Honours Programme

Graduation Requirements

Cohort 2016-2017

Pass PL1101E Introduction to Psychology. This will be counted towards the Faculty Core or UE requirements.
Pass at least 84 units of PL courses or PL-recognised courses which include the following:
1. PL2131 Research and Statistical Methods I
2. PL2132 Research and Statistical Methods II
3. PL3232 or PL3102 Biological Psychology
4. PL3233 or PL3103 Cognitive Psychology
5. PL3234 or PL3104 Developmental Psychology
6. PL3235 or PL3105 Social Psychology
7. PL3236 or PL3106 Mental Health and Distress
8. PL3231 Independent Research Project OR one of the PL328x lab courses^#
9. A minimum of 52 units at level-2000 or higher (excluding the courses above), with
  1. a minimum of 40 units at level-4000 or higher
  2. a maximum of one other PL328x lab course not taken in (viii) above^#
  3. a maximum of 2 PL courses at level-5000.
  4. a maximum of 2 PL-recognised courses.

Cohort 2018-2020

Pass PL1101E Introduction to Psychology. This will be counted towards the Faculty Core or UE requirements.
Pass at least 84 units of PL courses or PL-recognised courses which include the following:
1. PL2131 Research and Statistical Methods I
2. PL2132 Research and Statistical Methods II
3. PL3232 or PL3102 Biological Psychology
4. PL3233 or PL3103 Cognitive Psychology
5. PL3234 or PL3104 Developmental Psychology
6. PL3235 or PL3105 Social Psychology
7. PL3236 or PL3106 Mental Health and Distress
8. PL3231 Independent Research Project OR one of the PL328x lab courses^#
9. A minimum of 52 units at level-2000 or higher, with
  1. a minimum of 12 units at levels-2000 or 3000 (excluding the courses above).
  2. a minimum of 40 units at level-4000 or higher, including a minimum of 10 units from PL4201 (5 units)/PL4201HM (5 units), PL4202 (5 units)/PL4202HM (5 units), PL4242 (5 units)/PL4242HM (5 units), PL4245 (5 units)/PL4245HM (5 units) and PL4246 (5 units)/PL4246HM (5 units).
  3. a maximum of one other PL328x lab course not taken in (viii) above^#
  4. a maximum of 2 PL courses at level-5000.
  5. a maximum of 2 PL-recognised courses.

Cohort 2021 onwards

Pass at least 60 units of PL courses or PL-recognised courses, which include the following:

PL1101E Introduction to Psychology
PL2131 Research and Statistical Methods I
PL2132 Research and Statistical Methods II
PL3102 Biological Psychology
PL3103 Cognitive Psychology
PL3104 Developmental Psychology
PL3105 Social Psychology
PL3106 Mental Health and Distress
PL3231 Independent Research Project OR one of the PL328x lab courses
A minimum of 4 units at levels-2000 or 3000 (excluding the courses above), with a maximum of 1 PL-recognised course. This requirement cannot be fulfilled by reading PL3231 Independent Research Project or additional PL328x lab courses.
A minimum of 20 units at level-4000 or higher, with
1. a minimum of 4 units from the Capstone group*;
2. a minimum of 4 units from the Biological, Cognitive and Developmental group*;
3. a minimum of 4 units from the Abnormal/Clinical, Social and Applied group*;
4. a maximum of 4 units at level-4000 mapped from exchange;
5. a maximum of 4 units at level-5000.

Note:

# As PL3231 and the PL328x lab courses serve the same purpose of strengthening the empirical research skills of students, students are only allowed to read a maximum of 2 such courses, in any of the following combinations: (1) PL3231, (2) PL328x, (3) PL3231 + PL328x, (4) PL328x + PL328x.
* See https://fass.nus.edu.sg/psy/modules-undergraduate for the courses in each group.
The following are PL-recognised courses:
EC3305 Programming Tools for Economics (applicable for Cohort 2016 onwards)
EC3394 Economics and Psychology (applicable for Cohort 2016 onwards)
EL3206 Psycholinguistics (applicable for Cohort 2021 onwards)
ID3127 Transdisciplinary Innovation Project
LSM3215 Neuronal Signaling and Memory Mechanisms
LSM3216 Neuronal Development and Diseases
MUA3230 Music Cognition
NM3234 Leadership, Organisations and New Media (applicable for Cohort 2016 onwards)
NM3234Y Leadership, Organisations and Communication (applicable for Cohort 2016 onwards; for PL-CNM and CNM-PL double-major students only)
NM3239 Retrieving, Exploring and Analysing Data (applicable for Cohort 2016 onwards)
NM3239Y Retrieving, Exploring and Analysing Data (applicable for Cohort 2016 onwards; for PL-CNM and CNM-PL double-major students only)
NM3242 Organisational Communication and Leadership (applicable for Cohort 2016 onwards)
PH2201 Introduction to the Philosophy of Science
PH2241 Philosophy of Mind
PH3201 Philosophy of Social Science
PH3241 Consciousness
PH3242 The Self
SW3208 Negotiation & Conflict Resolution (applicable for Cohort 2016 onwards)
SW3209 Counselling Theories & Practice (applicable for Cohort 2016 onwards)
Students intending to do a double major in PL and SW are advised to read PL2131 in their first year because the course serves as a gate for determining whether one could pursue a major in Psychology and also because it could be read in place of SW3101. As PL3236/PL3106 and SW3217 preclude each other, students intending to do a double major in PL and SW should read PL3236/PL3106 which is a compulsory course for PL, instead of SW3217.
Cohort 2020 and before: Students are allowed to map a maximum of 10 units at level-4000 from exchange.
Cohort 2021 onwards: Students are allowed to map a maximum of 4 units at level-4000 from exchange.
To declare an Honours track, students must have completed the following:
Cohort 2016 to 2020: Completed at least 110 units, including 44 units in the Major, with a GPA of 3.20 and above.
Honours Thesis (15 units for Cohort 2020 and before, and 8 units for Cohort 2021 onwards) is optional.
Honours Thesis will no longer be a requirement to attain Honours (Highest Distinction) for all cohorts. However, students will still need to achieve a GPA of 4.50 or above in order attain Honours (Highest Distinction).
Students who do not attempt the Honours Thesis will read level-4000 or higher PL courses to fulfil the Honours Requirements.
Students may also read a level-4000 Independent Study Course (ISC; 5 units for Cohort 2020 and before, and 4 units for Cohort 2021 onwards). This ISC and the Honours Thesis preclude one another.
All level-4000 courses carry the following general prerequisites:
Cohort 2012 onwards: Completed 80 units, including 28 units in the Major, with a minimum GPA of 3.20 OR being on the Honours Track (some level-4000 courses may have different prerequisites).
For students who are attempting the Honours Thesis, the onus is on the students to secure a supervisor who would supervise them on the Honours Thesis. Students should settle on a topic as soon as possible and speak to the supervisors early, as staff are able to supervise only a limited number of theses. Students who are late may end up not working with the supervisor of their choice and have to settle on a different topic.
Students from Cohort 2020 and before who would like to major in Psychology at NUS have to obtain a grade of B- or better for the PL1101E and a grade of B- or better for the PL2131 course. From Cohort 2018 to Cohort 2020 (except those who secured their place in FASS before the 2018 admission exercise), there will be no placement tests for students who fail to attain the minimum B- grades for PL1101E and PL2131 to major in Psychology.