Education at NUS

NUS Educational Framework

The NUS educational framework aims to deliver a flexible, transformative education that imbues our graduates with the skills, aptitudes and attitudes for the future. It should nurture future-ready leaders who are lifelong learners, and set students on the path to be deeply passionate, curious and innovative in solving real-world problems.

The framework has the following characteristics:

  • A common curriculum for students to gain exposure across traditional disciplines as well as emerging fields, and the applications to current problems. The broad academic exposure hones intellectual versatility and builds the capacity to engage in lifelong learning.
  • Flexible pathways where students can pursue a wide range of majors, second majors, minors, specialisations and cross-disciplinary programmes, to deepen expertise or learn multiple competencies. Students can build learning portfolios that align to their interests and aspirations.
  • Interdisciplinary learning, which will complement disciplinary training. Learning is amplified when students harness and integrate knowledge and approaches, which in turn foster creativity, encourage the exploration of new ideas, and enhance complex problem-solving. This is reinforced by experiential learning.

Academic Governance

The Senate is the highest academic body of the University. It directs educational policy and other academic issues, and is chaired by the President of the University. The following Senate committees review, evaluate and make recommendations to Senate on educational policies and issues such as general curriculum structure, and existing and new degree and educational programmes etc.:

  • University Committee on Educational Policy (UCEP)
  • Board of Undergraduate Studies (BUS)
  • Board of Graduate Studies (BGS)

The minimum requirements for undergraduate and graduate students set by the University are specified in the NUS Bulletin. Individual Faculties / Departments / Programmes may set additional requirements for their degree programmes according to the demands of the discipline.

Medium of Instruction

The medium of instruction used in the University is English, unless specified otherwise.