NUS Bulletin AY2024/25

The research degree provides training in a particular subject area through independent investigation, study and experimental work, culminating in the submission of a thesis on the research undertaken. A supervisor or supervisors will be appointed for each candidate. Candidates are required to attend appropriate lectures/seminars and sit for written examinations.

The following Masters and Doctoral degrees are awarded upon completion of the research programme:

• Master of Arts;
• Master of Social Sciences; or
• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).

Teaching and supervision of graduate research students are undertaken by the following Departments / Programmes:

• Chinese Studies
• Communications and New Media
• Comparative Asian Studies
• Cultural Studies in Asia
• Economics
• English, Linguistics and Theatre Studies
• Geography
• History
• Japanese Studies
• Malay Studies
• Philosophy
• Political Science
• Psychology
• Social Work
• Sociology and Anthropology
• South Asian Studies Programme
• Southeast Asian Studies

For admission requirements and further details, please refer to https://fass.nus.edu.sg/prospective-students/graduate/research/admission-requirements/; and https://fass.nus.edu.sg/prospective-students/graduate/research/programme-requirements/, respectively.

• Curricula Requirements and Curriculum Structure

The following provides a synopsis of the main curricular requirements for both Masters and Doctoral programmes. For details, please visit the websites of the individual Departments/Programmes.

Masters

• • A minimum of four courses. (Some Departments may require more than four. Please consult Department websites for the number and level of courses required.)
  • Masters thesis (maximum 30,000 words, except for thesis in Chinese/Japanese); and
  • English course (intermediate level), where applicable

Doctor of Philosophy

• • A minimum of six courses. (Some Departments may require more than six. Please consult Department websites for the number and level of courses required.)
  • Doctoral students admitted from AY2022/2023 are required to achieve a minimum grade of C for NG5001 Academic Communication for Graduate Researchers. Students can choose to opt for the “Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory” (S/U) grade
  • Doctoral students admitted from AY2024/2025 are required to achieve a “Completed Satisfactorily” grade for NG5002 Research Ethics for Graduate Researchers. Master’s students admitted from AY2024/2025 are not required to take the course unless they are upgrading to PhD.
  • Doctoral thesis (maximum 80,000 words, except for thesis in Chinese/Japanese); and
  • English course (advanced level*), where applicable

*Doctoral students admitted before AY2022/2023 who have not completed the advanced English course will read NG5001 in place of the advanced English                         course.

• Credit & Grade Transfer/Course Exemption

Candidates may apply for credit & grade transfer/course exemption, subject to the approval of the Faculty. Students who would like to request a transfer of credit & grade or seek exemption from taking courses should submit the application(s) within the first semester of study, preferably at the point of admission. Only courses already completed at level 5000 and higher, and relevant to the programme will be considered for possible credit & grade transfer/course exemption. The courses taken must have substantially the same learning objectives, content, and level of sophistication as the corresponding NUS courses from which the student is to be exempted. The courses must have been taken no more than five years before the date of admission. Generally candidates may gain exemption only for NUS level-5000 courses. Level-6000 courses may also be considered on a case-by-case basis. Credit & grade transfer/course exemption is also subject to the following conditions:

• Assessment Modes/Examination Rules

Unless otherwise stated, there shall be one examination for each course to be held at the end of the semester. Candidates are expected to be familiar with the Examination Rules. A breach of any of the examination rules will render a candidate liable to disciplinary action.

A copy of these rules is available at www.nus.edu.sg/registrar/academic-activities/examination

For a list of scholarships, kindly refer to the following webpage:

• Scholarships