NUS Bulletin AY2021/22

Programme Objectives

The strategic objective of the M (Arch) programme is to prepare students for a professional career in architecture in a rapidly changing global context, with experiences developed from Singapore and international perspectives. It hopes to achieve this with a team of international academics and practitioners:

1. To develop intellectual and critical thinking skills in and around the field of architecture.
2. To develop rigour in the discipline of architectural design and the ability to integrate the many aspects – theoretical and practical – in the design process.
3. To develop ability in scholarly research.
4. To further the concept of tropical environment architecture.

Design is the central core discipline. It is complemented by other courses that focus on the technological, ethical, and professional and management aspects of architecture. Design constitutes approximately two thirds of the M (Arch) course content. The design programmes offered in the M (Arch) programme are generally more complex in nature. Students are expected to demonstrate rigour in their approach towards designs. The final schemes should not merely demonstrate competence but also draw in other ethical and cultural issues with which the schemes are engaged.

Entry Requirements

Candidates are required to possess:
a) a BA (Arch) Hons accredited degree    OR
b) BA (Arch) accredited degree

Applicants must provide proof of accreditation by a National Accreditation Board or the Board of Architects of the country of origin; or Board of Architects (Singapore), subjected to approval by the Board of Graduate Studies.External candidates admitted to the M (Arch) programme need to fulfil min C grade for AR5801 Options Design Research Studio 1 and AR5802 Options Design Research Studio 2 in order to proceed to M (Arch) final year.

Please refer to the link for the criteria for BA (Arch) concurrent degree programme (CDP) students.

Candidates who meet the relevant requisites would also be considered for specialisation in Urban Design in the M (Arch) final year (see http://www.nus.edu.sg/nusbulletin/school-of-design-and-environment/graduate-education/coursework-programmes/degree-requirements/master-of-architecture-with-specialisation-in-urban-design/).

Graduates of this programme will have a prerequisite degree for professional registration in Singapore.

Graduation Requirements

Successful completion of the M (Arch) programme requires a candidate to complete 80 MCs of four electives and nine essential modules. To graduate, students have to fulfil the degree requirement of:

• Minimum CAP of 3.00 and
• Minimum grade B- for AR5807

Period of Candidature

The programme is conducted on a full-time basis lasting two years consisting of four semesters. The maximum period of candidature is limited to six semesters.

Syllabus

Programme Objectives

The rapid urbanisation of the Asian landscape and the equally swift transformation of its cities create an urgent need in the region for design professionals, especially practising architects and planners, to deal with problems of designing within existing urban fabrics and in the periphery of rapidly growing cities. Exposure to a wide scale of design issues ranges from the layout of towns and the restructuring of inner cities to the shaping of streets as settings for public life. The provision of open spaces that nurture civic consciousness also require in-depth consideration.

The M (Arch) programme with specialisation in Urban Design aims to offer a broad based education in the theory and practice of urban design to enhance the knowledge and abilities of professional architects involved in the design, creation, and evaluation of urban spaces. More specifically, the programme hopes to achieve the following objectives:

1. Produce environmentally and socially responsible professionals who are committed to the provision of good urban public areas.
2. Develop analytical and methodological skills that are critical foundations to urban design processes.
3. Provide exposure, at an advanced level, to the full range of issues that bear upon the design and realisation of large scale urban space.
4. Prepare students for advanced careers in urban design, consulting, research or public service, or in preparation for further academic training.

Entry Requirements

Entry requirements include completion of the M (Arch) preparatory programme with minimum CAP of 2.50, and minimum ‘B+’ average for AR5801 Options Design Research Studio 1 and AR5802 Options Design Research Studio 2 with portfolio review.

Graduation Requirements

Successful completion of the M (Arch) (specialisation in Urban Design) requires a candidate to complete 80 MCs of eleven essential modules and five electives. To graduate, students have to fulfil the degree requirement of:

• Minimum CAP of 3.00 and
• Minimum C in UD5601 and UD5602 with at least ‘B’ – in either UD5601 or UD5602

Period of Candidature

The programme is conducted on a full-time basis lasting two years consisting of four semesters. The maximum period of candidature is limited to six semesters.

Syllabus

Programme Objectives

M (Arch) with specialisation in DTS offers a broad based architectural education that advances design investigation into technology and sustainability. It seeks to cultivate design approaches involving critical thinking, holistic perception, technical imagination and sustainability literacy. The programme aims to achieve the following objectives:

1. Produce environmentally and socially responsible professionals who are committed to the provision of comprehensive architectural design.
2. Develop analytical and methodological skills that are critical foundations to design processes integrating technology.
3. Provide exposure to the full range of issues that bear upon the design and realization of buildings addressing sustainability.

Entry Requirements

This specialisation is available only to NUS BA (Architecture) concurrent degree students (CDP) with effect from AY2018/2019.

Please refer to link for the criteria for BA (Arch) concurrent degree programme (CDP) students.

Graduation Requirements

Successful completion of the M (Arch) with specialisation in DTS requires a candidate to complete 84 MCs of ten essential modules and four electives. To graduate, students have to fulfil the degree requirement of:

• Minimum CAP of 3.00 and
• Minimum grade ‘B-‘ for AR5808

Period of Candidature

The programme shall be conducted on a full-time basis lasting two years consisting of four semesters. The maximum period of candidature is limited to six semesters.

Syllabus

Programme Objectives

The Master of Arts (Urban Design) programme is an intensive course that aims to inculcate in graduates the ability to study the city in more complex and inclusive terms and to design successful urban spaces that take into careful consideration current and future users based on an understanding of a wide range of issues including those impinging on economics, ecology, sociology, environmental psychology, technology, urban geography, cultural theory to real estate.

The primary aim of the Master of Arts (Urban Design) is to offer a broad-based education in the theory and practice of urban design to enhance the knowledge and abilities of professionals involved in the design, creation, and evaluation of urban spaces.

Entry Requirements

• Bachelor of Architecture / Bachelor of Arts (Architecture) (Hons) OR Master of Architecture OR Honours / Graduate degree in a related discipline (minimum 4-year undergraduate degree is required)
• Interview, and portfolio review where necessary
• Relevant experience in a related discipline is preferred

Graduation Requirements

Successful completion of the programme requires a candidate to:
Option 1: Complete one dissertation and to pass six essential modules and one elective.
Option 2: Do two elective modules in lieu of Dissertation, i.e., Pass six essential modules (including urban design studios) and three elective modules.

Total number of Modular Credits required is 44. Minimum CAP for graduation is 3.00.

Period of Candidature

The programme can be completed in one year on a full-time basis, or in two years on a part-time basis. The maximum period of candidature is four semesters for full-time candidates, and six semesters for part-time candidates.

Field Trip

Urban Design Studio 2 (UD5602) will include a compulsory one-week international workshop in the form of a field trip to a regional city to work with the relevant local planning/design authority and academic institution (cost of field trip borne by the student).

Syllabus

(Elective modules listed may not be offered in any one academic semester or year.)

* For students who choose to do two electives in lieu of Dissertation

The Department of Architecture at the National University of Singapore (NUS) offers a new Master of Arts in Architectural Conservation (MAArC) (Coursework) programme, starting in the Academic Year 2020/2021.

The programme aims to offer a unique perspective on diverse Asian cultures, to provide students with comprehensive knowledge and essential hands-on training and experience to develop skills for a range of careers in historic building conservation and related fields. It will offer diverse opportunities for the students to enhance their existing skills or to build new skills to advance their careers. This programme through its balanced approach towards architectural conservation theory and practice with Asia as its central focus, endeavour to train the future policymakers, architects, craftspersons, academics, real estate entrepreneurs, engineers, and surveyors to excel in their careers for the sustainable management of the historic environment. 

Please refer to https://www.sde.nus.edu.sg/arch/programmes/master-of-arts-in-architectural-conservation/ for more information. 

Programme Objective

The Master of Landscape Architecture (M (LA)) is offered as a two-year, full-time professional degree programme. Modules are taught by highly qualified staff from the School of Design & Environment’s Department of Architecture, who bring to the curriculum in-depth practical experience and cutting edge research.

The programme is unique in its focus on the urban elements of landscape architecture. This emphasis distinguishes it from many traditional landscape schools which focus on rurality or sub-urbanity. The M (LA) programme aims to develop specialised knowledge which addresses the challenges facing Asian cities and mega cities situated in the tropics. With as much as two thirds of the world’s population living in the tropics and the sheer richness in variety of flora and fauna, this Asian context poses a thought-provoking challenge for urban landscape designers.

In addition, the programme’s location in Singapore allows students access to a veritable landscape architecture design laboratory for new urban landscape concepts such as vertical greenery, sky-rise greenery and urban green networks.

Entry Requirements

This is a two-year full-time professional degree programme providing education and training in landscape architecture. The programme consists of 15 essential modules spread over two years: Masters Preparatory Year and Masters Final Year.

Students with a previous Bachelor degree in Landscape Architecture recognised by the Department of Architecture and Singapore Institute of Landscape Architects will be admitted to the preparatory year which is similar to the 4th year of the Bachelor of Arts (Architecture) (specialisation in Landscape Architecture) programme.

Candidates are required to pass all the modules in the preparatory programme with a minimum B- average for LA4701 and LA4702 and minimum CAP of 2.50 before they are allowed to proceed to the one-year M (LA) final year programme.

Graduation Requirements

The M (LA) programme requires a candidate to complete 40 MCs of a dissertation and six essential modules. To graduate, students have to fulfil the additional requirements of:

• Minimum CAP of 3.00 and
• Minimum grade B- for both LA5701 and LA5702

Period of Candidature

The programme shall be conducted on a full-time basis lasting two years consisting of four semesters. The maximum period of candidature is limited to six semesters.

Syllabus

Programme Objective

The Master of Science (Building Performance and Sustainability) programme is a multi-disciplinary educational programme. The aim of the programme is to offer graduates of different disciplines, who are engaged in design, construction, commissioning, operation and maintenance of building systems and services, an opportunity to acquire knowledge and practice in the broad field of Building Performance and Sustainability. This knowledge is vital for those engaged in such activities in the 21st century that confronts mankind with irreversible effects of climate change and potentially adverse consequences now and in the future. This global phenomenon necessitates a paradigm shift towards creating buildings that are not only comfortable and healthy for the occupants but are also sustainable. Whilst the Master of Science (Building Performance and Sustainability) programme is firmly embedded with the challenges and issues in the building sector faced in the rapidly developing urbanization of cities in the tropical belt of the world that has the potential to impact in excess of 2 billion people, it also addresses similar fundamental issues related to other climates and cultures elsewhere in the world.

Entry Requirements

At least a bachelor’s degree with honours in a relevant discipline.
Candidates should have at least two years of relevant practical experience after their first degree.
A good TOEFL score (580) or equivalent is required of applicants whose medium of undergraduate instruction is not in English.

Graduation Requirements

The Master of Science (Building Performance and Sustainability) is a multi-disciplinary educational programme that can be completed in 1 year on a full-time basis, or in 2 years on a part-time basis.

Successful completion of the programme requires a candidate to pass 40 Modular Credits comprising 9 graduate level modules; or 7 graduate level modules and complete a dissertation. This includes an 8 MC studio module. The requirements for Prescribed Elective (PE) modules can be fulfilled by choosing any module(s) from the list of PE modules in the Master of Science (Building Performance and Sustainability) programme.  There is also a provision to read up to a maximum of two Unrestricted Elective (UE) modules.

Period of Candidature

The graduation requirements of 40 modular credits (MCs) are to be done within a maximum period of 4 semesters for full-time candidates, and 6 semesters for part-time candidates, and with a minimum Cumulative Average Point (CAP) of 3.00.

Syllabus

Programme Objectives

The MSc (Environmental Management) programme is a multi-faculty programme of the University, hosted by the School of Design and Environment. The programme is taught by faculty members from the school, and six other faculties in the University. Faculty members from the following Faculties or schools in the University teach on it:

• School of Design and Environment
• Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
• NUS Business School
• Faculty of Engineering
• Faculty of Law
• Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine (Dept of Community, Occupational and Family Medicine)
• Faculty of Science

The MEM programme has an MOU with the School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University, and one faculty member of the School teaches on the programme.

The objectives of the MEM programme are:

• to provide an internationally recognised graduate degree in environmental management for mid- and senior-level managers in the public and private sectors in Singapore and the Asia-Pacific;
• to equip graduates with the necessary knowledge to properly manage the environment and to deal with the challenges of an environmentally conscious society and international market; and
• to enable graduates to assume responsible and influential roles in the public and private sectors and to make sound decisions that support sustainable development.

Entry Requirements

• A good undergraduate degree with honours from a well-recognized university
• Relevant working experience in environmental management, or environment-related fields in either the public or private sectors.
• For applicants from universities whose academic standards are not widely known, additional requirements may be stipulated.
• These may include the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) and/or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).
• For candidates whose medium of undergraduate instruction is not in English, a good Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score is also required.
• Applicants with undergraduate degrees (and graduate degrees, if any) from Myanmar are required to submit documentary evidence of their TOEFL or IELTS scores.

Graduation Requirements

The MSc (Environmental Management) (MEM) Programme can be undertaken either full-time (one academic year) or part-time (two academic years). Candidates would be required to complete a 40 MCs programme, of which the main components are the following seven Core Modules.

To fulfil the requirements of the graduate coursework degrees programmes offered by the School of Design and Environment, a candidate must attain a minimum CAP of 3.00.

The candidature of a student will be terminated if he/she obtains the following:

1. a CAP of less than 2.50 for two consecutive semesters.
2. a CAP of less than 3.00 for three consecutive semesters.

In addition, each candidate must complete either one Elective module and a study report of 10,000 words, or a dissertation of 20,000 words. The candidate may choose the Elective from a wide range of modules related to the environment, offered by any of the faculties in NUS. Candidates are also required to attend a non-examinable seminar module, which covers, from an interdisciplinary perspective, global environmental issues and particular environmental challenges facing the Asian region. Speakers at these seminars are leaders in the specialised fields from the public and private sectors, as well as non-governmental organisations, both local and international.

Period of Candidature

Full-time candidates must complete the requirements of the programme within a maximum candidature period of four semesters (two years), and part-time candidates, a maximum period of six semesters (three years).

Syllabus

Conduct of Classes

Most of the classes are held in the School of Design and Environment. Most classes are held in the evenings, from 6.30 pm to 9.30 pm, with the exception of Elective Modules which may be held in the other Faculties or schools during other periods of the day.

Part-time candidates generally would be expected to attend two three-hour evening classes per week in each semester. Full-time candidates would attend, on average, four three-hour evening classes per week.

The modules are delivered in the form of interactive lectures, seminars, workshops and case studies. Field trips are arranged regularly, usually on Saturdays.

Under the compulsory Seminar Programme, seminars are held at regular intervals, usually on Friday evenings. Some intensive short courses, such as the one on Environmental Ethics, are occasionally held on Saturday mornings.

This programme is offered by the NUS School of Design and Environment, jointly managed by the Departments of Architecture and Building.

Programme Objectives

The MSc ISD is a unique one-year post-professional degree programme for individuals with an interest in the sustainable development of the built environment. The programme’s past and current students include architects, engineers, landscape architects, urban planners, project managers and educators.

The programme offers insights, knowledge and skill-sets for a holistic approach to sustainability. The programme curriculum has four areas of emphases:

• The Asian Context | The programme asks what it means to design and build for Asia. It inculcates a sensitivity to climate, socio-economic factors and environmental vulnerabilities that are particular to the region.
• Buildings & Cities | The programme’s modules examine different scales at which the built environment is designed and operated. The first semester is devoted to the building scale; the second semester probes the urban scale. In bothcases, candidates are taught to understand the interdependency of buildings and urban networks.
• Strategic Thinking | Modules emphasise strategic and critical thinking over text-book learning. This is about asking the right questions at the start of the design-construction process.
• Interactive, Integrative, Multidisciplinary | Learning focuses on process: the how and why of decision making. It advocates synergy between disciplines and stakeholders, bridging knowledge and viewpoints.

Entry Requirements

Candidates are selected on the basis of their academic qualifications and industry experience. An applicant must assemble the following:

1. Evidence of a bachelor’s degree with honours in Architecture, Engineering, Landscape Architecture, Planning/Urban Design, Project and Facility Management or other building-related degree programmes, or qualifications as may be approved by National University of Singapore’s Senate.
2. A detailed CV and project portfolio, the former describing at least two years of relevant practical experience and the latter illustrating this with projects in which the applicant has had an active role. The portfolio should be no larger than A4 format and it should highlight, in particular, the candidate’s role in each project.
   It is important that the CV and portfolio are used to illustrate the candidate’s interest and experience in the subject of sustainability. This may include non-professional activities, where possible, for instance community and/or environmental activism, contributions to print or online publications, etc. 
3. Letters of reference from at least two persons who know the applicant well in an academic or professional capacity.
4. An essay explaining in what way the question of sustainability is important to the candidate’s home country/city/region, what s/he plans to do after graduation, and why, specifically, s/he has chosen MSc ISD. The essay should not exceed 2000 words.
5. TOEFL score of 580 or equivalent for applicants whose first degree is not taught in English.

Shortlisted candidates may be asked to appear for an interview. Where an applicant is not based in Singapore, the interview will take place via the internet.

Graduation requirements

The graduation requirement is 40 modular credits (MCs) and with a Cumulative Average Point (CAP) of at least 3.0. The 40 MCs can be attained by taking essential modules and two elective modules from existing master coursework programmes.

The programme is taught via six lecture modules and two studio projects.

Period of Candidature

The programme can be completed in one year (Students may join in Semester 1 or Semester 2), full time, or two years, part-time.

Syllabus

Introduction

The Master of Science (Project Management) [MSc(PM)] programme was established in 1986, making it one of the oldest project management programmes in the world. It aims to provide professionals with the sound management skills and techniques necessary for the successful completion of complex projects in different industries. Participants from overseas feature strongly on all intakes and the wide mix of expertise allows for meaningful exchange and interaction at graduate level.

The programme has two tracks:

• Normal track (3 essential modules +  any 4 PM modules + 3 UE modules); and
• Specialization track (3 essential modules + any 5 specialization modules + 2 UE modules).

Students are encouraged to take UE modules from other faculties to suit their professional specializations.

Admission Requirements

At least a bachelor’s degree with honours in a relevant discipline.
Candidates should have at least two years of relevant practical experience after their first degrees.

Period of candidature

The Master of Science (Project Management) programme can be completed in one year on a full-time basis, or in two years on a part-time basis.

Syllabus

The programme operates on full-time (one year) and part-time modes (two years). It is taught by senior faculty members and industry experts.

The new programme is offered jointly by the Departments of Architecture and Real Estate.

Programme Objectives

The Master of Urban Planning(MUP) is a two-year multi-disciplinary programme that offers motivated individuals with all the necessary spatial design and intellectual skills to become urban planning professionals that will meet the challenges of a rapidly urbanising world. The programme builds on existing teaching content and research strengths of the Departments of Architecture and the Department of Real Estate, namely Spatial Design, Sustainability and Development Financing.

The programme seeks to produce graduates who, as individuals,are global citizens and responsible members of society, make ethical choices in matters of environment and society, and as well-rounded planning professionals, are equipped with  urban planning and spatial design and communication skills to contribute to the development of sustainable cities and regions. In addition, they learn to be holistic in the analysis and understanding of complex underlying issues that impact cities and regions, focus on the physical planning and the spatial design of the overall structure or individual elements of the territory,and  adopt an integrated approach in developing multi-disciplinary planning solutions.

Key Emphases of the Programme:

1. Integration of multi-disciplinary knowledge
   The synergy between disciplines and stakeholders, during the design process, can result in more holistic outcomes. On the studio-based projects where student teams solve problems together and, in the process, rethink disciplinary boundaries.
2. Focus on the Asian Context 
   The programme, through the various taught modules, keep abreast of the latest global knowledge to develop innovative urban and regional planning solutions focused on Asian context of rapidly urbanizing and high density environments.
3. Exposed to Different Planning Skills
   The acquisition of spatial planning skills will equip graduates with the ability to ‘zoom’ between scales, using the design and planning tools that are appropriate to the different scales but without losing sight of the overall picture.

Entry Requirements

Candidates are selected on the basis of their academic qualifications and relevant industry experience. An applicant must submit the following:

1. Evidence of at least a bachelor’s degree in a spatial design discipline (Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Urban Design, Urban Planning) or a related field of study (Urban Studies, Geography, Real Estate, Civil Engineering)
2. A detailed curriculum vitae and/or project portfolio.
3. TOEFL score of 92 (internet-based testing) or equivalent for applicants whose first degree is not taught in English.

Graduation requirements

The graduation requirement is 80 modular credits (MCs) and with a Cumulative Average Point (CAP) of at least 3.00. The 80 MCs are attained by completing the following:

• Four Essential Modules (Studio Projects) comprising 24 modular credits (MCs),
• Seven Essential Modules (Non-Studio) comprising 28 modular credits (MCs)
• Seven Elective Modules, selected from the multidisciplinary basket of approved modules, comprising 28 modular credits (MCs).

Period of Candidature

The MUP programme is designed to be completed in four semesters (two years) on a full-time basis.

Full-time candidates must complete the requirements of the programme within a maximum candidature period of six semesters (three years).

Syllabus

Asian Master of Urbanism Certificate Programme

The AMU certificate is designed for students who are enrolled in the Master of Urban Planning Programme in NUS and its equivalent Master’s degree programmes in Tongji University, Tsinghua University and The University of Tokyo. Students enrolled in the AMU programme may spend two semesters at the home university and up to two semesters at any two participating host universities. Modules taken at the overseas universities would be mapped to home university modules accordingly. Upon completion of all graduation requirements of the Certificate Programme, the AMU student will receive a certificate which is jointly signed by the representatives of all the partnering universities.