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College of Humanities and Sciences (CHS) – Overview and Common Curriculum
Life Sciences Major, Second Major, and Minor Requirements (Updated 22 November 2023)
Life Sciences with College of Humanities and Sciences – Brochure 2024 [Download]
Applying to Life Sciences Major
To read Life Sciences as the primary Major, candidates should apply for admissions to the College of Humanities and Sciences (CHS). For details, please refer to CHS admissions.
Submit applications for admission to an undergraduate course in NUS via Office of Admissions (OAM).
Select ‘Humanities and Sciences‘ as the choice of programme for single degree study, or any choice of programme for Double Major/Major-Minor study with ‘Life Sciences’.
Life Sciences Major specifically requires passes in H2 or GCE ‘A’ Level (or equivalents) Biology and Chemistry, or for IB qualification, HL passes in Biology and Chemistry. Successful applicants to CHS without this background may read the corresponding subject bridging course in the first year of study.
Successful applicants to CHS producing local Polytechnic Diplomas will need to read the biology and chemistry bridging courses in the first year of study, unless the Diploma is accepted for Life Sciences Major as satisfying the required equivalent background in biology (and for some in chemistry too). The acceptable local Diplomas can be found here (scroll to Subject Prerequisites > click Bachelor of Science > Polytechnic Bridging Courses).
Having questions for admissions?
The Office of Admissions (OAM) conducts the Undergraduate Admissions Exercise. Please visit the website for the application process and contact the Office for admissions enquiries.
For questions pertaining to Life Sciences Major specifically, please email to Life Sciences Enquiry.
Prospects
There has always been a need for life sciences graduates as they advance society through scientific progress in fields as diverse as agriculture and food safety, conservation and sustainability, genomics and proteomics, biotechnology and biomedical engineering, medical diagnostics, and drugs and pharmaceuticals, to name a few.
NUS Life Sciences Major graduates are fully poised to pursue careers ranging from research and scientific services, to healthcare and medical industries, and to education and related professions. A general Science degree, coupled with the scientific thinking and analytical skills acquired during the undergraduate years, enables our graduates to be eligible for a wide array of careers that seek Bachelor of Science degree as the entry qualification. Aspiring graduates can embark on graduate studies at NUS or overseas as well as enter graduate medical education such as the Duke-NUS Medical School.
The training in Life Sciences set a good stage for the professional pursuits in biological, biomedical, and biotechnological contexts, as well as agricultural, horticultural and environmental issues. Prospective employers include Research Institutes, Government Ministries and Statutory Boards such as National Parks Board (NParks), National Environment Agency (NEA), Health Sciences Authority (HSA) and Singapore Food Agency (SFA), specialist medical centres and clinics, government and private hospitals. Many of our graduates work as teachers in Schools, Junior Colleges, Polytechnics and Universities. MNCs and local companies from the private and industrial sectors involving biotech, medical, pharmaceutical, food production and environmental technology are also common options considered by our graduates.
In addition, Life Sciences graduates have also embarked on a wide spectrum of non-life sciences related professions such as mass media productions, communications and information services, banking and finance, law and public services, defence and security. The more entrepreneurial graduates have also set up their own ventures.
The growth and disruption spurred by emerging technologies have sprung up new career opportunities. For instance, advances in computational biology have created new opportunities to apply data analytics, algorithms and computer-based analysis of biological problems in fields such as healthcare, amongst others.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hosted by the Department of Biological Sciences, the undergraduate degree programme for Life Sciences is jointly taught by six departments in the Faculty of Science and the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, NUS. The Major, Second Major and Minor in Life Sciences are offered under the College of Humanities and Sciences (CHS).
The teaching departments for Life Sciences are:
Faculty of Science
– Department of Biological Sciences
Medical Sciences Cluster, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine
– Department of Anatomy
– Department of Biochemistry
– Department of Microbiology and Immunology
– Department of Pharmacology
– Department of Physiology
The Life Sciences Major embraces the values of versatility in the curricular structure. With a core foundation of four essential courses, you progress to choose from a wide variety of electives based on your preferred focus in Life Sciences. The research project milestone ensures that every Life Sciences Major student experiences the process of scientific research first-hand. And the option is available to pursue a specialisation in either Biomedical Science, or Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity. You can also broaden your learning experiences through overseas exchanges, overseas concurrent/joint degree programmes, and internships. This versatility, coupled with the interdisciplinary emphasis of the College of Humanities and Sciences, further enhances the undergraduate study in Life Sciences with many academic and real-world opportunities.
Every cohort year, there are about 350 students reading Life Sciences as their primary discipline.
Please refer to details here.
Admission to the College of Humanities and Sciences makes you eligible to take up the Major in Life Sciences, and there is no additional selection to go through.
Successful applicants to the College of Humanities and Sciences with any full-time local Polytechnic Diploma may choose to read Life Sciences as the Primary Major. If your Diploma is not accredited for the Life Sciences Major, you are required to read and pass the corresponding biology/chemistry bridging course during the first year of study.
Yes, and in this case, you will need to read and pass the corresponding subject bridging course LSM1301 General Biology or CM1417 Fundamentals of Chemistry during the first year of study.
No, a delay to academic progress is not likely. The bridging course is to be completed during the first year of study concurrently while doing the Common Curriculum for the College of Humanities and Sciences, and it serves as an Unrestricted Elective for graduation requirements. The Major study plan should proceed as per normal by the second year of study.
Students reading the Primary Major in Life Sciences are eligible to join the Joint Degree Programme NUS-University of Dundee (JDP) and the Concurrent Degree Programme NUS-The University of Melbourne Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (CDP). Invitations to apply will be sent to Year 1 students via email when the intake cycle opens in Semester 2. The JDP takes in up to 15 students every year and the CDP accepts up to 10 students each intake.
JDP-UoD BSc (Hons) in Life Sciences – https://www.dbs.nus.edu.sg/lifesciences/#lsjdpuod
CDP NUS BSc (Hons) in Life Sciences-UniMelb DVM – https://www.dbs.nus.edu.sg/lifesciences/#lscdpdvm
Please refer to details here.