Second Major in Sustainability

We live in a time of large-scale challenges, where climate change, deforestation, biodiversity loss and ocean acidification are no longer only considered from an environmental perspective, but also in terms of social justice, economic development, technological adaptation, and political will. The survival of our growing population depends on the natural resources we continue to overexploit, but there is increasing awareness on how the concept of sustainability strives to address this. By understanding how our environment, economy and society interact, applying this to technological innovation and communicating readily with decision makers, we can maintain the health of our world for the benefit of current and future generations.

Applicable Programmes

The Second Major in Sustainability is open to all single-major programmes in the 4 colleges (CoS, CoE, CoHaSS and NBS). Single-major degree programmes include all single-major programmes and single-major programmes with 2 disciplines.

Students in double-major programmes and second major programmes will not be allowed to take on the Second Major in Sustainability.

*Students who are in the midst of taking the minor in Environmental Sustainability can also choose to register for the Second Major if desired by building on the courses that they have already taken under the minor.

*Students with a CGPA > 4.0 are welcome to apply, but enrolment is subject to approval and availability of vacancies.

Requirements for Second Major in Sustainability:

Students need to fulfil a minimum total of 30 AU

(15 AU of core courses + 12 AU of core or electives courses + 3 AU interdisciplinary project)

S/NTo complete:
1.5 core courses, 1 course in each knowledge area (People, Planet, Profit, Practice, and Policy)
2.Minimum total 12AU from core and elective courses
3.Interdisciplinary Project: ES5100 Sustainability Capstone Project 


Core Courses
(To complete at least 1 course in each knowledge area – People, Planet, Profit, Practice and Policy)
Knowledge AreaCourse codeCourse nameNo. of AUsSemester
1) PeopleES5006Environmental Sustainability32
EM5109Environmental Issues and Sustainability32
HV5001Introduction to Environmental Humanities3To check with SOH
HC5010 Animals in Chinese Cultures3To check with SOH
2) PlanetES5001Natural Hazards and Society31
ES5003 Blue Planet: How the Ocean Works 31
ES5005Environmental Earth System Science31
ES5008 Biodiversity and natural history of Singapore31

ES5007#

Climate and Climate Change

32
ES1007# (only for ESSN students)Climate Change 32

CY1007# (only for CNYang students

Climate Change 32
3) PolicyHA1001Introduction to International Relations and Foreign Policy31
BR3229Climate Risk Analytics32
HA1003Introduction to Public Administration and Policy32
HS0301Environmental Sustainability3To check with SSS
4) PracticeBM2517Marketing Sustainability for the Next Generation32
CV5101Civil Engineering and Sustainable Built Environment32
5) ProfitAB0603Social Entrepreneurship31 & 2
HE5091Principles of Economics31 & 2

#Students will only be able to take one of these courses.

 

Elective Courses
Knowledge AreaCourse codeCourse nameNo. of AUsSemester
PeopleES3202*Resilient Urban Systems31
HL4013*Advanced Studies in Literature & Culture: Ecocritical Approaches to Literature41
HP3205*Animal Behavior31
HL3037 The Environment and Cultural Production32
DP5001Art and Ecology Workshop3To check with ADM
HC3043Chinese Ecological Thoughts and Philosophy3To check with SOH
PlanetES4301*Conservation Biology and Biodiversity31
ES4303*Marine and Freshwater Ecology31
ES4906Environmental Hydrology31
CM5092*Chemical Sustainability - An Asian Perspective32
ES2303*Introduction to Ecology32
HH4006*The Green Earth: Topics in Environmental History42
ES3103Sea-level rise and coastal processes3To check with ASE
PolicyAB0301
Legal and Ethical Issues in Sustainability 
31
ES4201*Environmental Management and Valuation31
ES2203*
Global Environmental Politics and Governance
32
HA3014*Singapore’s Foreign Policy32
HP3203*Conservation Psychology3To check with SSS
HY2028Food Ethics3To check with SOH
PracticeEE4523*Power Engineering Design21
EE4530*Power System Analysis & Control31
EE4532*Power Electronics & Drives31
MS4666*Environmental Degradation of Plastics11
EE2005*Electrical Devices and Machines32
EE4524*Design of Clean Energy Systems22
EE4533*Power Apparatus and System Protection32
EE4534*Modern Distribution Systems with Renewable Resource32
EN2005Environmental Health and Safety Management
32
ES3802
The Urban Environment: Issues, Assessment, and Management
32
HS2010*Smart Cities and Society32
MA4819*
Energy Technologies for Sustainability
32
MS4664*Environmental Sustainability and Materials32
CS2008
Fundamentals of Research
31 & 2
EE3015*
Power Systems and Conversion
31 & 2
EG1001Engineers in Society21 & 2
HP1100
Fundamentals of Social Science Research
31 & 2
CS5209Collective Problem Solving3To check with WKWSCI
ProfitAC3104*Enterprise Risk Management and Sustainability41
HE3032*Game Theory31
HE3024*Environmental Economics31
HE3021*Development Economics32
HE3026*Urban Economics32
HE4042*Singapore Economy in a Globalised World42
BF2228*Sustainable Finance31 & 2
HE4040*Behavioral Economics41 & 2

Note: The list of approved courses was revised in November 2025. Students who have taken courses from the previous list before AY2025-26, Semester 2  will still have those courses counted towards the fulfilment of the Second Major in Sustainability.

* Pre-requisites apply

Please find the curriculum for Bachelor of Science in Environmental Earth Systems Science with Second Major in Sustainability here.

Please click here for additional information about second major at NTU.