Undergraduate FAQ

What are the admission requirements for SoH Undergraduate degree programmes?

 

This is only applicable to applicants holding Singapore-Cambridge GCE 'A' level qualification or Local Polytechnic Diploma from one of the five local polytechnics in Singapore.   

Click here for more information on the Indicative Grade Profile. 

Please note the following: 

  • The grade profiles, GPAs and programme places vary from year to year, depending on the number and performance of applicants, and the number of places available. 
  • Meeting the previous year's grade/GPA scores of a programme does not guarantee admission to that programme for the current year. 
  • Certain programmes may have specific subject requirements. The programmes marked with asterisk (*) are those where additional assessments such as interviews, selection tests, and/or portfolios are required. Please click here for more details. 
  • NTU is increasingly admitting students based on holistic practices including written tests and interviews.  For this reason, we encourage all interested parties to apply.

 

How do I know whether my on-line application has been received by NTU?

Application for admission is done electronically. Before applying, please determine your application group. The application group you apply under corresponds to the qualifications you hold. 

You are required to submit only one (1) electronic application form. There is no hard-copy application form.

Your online application has been submitted successfully if

  1. an Application Status Menu showing your application number and a summary of application items required to be completed by you is generated;
  2. an acknowledgment of your application is forwarded to the email address(es) you have provided in the online application form.

Take note of the unique application number assigned to you.

I took the GCE A levels examinations as a school candidate and would like to retake the paper for a particular subject which I did not do well in, in the following year.  Would I be able to use the better grade for that subject for admissions, or would my original grade (obtained when I was a school candidate) be used?

Combination of GCE 'A' results are only allowed for Mother Tongue Language, Project Work and H1 subjects. GP and the remaining H2 subjects have to be taken in one/same sitting.

How do I go about changing/tracking my application? 

You may login here with your Application and NRIC number (alphabet must be entered in upper caps), during the application period, to make amendments to your choice of programmes.

You will also be able to do the following:

  • Check Document Submission Status
  • Print Document Submission Slip
  • Check Application Fee Payment Status
  • Pay Application Fee
  • Print Application Fee Payment Slip

I have been offered admission to a programme. Can I still appeal to change to another programme?

If your application is successful, you may submit your appeal online during the appeal period if you wish to change your offered programme. 

However, you are advised to confirm your offered programme online by the stipulated deadline as stated in the notification letter.  If your appeal is unsuccessful, your original offered course will still be valid.

Please refer to your respective application group for the online appeal period. 

Can outstanding students complete their degree earlier than the usual 4 years? 

Outstanding students may be fast tracked, making it possible for them to complete their degree in three and a half years in a normal 4-year undergraduate programme. 

Furthermore, those who are able and diligent may be able to overload by taking more courses in a semester. This is subjected to the students’ academic performance and vacancies in the course.

What is the difference between a minor/ second major/ double major?

Students enrolled in a SINGLE major programme eg. BA in Chinese/English/History/LMS/Philosophy are encouraged to explore and pursue academic interests beyond their Major disciplines. This can be done by taking up Minor(s), or a Second Major. The difference lies in the depth of studies in the chosen discipline(s).

Minor

​To do a Minor, students are required to complete at least five core courses. These five courses will be counted under the elective requirements of their undergraduate programme.

Here are the list of Minors offered by College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences.

Second Major

Students can choose to pursue a second Major in another discipline offered either by:

  • their home School, or
  • by another School within the College.

The second major provides students with breadth of exposure and is also designed to provide greater depth of study in an additional discipline. Students will graduate with a degree in their First Major upon satisfying the academic requirements of the School. The Second Major will be shown on the final transcript, and students will receive an additional certificate.

Students will need to obtain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 4.0 in their first year at university to be eligible to take up a second major.

Available Second Major programmes include:

  • Art History
  • Chinese
  • Communication Studies
  • Economics
  • English
  • History
  • Linguistics and Multilingual Studies
  • Philosophy
  • Psychology
  • Public Policy and Global Affairs
  • Sociology​

Double Major

 

The Double Major Programme is a four-year direct honours degree programme. Undergraduate students will read two majors chosen from among the disciplinary strengths of the four schools in the College, namely, the School of Art, Design and Media (ADM), the School of Humanities (SoH), the School of Social Sciences (SSS), and the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information (WKWSCI).

Unlike the existing single discipline-based degrees, this degree will feature two distinct majors within an innovative new structure. As such, this is a fully conceived double-disciplinary degree. Each major will represent approximately 42% of the overall degree, with the remaining 16% reserved for General Education courses. Students admitted into this Double Major degree programme, declare their two majors at the point of entry to NTU.

In keeping with the prevailing practice with HASS’s current single degree programmes, students may apply for a transfer of major after the first year if they wish.

Click here to find out more about the double major programme.

 

How does Professional Attachment (PA)/Internship work? 

Professional attachment or internship has become an integral part of undergraduate training in NTU. Students value the experience as the exposure helps them with their transition into the working world. 

Internship is compulsory for new students enrolling in Nanyang Technological University (NTU) from academic year 2021/2022 onwards. 

They will need to successfully complete a 10-week work stint as part of their graduation requirements. The 5 Academic Units (AUs) earned will be used to fulfil the ICC-Foundational Core. Students are eligible to embark on their internship from Year 2 onwards. 

 

Will I be attached to the company/(s) of my choice under the PA/Internship Programme? 

School of Humanities will work with the Career & Attachment Office (CAO) to source for suitable internship opportunities. Selection will be based on interviews and the selection criteria by participating organizations offering internship opportunities. Placement will be based on student’s own merit and organisation’s discretion to offer. Students may also source for placements themselves. Such self-source placement will be subjected to school’s and/or CAO’s approval.   To be recognised as credit bearing and awarded the AUs successfully, the placement must be coordinated through CAO and will be subject to the same procedure & fulfilment criteria for supervision and assessment.

 

 

What is the minimum requirement to pass PA?

Upon registration for PA as a course and with successful placement, students must complete 10 weeks of attachment to be considered for a "pass" in PA.  

Students who have been given approved leave of absence must also complete minimum 8 weeks of attachment to qualify for a "pass" for PA. Prior approval of leave of absence must be obtained from CAO and the attachment organisation.

If the internship is terminated prematurely without approval from the school, the student concerned will be deemed to have "failed" his/her attachment and the "FAIL" grade will be reflected in his/her transcript.

 

Under PA, what will my allowance and working hours be like?

The monthly stipend is between $800 to $1200 per month. Employers are exempted from making CPF contributions on student's allowance.

Students will follow the normal working hours of the organisation on a five-day or five-and-a-half day week basis.

 

Students must complete at least one year of study in NTU before going for an overseas exchange programme.

NTU offers enriching student mobility programmes with more than 350 premier partner universities in more than 40 countries through its Global Education and Mobility (GEM) initiatives such as GEM Explorer and GEM Discoverer.

What is GEM Explorer and how does it work?

GEM Explorer programme offers students opportunities to spend a semester abroad either to pursue courses or conduct research.  About 95% of GEM Explorer participants embark on coursework and a minority of students pursue exchange via research. 

NTU partners with more than 350 universities in over 40 countries around the world.  

Here are some of the benefits of participating in an exchange programme: 

  • Experience Diverse Academic Teaching
  • Experience a new culture or learn a new language
  • Build global networks and forge meaningful relationships across the world 
  • Earn academic units (AUs)
  • Develop cultural intelligence

 

What is GEM Discoverer and how does it work?

GEM Discovereroffers a plethora of opportunities for NTU undergraduates to experience the world. There is a variety of study abroad options to suit your study plan and academic goals. They include Summer/ Winter studies at one of our partner institutions abroad, language immersion programmes, and thematic studies in ASEAN countries and key Asian markets.

All programmes are credit-bearing and take place over the university's vacations. You will earn academic units towards your degree whilst immersed in a whole new landscape.

 

May I know how Singapore Universities Student Exchange Programme (SUSEP) works?

A reciprocal agreement has been made with NUS, SMU and SUTD to offer student exchange programme. Through this programme, students at the 4 institutions are able to study and experience student's life at a host institution while pursuing their degrees in their university.

In NTU, SUSEP is administered by the Office of Academic Services and supported by the Schools.

The following options are available for students (NUS or SMU or SUTD) participating in the programme: 

  • Partial Exchange

Take a few approved courses in NTU and the remaining in your home university. Students are to ensure that the courses and examination timetables for the NUS/SMU courses they wish to take will not clash with those that they are taking in NTU.

  • Full Exchange

Do one semester of studies of approved courses entirely at NTU.

Undergraduate Admissions

Learn more about NTU Undergraduate programme here.

2nd Major

No. Your degree scroll will show that you have graduated with a BA Hons in your First Major. The Second Major will appear on the transcript. A certificate will also be issued by the Dean, College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences to students who successfully complete the 2nd Major programme.
Students will apply to read a second major at the end of their first year and must have a cumulative grade point average of 4.0 to qualify.   
Please consult the website for the curriculum of the Second Major. You will probably need to "overload" in some semesters if you are reading a Second Major. If you plan your academic path carefully, you should be able to complete the Second Major within 4 years.

A: Yes, you could be invited to read a second major at the end of your first year. However, you must obtain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 4.0 at the end of year 1 to qualify.

A: Art History, Chinese, Communication Studies, Economics, English, History, Linguistics and Multilingual Studies, Philosophy, Psychology, Sociology, Public Policy and Global Affairs
A: You may opt out of the Second Major and the academic units (AUs) earned may be counted towards the fulfillment of the corresponding Minor or used to fulfill the AU requirements for graduation.
A: You do not have to pay any additional fees if you complete your degree within 4 years.

Early Graduation

A: Yes you can. The NTU programme is designed as a four-year course. However, it allows well-prepared students to take more subjects during the semester and between semesters so that they can complete the programme, with honours, in a minimum of 3.5 years.

Successful Polytechnic applicants will be exempted from certain courses that will be confirmed before the start of their first semester.

Change of Programme

A: Yes, you can.  However, you must first receive the approval of the programme that you would like to switch into.  If you are performing well in your studies, acceptance is typically granted, although some programmes are more competitive than others.