NTU Singapore launches new multi-domain academic offerings to prepare graduates for the workplace of tomorrow

• Nine new interdisciplinary degree programmes offered in 2024
• New offerings include undergraduate degrees that range from artificial intelligence, and sustainability management and analytics, to philosophy, politics, and economics

To better prepare graduates for jobs of the future, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) is launching a series of new academic offerings that cross multiple domains this year.

These include the Accountancy for Future Leaders – Bachelor of Accountancy (Sustainability Management and Analytics) and Bachelor of Social Sciences in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics.

Other new courses available to incoming undergraduates are the Bachelor of Science in AI and Society, the Bachelor of Applied Computing in Finance, and the Bachelor of Chinese Medicine.

NTU Deputy President and Provost Professor Ling San said: “Today’s rapidly evolving job landscape requires graduates with diverse and flexible skillsets, together with knowledge on how best to put their skills into practice. NTU’s latest multi-domain academic offerings are designed to prepare future-ready graduates with interdisciplinary knowledge who can thrive in a competitive global economy. The new degree programmes straddle multiple disciplines in traditional and emerging fields, giving them the chance to seize opportunities in a range of existing and upcoming industries.”

Multi-domain academic offerings

NTU’s newest academic offerings aim to provide undergraduates with essential interdisciplinary and multi-domain knowledge.

The Accountancy for Future Leaders – Bachelor of Accountancy (Sustainability Management and Analytics) offered by Nanyang Business School is a premier programme that contributes to the national effort to strengthen Singapore’s position as a financial hub.

The integrated curriculum was closely developed in line with the work of the Accountancy Workforce Review Committee which was jointly set up by the Ministry of Finance and the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA). The programme weaves together sustainability management and analytics – two key emerging areas in the future economy.

This four-year degree provides students with an accelerated pathway to attaining Chartered Accountant (Singapore) status through exemptions for the Singapore Chartered Accountancy Qualification (SCAQ) and a minimum 30-week accountancy-related internship with ACRA-accredited training organisations. The internship contributes to the mandatory three-year practical experience required for qualification as a Chartered Accountant and comes with a competitive stipend.

Overall, the programme allows students to accumulate professional credentials while pursuing their degree and accelerating their professional status soon after graduation.

ACRA Chief Executive Mr Ong Khiaw Hong said: “We are confident that this work-study programme will provide accountancy students with early industry exposure through practical work opportunities and the essential sustainability and analytics skills to prepare them to be future leaders of the sector.”

The Bachelor of Social Sciences in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics, offered by the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences aims to develop Singapore’s next generation of policymakers as policy questions become more complex in the years to come.

Students in this competitive four-year honours degree programme will learn to integrate multiple disciplinary approaches in the study of society, politics, the economy, and ethics. They can specialise in two or three chosen disciplines, acquire real-world experience through a compulsory internship, and gain a global outlook through overseas exchange studies.

The curriculum boasts seven integrated themes: quantitative methods, Singaporean governance, Asian regionalism, and issues on the interface between science, technology, ethics, and society.

The course prepares undergraduates to be informed on many of the most important shared issues facing Singapore, Asia, and the world in the 21^st century. Its multidisciplinary synergies empower students as future leaders to think critically and to make informed choices that shape the world’s future.

Widening perspectives through global experiences

NTU undergraduates can widen their perspective through a range of overseas opportunities, gaining valuable global experience through overseas attachment, study missions and exchange programmes.

Students in the new Accountancy for Future Leaders course will have the opportunity to undertake a study mission to a country in the region to investigate sustainability-related issues, as well as the chance to attend a semester-long student exchange at a top-tier university.

Similarly, undergraduates in the Philosophy, Politics, and Economics degree programme will be able to translate theory to practice through a compulsory internship overseas or locally, and to go on overseas exchange.

There are also plans to set up overseas clinical internships and exchange programmes for students taking the new Bachelor of Chinese Medicine to expose them to how traditional Chinese medicine is practised worldwide.

Professor Ling San said: “NTU is committed to providing transformative global learning opportunities for our students. The opportunity to learn from all over the world, through exchange programmes or overseas attachments and study missions, provides our future graduates with an expansive international outlook that prepares them for lifelong learning and global citizenship.”

Through collaborations with top universities, employers and Non-Government Organisations across the world, NTU students have the opportunity to build meaningful networks, contribute to social causes, and remain globally competitive.

NTU undergraduate students are able to pursue overseas programmes and activities in over 60 countries, and the University is ramping up its efforts to provide 6,500 such trips each year, matching pre-pandemic levels.

New interdisciplinary courses in emerging and traditional fields

The new Bachelor of Science in AI and Society degree is a highly competitive four-year interdisciplinary programme which equips students with the necessary mathematical and computing foundations to design and develop high quality AI solutions.

Students will learn about potential misuses of AI that can result in greater inequality, hiring biases, and the propagation of misinformation.

The four-year Bachelor of Applied Computing in Finance, jointly offered NBS and the School of Computer Science and Engineering, provides students with an interdisciplinary education crucial to the digitalisation journey of the financial industry.

The specialisations in this programme combine deep domain knowledge in finance with strong technological and analytical skillsets. They include Financial Analytics and WealthTech, Crypto Asset and Blockchain, and Digital Banking and Security.

NTU’s School of Biological Sciences will launch Singapore’s first locally conferred Chinese Medicine undergraduate degree programme, accredited by the Ministry of Health’s Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners Board. The Bachelor of Chinese Medicine offers a refreshed curriculum that integrates modern science into a subject with ancient roots.

The new programme plans to integrate technology-enabled learning tools such as virtual and augmented reality into the curriculum and introduce team-based learning to make learning more interactive for students and promote critical and creative thinking.

Four new Masters programmes launched

Postgraduate students can also look forward to several innovative Masters courses.

The College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences is offering a new Master of Arts in Creative Writing and Publishing, a holistic, skills-based programme that provides students with an opportunity to develop industry relevant, employment ready, creative writing and publishing skills.

The College is also launching a Master of Arts in Linguistics, which allows students to holistically develop their interests in linguistics and related fields like psychology, sociology and neuroscience.

Corporate executives and professionals looking to broaden their skillsets in sustainability can enrol in the specialised Executive Master of Science in Sustainability Management, which equips them with the knowledge and leadership capabilities to transition their companies to operate within the green economy.

NTU and the National Health Group have also partnered to launch a Master of Science in Holistic Palliative Care to boost national capabilities in end-of-life care. This flexible programme caters to healthcare professionals keen on upskilling their knowledge in palliative care on a part-time basis, while allowing them to pursue their existing work and family commitments.

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Media contact:

Mr Lester Hio
Manager, Media Relations
Corporate Communications Office
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Email: lester.hio@ntu.edu.sg