Welcome Message

Professor Andy Hau Yan HO

Chair of Founding Committee, Master of Science in Psychology (MScP) Programme
Provost's Chair Professor of Psychology
Professor of Psychology and Medicine
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. 

 

Welcome to the Master of Science in Psychology (MScP) programme at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) Singapore!

Psychological wellbeing is the foundation on which a thriving society is built. Singapore, together with all nations around the world, faces a growing demand for psychologists equipped to serve well beyond the clinic, in schools, workplaces, hospitals, communities, and the justice system. This demand marks a turning point for the field. Psychology in Singapore has long been anchored in the clinical domain. While this foundation remains essential, it is no longer sufficient on its own.

This programme was developed to close that gap. The MScP trains professionals across four specialisation tracks: Community Health Psychology, Neuropsychology, Thanatology, and Forensic Psychology. Each opens a domain where psychological expertise is needed, and where it has historically been underdeveloped locally and regionally. Thanatology, the study of death, grief, and loss, is offered here for the first time in Asia, to build death and grief literacy and to strengthen the support available to those who need it. Community Health Psychology trains practitioners to work on the social and environmental conditions that shape wellbeing at population level. Neuropsychology examines the cognitive and brain-based foundations of human development, from the science of learning to recovery after injury. Forensic Psychology trains practitioners to apply psychological expertise within the justice system, from law enforcement and the courts to corrections and national security. Together, these tracks reflect a deliberate widening of what psychological practice in Singapore and Southeast Asia can be.

One conclusion holds firm across decades of research. Psychological wellbeing cannot be addressed through narrow specialisation alone. It requires practitioners who combine empirical rigour with genuine human compassion, trained to sit with suffering rather than turn from it, and to work across settings rather than within a single institutional silo. The MScP integrates research and practice toward this end, with five hundred hours of practicum grounding every graduate in direct, supervised experience.

The implications for policy and practice are significant.

A society is strengthened when its mental health workforce reflects the full range of human need, from early development to end of life, from schools to hospitals, from laboratory to community. If you are drawn to this work, this programme is built for you; to give you the knowledge to serve well, and to hold you as you learn to serve with compassion, for the benefit of Singapore and the wider region.

Dr Rebecca M. Nichols

Director, Master of Science in Psychology (MScP) Programme
Senior Lecturer, School of Social Sciences
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

It's exciting to pursue postgraduate study in any discipline of interest, and for a great many subjects, there's no better place to do so than at NTU. But I would also argue, with complete conviction, that there's no better time than now to enter the NTU Master of Science in Psychology (MScP).

Why? This programme has been built for you. You who have recently graduated from university and are eager to deepen your knowledge and skills in Community Health Psychology, Thanatology, Neuropsychology, or Forensic Psychology. You who are a mid-career professional looking to broaden your training to amplify your impact. And you, the ever-curious, forward-thinking learner who yearns to translate scholarship into meaningful application and practice. If you are motivated by the increasingly complex mental health needs of society and recognise that promoting health means promoting psychological wellbeing across the lifespan, across settings, and across diverse populations, please know that this programme has been designed with you in mind.

As Director of the MScP, I have had the privilege of working alongside a truly exceptional team of colleagues, practitioners, and industry partners to collaboratively develop a programme that is both rigorous and relevant. From the outset, the MScP has been designed to reflect both advances in psychological science and the evolving mental health landscape in Singapore, across Asia, and beyond. We have worked closely with community organisations and professional bodies to ensure that what you learn in the classroom and through your practicum serves you well long after graduation. Through a carefully designed curriculum and supervised practicum experience, you will develop advanced psychological knowledge while building professional confidence, ethical judgement, and the practical skills needed to make a genuine difference.

One of the great and enduring beauties of psychology as a field is its sheer diversity. Psychological work contributes to healthier communities, supports people through grief and trauma, improves cognitive functioning and brain health, and strengthens justice systems, to name just a few. Our student community reflects this same diversity of backgrounds and aspirations. Whatever path brings you to our programme, we know you will have much to contribute, and just as much to gain. In the MScP, you won’t just be enrolled in a master’s programme; you will be part of a true learning community united by a shared commitment to improving the lives of others.

On behalf of all of us in the MScP, welcome. Whether you are taking your first step into professional psychology or your next, we are delighted that you are considering joining our programme. We look forward to supporting you as you grow into the next stage of your journey.