Graduate Coursework Programme Master of Arts Global Sociology and Anthropology

Graduate Coursework Programme

Master of Arts  (Global Sociology and Anthropology)

Programme Overview

The Master of Arts (Global Sociology and Anthropology) is a graduate coursework-based programme designed to equip students with advanced training in Sociological and Anthropological theories and methods. Offered by the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at NUS, the programme addresses the critical challenges and opportunities brought by globalization, especially in the context of Asia.

NUS is ranked #8 in the QS World University Rankings and #1 in Asia. The university also holds a global ranking of #10 in Sociology, and its Anthropology programme is ranked #14 worldwide and #1 in Asia.

The MA (Global Sociology and Anthropology) programme offers three specializations:

Global Asia
Population, Aging, and Health
Culture, Society, and Economy

This programme is tailored for both recent graduates and working professionals who want to grow their careers in areas like policy-making, business planning, research, government, media, or human resources, and more. It is also well-suited for those intending to pursue further academic studies, including doctoral work, in Sociology, Anthropology, or related fields. Students will gain interdisciplinary skills in information gathering, critical analysis, and policy evaluation, empowering them to take on leadership roles in diverse sectors across the globe.

This programme builds on the Department’s longstanding commitment to applied, practice-oriented graduate education and builds on its legacy of successful professional training initiatives from the late 1990s to early 2000s.

Admission Requirements

An NUS Honours degree (Merit/Second Class and above) or equivalent (eg, a four-year Bachelor’s degree with at least an average grade of B or equivalent) in the subject or related field; or
A good Bachelor’s degree (at least an average grade of B or equivalent) in the subject or related field and successful completion of a placement test; or
A Bachelor’s degree with a relevant Graduate Diploma with a minimum GPA of 3.00; or
A Bachelor’s degree with a relevant Graduate Certificate with a minimum GPA of 3.00; or
Other qualifications and experience subject to approval by the Graduate Studies Division, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.
An applicant whose medium of undergraduate instruction is not English is required to submit TOEFL (with a minimum score of 85 for the internet-based test) or IELTS (with a minimum score of 6.0) score report.

MA Programme Fee Structure

Programme Fee for August 2027 Intake

Full programme fee for August 2027 intake: $50,500 (inclusive of 9% GST)

Programme fee payment schedule for August 2027 intake (Inclusive of 9% GST):
For full-time students, programme fee payment will be paid across two semesters.
For part-time students, programme fee payment will be paid across four semesters.

Candidature	Acceptance fee	First semester	Second semester	Third semester	Fourth semester
Full-time	$10,900	$14,350	$25,250	N.A.	N.A.
Part-time	$10,900	$1,725	$12,625	$12,625	$12,625

For August 2027 intake, successful applicants from the following categories will be eligible to enjoy one of the fee rebates offset from the programme fee:

Category

Fee rebate

Singapore Citizen / Singapore Permanent Resident

(NUS alumni and non-alumni)

40%

International

(NUS alumni only)

20%

Note:

The acceptance fee (inclusive of 9% GST) is payable upon acceptance into the programme. Please note that the acceptance fee is non-refundable and non-transferable.
In addition, students will be required to pay the Miscellaneous Student Fee (MSF) on a semester basis. For details, please refer to the Office of the University Registrar’s website here.
Payment of the Tuition and Miscellaneous Student Fees are to be made by the stipulated due date set by Office of Finance. If fees are not paid by the due date, a late payment charge may be imposed by NUS.
Total Programme Fees remain payable in full regardless of the duration taken to complete the programme, provided the required 40 units for graduation are not exceeded.

Programme Fee for August 2026 Intake

Full programme fee for August 2026 intake: $49,050 (inclusive of 9% GST)

Programme fee payment schedule for August 2026 intake (Inclusive of 9% GST):
For full-time students, programme fee payment will be paid across two semesters.
For part-time students, programme fee payment will be paid across four semesters.

Candidature	Acceptance fee	First semester	Second semester	Third semester	Fourth semester
Full-time	$5,450	$19,075	$24,525	N.A.	N.A.
Part-time	$5,450	$6,812.50	$12,262.50	$12,262.50	$12,262.50

For August 2026 intake, successful applicants from the following categories will be eligible to enjoy one of the fee rebates offset from the programme fee:

Category	Fee rebate
Singapore Citizen / Singapore Permanent Resident (NUS alumni and non-alumni)	40%
International (NUS alumni only)	20%
International (non-NUS alumni only)	5%

Note:

The acceptance fee (inclusive of 9% GST) is payable upon acceptance into the programme. Please note that the acceptance fee is non-refundable and non-transferable.
In addition, students will be required to pay the Miscellaneous Student Fee (MSF) on a semester basis. For details, please refer to the Office of the University Registrar’s website here.
Payment of the Tuition and Miscellaneous Student Fees are to be made by the stipulated due date set by Office of Finance. If fees are not paid by the due date, a late payment charge may be imposed by NUS.
Total Programme Fees remain payable in full regardless of the duration taken to complete the programme, provided the required 40 units for graduation are not exceeded.

MA Application Information

Intake	Application start date	Application closing date
August 2027	1 September 2026	30 November 2026

All applicants are required to apply online via the NUS Graduate Admission System.
Applicants may refer to the GDA3-Applicant-User-Guide to better equip themselves before commencing on their application.
Applicants shall select “Master of Arts (Global Sociology and Anthropology)” as the programme.
A non-refundable application fee of S$54.50 (inclusive of GST) is payable for each application. The application fee cannot be waived.
Applicants will only be required to submit their application online. There is no need to send any application documents to us by post during the application stage.
Applicants may refer to the Applicant Checklist for MA GSA for the list of application documents to be attached with the online application.
Incomplete applications will not be processed.
Applicants will be notified of the application outcome by 31 May 2027.

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MA Programme Curriculum

Graduation Requirements : Students are required to read and pass five core courses and five elective courses (total: 40 units) and obtain a minimum GPA of 3.0.

To earn a Master of Arts degree in the chosen specialization, a student must read and pass three out of the five elective courses in the chosen specialization. Otherwise, the student will attain the Master of Arts degree with no specialization upon fulfilling the graduation requirements.

Core Curriculum

Three Specializations

GSA5101 Graduate Research Methods (Coursework)
GSA5102 Sociological Theory (Coursework)
GSA5103 Anthropological Theory (Coursework)
GSA5104 Quantitative Data Analysis (Coursework)
GSA5105 Qualitative Data Analysis (Coursework)

• Global Asia
• Population, Aging, and Health
• Culture, Society, and Economy

Elective Courses

Global Asia

Course Code	Course Title
GSA5301	Applying Sociology and Anthropology in Asia
GSA5302	Asian Monies
GSA5303	Changing Legal Landscape in the Working Environment
GSA5304	China in Transition: A Global Perspective
GSA5305	Contemplating Theme Parks in Asia and Beyond
GSA5306	Cultural Tourism and the Environment in Asia and Beyond
GSA5307	Gender and Family in Globalizing Asia
GSA5308	Heritage Issues and Policies in Asian Cities

Population, Aging and Health

Course Code	Course Title
GSA5401	Ethnicity, Migration, and Population Diversity
GSA5402	Who Cares? Family, Intergenerational Relations and Long-Term Care
GSA5403	Life-course perspectives on Ageing and Health
GSA5404	Policy and Business Strategies for Population Aging
GSA5405	Qualitative research methods in health and healthcare
GSA5406	Quantitative Research Methods in Population Studies
GSA5407	Religion and Health

Culture, Society and Economy

Course Code	Course Title
GSA5201	Cultural Heritage and Sustainable Development
GSA5202	Digital Cultures
GSA5203	Disney and Cultural Globalization
GSA5204	Gender and Power in Asia
GSA5205	Legal Cultures and Consciousness in Asia
GSA5206	Popular Culture and Geopolitics
GSA5207	Punishment, Prisons and Society
GSA5208	Sensory Asia: Culture, Society, and Experience
GSA5209	Studying Society Visually
GSA5210	Urban Ethnographic Research

FAQs

The programme uses the Grade Point Average (GPA) as a criterion for continuation and graduation.

To continue in the programme, a student must not have:

- GPA below 3.00 (but ≥2.50) for three consecutive semesters; or

- GPA below 2.50 for two consecutive semesters.

To fulfil the graduation requirements, a student must:

- read and pass 5 core courses (20 units) and 5 elective courses (20 units);

- obtained a minimum GPA of 3.00.

How do I apply for Leave of Absence?

If I have other questions, who do I contact?