Assoc Prof Chew is the Faculty’s Vice Dean (Undergraduate Studies) overseeing the curriculum of NUS’ College of Humanities and Sciences (CHS) and its international programmes.
“An interdisciplinary education encourages new ideas from the synthesis of knowledge from different fields.”
In one of her courses, Hui Chin gained practical skills to interpret data accurately and apply critical thinking to data analysis, enabling her to draw meaningful insights from numbers – skills she will bring along to her desired career as an analyst.
“Not only did I get to craft my unique path, but CHS also opened up new worlds and possibilities for me!”
Yi Jing had the opportunity to pursue her love of music in one of her courses. This gave her a broader understanding of the versatility of science and shed insights into unconventional perspectives at the intersection between two very different disciplines.
“The Common Curriculum is like an intellectual buffet – many courses from different fields teach unique skills that enhance my undergraduate education.”
In one of his courses, Bo Cong was a Silver Generation Ambassador playing a key role in promoting healthy ageing amongst seniors in Singapore by conducting preventive health visits to them in their homes. This experience prepares him to work with people in his dream career in healthcare.
More exposure to multiple disciplines
College of Humanities and Sciences (CHS) students can now take various combinations of majors at the College of Design and Engineering (CDE) under a new Structured Double Degree Programme (DDP) which allows them to map selected Common Curriculum courses across both colleges.
Demand for green skills
The new Minor in Environmental Sustainability equips students with skills and knowledge to bridge different disciplines, such as the natural sciences, social sciences, engineering, law and business. This enables them to evaluate and solve sustainability issues which are often multidisciplinary in nature.
A group of NUS students had the exceptional opportunity to interact with, and learn from Nobel Laureate in Economic Sciences (2011) Professor Thomas J Sargent, when he was jointly invited by NUS’ Faculty of Science, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and the Risk Management Institute to teach a course on Quantitative Macroeconomics and Finance with Python from 6 February to 19 March 2024.
This course was specifically designed by Prof Sargent for students from the undergraduate Cross-Disciplinary Programme in Data Science and Economics and the MSc in Financial Engineering. Its topics include dynamics with matrices and their economic applications, rational expectations equilibria and fiscal policy in a growth model.
Kelly Wang
Year 3, Cross-Disciplinary Programme in Data Science and Economics
“I learned different macroeconomic models which are very relevant to economics and finance and which offer new perspectives in asset pricing theory. I also learned how to implement these models in Python, which is very useful and powerful for real-life applications.”
Our diverse experiential learning opportunities – in Singapore and abroad – offer students hands-on experiences to better connect theories learned in the classroom to real-world contexts.
Year 3 student Kwang Xin Ying, who majors in Chemistry and minors in Forensic Science, decided to join the Global Industry Insights programme to China in June 2024 to gain an immersive understanding of its rapidly evolving technological, cultural and business landscape.
Year 3 student Shaylie Yu, who reads the Cross-Disciplinary Programme in Environmental Studies, participated in an NUS Study Trips for Engagement and EnRichment (STEER) programme in Malaysia in May 2024. This gave her practical exposure to environmental challenges in the region.
Year 3 student Clement Ling, who majors in Data Science and Analytics and minors in Information Systems, has a passion in entrepreneurship in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) space. He joined the NUS Overseas Colleges (NOC) programme in Paris – which has a thriving startup scene in technology – to pursue his interests.
Year 3 student Tricia Chong, who majors in Food Science and Technology, participated in a Student Exchange Programme (SEP) at Wageningen University in the Netherlands to deepen her expertise and further her research and development (R&D) aspirations in food technology.
Year 2 student Qian Yunhan, who reads the Cross-Discplinary Programme in Data Science and Economics, decided to stay at Residential College 4 (RC4) to gain a unique living-learning experience in a close-knit community with professors and students from different faculties.
Our Master of Science (MSc) by Coursework programmes continue to enjoy brisk growth, an indication of the market relevance and demand for our programmes.
1 Academic Year 2023 / 2024
A new MSc in Data Science for Sustainability was launched in December 2023 to train data scientists who can combine their technical skills with an understanding of sustainability issues.
This valuable integration of knowledge and skills from two rapidly growing fields will enable our graduates to uncover insights from economic, environment and social data to make informed decisions that address sustainability issues.
Chen Zhaoqi
Pioneer cohort, MSc in Data Science for Sustainability
Many of our PhD students have gone on to achieve accolades and to publish their work in high impact journals.
Carbon capture solutions
Steve Teo, PhD in Biological Sciences, is the Faculty’s Top Graduate Researcher (2024). He was appointed by Singapore’s Minister for Sustainability and the Environment as the national expert representative to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) pre-Conference of Parties (COP)27 scientific proceedings in Congo.
The Faculty of Science is one of the top in Asia and the world for science education and research. The Annual Report showcases the Faculty’s achievements for the year and highlights the transformative impact of our endeavours in education, research, enterprise and community through inspiring stories of our science community.
Produced by
Science Dean’s Office, Corporate Communications
Advisors
Prof Sow Chorng Haur, Vice Dean (Outreach & Admissions)
Assoc Prof Chew Fook Tim, Vice Dean (Undergraduate Studies)
Assoc Prof Chng Shu Sin, Vice Dean (Student Life & Alumni Relations)
Contact
For enquiries, please email corpcomms.science@nus.edu.sg