The School of Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) at NTU is comprised of six divisions, each of which offers undergraduate degrees, in addition to a wide range of postgraduate degrees by coursework and research. The uniqueness of each division reflects the diversity within the school, but there is also a commitment to the development of interdisciplinary approaches and collaborative scholarly activities.

The following represents some of the unique characteristics of each division:

The Division of Chinese at NTU is entrenched in the rich traditions of Chinese culture and history, and yet we have a global and contemporary outlook. In both research and teaching, we have special focuses on contemporary China, Chinese overseas, cultural studies and translation studies. Our mission is to inherit the traditions, to understand the contemporary world, and to encompass the local and the region.

The Division of Economics has its roots in the Division of Applied Economics in the Nanyang Business School (established in 1993), and is currently supported by a large mix of local and international faculty comprising 37 academic staff. They have participated regularly in major international conferences and have served as consultants to prominent international organizations such as the United Nations, World Bank, International Monetary Fund and Asian Development Bank. Some have also provided advice and expertise to the local government ministries such as Ministry of Finance, Trade and Industry, Manpower, Environment and Health as well as to statutory boards like the Economic Development Board, Trade Development Board and the Maritime and Port Authority.

The Division of English boasts a dramatic array of primary research and teaching areas, blending the best of traditional scholarly methods with some of the most significant contemporary theoretical and artistic approaches to literature, film, and cultural & critical theory. The English faculty, who hail from a variety of cultural backgrounds, represents the best of international standards and literary practices, making the division of English a leading centre of research and teaching in Asia.

The Division of Linguistics and Multilingual Studies is the newest division in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. The Division is the first of its kind in Singapore and the region and boasts an innovative approach to the study of language. The dynamic and multicultural faculty are engaged in a wide spectrum of language related research and the curriculum offered by the division is both theoretically and practically oriented. The Division offers a great opportunity for students to graduate with excellent language and communication skills as well as a broad worldview. These traits are essential to a fast-growing and globalised knowledge-based economy.

The Division of Psychology is one of the fastest growing psychology departments in Asia. It provides broad-based, internationally benchmarked courses designed to give students firm grounding in research as well as good understanding of the applications of psychology. Psychology students' varied skills and thorough critical thinking training make them highly attractive to many types of employers.

The Division of Sociology features an international faculty engaged in a wide array of social research. At both the undergraduate and graduate levels, our programmes emphasize theoretically-engaged, practically-oriented research. The division's undergraduate curriculum encourages breadth of exposure and depth of analysis and stimulates students' intellectual curiosity and development through innovative teaching and an emphasis on applied research. Graduate students can expect rigorous training, regular interaction with faculty, and the development of a skills-base suitable for a variety of careers in social research.