Students select their majors at the end of their second year, after going through two years of the Common Curriculum. The list of majors includes:

• Anthropology
• Arts & Humanities
• Economics
• Environmental Studies
• Global Affairs
• History
• Life Sciences
• Literature
• Mathematical, Computational and Statistical Sciences (MCS)
• Philosophy
• Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE)
• Physical Sciences
• Psychology
• Urban Studies

Law is the major for students enrolled in the Double Degree Programme with Law unless an exception is granted by the College. Some majors, such as Urban Studies, Global Affairs, and Philosophy, Politics, and Economics, combine ideas and methods from a range of disciplines to create an interdisciplinary course of study. Disciplinary majors such as History, Literature, Psychology, and Economics will offer students an opportunity to study some of these fundamental disciplines.

Yes. A Yale-NUS education integrates the natural sciences, humanities, social sciences, and your major. During the four years with the College, 34 percent of a typical Yale-NUS student’s classes will comprise courses leading to your major and another 35 percent on electives and prerequisites for your major. Each major is broadly conceived, and you can choose to focus in an area of your interest within your major.

Yale-NUS guarantees to offer classes in all the majors listed. The classes are not contingent on the number of students who have opted for the major.

Anthropologists investigate human cultural variation and diversity by immersing themselves in the intimate everyday lives of the groups that they study. Ethnography—involving participant observation in local communities, informal and formal interviewing, detailed field notes, and visual and other forms of documentation—is the hallmark of the anthropological research enterprise. Basing their ethnographic studies in different parts of the world, anthropologists explore complex and important issues such as social inequality, gender, technology, public health, migration, religion, human rights, climate change, and globalisation. At Yale-NUS, faculty specialise in a variety of subfields of cultural anthropology, including linguistic anthropology and medical anthropology, but not physical/biological anthropology or archaeology. For a more thorough description, check out the following link: https://www.yale-nus.edu.sg/anthropology/

A very useful website is the American Anthropological Association (AAA) web page on Anthropology, which provides information and helpful tips on studying anthropology and starting an anthropological career.  Check out the following link: http://www.americananthro.org/ 

Anthropology is not a professional programme, such as public health, business, or architecture. Rather, anthropology is a “humanistic” social science, which offers students exposure to a wide range of contemporary cultural issues. Anthropology’s unique ethnographic research method teaches students valuable skills of observation, cross-cultural engagement, and analysis, through emphasising immersion in the lives of others. Such ethnographic skills and insights can prove very useful for students choosing to enter a professional programme, including, but not limited to, international affairs, medicine and public health, environmental studies, community development, social work, and the like. 

Many undergraduate Anthropology majors go onto graduate school—either in PhD programmes in Anthropology, or MA and PhD programmes in other fields. To do so, you must earn good grades and develop important mentoring relationships with the Yale-NUS Anthropology faculty, who can be asked to write letters of recommendation. 

Anthropology develops ‘transferable skills’ in the areas of understanding human diversity, building research skills for collecting and making sense of information, and communicating effectively. In today’s globalised world, gaining a deep understanding of cultural and ethnic differences and learning how people’s beliefs and practices fit into a wider social, political and economic context is crucial. 

In the marketplace, employers are in search of the skills you gain during your degree such as analytical thinking, research and writing skills, and the confidence to deal with a variety of social situations. The study of anthropology nurtures the development of careful record-keeping approaches, considering problems from multiple perspectives and understanding components of complex problems. Our students learn to write effectively, read critically, convey complex information, speak to groups and present research findings. Culminating in the capstone project, our majors can plan projects, apply theoretical approaches to research problems, establish hypotheses and evaluate evidence. 

The study of anthropology develops the capacity to understand and appreciate human relationships between groups and individuals, identify cultural/social forces, and understand diversity. In the private sector, these transferable skills are appealing across an array of career paths. 

Anthropology graduates employ their valuable skills of observation and cultural analysis in NGOs, museums, academia, the arts, journalism, consulting, government, and the law, among other careers. See this useful website:  http://www.americananthro.org/AdvanceYourCareer/Content.aspx?ItemNumber=2150&navItemNumber=740 

Economics is the science of everyday life. It is the study of how firms, governments, and individuals alike make decisions in interaction with institutions, markets, and society; how they respond to the incentives placed before them; and how they allocate scarce resources. In this view, economics is everywhere and, thus, highly relevant. It can also be fun as well as intellectually rewarding. It equips students with the tools with which to analyse questions about the design of institutions, discrimination and inequality, and the environment and equity among others.

Economics at Yale-NUS covers a breadth of questions and methodologies that intersect fields like anthropology, computer science, history, mathematic, political science, psychology, sociology, and statistics. Here is a link to research papers from the American Economic Association (AEA) website that illustrates what economics is about and how it connects with our day-to-day lives.

A very useful website is the American Economic Association (AEA) website which provides information and helpful tips on studying economics in college. The AEA also provides good information about what careers follow after an undergraduate degree in economics. 

Economics is not a professional programme as is architecture, for example. As a liberal arts major, its primary goal is to offer students with in-depth training and wide-ranging exposure to long-standing issues in economics. The programme at Yale-NUS College not only well–equips students for careers in analysis, but also for graduate school or professional programmes like law after graduation. 

Yale-NUS graduates majoring in Economics have often gone into the banking, finance, and management consulting as well as, increasingly, into the technology sectors. Some have also gone on to pursue graduate studies in fields as varied as art history, business administration, and economics. Across the board, our graduates have commanded some of the highest starting salaries among the College’s majors. 

For one, a lot of the emphasis of the Economics major is on understanding choice: how to model it and how to use data to test related hypotheses. Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) puts more emphasis on aspects that are perhaps more intellectual in their orientation. Hence, PPE gives its students some exposure to ideas in economics, but it does not have as strong of a focus on data analysis and mathematical modelling. 

Particularly for students interested in graduate school but also for all students more generally, it is a good idea to take courses from the Mathematical, Computational & Statistical Sciences major such as (advanced) calculus, linear algebra, real analysis, and statistical programming. 

Environmental Studies explores the fundamental catalysts of environmental problems, and develops within students the skills and aptitude for systems thinking, critical analysis, and creative problem solving. Our focus is both local and global, and we draw upon the humanities, and the natural and social sciences in our work. Coursework and applied experience together expose students to a range of environmental issues from the familiar, such as energy choices and climate change, to the less well-studied, like the rise of consumerism and the impact of changing settlement patterns. 

Surprisingly to some, both terms (‘environmental studies’ and ‘environmental science’) are used interchangeably when describing undergraduate programmes. Many environmental studies programmes in the United States require more natural science courses than their environmental science counterparts elsewhere. At Yale-NUS College, we wish to signal the multidisciplinary qualities of our programme, which draws upon the natural and social sciences, and the humanities – hence the title ‘environmental studies’.  We expect our students to be well-versed in the natural sciences and, indeed, many of them specialise in some aspect of these sciences. So do not interpret ‘environmental studies’ to mean ‘no natural sciences’. Read it instead, perhaps, as ‘much more than the natural sciences.’ 

Degree designation in Environmental Studies depends upon the composition of the courses in a student’s 20 unit Area of Specialisation (AofS).  To receive a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree, one of the two required courses in the Conceptual Approaches to Environmental Studies series and three of four in the AofS must have either a YSS or YID prefix, and a capstone project centred on the social sciences or humanities.  The Bachelor of Science (BS) degree similarly requires one of the two required courses in the Conceptual Approaches series and three of four in the AofS must have a YSC prefix, and a capstone project centred on the sciences. 

At least three elements differentiate us from other programmes.  First, Environmental Studies at Yale-NUS builds on an innovative Common Curriculum in the sciences, social sciences, and humanities.  This curriculum provides the opportunity for extraordinary integration across fields of knowledge within environmental studies. Second, our Environmental Studies curriculum allows students to see environmental problems from multiple angles and around different ways of questioning. In the environmental field, an ability (and the courage!) to ask the right questions about environmental challenges is often more important than immediately arriving at or ‘knowing’ the right answers. We find that this emphasis on asking good questions best serves our students, given that the environmental problems of tomorrow may bear little resemblance to today’s challenges. It also reflects our liberal arts DNA at Yale-NUS, which emphasises creative thinking and liberating action in the service of shared prosperity and intergenerational equity. Finally, while other Environmental Studies programmes emphasise breadth of knowledge, we balance breadth and depth by requiring students to take a small suite of compulsory foundation courses, and to develop an Area of Specialisation and complete a final project that integrates key themes and methodologies in our field. Perhaps one or more of the Areas of Specialisation designed by our students speaks to your passions. 

Ours is a vibrant and growing programme with a dynamic group of professors and students. Around 10 per cent of each class majors in Environmental Studies, making the programme among the largest on campus.  We have an eclectic and dedicated group of faculty teaching courses and advising students. Students are engaged in an exciting variety of activities, including the Sustainable Solutions Network, and many are drawn to the special programme we have with the Yale School of Environment. 

All of the Environmental Studies courses offered at Yale-NUS are listed here. They may not be offered every semester. Please contact the Head of Studies of Environmental Studies to find out what is planned in the next semesters. 

Yes! There are many courses at both NUS and LKY School that may be appropriate to Yale-NUS Environmental Studies students. Students in the programme share information about these courses, and the Head of Studies of Environmental Studies regularly sends out information on course possibilities. Students are ultimately responsible for identifying the best courses and planning their schedule, in consultation with their academic advisor, and with approval from the Head of Studies. 

Sometimes, but not always, and not automatically, largely because so few courses are required for the major (only nine courses, as compared to a dozen or more at comparable U.S. institutions). Nevertheless, in most cases, students should still take those extra courses as electives to satisfy general graduation requirements and deepen their Environmental Studies (ES) expertise. To answer the question: non-Yale-NUS courses can satisfy ES-major requirements in two ways. Most commonly, externally completed courses will be included in a student’s Area of Specialisation. Courses count if they are part of a coherent package of four upper-level 5 MC courses organised around a theme or question developed with an ES advisor. If, for example, you take an NUS course in environmental ethics and later fashion an Area of Specialisation in environmental ethics, that course could count as one of your four ES Area of Specialisation courses. If you instead focus on, say, renewable energy economics, the ethics course won’t count toward formal ES requirements, though it is still a great course to have and should be clearly noted on your resume.  On rare occasions, externally completed courses can also substitute for one of two required 2000-level ‘conceptual approaches’ ES courses.  Environmental Studies majors frequently take environmentally focused courses off-campus understanding that they may not formally count toward ES requirements if they discover, as they develop their Area of Specialisation, that one or more of these courses fails to fit into their Area of Specialisation. These courses nevertheless count toward overall MC-credit-hour requirements and may usefully inform the capstone project, so they aren’t ‘wasted’ in any way. Bottom line: students should not be shy about taking compelling ES-related courses off-campus. Final determination as to how a course is credited toward major requirements typically occurs in the third year of study, when a student finalises their Area of Specialisation in consultation with their advisor. 

One-semester study abroad opportunities at a variety of partner institutions allow students to complete courses that may not be readily available at Yale-NUS, NUS or the LKY School. Additionally, Environmental Studies faculty often offer individual or small-group ‘directed readings’ around topics proposed by students. These 2MC courses are frequently designed by students in consultation with faculty. 

Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behaviour. Inquiries in psychology include how we are influenced by others, why we become the persons that we are, how our brains work, and why people sometimes behave in seemingly unusual or even bizarre ways. The study of psychology seeks to understand people both out of curiosity and for numerous applied reasons, ranging from business management to promoting personal wellbeing. 

Faculty members and current students are useful resources for many questions. Please do not hesitate to contact the Head of Studies as well. 

Below is some relevant information pertaining to application to graduate programmes in selected countries (information up-to-date as of November 2019): 

Australia: Students who wish to pursue post-graduate studies in Australia should note that they will have to get their Yale-NUS degree assessed (for accreditation) by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC). In the past, the APAC has assessed the Yale-NUS Psychology Bachelor as the equivalent of a 3-year undergraduate Psychology degree in Australia, a common outcome for many undergraduate degrees granted by American higher education institutions. This means that students will have to complete an extra year of undergraduate Psychology study (known as a diploma or honours year) in Australia before they are eligible to enrol in an Australian post-graduate psychology programme. 

United States & Canada: The Yale-NUS Bachelor’s degree in Psychology is generally considered academically equivalent to a 4-year undergraduate Psychology degree in both the US and Canada, though undergraduate coursework requirements may vary by institution and types of graduate programmes. Applicants should look up information on application requirements of the programme(s) they are interested in applying to, prior to submitting their application to the programmes. 

United Kingdom: In order to pursue post-graduate studies in Psychology at a British institution, applicants may be required have their Bachelor’s degree assessed and accredited by the British Psychological Society. The Yale-NUS Bachelors is generally considered as academically equivalent to a UK Bachelor degree, though undergraduate coursework requirements may vary by institution and types of graduate programmes. In some cases, applicants may be requested to complete a conversion course in order to be eligible to register for British Psychological Society’s Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GPS). Applicants should look up information on application requirements of the programme(s) they are interested in applying to, prior to submitting their application to the programmes. 

The major in Urban Studies is for those students who are interested in cities and processes of urbanisation. Cities are not just amazing forms of human settlement; they are centres of human creativity and economic growth. Furthermore, ever-greater proportions of the world’s population live in cities. We live in an urban age. But cities and processes of urbanisation also give rise to many challenges, be they social, environmental or technical. Students who complete a major in Urban Studies will understand the complexity of cities and the challenges of urbanisation in a range of settings and periods. They will be equipped to inquire into and understand these processes from a range of perspectives—including economic, political, social and cultural. Urban Studies is an interdisciplinary field of inquiry, meaning that it draws knowledge from a range of disciplines. At Yale-NUS, the majority of courses in the Urban Studies major are delivered out of the Division of Social Science or the Division of Humanities.

Many things! Urban Studies majors end up everywhere: in the corporate sector, the civil service, the academy, and in not-for-profit organisations. They work as researchers, policy makers, advocates, developers, and much more. Students who complete majors in Urban Studies are well prepared for graduate school, both in terms of academic and professional programmes. Academic programmes you would be well prepared for include: anthropology, sociology, development studies, human geography and environmental studies and, of course, urban studies. Professional programmes you would be well prepared for include: architecture, planning, social work, community development, and public policy. 

Urban Studies is not a professional programme as, say, architecture or planning are. Being a liberal arts major, its primary goal is to offer students a wide ranging but in-depth grasp of key issues in and the traditions of Urban Studies. However, it is an undergraduate programme that can equip you well if you choose to enter a professional programme relevant to urban questions after graduation. 

If your grades are good enough this programme will prepare you for a range of graduate programmes, both professional (architecture, planning, community development, social work) and academic (e.g., anthropology, sociology, geography, history).