Announcing an Exciting New Major in Anthropology!

Anthropology is the study of what makes us human.  It considers the range of human diversity, accounting for how people in different times and places have developed distinctly different societies. It exposes us to a vast variety of different beliefs and health practices, economic and political systems, material culture, and even different notions of beauty, the environment, food, family … and the good life.  How do we account for such diversity? Do we even experience pain, happiness, and love the same way in every society? How are climate change, racism, and inequality understood and dealt with in different societies?  Together, these and a litany of other questions invite us to explore the variations and commonalities of the human experience.  In the process, anthropology overturns our common-sense views of the world and opens our eyes to the possibilities of human existence.

Anthropology is much sought after for the sort of training it offers its students – a ground up approach to developing deep understanding on just about every aspect of the human condition.   The conceptual tools it offers, and the sensibilities it engenders, make us particularly attuned to the complexities of life on the ground.  It equips us with analytical and methodological skills to carefully observe and interpret human behaviour holistically.  Ethnography, as a hallmark of anthropology’s distinctive approach to studying human societies, offers intimate views of social life as they happen and how they are linked to the larger forces and global systems to which they may be connected.  The application of anthropological theory to understand cultural behaviour and the ethnographic method to study contemporary social issues and problems allow us to better understand and deal with the chaos, uncertainty, and ambiguity that characterise the contemporary age.

Programmes

• Bachelor of Social Sciences (Honours) in Anthropology
• Second Major in Anthropology
• Minor in Anthropology

Career Prospects

Anthropology graduates are trained observers who are particularly adept at collecting data systematically and contextually; listening and observing what others are doing; researching and appreciating the historical and socio-political context; applying various explanatory cultural models; and adopting a broad and comparative perspective to frame and understand issues.

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The undergraduate programme, leading to the degrees of B.A. or B.Soc.Sci. (Hons.), is very flexible and students are encouraged to take any of the modules offered in CNM as well as modules from other departments in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, the School of Computing and the School of Business. CNM also offers graduate programmes leading to M.A. and Ph.D. degrees — mainly by research.

The core of the CNM Programme is new media studies, which focus on the societal impact of new technologies on our social, cultural, political and economic landscape. Students can choose from a wide range of modules covering subjects like computer mediated communication, human computer interaction, culture industries, media policy and regulation and game, visual and interactive media design. The communication management area provides an overview of the theory, principles and application of communication research, planning, and management in organizations. Students interested in careers in communication management in the age of interactive and new media have the unique opportunity to combine learning about interactive media with designing content for new media and doing research for communication management.

Programmes

• Bachelor of Arts in Communications and New Media
• Bachelor of Social Sciences (Honours) in Communications and New Media
• Minor in Communications and New Media

Career Prospects

With this multi-faceted understanding of new media and communications, CNM graduates will be able to work in a wide spectrum of private corporations and public agencies, in policy formulation, public relations, corporate communication, research and information management positions.

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The discipline of Economics is the key to an understanding and analysis of economies and their constituent components. In recent decades, this role has been strengthened by the infusion of mathematical, statistical and computational methods in the subject matter of Economics. Rigour of analysis, empirical validation of economic hypotheses and contributions to business and public policy have been the main pillars on which the discipline's reputation has been built.

The undergraduate curriculum offered by the Department of Economics builds on a strong core of theoretical analysis and empirical methods of economics and covers in depth a wide range of specialized sub-fields of the discipline. The Department emphasizes the importance of a strong curriculum and good teaching. A primary mission of the Department is to produce graduates that will meet the diverse needs and demands of all sectors of the national economy and beyond. It aims to impart to students important transferable skills for lifelong learning and employability.

The Department of Economics has an established reputation as one of the largest and leading departments of Economics in the Asia-Pacific region. Faculty members’ research areas span a wide range of economic fields, with strength in the core areas of microeconomics, macroeconomics and econometrics, as well as in particular fields such as game theory and industrial organization, labor economics, education, financial economics, and growth theory and development with special reference to Asia. Recognition of the contributions by the faculty has, inter alia, taken the form of editorships; election to membership of scholarly societies; invitations to scholarly conferences; and consultancies with international organizations and the governments of Singapore and other ASEAN countries. Because of the size and diversity of the faculty and the range of its curricular offerings, students can specialize in almost any area of interest in Economics.

Programmes

• Bachelor of Arts in Economics
• Bachelor of Social Sciences (Honours) in Economics
• Australian National University-NUS Joint Honours Degree Programme in Actuarial Studies
• Minor in Economics

Career Prospects

Graduates of the Department have little difficulty in securing good jobs in both the public and private sectors. The discipline of Economics is the key to understanding the role and the making of incentives in the behaviour of man in society. The study of economics thus equips the student with useful transferable skills such as problem solving, effective writing, basic empirical skills and knowledge of the key economic institutions.

There is a high demand for economists in the public and private sector and our graduates are usually employed in banks, financial and security houses, business enterprises, the media and various other commercial organizations.

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Modules in the Department of Geography are organized along four areas of enquiry: environmental processes and change; global political economy; society and culture; and regional specializations (with a focus on Asia). The Department also offers a Field Studies module in which students travel to countries in the region such as Thailand and Malaysia where they conduct field work and collect research material over a 3-5 week period. Home-stays and visits to local universities and key sites of interest are part of the overseas learning experience.

A Minor in Urban Studies is jointly offered by the Department of Geography and the Department of Real Estate (School of Design). The minor offers students a chance to develop expertise and skills in urban studies, and is particularly useful for those wishing to pursue careers related to urban development and planning.

The Department also offers a Minor in Geographical Information Systems (GIS). This is appropriate for students interested in careers utilizing GIS as analytical tools in business, environmental science, political science, public health, sociology and urban planning. Students pursuing computer science or information systems will also benefit from this programme.

The Department offers graduate programmes (which include both the writing of a thesis as well as coursework) leading to M.Soc.Sci. and Ph.D. degrees. The large number of staff and their diverse training from British and North American universities provide a wide breadth of research opportunities for graduate students. On top of the four main curriculum areas listed above, faculty members are also able to supervise research in specific topics within the field of population studies, political geography, geography of services, women's studies, and urban and regional planning.

To enhance teaching and research, the Department is equipped with the latest facilities. These include a Map Resource Unit that has about 25,000 maps,including large and small scale topographic series, geographical maps, weather charts as well as a valuable historical map collection; the Unit is continuously expanding its collection of topographic sheets on Southeast Asia. The department also has three laboratories: Earth Laboratory, Geo Laboratory, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Laboratory. A variety of GIS, remote sensing and other software are available. There is also an Environment Field Site situated near the top of Kent Ridge. Climatological and other instruments have been set up to collect data for teaching and research purposes.

Programmes

• Bachelor of Arts
• Bachelor of Social Sciences (Honours) in Geography
• Minor in Urban Studies 
• Minor in Geographical Information Systems (GIS)
• Minor in Physical Geography

Career Prospects

Geography is one of the most diverse fields of academic study offering a wide breadth of careers for our graduates. As geography trains one to think critically and to write analytically, these valuable assets prepare graduates well for administrative jobs in government bodies, statutory boards and private organizations. About a third of the graduates presently work in the civil service and statutory boards, including the armed forces as diplomats, administrators, executive officers, planners and research analysts. Another third has found employment in a wide range of occupations, as marketing officers, public relations officers, bank officers, journalists, editors, librarians, stockbrokers, real estate developers and politicians. The rest have joined educational institutions, from secondary schools to universities, as teachers and lecturers. There is still a shortage of graduate geography teachers and students planning on a teaching career are encouraged to take modules suitable for teaching purposes. An academic career with the university is also a possibility for outstanding graduates with a Ph.D. degree.

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The Department offers modules in comparative politics, international relations, political theory, and public administration. Students follow general introductory modules in political science, research methodology, and Singapore politics. Those interested in contemporary international relations can then opt for modules on international politics, regionalism and international organizations, the international political economy, and the foreign policies of regions as well as countries like China, Japan, and India. Those who wish to specialize in comparative politics might choose to read modules on the politics of both maritime and mainland Southeast Asia, South Asia, East Asia, Europe, and the United States. Some of these modules focus on topics like ethnic and racial politics, women in politics, and political parties.

Students who want to specialize in political theory may choose modules on classical, modern, and postmodern political thought, through which they will encounter the great thinkers in both the ‘Western’ as well as ‘Eastern’ traditions. Students contemplating a career in public administration might opt for modules on organizational theory in public administration, public personnel administration, and comparative public administration of industrial states. Students can also choose from a growing number of advanced modules of a more interdisciplinary character that deal, for example, with topics like art, popular culture, international communications, and political humour.

The Department offers graduate degrees - M.Soc.Sci. and Ph.D. - mainly by research. The graduate programme is particularly strong in the areas of East and Southeast Asia. The Department is expanding the graduate programme and welcomes qualified international graduate students to apply.

Programmes

• Bachelor of Arts
• Bachelor of Social Sciences (Honours) in Political Science
• Minor in Political Science

Career Prospects

Graduates from the Department of Political Science have good career opportunities both in the public and private sectors. Several government ministries (especially Defence; Education; Foreign Affairs; and Information, Communications and the Arts) and the local mass media (especially Mediacorp and The Straits Times) have traditionally been very interested in recruiting graduates from the Department. Political Science graduates can also be found in banks, public relations firms, and multinational corporations. Since the discipline offers wide-ranging knowledge on regional and international events and developments, a degree holder in Political Science is much sought after.

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The objective of the Psychology programme at the B.A. level is to provide a comprehensive basic academic grounding in psychology. The programme aims to equip students with knowledge in the key areas of psychology (such as human biological processes, developmental processes, social processes, cognitive processes, mental health and adjustment of individuals) as well as an understanding of the applications of psychology. It also develops skills for undertaking studies of behaviour, including statistical skills and the use of computers for data analyses.

Among the central topics and questions that the programme considers are

• Biological Psychology - What are the biological bases of our behaviours?
• Cognitive Psychology - How do we know about the world and ourselves?
• Abnormal Psychology - What are the nature and causes of abnormal behaviour?
• Developmental Psychology - What happens as we grow from birth through childhood into adulthood and then into old age?
• Social Psychology - How does interaction with others and groups influence our behaviour?
• Empirical Methods - How can we obtain data about psychologically interesting phenomena and how should these data be analysed and reported?

The programme seeks to provide sufficient rigour and coverage so that students can either take on psychology-related vocations or pursue graduate training in psychology when they graduate. Toward this end students undertake laboratory/practical work and are encouraged to enquire through empirical study rather than simply to through reading or classroom instruction.

Programmes

• Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
• Bachelor of Social Sciences (Honours) in Psychology
• Minor in Psychology

Career Prospects

Virtually all employment settings involve interaction with others. As such an understanding of how the mind functions and of interpersonal relationships can be an advantage. Psychology graduates from the Department are employed in a variety of settings where such psychological skills and understanding can be put to good use - often in management /leadership roles.

Those who go on to do Honours in Psychology are sought after in employment settings where their potential as future professional psychologists is of particular interest to employers. Psychologists in Singapore are employed in various settings which include MINDEF, MCYS, MOE, MOH, ITE, SPRING Singapore, a number of voluntary social service organizations, as well as in consultancy firms and research organizations.

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The main objective of the undergraduate General and Honours degree programme offered by the Department of Social Work is to equip its graduates for entry into the social work profession at the direct-service level. The Department's emphasis is on the development of generic clinical expertise.

However, many new graduates are also employed to pioneer professional social work in new settings where employers look to them to plan and implement innovative programmes. This requires knowledge and skills such as social policy analysis and organizational planning, non-profit agency management, social entrepreneurship, inter-organizational relationship building, resource mobilization and community networking. Module contents reflecting such knowledge and skills are incorporated into the curriculum.

Students are exposed to social service visits, skills laboratory training, fieldwork placements and module projects, among other applied learning methods. Field practice is a compulsory component in Social Work education and skills training. As preparation for entry into field practice, students are encouraged to undertake voluntary work in a social service agency.

Besides the undergraduate degree, Social Work graduate education at NUS is also available, both by coursework and by research.

Programmes

• Bachelor of Arts
• Bachelor of Social Sciences (Honours) in Social Work
• Minor in Human Services

Career Prospects

In recent years, a wide range of challenging professional job opportunities has opened up for social work graduates. Organizations that employ social workers include the following:

• Government Ministries -- Community Development, Youth and Sports; Defence; Education; Health and Home Affairs;
• National Council of Social Service (which includes the Community Chest and the Social Service Training Institute);
• People's Association, Community Development Councils and Constituency Secretariats; the National Youth Council;
• National Trades Union Congress;
• family service centres;
• child care and development centres;
• hospitals and health care centres;
• prisons, drug rehabilitation centres and halfway houses; and
• other people-helping agencies serving families, children, youth, people with disabilities and older persons. In addition, there are openings for social work graduates in areas such as social enterprises, industrial labour relations, human resource management, staff training, organizational development and consultancy, mass communication and human relations.

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Sociology is the systematic study of the diversity of ways in which life is socially organized. The discipline seeks to understand the structure and dynamics of society, and their connections to patterns of human behaviour and individual life changes. Sociologists attempt to make sense of the variety of ways in which the structure of social groups, organizations and institutions affect human actions and opportunities.

The overall objective of sociology is to systematically understand how individuals and groups create, maintain and change social relationships, social structures and institutions over time. As such sociologists are interested in grasping the dynamics of social change precipitated by the constant two-way interaction between individuals and social structures.

The focus of sociologists ranges from intimate interpersonal relationships, formal organizations and institutions, to large-scale global transformations. The range of issues and institutions studied by sociologists include: cultural diversity, popular culture, social identity, inequality, gender, deviance, politics, religion, race and ethnicity, family and kinship, education, development and social change, the economy, the population, the urban social environment, science and technology.

Unlike other social science disciplines, sociology is not restricted to a particular domain such as politics or the economy but seeks to unravel the interconnections between all aspects of social existence. Overall, sociology seeks to provide students with a critical understanding of their own location within a network of social interactions, organizations and institutions that simultaneously facilitate or inhibit social action and social change.

Programmes

• Bachelor of Arts in Sociology
• Bachelor of Social Sciences (Honours) in Sociology
• Minor in Sociology

Career Prospects

Sociology graduates are in high demand in a variety of occupations that require inquiring, analytical and critical minds. A sociology degree will impart you with the critical intellectual capacity of examining controversial issues from a variety of perspectives. These critical thinking skills are invaluable in an era of fast paced social change and will be an asset regardless of your chosen career.

Our sociology graduates have found employment in administration and personnel, information and research, community service, management, the media industry, teaching, uniformed services, marketing, and public relations among others.

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