | BSc | BSc (Hons) | BSc (Hons) WITH SPECIALISATION |
| University Requirements | 20 MCs | 20 MCs | 20MCs |
| Faculty Requirements | 4 MCs* | 8 MCs | 8 MCs* |
| Major Requirements | 64 MCs | 96 MCs | 96 MCs |
| Unrestricted Elective Modules | 32 MCs | 36 MCs | 36 MCs |
| Total | 120 MCs | 160 MCs | 160 MCs |
* Faculty requirements of 12 MCs and 16 MCs required for the BSc and BSc (Hons) programmes respectively are partially fulfilled through the reading of MA1421 and LSM1401 within the major.
Students undertaking the BSc programme are required to fulfil the remaining 4 MCs of Faculty requirements from any one of the following subject groups: Computing Sciences, Physical Sciences and ‘Multidisciplinary & Interdisciplinary Sciences’; but not from the following subject groups: Chemical Science, Life Sciences, Mathematical and Statistical Sciences.
Students undertaking the BSc (Hons) programme are required to fulfil the remaining 8 MCs of Faculty requirements as such:
- 4 MCs from any one of the following subject groups: Computing Sciences, Physical Sciences and Multidisciplinary & Interdisciplinary Sciences; but not from the following subject groups: Chemical Sciences, Life Sciences, Mathematical and Statistical Sciences
- 4 MCs of Non-CM prefixed module from any subject group
For more details, please refer to https://myportal.nus.edu.sg/studentportal/sci/chm/ug/
Graduation Requirements
To be awarded a BSc or BSc (Hons) with a primary major in Computational Biology, students must satisfy the following requirements:
| Summary of Requirements | B.Sc. (Hons.) |
| University Requirements | 20 MCs |
| Faculty Requirements | 16 MCs |
| Major Requirements | 88-92 MCs |
| Unrestricted Elective Modules | 32-36 MCs |
| Total | 160 MCs |
For more details, please refer to https://www.science.nus.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ZB-Feb-2020.pdf
Graduation Requirements
To be awarded a BSc or BSc (Hons) with a primary major in Food Science and Technology, students must satisfy the following requirements:
| Summary of Requirements | BSc (FST) | BSc Hons (FST) |
| University Requirements | 20 MCs | 20 MCs |
| Faculty Requirements | 8 MCs† | 8 MCs †† |
| Major Requirements | 64 MCs | 96 MCs |
| Unrestricted Elective Modules | 28 MCs††† | 36 MCs††† |
| TOTAL | 120 MCs | 160 MCs |
† 12 MCs of Faculty requirements are partially fulfilled through 4 MCs from ST1232 within the major. The remaining 8 MCs are fulfilled through (i) 4 MCs from FST3181 Professional Placement; and (ii) 4 MCs from any one of the following subject groups: Computing Sciences, Physical Sciences, Multidisciplinary & Interdisciplinary Sciences.
†† 16 MCs of Faculty requirements are partially fulfilled through 8 MCs from ST1232 and CM/LSM modules within the major. The remaining 8 MCs are fulfilled through (i) 4 MCs from FST3181 Professional Placement; and (ii) 4 MCs from any one of the following subject groups: Computing Sciences, Physical Sciences, Multidisciplinary & Interdisciplinary
††† The remaining 8MCs from FST3181 (after fulfilling 4MCs of Faculty Requirements) would fulfil the Unrestricted Electives requirements.
For more details, please visit: https://www.fst.nus.edu.sg/education/undergraduate-programme/course-structure/primary-major-in-fst/
Co-Operative Education
The NUS Co-Operative (Co-Op) Education Programme formally integrates academic studies with relevant work experience, where students complete multiple internship stints alternating with regular academic semesters over their candidature at NUS thus forming an integral part of the student’s learning experience.
Students in the DSA programme have the option to participate in co-op education which comprises the following study/internship sequence:
| Semester 1 | Semester 2 | Special Term | |
| Year 1 | Study | Study | Study |
| Year 2 | Study | Study | Internship (full time) |
| Year 3 | Study & Internship (full time) | Internship (full time) | Internship (full time) |
| Year 4 | Study & Internship (full time) | Study |
The first three internship segments ride on the Undergraduate Professional Internship Programme (UPIP) of the Faculty of Science. The last two internship segments take the form of an Honours-level project (DSA4299).
Graduation Requirements
To be awarded a B.Sc. or B.Sc. (Hons.) with a primary major in Data Science and Analytics, candidates must satisfy the following:
| Summary of Requirements | B.Sc. (Hons.) |
| University Requirements | 20 MCs |
| Faculty Requirements | 8 MCs* |
| Major Requirements | 96 MCs |
| Unrestricted Elective Modules | 36 MCs |
| Total | 160 MCs |
* 8 MCs of Faculty requirements are fulfilled through the reading of a CS-coded module and a ST/MA-coded module within the DSA curriculum.
Students are required to fulfill the remaining 8 MCs of Faculty requirements from any two of the following subject groups: Chemical Sciences, Life Sciences, Physical Sciences or Multidisciplinary & Interdisciplinary Sciences; but not from the following subject groups: Computing Sciences and Mathematical & Statistical Sciences.
For more details, please visit: https://www.stat.nus.edu.sg/current-students/undergraduate-programme/programme-structure/
Graduation Requirements
To be awarded a BSc with a primary major in Life Sciences, candidates must satisfy the following:
| Summary of Requirements | BSc | BSc (Hons) |
| University Requirements | 20 MCs | 20 MCs |
| Faculty Requirements | 4 MCs* | 8 MCs* |
| Major Requirements | 52 MCs | 84 MCs |
| Unrestricted Elective Modules | 44 MCs | 48 MCs |
| Total | 120 MCs | 160 MCs |
*Faculty requirements of 12 and 16 MCs for the BSc and BSc (Hons) programmes respectively are partially fulfilled through the reading of CM1401 and ST1232 which are essential modules within the major requirements.
Students undertaking the BSc programme are required to fulfil the remaining 4 MCs of Faculty requirements from one of the following subject groups: Computing Sciences, Physical Sciences and Multidisciplinary and Interdisciplinary Sciences; but not from the following subject groups: Chemical Sciences, Mathematical & Statistical Sciences and Life Sciences.
Students taking the BSc (Hons) programme are required to fulfil the remaining 8 MCs of Faculty requirements as such:
- 4 MCs from any one of the following subject groups:
Computing Sciences, Physical Sciences and Multidisciplinary and Interdisciplinary Sciences; but not from the following subject groups: Chemical Sciences, Mathematical & Statistical Sciences and Life Sciences. - 4 MCs of non-LSM prefixed module from any subject group.
For more details, please visit: https://www.dbs.nus.edu.sg/education/lifesciences/
Programme Structure and Curriculum Rationale
The Department of Mathematics offers the following undergraduate programmes leading to the degree of BSc (Hons):
- Major in Mathematics
This is the flagship major that any leading university of the world is obliged to offer. Students will be exposed to all important areas of mathematical knowledge including algebra, logic, number theory and combinatorics, real and complex analysis, differential equations, geometry and topology with focus on mathematical foundations and fundamental techniques. - Major in Applied Mathematics
In this major, students focus on mathematics that deals with algorithms, problem-solving techniques and applications to other areas of human concern. Topics offered include financial mathematics, optimisation and operations research, mathematical modelling, numerical methods and simulations, coding and cryptography, computational biology and many others. Students may choose one of the three options – Major in Applied Mathematics; Major in Applied Mathematics with Specialisation in Mathematical Modelling and Data Analytics (MMDA); or Major in Applied Mathematics with Specialisation in Operations Research and Financial Mathematics (ORFM).
Special Programme in Mathematics (SPM)
This programme is specially designed for a select group of students who has a strong passion and aptitude for the mathematical sciences. The programme consists of a number of specially designed modules (“S-modules”) in foundational mathematics, which are taught in much greater depth and sophistication than their regular versions. In addition, under the close mentorship of Faculty members, students will participate in two semesters of undergraduate seminars in the form of topic modules. Participants of the SPM will have enhanced opportunities for undergraduate research programmes locally and overseas, as well as graduate programmes at the Department of Mathematics in NUS. Through SPM, students will build a firm foundation to pursue graduate programmes and future careers in mathematical sciences.
SPM Enrolment Eligibility
Students who have passed MA1100, MA1101R and MA1102R with very good grades, or have obtained official exemption for any of these modules, are welcome to apply. Applicants may be further assessed through interviews. Selected students will be enrolled in the SPM in the second semester of their first year or the first semester of their second year.
Participants of the SPM should generally be majoring in Mathematics or Applied Mathematics, though academically strong students majoring in Quantitative Finance, Statistics, Physics and Computer Science are also welcome to apply. In order to complete the SPM, a participant should pass the following 6 modules:
MA2101S Linear Algebra II (S)
MA2108S Mathematical Analysis I (S)
MA2202S Algebra I (S)
MA3211S Complex Analysis I (S)
MA4291 Undergraduate Topics in Mathematics I
MA4292 Undergraduate Topics in Mathematics II
SPM students may read two level 5000 modules (except MA5203, MA5205, MA5245, MA5247 and MA5248) in lieu of MA4291 and MA4292, subject to the approval of the Department.
When an SPM student goes for student exchange programme, he/she may read an equivalent overseas module in place of one S-module. Each student is only allowed to replace one S-module this way.
Graduation Requirements (Mathematics)
To be awarded a BSc or BSc (Hons) with a primary major in Mathematics, a candidate must satisfy the following:
| Summary of Requirements | BSc | BSc (Hons) |
| University Requirements | 20 MCs | 20 MCs |
| Faculty Requirements | 4 – 8 MCs* | 4 – 12 MCs* |
| Major Requirements | 60 – 66 MCs | 92 – 98 MCs |
| Unrestricted Elective Modules | 26 – 36 MCs | 30 – 44 MCs |
| Total | 120 MCs | 160 MCs |
* Faculty Requirements of 12 MCs and 16 MCs (required for the BSc and BSc (Hons) programmes respectively) are partially fulfilled through the reading of CS/PC/ST modules within the major.
Note:
The number of MCs indicated under “Faculty Requirements” in the Summary of Requirements above refers to the number of MCs apart from major modules which can count towards the 12/16MCs of Faculty requirements for BSc/BSc(Hons).
Please note that the Academic Advisement (AA) system will indicate the maximum number of MCs you have to read for your Faculty requirements, apart from modules in your major which can count towards the Faculty requirements i.e. 12 for BSc(Hons) and 8 for BSc. It will not indicate the range seen above [4-8 for BSc or 4-12 for BSc(Hons)] which comes about due to certain major elective modules students can choose to read, which can count towards the 12/16MCs of Faculty requirements.
For more details, please visit: https://www.math.nus.edu.sg/ug/majmin/primajors/ma/
Graduation Requirements (Applied Mathematics)
To be awarded a BSc or BSc (Hons) with a primary major in Applied Mathematics, a candidate must satisfy the following:
| Summary of Requirements | BSc | BSc (Hons) |
| University Requirements | 20 MCs | 20 MCs |
| Faculty Requirements | 4 – 8 MCs* | 4 – 12 MCs* |
| Major Requirements | 60 – 66 MCs | 92 – 98 MCs |
| Unrestricted Elective Modules | 26 – 36 MCs | 30 – 44 MCs |
| Total | 120 MCs | 160 MCs |
*Faculty Requirements of 12 MCs and 16 MCs (required for the BSc and BSc (Hons) programmes respectively) are partially fulfilled through the reading of CS/PC/ST modules within the major.
Note:
The number of MCs indicated under “Faculty Requirements” in the Summary of Requirements above refers to the number of MCs apart from major modules which can count towards the 12/16MCs of Faculty requirements for BSc/BSc(Hons).
Please note that the Academic Advisement (AA) system will indicate the maximum number of MCs you have to read for your Faculty requirements, apart from modules in your major which can count towards the Faculty requirements i.e. 12 for BSc(Hons) and 8 for BSc. It will not indicate the range seen above [4-8 for BSc or 4-12 for BSc(Hons)] which comes about due to certain major elective modules students can choose to read, which can count towards the 12/16MCs of Faculty requirements.
For more details, please visit: https://www.math.nus.edu.sg/ug/majmin/primajors/am/
Graduation Requirements
To be awarded a BSc or BSc (Hons) with a primary major in Pharmaceutical Science, candidates must satisfy the following:
| Summary of Requirements | BSc (Hons) |
| University Requirements | 20 MCs |
| Faculty Requirements | 8 MCs* |
| Major Requirements | 100 MCs |
| Unrestricted Elective Modules | 32 MCs |
| Total | 160 MCs |
*16 MCs of Faculty Requirements are needed for BSc (Hons) programmes. For the PHS programme, 8 MCs out of the 16 MCs are fulfilled through the reading of ST1232 and a PR coded module within the major requirements.
The remaining 8 MCs of Faculty Requirement can be fulfilled as follows:
- 4 MCs from SP1541, a compulsory Faculty writing requirement for Science students, under the ‘Multidisciplinary and Interdisciplinary Sciences’ subject group
- 4 MCs from either the ‘Computing Sciences’ or the ‘Physical Sciences’ subject group
Please note that curricular content and graduation requirements may be subject to change.
For more details, please visit: https://pharmacy.nus.edu.sg/study/undergraduate/bachelor-of-science-pharmaceutical-science/
Graduation Requirements
To be awarded a BSc or BSc (Hons) with a primary major in Physics, candidates must satisfy the following:
| Summary of Requirements | BSc | B.Sc(Hons) |
| University Requirements | 20 MCs | 20 MCs |
| Faculty Requirements | 8 MCs* | 8 MCs* |
| Major Requirements | 68 MCs | 100 MCs |
| Unrestricted Elective Modules | 24 MCs | 32 MCs |
| Total | 120 MCs | 160 MCs |
*Faculty requirements of 12 MCs and 16 MCs [required for the BSc and BSc (Hons) programmes respectively] are partially fulfilled through the reading of MA1101R and MA1102R within the major.
Students undertaking the BSc and BSc (Hons) programmes are required to fulfil the remaining 8 MCs of Faculty requirements from any two (2) of the following subject groups: Computing Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Life Sciences and Multidisciplinary & Interdisciplinary Sciences; but not from the following subject groups: Physical Sciences and Mathematical & Statistical Sciences.
For details, please visit: https://www.physics.nus.edu.sg/student/major-in-physics-before-ay2021-22/
Graduation Requirements
To be awarded a B.Sc. or B.Sc. (Hons.) with a primary major in Quantitative Finance, candidates must satisfy the following:
| Summary of Requirements | BSc | B.Sc(Hons) |
| University Requirements | 20 MCs | 20 MCs |
| Faculty Requirements | 12 MCs* | 12 MCs* |
| Major Requirements | 64-65 MCs | 96-97 MCs |
| Unrestricted Elective Modules | 23-24 MCs | 31-32 MCs |
| Total | 120 MCs | 160 MCs |
* Up to 4 MCs of Faculty requirements of the total of 16 MCs required for the B.Sc. (Hons.) programme are fulfilled through the reading of MA/CS modules within the major.
Students of the B.Sc. and B.Sc. (Hons.) programmes are required to fulfil the remaining 12 MCs of Faculty requirements from any three (3) of the following subject groups: Chemical Sciences, Life Sciences, Physical Sciences and Multidisciplinary & Interdisciplinary Sciences, but not from the following subject groups: Computing Sciences and Mathematical & Statistical Sciences.
For more details, please visit: https://www.math.nus.edu.sg/ug/majmin/primajors/qf/
From AY2021/2022, this programme would be offered with a revised curriculum under the College of Humanities and Sciences. It would also no longer require separate application.
Graduation Requirements (Statistics)
To be awarded a B.Sc. or B.Sc. (Hons.) with a primary major in Statistics, candidates must satisfy the following:
| Summary of Requirements | BSc | BSc (Hons) |
| University Requirements | 20 MCs | 20 MCs |
| Faculty Requirements | 8 MCs* | 8 MCs* |
| Major Requirements | 60-62 MCs | 92-94 MCs |
| Unrestricted Elective Modules | 30-32 MCs | 38-40 MCs |
| Total | 120 MCs | 160 MCs |
* Faculty requirements of 12 MCs and 16 MCs [required for the B.Sc. and B.Sc. (Hons.) programmes respectively] are partially fulfilled through the reading of CS/MA modules within the major.
Students undertaking the B.Sc. and B.Sc. (Hons.) programmes are required to fulfil the remaining 8 MCs of Faculty requirements from any two (2) of the following subject groups: Chemical Sciences, Life Sciences, Physical Sciences and Multidisciplinary & Interdisciplinary Sciences; but not from the following groups: Computing Sciences and Mathematical & Statistical Sciences.
For more details, please visit: https://www.stat.nus.edu.sg/current-students/undergraduate-programme/programme-structure/
Major Pre-requisites
All students are expected to read one major in fulfilment of their degree requirements and will declare their major at the beginning of their first year of study. (For specific requirements of each major, please the segment below – Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Science (Hons) [BSc/BSc (Hons)] – for more information.
They should meet the prerequisites (as stated in the table below) before choosing a particular major. Criteria are set to ensure that students have the necessary base knowledge to pursue studies in their selected major as well as to register for the relevant modules.
| Major | Prerequisites |
|
1. Chemistry 2. Chemistry (with specialisation in Materials Chemistry) 3. Chemistry (with specialisation in Medicinal Chemistry) 4. Chemistry (with specialisation in Environment and Energy) |
Good H2 pass (or equivalent) in Chemistry, and at least a good ‘O’ Level pass or equivalent in Mathematics. |
|
5. Computational Biology*^ |
Good H2 passes (or equivalent) in Mathematics/Further Mathematics and either Biology or Chemistry. Students without H2 passes (or equivalent) in either Biology or Chemistry should have at least an O-Level (or equivalent) pass in it. Subject to departmental approval. |
| 6. Data Science and Analytics+ | Very good H2 pass (or equivalent) in Mathematics/Further Mathematics and a good H2 pass (or equivalent) in Biology or Chemistry or Physics or Computing |
| 7. Food Science & Technology+* |
Good H2 pass (or equivalent) in Chemistry and a Good H2 pass (or equivalent) in Biology or Physics or Computing or Mathematics/Further Mathematics. Students without H2 pass in Biology are required to read the bridging module in Biology (i.e. LSM1301) in Semester 1 to fulfil the pre-requisites for the relevant Level 1000 Life Sciences module in the syllabus. |
|
8. Life Sciences 9. Life Sciences (with specialisation in Biomedical Science) 10. Life Sciences (with specialisation in Environmental Biology) 11. Life Sciences (with specialisation in Molecular and Cell Biology) |
Two good H2 passes or equivalent in Biology or Chemistry, or Mathematics/Further Mathematics or Physics. Students without H2 pass in Biology or Chemistry may read the relevant bridging modules as entry requirements. |
|
12. Mathematics 13. Applied Mathematics 14. Applied Mathematics (with specialisation in Mathematical Modelling and Data Analytics) 15. Applied Mathematics (with specialisation in Operation Research and Financial Mathematics) 16. Statistics 17. Statistics (with specialisation in Data Science) 18. Statistics (with specialisation in Finance and Business Statistics) 19. Quantitative Finance* |
Good H2 pass (or equivalent) in Mathematics/Further Mathematics. Subject to departmental approval (applicable to Quantitative Finance only) |
|
20. Physics 21. Physics (with specialisation in Astrophysics) 22. Physics (with specialisation in Nanophysics 23. Physics (with specialisation in Quantum Technologies) |
Good H2 passes (or equivalent) in Physics and Mathematics/Further Mathematics. |
| 24. Pharmaceutical Science+^ | Very good pass in H2 Chemistry and a very good pass in either H2 Biology or H2 Physics or H2 Mathematics / Further Mathematics |
| 25. Pharmacy@+^ | Very good H2 passes (or equivalent) in Chemistry and either Biology, Mathematics/Further Mathematics or Physics. |
| 26. Environmental Studies+^ (Specialisation in Environmental Biology) | Good H1 pass or equivalent in Mathematics and good H2 pass or equivalent in either Biology or Chemistry. |
* These majors are capped with quotas; eligibility to read these majors will be determined by additional selection criteria set by the department/programme.
@ BPharm/ BPharm (Hons) degree
+ Admission into the Data Science and Analytics, Environmental Studies, Food Science and Technology, Pharmaceutical Science and Pharmacy programmes is by direct application.
^ With the exceptions of Computational Biology, Data Science and Analytics, Environmental Studies, Pharmaceutical Science and Pharmacy, students in other majors have the option to exit after three years with a Bachelor’s degree. The Chemistry, Life Sciences, Applied Mathematics, Physics and Statistics majors offer general BSc (Hons) programmes as well as BSc (Hons) with specialisation programmes. Specialisation is only awarded for BSc(Hons) programmes.
Faculty Requirements
Please refer to the Faculty Requirements here.
Computational Thinking Requirement
Please refer to the Computational Thinking Requirements here.
SP1541 Exploring Science Communication through Popular Science
In order to develop essential communication skills in all Science undergraduates so that they will be able to critically read and comprehend science-related publications as well as to articulate scientific arguments and perspectives coherently, the Centre for English Learning and Communication and Faculty of Science have co-developed a module SP1541/ES1541 Exploring Science Communication through Popular Science. This is a compulsory module for all Science students (except for students reading Pharmacy, Environmental Studies, students on special programmes like SPS, USP and UTown residential programme and students residing in RVRC) matriculated in AY2013/14 onwards and is in line with the educational goal of the University in offering a writing module for all NUS freshmen. Science students matriculated in AY2015/16 and onwards will read the module code SP1541 while students matriculated in AY2014/15 and before read the module code ES1541. SP1541 is counted towards the Multidisciplinary & Interdisciplinary Sciences subject group of the Faculty requirements.
Please refer here for more information.
English Skills (ES) Requirements
Based on the Qualifying English Test (QET) results, students will be required to read either one or both of these English modules:
(1) ES1000 or ES1000FC Basic English Course
(2) ES1103 English for Academic Purposes
Students who obtain Band 1 will have to take ES1000 or ES1000FC followed by ES1103.
Students who obtain Band 2 will have to take ES1103.
Students who obtain Band 3 are exempted from an English module.
ES1000 is not counted towards Modular Credits and CAP. However, it is counted as part of the workload for every semester. (Please refer to the section below on Policies and Procedures)
ES1103 is worth 4MC and letter-graded (with the option to convert to S/U grade). ES1103 is excluded from the limit on Level 1000 modules.
Students who need to clear ES requirements for graduation are strongly encouraged to do so by their second semester at the latest.
Honours Eligibility and Honours Projects
For BSc (Hons)
- Students who matriculated in and after AY2012/2013 (excluding those majoring four-year programmes: Computational Biology, Data Science and Analytics, Pharmaceutical Science and Quantitative Finance), and students who matriculate in and after AY2014/15 majoring in Quantitative Finance will be eligible for Honours if they have:
- Fulfilled the requirements of one major at BSc level; and
- Obtained a minimum overall CAP of 3.20 on completion of 100 MCs or more.
Registering for Honours Projects:
- Students in majors must have fulfilled the minimum eligibility criteria (as stated in Para 1. above) at the point of registering for the honours project module. Students from the Food Science and Technology major must have completed one semester of professional placement.
- Students who choose not to proceed to Honours even though they are eligible may exit from the programme and graduate with a BSc degree after satisfying graduation requirements at BSc level (see the section above on Curriculum Structure and Graduation Requirements).
- The Computational Biology, Data Science and Analytics, Pharmaceutical Science majors are four-year programmes leading to a Bachelor of Science (Hons) degree, subject to a minimum CAP attainment.
For BPharm (Hons)
Pharmacy is a four-year programme leading to a Bachelor of Pharmacy (Hons) degree, subject to a minimum CAP attainment.
Students admitted to the programme from AY2014/2015 to AY2019/2020 have to complete PR4196 Pharmacy Research Project and Scientific Communication, PR4197 Pharmacy Internship I and PR4198 Pharmacy Internship II in their final year.
Students admitted to the programme from AY2020/2021 onwards have to complete PR4191 Discovery Project and 2 internship modules PR4192A Internship & Pharmacy Management and PR4193A Internship & Regulatory Affairs.
Degree Classification
All students are on a track that leads to either the BSc/BPharm or BSc (Hons)/BPharm (Hons) degree. CAP computation is based on all modules completed at all levels, excluding:
- Modules for which grades obtained have no assigned grade points (for e.g. EXE, OCT, OVS, S/U, CS/CU, IC, IP); and
- ES1000 Basic English Course.
Students’ degree and Honours classification will be determined by their CAP as follows:
BSc (Hons)/BPharm (Hons)
| Classification | CAP cut-offs |
| Honours (Highest Distinction) | 4.50 & above |
| Honours (Distinction) | 4.00 – 4.49 |
| Honours (Merit) | 3.50 – 3.99 |
| Honours | 3.00 – 3.49 |
| Pass (BSc / BPharm) | 2.00 – 2.99 |
| Fail | Below 2.00 |
BSc
| Classification | CAP cut-offs |
| Pass with Merit | 3.00 and above |
| Pass | 2.00 – 2.99 |
| Fail | Below 2.00 |
Policies and Procedures
Exemptions from Programme Requirements
Before a student may read more advanced level modules within their chosen area of specialisation, they are assumed to possess a base of knowledge on which the subject matter of a particular advanced module will be built.
Advanced placement allows a student to read more advanced modules by being credited for the prerequisites of these higher level modules. This means that a student can graduate within a shorter time by gaining exemptions and Modular Credits from lower level modules.
Polytechnic Diploma Holders as well as students with H2, NUSHS diploma and International Baccalaureate (IB) or equivalent qualifications who have obtained good grades may be granted advanced placement credits of up to 20 MCs for programme requirements subject to their performance in placement tests and/or interviews carried out by the relevant departments. The placement tests would be taken at the point of admission to the University.
Modules for which advanced placement may be awarded are:
Chemistry: CM1121, CM1131
Life Sciences: LSM1102, LSM1401
Mathematics: MA1101R, MA1102R, MA1100*, MA1505
Physics: PC1141, PC1142, PC1143, PC1144, PC1431
Statistics: ST1131
* Only students who were medal winners in the International Mathematical Olympiad may apply to be considered for advanced placement credit for MA1100.
Students who have read and passed H3 modules at NUS are not allowed to sit for Advanced Placement Test for the module(s) that they have read and passed. Students have to declare the H3 modules that they have read at the point of application for the Advanced Placement Test.
Students are deemed to have successfully read and passed the module(s) for which they have been granted advanced placement credits and will not be allowed to register for this/these module(s) subsequently. The module(s) from which students have been granted exemption will not be included in the calculation of the CAP.
The Faculty of Science website on Advanced Placement Credits is found at http://www.science.nus.edu.sg/education/undergraduate/ug-admission/advanced-placement-credits.
Exemptions from Unrestricted Elective Modules (Only applicable to polytechnic diploma holders)
Polytechnic Diploma holders admitted to the Faculty will be automatically granted advanced placement credits of 20 MCs (not subject to performance in placement tests) as follows:
- 20 MCs from Unrestricted Elective Modules (UEM).
* All 20 MCs of advanced placement credits are tagged at Level-1000. However, none of the MCs will be counted against the 60-MC limit on Level-1000 modules that students are allowed to read in fulfilment of the 120/160 MCs required for graduation.
- Minimum workload: 18 MCs per semester. Students are only allowed to read less than 18 MCs in their graduating semester or when they are undertaking industrial attachment. Recommended workload: 20 MCs per semester.
- Existing students who wish to read more than 23 MCs must have a CAP of at least 2.00 while students who wish to read more than 26 MCs must have a CAP of at least 3.20.
- Newly-matriculated students pursuing a single degree are encouraged to read a maximum of 23 MCs in their first semester of study unless otherwise approved by the Science Dean’s Office.
Continuous assessment (CA) will be taken into account and it normally contributes between 20 percent and 40 percent of the final grade of a module unless otherwise stated by the department. Homework, quizzes, tests, practicals, essays, projects, seminar presentations, performance during tutorials, field trips and other project work etc. are bases for continuous assessment.
Apply for Graduation (AFG)
Students will apply for graduation online in their final semester. The filing can be done via myEduRec. Students must have obtained a minimum of 100 MCs (for bachelor’s degree) or 120 MCs (for honours degree) before they can do so. Graduation will be delayed for students who miss the deadline for applying for graduation. Students can refer to the student portal for more information on the timeline.
Students who wish to read additional modules after fulfilling the degree requirements are only allowed to stay for at most one additional semester in which at least 18 MCs of Level-3000 and higher modules have to be read. With effect from the admission cohort of AY2016/2017, students who take longer than the normal candidature period to complete their degree requirements will have to pay partial non-subsidized fees, culminating in full non-subsidized fees, during the extended semesters. For more information, please refer to Tuition Fees Beyond Normal Candidature.
File for Honours Project
Students who intend to start honours in their respective majors have to file for Honours one semester before registering for their honours project. For example, if you intend to start honours in Semester 1, AY2020/2021, you will have to file for honours within 3 days upon the release of exam results of Semester 2, AY2019/2020.
To qualify for honours, students must have fulfilled the minimum honours eligibility criteria as spelt out in the above tab on Curriculum Structure and Degree Requirements.
Professional Placement/Internship/Special Programmes
In order to provide the necessary hands-on training and exposure, professional placement is an integral part of the Food Science and Technology major. The placement period is five to six months.
For more information, please visit:
https://www.fst.nus.edu.sg/opportunities/industry-collaborations/professional-placement/
The Undergraduate Professional Internship Programme (UPIP) aims to provide Science undergraduates* with the opportunity to perform structured internship in an organisation during their undergraduate study.
Internship helps students craft a fulfilling university journey through meaningful work experience. This programme allows students to engage in career preparation and job seeking experiences, and also hone their interpersonal, communications and other soft skills as they actively partake in the day-to-day business operations in an organisation. Students are presented with opportunities to apply their discipline-related knowledge and professionalism in an actual work setting, thus allowing them to gain experiential learning that complements their course activity.
Upon successful completion of UPIP, students will be awarded Modular Credits (MCs) that would count towards the Unrestricted Elective component of their graduation requirements.
Please refer here for more information on UPIP.
*with the exception of Pharmacy major
The Special Programme in Science (SPS) was established in 1996 to nurture enthusiastic students to pursue their passion for science. SPS brings together students from the different disciplines of the Faculty of Science into a tightly-knit community. Using six tailor-made research focussed (Discovering Science, and Integrated Science Project) and thematic (Atoms to Molecules, The Cell, The Earth, and The Universe) modules students have the opportunity to participate in multidisciplinary research, peer learning and student mentorship.
SPS broadens the experience of students to disciplines outside their major and offers opportunities to do independent research with access to staff and student mentors. SPS also teaches transferable scientific, computational and communication skills essential for the 21st-century workplace. In years three and four, after completing the six SPS modules, students can choose to mentor their juniors, thereby enjoying opportunities to refine their leadership and mentoring skills.
More details of the six modules read in SPS are shown below:
| Year/Semester | Research Oriented Modules (4 MC) | Thematic Modules (4 MC) | |
| Year 1 | Semester 1 | SP2171: Discovering Science
(Over two semesters) |
SP2173: Atoms to Molecules |
| Semester 2 | SP2174: The Cell | ||
| Year 2 | Semester 1 | SP3172: Integrated Science Project | – |
| Semester 2 | – | SP3175: The Earth | |
| SP3176: The Universe | |||
| Years 3 & 4 | SPS Mentorship / Exchange / UROP / FYP | ||
SP3277 Nano: from Research Bench to Industrial Applications
This is a new elective SPS module offered with effect from Semester 2, AY2013/14.
This module exposes senior students to nanoscience research and nanotechnology-based industry. This is done through a series of weekly seminars by principal investigators and industrial experts in the field, laboratory and industrial visits, and by completion of nanosynthesis/nanocharacterization-related mini projects. The course culminates in an intensive one-week study tour to Japan, organised in collaboration with La Trobe University and Tokyo University.
For both SPS and non-SPS students, this module can be counted towards the Multidisciplinary & Interdisciplinary Sciences subject group of the Faculty Requirements. This module can count towards requirements for Nanoscience minor.
Kindly contact Assoc Prof Goki Eda, (g.eda@nus.edu.sg) and Lim Zhi Han (matlzh@nus.edu.sg) for more information.
Special Arrangements for SPS Students in USP
With effect from Cohort AY2017/18, USP students enrolled in Special Programme in Science (SPS) will be granted a waiver of 4 USP Inquiry modules (2 HSS + 2 ST). The waiver includes the ISM requirement.
Students from Cohort AY2012/13 and onwards:
From this AY onwards, USP will be under the revised curriculum. The Advanced Curriculum will cease to exist, and SPS modules will be used to fulfill USP inquiry modules. For USP students matriculating from this AY onwards who are in SPS:
Any two of SP2173, SP2174, SP3175 and SP3176 will count as regular Inquiry modules in the Sciences & Technologies (S&T) domain; in addition, SP3172 will count as an ISM in the S&T domain.
Please refer to the USP website http://www.usp.nus.edu.sg/curriculum/academic-structure/independent-study-module/#special-arrangements-esp-and-sps-students for more details.
Student Awards: Dean’s List
A Dean’s List will be prepared for both Semesters I and II, but excluding the Special Terms. It comprises the top 5 percent of the total undergraduate Science students (excluding those who are in their 1st two semesters of studies and whose course codes are SCI1^) and the top 7 percent of the Pharmacy students (excluding those who are in their 1st two semesters of studies and whose course codes are PMC1^^) based on the following criteria:
A) Minimum Workload
Students reading a workload of at least 19 MCs (for Science Students) and 20 MCs (for Pharmacy Students) will be considered. This workload includes all modules read in the semester under consideration, with the following conditions:
- At least 15MCs for Science students and 16MCs for Pharmacy students must be letter-graded;
- Excludes module ES1000;
- Excludes modules with ‘EXE’, ‘IP’, ‘IC’ or ‘W’ grades;
- Includes half of the MCs of an 8 MCs UROPS module, or 4 MCs, in the computation of the student’s workload in the first semester, and the remaining 4 MCs in the computation of the second semester’s workload; and
- No MCs from the Honours project module to be included in the student’s workload in the first semester, and the full MCs to be counted in the second semester.
B) Semester Average Point (SAP)
Semester Average Point (SAP) is computed from grades achieved within the semester under consideration.
Only students with SAP of at least 4.30 will be considered.
Formula for computation of SAP: ∑(Grade Point* MCs)/∑ (MCs)
The computation of SAP for the Dean’s List:
• Excludes module ES1000; and
• Allows students to receive the full contribution to SAP from their 8 MCs UROPS and Honours project modules in the second semester.
^SCI1 is a course code given to all Science students who have just matriculated. Science students who have read and passed 40MCs will be promoted to SCI2. Science students who are not in their first two semesters of studies and have been promoted to SCI2 and above, and who have met the above mentioned criteria are eligible for Dean’s List.
^^PMC1 is a course code given to all Pharmacy students who have just matriculated. Pharmacy students who have read and passed all year 1 Pharmacy graduation requirement will be promoted to PMC2. Pharmacy students who are not in their first two semesters of studies and have been promoted to PMC2 and above, and who have met the above mentioned criteria are eligible for Dean’s List.
Financial Support
- For faculty-level financial support, visit https://www.science.nus.edu.sg/student-life-and-services/wellness-academic-financial-support/financial-support/
- For university-wide financial support, visit http://www.nus.edu.sg/registrar/administrative-policies-procedures/undergraduate/undergraduate-fees
Scholarship
- For faculty-level scholarship, visit https://www.science.nus.edu.sg/giving/science-merit-scholarships/
- For university-wide scholarship, visit http://www.nus.edu.sg/oam/scholarships/current-nus-undergraduates
Note:
NUS will adopt three new academic terminologies from 1 August 2023 - “Module” will be renamed “Course”, “Modular Credit (MC)” will be renamed “Unit”, and “Cumulative Average Point (CAP)” will be renamed “Grade Point Average (GPA)”. For more information, please click here (undergraduate) or here (graduate).