Graduate Diploma

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Our Graduate Diploma programme is suitable for those seeking a lighter curriculum that offers the essential courses on contemporary Southeast Asia, whilst enabling students to focus on themes and countries of particular interest to them.

Thus, our programme will suit professionals who wish to develop their knowledge of the region and to upgrade their cross-cultural skills in order to advance their career. A Graduate Diploma in Contemporary Southeast Asia will add regional expertise and international networks to their professional portfolio.

With our flexible study option, students can subsequently seek admission to the MA coursework degree programme and augment the courses earned in the Graduate Diploma programme with additional courses to fulfil the MA coursework degree requirements.

Programme Requirements

Degree	Graduate Diploma (Contemporary Southeast Asia)
Start of Programme	August
Language of Instruction	English
Location	Singapore (on-campus study option only)
Mode of Teaching	3-hour seminar-style class Classes are conducted in the day or evening (Monday to Friday) Classes for each course are held once a week over a period of 13 weeks (excluding final examinations, if applicable)
Mode of Study	Full-Time or Part-Time International students on student visa must be enrolled for full-time study Students residing in Singapore may enrol for part-time study
Duration of Degree	Full-Time Requires at least 1 year (2 semesters) to complete the degree Maximum duration allowed: 1.5 years Part-Time Requires at least 1.5 years (3 semesters) to complete the degree Maximum duration allowed: 3 years

Coursework Requirements	Complete and pass 24 units which include: Two (2) core courses: SEA5101 History, Politics and Economics of Modern Southeast Asia (4 units) SEA5102 Societies and Cultures of Southeast Asia (4 units) One (1) course from the following thematic specialisations: Environment and Sustainability Heritage, Arts and Culture Regional Futures Two (2) country studies courses One (1) other elective (may include a combination of special topics courses)
English Language Requirement	Students may be required to take the Diagnostic English Test (DET) to determine English proficiency (selected students will be notified in their offer of admission letter) Depending on their DET results, students may be required to take Graduate English Course(s) or be exempted from taking the course(s) altogether Students who are required to take the Graduate English Course(s) must obtain at least grade 'C' in the course(s) at intermediate level Graduate English Course(s) are not counted towards the 28 units required for the coursework requirements
Workload per Semester	Full-Time Maximum: 24 units Minimum: 12 units Part-Time Maximum: 12 units Minimum: 4 units
Graduation Requirements	To obtain a Graduate Diploma in Contemporary Southeast Asia, students must meet the following requirements: Completed and passed 24 units (refer to coursework requirements above); Obtained a minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.75; Where applicable, obtained at least grade 'C' in Graduate English Course(s) (refer to English Language requirement above)

Fees

Tuition Fee for August 2024 Intake	S$25,669.50 (inclusive of GST) For both full-time and part-time irrespective of nationality
Application Fee from August 2025 Intake onwards	S$60 (inclusive of GST) Non-refundable and non-transferable
Acceptance Fee for August 2024 Intake	S$3,270 (inclusive of GST) Payable upon acceptance of offer of admission Non-refundable and non-transferable Will be credited towards tuition fee
Miscellaneous Student Fees	As published by NUS Registrar’s Office Payable every regular semester

Admission and Application

Admission Requirements

Candidates seeking admission to the Graduate Diploma in Contemporary Southeast Asia programme should possess the following minimum requirements:

Academic	A good NUS Honours degree (Merit/Second Class and above) or equivalent (e.g. a four-year Bachelors degree with at least an average grade of B or equivalent) in related disciplines such as the humanities, social sciences, area studies, and other interdisciplinary studies with evidence of having read subjects related to Southeast Asia or Asia; or A good Bachelors degree (at least an average grade of B equivalent) in related disciplines such as the humanities, social sciences, area studies, and other interdisciplinary studies with evidence of having read subjects related to Southeast Asia or Asia and successful completion of a placement test; *or exceptionally,* Other relevant qualifications and experience, and successful completion of a placement test; however, admission is subject to approval by the Board of Graduate Studies.
English Language Proficiency	Candidates whose native tongue and medium of undergraduate instruction is not English must submit TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS (International English Language Testing System) scores as evidence of their proficiency in the English language A minimum TOEFL score of 85 (with a minimum of 22 for the writing section) is required for the internet-based test, or 580 for the paper-based test, or 237 for the computer-based test A minimum IELTS score of 6.0 in all sections and overall score is required TOEFL or IELTS scores are only valid for two (2) years from the test date and the validity should not expire before the beginning of the application period for the programme
Other	Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend an admission interview (through video conferencing for overseas applicants).

In general, selection for admission to the programme is based on the following criteria: intellection distinction, professional merit and other relevant information supplied. Meeting the above minimum requirements does not imply automatic acceptance into the programme.

Application Information

Applications for admission must be submitted online. There is one application period for each academic year.

Intake	Application Period
Semester 1 (August)	1 October (in the year preceding the intake) to 15 January (in the same year as the intake)

For more information on the application process and the supporting documents required, please refer to the Faculty website.

Interview Session

Shortlisted applicants will be interviewed in batches throughout the application period. Each applicant will only have one round of interview.

Interview Rounds	Dates for August 2025 Intake
Round 1	Week of 4 November 2024
Round 2	Week of 2 December 2024
Round 3	Week of 20 January 2025
Round 4	Week of 3 February 2025

CONTACT
For enquiries on the Graduate Diploma, please email fasbox58@nus.edu.sg

Courses

Students need to complete two core courses, one thematic course, two country studies courses, and one elective course (which may comprise a combination of special topics courses) to reach 24 units. Graduate Diploma students would not be required to complete a thesis.

Course Code	Course Title
Core Courses
SEA5101	History, Politics and Economics of Modern Southeast Asia
SEA5102	Societies and Cultures of Southeast Asia
Thematic Courses
Environment and Sustainability
SEA5201	Politics of Environment in Southeast Asia
SEA5202	Southeast Asia by Sea
SEA5203	Natural Disasters in Southeast Asia
Heritage, Arts and Culture
SEA5211	Landscapes of Southeast Asia
SEA5212	Arts in Southeast Asia
SEA5213	Food History of Southeast Asia
SEA5214	Cultural Resource Management in Southeast Asia
Regional Futures
SEA5221	Revolt and Revolution in Southeast Asia
SEA5222	Technopolitics in Southeast Asia
SEA5223	Southeast Asia and Regionalism
SEA5224	Political Economy of Southeast Asia
Country Studies Courses
SEA5231	Mainland Southeast Asia
SEA5232	Thailand
SEA5233	Indonesia
SEA5234	Philippines
SEA5235	Malaysia
SEA5236	Myanmar
SEA5237	Vietnam
SEA5238	Singapore
Elective Courses
SEA5301	Masterclass
SEA5302	Field Trip
SEA5303	Workshop
SEA5660	Independent Study
SEA5880	Topics in Southeast Asian Studies