Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine
Research Programmes
Master of Science (MSc)/Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) by research
The students are enrolled for the MSc or PhD programme at admission and fulfil requirements to graduate either with a generic MSc or PhD degree. Students will undertake supervised research with staff members from any of the departments for their period of candidature, at the end of which, they submit a thesis that is examined by a Board of Examiners.
Only those candidates who have fulfilled the criteria for PhD will be awarded the PhD degree. All other candidates will have to fulfil the criteria for the MSc in order to be awarded the MSc degree.
MSc Programme
- A relevant Bachelor’s degree with at least a Second Class Honours or its equivalent
- The degree of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) or
- The degree of Bachelor of Dental Surgery and
- The ability to pursue research in the candidate’s proposed field of advanced study.
PhD Programme
- A good Master’s degree in a relevant discipline or
- A relevant Bachelor’s degree with at least a Second Upper Class Honours or its equivalent
- The degrees of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) or
- The degree of Bachelor of Dental Surgery and
- The ability to pursue research in the candidate’s proposed field of advanced study.
Other Requirements
TOEFL
As the medium of instruction is English, applicants whose native tongue and medium of undergraduate instruction is not English must submit TOEFL scores as evidence of their proficiency in the English Language. Exemptions will be given to applicants with distinctions in the Cambridge GCE ‘O’ level examination English Language Paper 1119. The minimum TOEFL score required is 580/237/85 for the paper-based, computer-based and internet-based tests respectively. For IELTS, the minimum score required is 6.5.
GRE
Applicants (except NUS & NTU graduates from relevant disciplines) must also submit GRE scores to support their application. A minimum total GRE score of 320 for the verbal and quantitative sections and 3.5 for the analytical section is required.
Unit Transfer and Exemptions
Unit transfer and exemption are allowed subject to the following conditions:
- There is no limit to the transfer of units for relevant courses that have not been used towards another degree at NUS or elsewhere.
- For relevant courses that have been credited towards another degree elsewhere, up to 50% of the units required in the coursework component of the NUS graduate research programme into which the candidate seeks admission may be exempted.
- For relevant NUS courses that have been credited towards another degree at NUS, on a case-by-case basis and subject to approval, more than 50% of the units required in the coursework component of the NUS graduate research programme may be allowed units and grade transfer.
- Only graduate courses at Level-5000 and above which are relevant to the degree programme to which the candidate seeks admission at NUS can be considered for unit transfer or exemption. In addition, only courses that have substantially the same learning objectives, content, and level of sophistication as the corresponding NUS course can be considered for unit transfer/exemption.
- Unit transfer and exemption is allowed only for courses that are taken less than ten years before the date of admission.
- Applications for unit transfer or exemptions must be submitted within the first month of study, preferably within two weeks of the start of the semester.
Curriculum Structure and Requirements
Candidates admitted to the graduate programme will undertake research under the supervision of staff members from the School for their period of candidature, at the end of which, they submit a thesis that is examined by a Board of Examiners. In addition, they are required to fulfil a coursework component comprising the following, to graduate either with a MSc or a PhD degree:
MSc : A total of 16 units comprising two core courses + elective courses (at Level-5000)
PhD : A total of 24 units comprising two core courses + elective courses (at Level-5000 & 6000)
To be confirmed a PhD candidate, a student is required to pass a PhD qualifying examination within two years from the date of admission.
Candidates deemed weak in English by the School would also have to sit for the Diagnostic English Test and take additional English Language courses conducted by the Centre for English Language Communication.
All PhD candidates are required to take ES5002 (Advanced Level Writing) regardless of their performance in the Diagnostic English Test.
Residency Requirements and Candidature
Residency requirements
All candidates must spend a minimum period of residence in Singapore as follows:
MSc : 6 months (one semester)
PhD : 18 months (three semesters)
Residency Requires:
- Payment of fees
- Satisfy all curricular requirements of the programme of study
- Satisfy other departmental requirements such as teaching assistance
Periods of study leave and overseas fieldwork do not count toward residency. In addition, MSc and PhD candidates must be resident during the semester in which they submit their thesis for examination.
Candidature
The following maximum candidature periods are inclusive of periods of approved study leave and leave of absence.
MSc : 36 months
PhD : 60 months
Continuation and Graduation requirements (for cohorts admitted before AY2020)
Continuation
For continuation of candidature, candidates have to meet the following Grade Point Average (GPA) set for coursework:
MSc : GPA should not fall below 2.50 for two consecutive semesters or 3.00 for three consecutive semesters
PhD : GPA should not fall below 3.00 for two consecutive semesters or 3.50 for three consecutive semesters
Termination of candidature would result if a student fails to maintain the minimum GPA as stipulated above.
For any semester in which the MSc candidate’s GPA falls below 3.00 (but ≥ 2.50), he/she will be issued an academic warning. If, in the following semester, the candidate’s GPA again falls below 3.00, he/she will be placed on probation. If the candidate’s GPA remains below 3.00 for the third consecutive semester, the candidate will be issued a letter of dismissal by the Registrar and denied re-admission.
MSc candidates with GPA below 2.50 for two consecutive semesters will be placed on probation for the first semester, followed by dismissal in the second semester.
A PhD candidate’s whose GPA falls below 3.50 (but ≥ 3.00), will be issued an academic warning. If the candidate’s GPA again falls below 3.50 in the following semester, he/she will be placed on probation. If the student’s GPA remains below 3.50 for a third consecutive semester, the student will be issued a letter of dismissal by the Registrar and denied re-admission.
PhD candidates whose GPA falls below 3.00 for two consecutive semesters will be placed on probation for the first semester, followed by dismissal in the second semester.
A student may also be issued a warning or placed on probation or be issued a letter of termination for poor performance in the PhD qualifying examination, research thesis, or other programme requirements.
Graduation Requirements
MSc
- Pass all prescribed core and elective courses with a minimum GPA of 3.00 (B-) for the prescribed courses
- Pass the Master’s Thesis
- A minimum grade of C+ for all levels of English course(s), where applicable
PhD
- Pass all prescribed core and elective courses with a minimum GPA of 3.50 (B) for the prescribed courses
- Pass the Qualifying Examination
- Pass the PhD Thesis and Oral Examination
- A minimum grade of C+ for all levels of English course(s), where applicable
Continuation and graduation requirements (for cohorts admitted with effect from AY2020)
Continuation
The School will decide on the continuation requirement of graduate research students who may be issued a warning, placed on probation, or terminated due to poor performance in their candidature requirements.
Graduation Requirements
MSc
- Pass all prescribed core and elective courses
- Pass the Master’s Thesis
- A minimum grade of C+ for all levels of English course(s), where applicable
PhD
- Pass all prescribed core and elective courses
- Pass the Qualifying Examination
- Pass the PhD Thesis and Oral Examination
- A minimum grade of C+ for all levels of English course(s), where applicable
Leave of absence
The University policies on leave of absence shall apply.
Examination rules
The University policies on examination rules shall apply.
For university-wide scholarship and financial assistance, visit http://www.nus.edu.sg/registrar/prospective-students/graduate/scholarship.
Cancer Science Institute of Singapore (CSI) PhD Programme
The Cancer Science Institute of Singapore offers a Graduate Programme in Cancer Biology.
The CSI Singapore Graduate Programme seeks to attract top scientific and medical talents interested in a career in cancer research. Graduate students will have access to world-class facilities dedicated to cancer research and can look forward to working with a dynamic team of globally renowned specialised scientists and clinicians in an intellectually stimulating environment.
This programme also aims to produce high-calibre researchers who are capable of independent research investigation, who will contribute original ideas that advance their specific field of cancer research, and are well-equipped to pursue careers in the field of cancer.
The students are enrolled for the PhD programme at admission and fulfil requirements to graduate with a generic PhD degree. There is no specialisation of the degrees awarded. Students will engage in supervised research with staff members from the Institute for their period of candidature, leading to submission of a thesis to a Board of Examiners.
Only candidates who have fulfilled the criteria for PhD will be awarded the PhD degree.
PhD Programme
- A good Master’s degree in a relevant discipline; or
- A relevant Bachelor’s degree with at least a Distinction or its equivalent; or
- The degrees of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS); and
- The ability to pursue research in the candidate’s proposed field of advanced study.
Other Requirements
TOEFL/IELTS
As the medium of instruction is English, applicants whose native tongue and medium of university undergraduate instruction are not English must submit TOEFL scores as evidence of their proficiency in the English Language. The minimum TOEFL score required is 580/237/85 for the paper-based, computer-based and internet-based tests respectively. Exemptions will be given to applicants with distinctions in the Cambridge GCE ‘O’ level examination English Language Paper 1119.
For IELTS, the minimum score required is 6.5.
The TOEFL/IELTS scores are valid for 2 years from the test date.
GRE
Applicants must also submit GRE scores to support their applications. A minimum total GRE score of 320 for the verbal and quantitative sections and of 3.5 for the analytical section is required. Exemptions will be given to graduates of NUS, NTU, SUTD and SMU who had graduated with Honours (Highest Distinction).
The GRE scores are valid for 5 years from the test date.
Curriculum Structure and Requirements
Candidates admitted to the graduate programme will undertake research under the supervision of staff members from the Institute for their period of candidature, leading to the submission of a thesis to a Board of Examiners. In addition, candidates are required to fulfil a coursework component comprising the following:
PhD : A total of 24 units comprising four core courses + 2 elective courses (at Level- 5000 & 6000).
To be confirmed as a PhD candidate, a student is required to pass a PhD qualifying examination within two years from the date of admission.
Candidates deemed weak in English by the School would also have to sit for the Diagnostic English Test and take additional English Language courses conducted by the Centre for English Language Communication.
All PhD candidates are required to take ES5002 (Advanced Level Writing) regardless of their performance in the Diagnostic English Test.
Residency Requirements and Candidature
Residency requirements
All candidates must spend a minimum period of residence in Singapore as follows:
PhD : 18 months (three semesters)
Residency Requires:
- Payment of fees (not applicable to full-time candidates)
- Satisfying all curricular requirements of the programme of study
- Satisfying other departmental requirements such as teaching assistance
Periods of study leave and overseas fieldwork do not count toward residency. In addition, PhD candidates must be resident during the semester in which they submit their thesis for examination.
Candidature
The following maximum candidature periods are inclusive of periods of approved study leave and leave of absence.
PhD : 60 months
Laboratory Rotation Scheme
All full-time candidates will be subject to a laboratory rotation scheme to identify a suitable thesis advisor. This scheme requires candidates to participate in three laboratory rotations before choosing a thesis advisor. Each rotation will last two months. Candidates should confirm a thesis advisor by the end of the laboratory rotation scheme.
To achieve an even distribution of students among the labs, each supervisor in CSI Singapore will only be allowed to take in one full-time candidate per intake. As such, candidates may not be able to join the lab of their choice.
Continuation and Graduation Requirements
Continuation
For continuation of candidature, candidates have to meet the following Grade Point Average (GPA) set for coursework:
PhD : GPA should not fall below 3.00 for two consecutive semesters or 3.60 for three consecutive semesters.
Termination of candidature would result if a student fails to maintain the minimum GPA as stipulated above.
A PhD student with a GPA falling below 3.60 (but ≥ 3.00) will be issued an academic warning. If the candidate’s GPA again falls below 3.60 in the following semester, he/she will be placed on probation. If the student’s GPA remains below 3.60 for a third consecutive semester, the candidate will be issued a letter of dismissal by the Registrar and denied re-admission.
PhD candidates whose GPA falls below 3.00 for two consecutive semesters will be placed on probation for the first semester, followed by dismissal in the second semester.
A student may also be issued a warning or placed on probation or be issued a letter of termination for poor performance in the PhD qualifying examination, research thesis, or other programme requirements.
Graduation Requirements
- Pass all prescribed core and elective courses with a minimum GPA of 3.60 for the prescribed courses
Pass the Qualifying Examination - Pass the PhD Thesis and Oral Examination
- A minimum grade of C+ for all levels of English course(s), where applicable.
Leave of absence
The University policies on leave of absence shall apply.
Examination rules
The University policies on examination rules shall apply.
Financial support in the form of scholarships is available for qualified candidates.
CSI Singapore PhD Graduate Scholarship
Interviews
All shortlisted applicants will be required to attend an interview.
Application
Application opens from October to mid-January every year. Please visit our website at https://www.csi.nus.edu.sg/web/training-program/graduate-program/for-prospective-graduates/
Research Programmes in Nursing
Opportunities abound for nursing research to make a substantial impact on population health and improve approaches to patient care. The shift in emphasis from treatment to prevention of illness and from acute illness to chronic conditions, as well as an urgent need to translate successful research findings into clinical practice has led framed the research training agenda at the Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies (NUS Nursing). Teaching processes in the graduate research programmes aim to develop a dynamic, vital, and productive community of investigators who conduct rigorous research to establish the scientific and evidence base for patient care.
Objectives:
The MSc (Nursing) and PhD programmes aim to develop graduates characterised by their:
- ability to identify, formulate, and address problems through research;
- drive for evidence-based nursing research and practice;
- creative and strategic approach to lead the nursing profession nationally and internationally;
- entrepreneurial spirit to lead innovation which will impact on the profession and the health care industry.
The following degrees will be offered:
- Master of Science (Nursing) [MSc (Nursing)]
- Doctor of Philosophy [PhD]
The MSc (Nursing) degree is designed to provide research training specifically for nurses who have a Bachelor degree without an Honours component. It will provide both stand-alone postgraduate research training and serve as a pathway to the PhD programme for nurses without an Honours degree.
The PhD will be offered with two flexible options:
Option A: A traditional thesis of a maximum of 80,000 words; or
Option B: An integrated thesis by publication of a maximum of 80,000 words.
Degree Requirements and Curriculum Structure
The MSc (Nursing) comprises 20 units and a 40,000 word thesis.
The PhD comprises 28 units and an 80,000 word thesis.
Students will undertake research under the supervision of staff members from NUS Nursing for their period of candidature, at the end of which a thesis will be submitted for examination by the Thesis Examination Panel. In addition to the research component, students are required to fulfil a coursework component comprising of the following:
MSc (Nursing) : 3 core + 1 elective course
PhD : 3 core + 3 elective courses
Courses taken will be at levels 5000 and 6000 and must be equivalent to at least 4 units. Elective courses can be chosen from those offered by NUS Nursing or any School or Research Institutes/Centres affiliated with the National University of Singapore (subject to the university guidelines). These are subject to the approval of the thesis advisors and the Head of NUS Nursing.
To be confirmed a PhD candidate; a student is required to pass a PhD qualifying examination within two years from the date of admission.
Candidates deemed weak in English by NUS Nursing would also have to sit for the Diagnostic English Test and take additional English Language courses conducted by the Centre for English Language Communication.
All PhD candidates are required to take ES5002 (Advanced Level Writing) regardless of their performance in the Diagnostic English Test.
Residency Requirements and Candidature
Residency requirements
All candidates must spend a minimum period of residence in Singapore as follows:
MSc (Nursing) : 6 months (one semester)
PhD : 18 months (three semesters)
Residency requires:
- Payment of fees;
- Satisfying all curricular requirements of the programme of study; and
- Satisfying other departmental requirements such as teaching assistance
Periods of study leave and overseas fieldwork do not count toward residency. In addition, MSc (Nursing) and PhD candidates must be resident during the semester in which they submit their thesis for examination.
Candidature
The following maximum candidature periods are inclusive of periods of approved study leave and leave of absence.
MSc (Nursing) : 36 months (Full-time & Part-time)
PhD : 60 months (Full-time & Part-time)
Continuation and graduation requirements
Continuation
For continuation of candidature, candidates have to meet the following Grade Point Average (GPA) set for coursework:
MSc (Nursing) : GPA should not fall below 2.50 for two consecutive semesters or 3.00 for three consecutive semesters
PhD : GPA should not fall below 3.00 for two consecutive semesters or 3.50 for three consecutive semesters
Termination of candidature would result if a student fails to maintain the minimum GPA as stipulated above.
MSc (Nursing) candidate whose GPA falls below 3.00 (but ≥ 2.50), will be issued an academic warning. If the candidate’s GPA again falls below 3.00 in the following semester, he/she will be placed on probation. If the candidate’s GPA remains below 3.00 for the third consecutive semester, the candidate will be issued a letter of dismissal by the Registrar and denied re-admission.
MSc (Nursing) candidates whose GPA falls below 2.50 for two consecutive semesters will be placed on probation for the first semester, followed by dismissal in the second semester.
A PhD candidate whose GPA falls below 3.50 (but ≥ 3.00), will be issued an academic warning. If the candidate’s GPA again falls below 3.50 in the following semester, he/she will be placed on probation. If the student’s GPA remains below 3.50 for the third consecutive semester, the student will be issued a letter of dismissal by the Registrar and denied re-admission.
PhD candidates whose GPA falls below 3.00 for two consecutive semesters will be placed on probation for the first semester, followed by dismissal in the second semester.
A student may also be issued a warning, placed on probation or be issued a letter of termination for poor performance in the PhD qualifying examination, research thesis, or other programme requirements.
Such a student may appeal the dismissal if there are extenuating circumstances. The appeal must be submitted to NUS Nursing within two calendar weeks of the last day of the release of each semester’s examination results.
Generally, a student is allowed only one such appeal per candidature. If the appeal is rejected, the student will not be readmitted. If the outcome of the appeal is positive, the student will be given one semester in which to achieve the minimum GPA required for continuation and graduation.
Graduation Requirements
MSc (Nursing)
- Pass three core and one elective courses (with 20 units)
- A GPA of at least 3.00 (B-) in the elective course
- A Satisfactory grade in the three core courses
- Pass the MSc (Nursing) Thesis
- A minimum grade of C+ for all levels of English course(s) where applicable
PhD
- Pass three core and three elective courses (with 28 units)
- A GPA of at least 3.50 (B) in the elective courses
- A Satisfactory grade in the three core courses
- Pass the Qualifying Examination comprising of a comprehensive written examination and oral defence of the PhD Thesis proposal
- Satisfactory performance at the annual PhD Symposium (formative assessment)
- Pass the PhD Thesis and Oral Examination
- A minimum grade of C+ for all levels of English course(s), where applicable
Leave of absence
The University policies on leave of absence shall apply.
Examination rules
The University policies on examination rules shall apply.
Admission Requirements
MSc (Nursing) Programme
- Has a minimum of one year work experience at the point of entry into the course
- Bachelor’s degree in Nursing or healthcare-related subjects with at least a Second Class Honours or its equivalent; or
- Coursework Master’s degree in Nursing or healthcare-related subjects with a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.50 or above; or
- Bachelor’s degree in Nursing or healthcare-related subjects and evidence of outcomes from a research project equivalent to 25% of one year’s full-time study
PhD Programme
- Has a minimum of one year work experience at the point of entry into the course
- Bachelor’s degree in Nursing or healthcare-related subjects with at least a Second Upper Class Honours or its equivalent; or
- Coursework Master’s degree in Nursing or healthcare-related subjects with a GPA of 3.50 or above.
- Candidates are also expected to have the ability to pursue research in their proposed field of advanced study.
Other Requirements
TOEFL/IELTS
As the medium of instruction is English, applicants whose native tongue and medium of university undergraduate instruction are not English must submit TOEFL scores as evidence of their proficiency in the English language. The minimum TOEFL score required is 580/237/85 for the paper-based, computer-based and internet-based tests respectively. Exemptions will be given to applicants with distinctions in the Cambridge GCE ‘O’ level examination English Language Paper 1119.
For IELTS, the minimum score required is 6.
The TOEFL/IELTS scores are valid for 2 years from the test date.
GRE
GRE is compulsory for all applicants. Exemption will be given to graduates who have obtained a Bachelor’s degree with Honours (Distinction and above) from NUS and graduates who have obtained a Bachelor’s degree with Honours (Highest Distinction) from NTU/SUTD/SMU.
Please quote ‘0677’ for the University code. There is no Department Code.
A minimum total GRE score of 320 for the verbal and quantitative sections and 3.5 for the Analytical section is required.
The GRE scores are valid for 5 years from the test date.
Unit Transfer and Exemptions
- Candidates may apply for unit transfer/course exemption, subject to the approval of NUS Nursing.
- There is no limit to the transfer of units for relevant courses that have not been used towards another degree at NUS or elsewhere.
- For relevant courses that have been credited towards another degree elsewhere, up to 50% of the units required in the coursework component of the NUS graduate research programme into which the candidate seeks admission may be exempted.
- For relevant NUS courses that have been credited towards another degree at NUS, on a case-by-case basis and subject to approval, more than 50% of the units required in the coursework component of the NUS graduate research programme may be allowed unit and grade transfer.
- Only graduate courses completed at level 5000 and above which are relevant to the degree programme to which the candidate seeks admission, with substantially the same learning objectives, content, and level of sophistication as the corresponding NUS course may be considered for unit transfer/exemption.
- Unit transfer and exemption is allowed only for courses that are taken less than five years before the date of admission.
- Applications for unit transfer and exemption should be submitted within the first month of candidature.
For university-wide scholarship and financial assistance, visit https://nusgs.nus.edu.sg/scholarships/ and https://nusgs.nus.edu.sg/financial-aid/ respectively.