Program Overview

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Introduction to the Master of Science (Environmental Management) Programme

The National University of Singapore (NUS) Master of Science (Environmental Management) (MEM) is a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary graduate degree programme that taps on the deep expertise of six NUS academic units in areas pertinent to environmental and sustainability management. These units include the NUS Business School, NUS College of Design and Engineering, NUS Faculty of Science, NUS Faculty of Law, NUS Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, and NUS School of Continuing and Lifelong Education.

Programme Overview

The MEM programme has attracted students from around the world, including countries like Bangladesh, Canada, China, Finland, France, Japan, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Myanmar, Nepal, Norway, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America. In 2022, the MEM programme was identified as a strategic programme and NUS flagship course in sustainability by the University Sustainability and Climate Action Council. The programme curriculum was revamped to provide pedagogical flexibility to students while providing a broad-based multidisciplinary curriculum.

Why This Programme?

• Acquire multidisciplinary competencies from professors who are specialists in their fields, as well as experts from established local and international environmental agencies and organisations.
• Be exposed to a wide range of perspectives by attending the MEM5104 Seminars on Environmental Management and have the opportunity to network with prominent practitioners and researchers from Singapore and abroad who are well-versed in the subject matter.
• Learn from both inside the classroom and out in the industry through the Capstone Project Course, which enables students to gain valuable experience while applying their knowledge and skills to address sustainability challenges with a sponsoring company or organisation.
• Graduate with an internationally recognised Master’s Degree that opens doors to influential roles at mid- and senior-managerial levels in both the public and private sectors here and in the region.

Application for Admission

• Application Period: For the MEM programme, there is one application period for each Academic Year (AY).
• Programme | Intake | Application Dates
  • MEM | Semester 1 (Aug Intake) | 1 Nov of preceding year to 31 Jan of intake year

Admission Requirements

Admission to the MEM programme is granted on a competitive basis as places in the programme are limited. Applicants should possess the following minimum requirements:

• Academic: Bachelor's Degree (with Honours) from a well-recognised university; additional requirements may be stipulated for undergraduate degrees from universities whose academic standards are not widely known.
• Skill/Experience: Three to five years of working experience preferred, with or without prior experience in sustainability work; fresh graduates with outstanding academic performance but no working experience may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
• English Language: Applicants whose native tongue is not English:
  • Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) minimum score of 85 (Internet-based), or
  • International English Language Testing System (IELTS) minimum Academic score of 6.0.
  • Note: TOEFL / IELTS scores are valid for two years from the test date and should not have expired at the point of application. Expired scores will not be considered for the application.

Mode of Study and Programme Candidature

The MEM programme is offered on the following basis (with estimated time to complete the programme indicated below):

• Full-time: 12-24 months
• Part-time: 24-36 months
• Note: International applicants must be accepted into an approved full-time course in Singapore to apply for a Student’s Pass.

Programme Structure

The MEM is a 40-Unit coursework-based Master’s Degree programme comprising:

• Core/essential courses (28 Units), and
• Elective courses (12 Units):
  • At least 8 Units from Specialised Electives,
  • Up to 4 Units from General Electives.

Core/Essential Courses

These courses are unique to the MEM programme. Each course may consist of pre-class readings, assignments, tests and/or projects, and online/face-to-face classes and seminars.

• Course Code | Course Title | Units
  • AR5323 | Well & Green Built Environment | 4
  • BL5102 | Environmental Science | 4
  • LL5459X | Environment and Sustainability – Law, Governance and Practice | 4
  • MEM5101 | Business and Sustainable Development | 4
  • MEM5102 | Applied Research Methodology | 4
  • MEM5103 | Capstone Project for Environmental Management | 4
  • MEM5104 | Seminars on Environmental Management | 0
  • PP5269M | Environmental Economics and Public Policy | 4

Elective Courses

Students must complete 12 Units of elective courses, of which at least 8 Units must be Specialised Electives and the remaining can be General Electives. Elective course offerings are subject to change and may not be offered every semester.

• Specialised Electives
  • Course Code | Course Title | Units
    • BL5331 | Sustainability Science | 4
    • ESE5901 | Environmental Technology | 4
    • LL5484X | Introduction to Business Law | 4
    • LL5485X | Negotiation | 4
    • MT5007G | Management of Technological Innovation | 4
• General Electives
  • Course Code | Course Title | Units
    • BL5210 | Biogeography and Global Change | 4
    • BL5218 | Directed Studies in Behavioural Ecology | 4
    • BL5230 | Biological Invasions | 4
    • BL5233 | Data Analysis for Conservation Biology with R | 4
    • BL5234 | Quantitative Methods and Critical Thinking in Biology | 4
    • BL5238 | Infectious Disease Modelling | 4
    • BL5312 | Natural History Collections and Conservation | 4
    • BL5322 | Field Techniques in Biological Conservation | 4
    • BL5323 | Spatial Modelling for Environmental Sustainability | 4
    • BL5324 | Ecological Perspectives on Global Change | 4
    • BMS5125 | Sustainable Strategy | 4
    • BMS5129 | Applied Sustainability: A Systems Perspective | 4
    • BMS5408 | Special Topics in Organizational Behaviour | 4
    • BMS5416 | Managing across Cultures | 4
    • CCS5101 | Climate Change - The Science and the Policy | 4
    • CCS5102 | Sustainability and Climate Change | 4
    • CCS5103 | Political Economy of Climate Change and Sustainable Development | 4
    • ETP5381 | Carbon Market & Sustainable Financing | 4
    • IE5206 | Energy and Sustainability: A Systems Approach | 4
    • MSI5005 | Selected Topics in AI and Innovation | 4
    • PP5227 | Principles and Policies in Sustainability and the Environment | 4

Graduation Requirements

To graduate from the MEM programme, students must meet the following requirements:

• Programme and/or Specialisation: Read and pass a total of 40 Units, comprising:
  • 28 Units of core/essential courses, and
  • 12 Units of elective courses:
    • At least 8 Units from Specialised Electives,
    • Up to 4 Units from Generalised Electives.
• Course and/or Qualification: It is compulsory to successfully complete MEM5104 Seminars on Environmental Management by:
  • Attending at least 3 seminars related to environmental management topics or areas
  • Submitting a report
• Grade Point Average (GPA): Minimum 3.0 (out of maximum 5.0)
• Other: Not applicable

Fees and Financial Assistance

• Tuition Fee: S$51,500 (excluding GST) / S$56,135 (including 9% GST)
  • Note: The tuition fees for this programme are payable based on the number of Units taken in a semester. The amount stated above is for 40 Units. Students who are required to take more than 40 Units for programme completion may be subjected to additional tuition fees.
• Financial Assistance: Students in this programme may be eligible to receive funding support from some of the following scholarship and financial assistance schemes:
  • Asian Development Bank-Japan Scholarship
  • Master of Science (Environmental Management) Enhanced Tuition Fee Rebate
  • NUS Master's by Coursework Enhanced Tuition Fee Rebate
  • NUS Master's Degree by Coursework Tuition Fee Rebate
  • SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme
• Application Fee: S$150.00 (excluding GST) / S$163.50 (including 9% GST)
  • Non-refundable and non-transferable
• Acceptance Fee: S$5,000.00 (excluding GST) / S$5,450.00 (including 9% GST)
  • Payable upon acceptance of offer
  • Non-refundable and non-transferable
  • Will be credited towards tuition fees
• Miscellaneous Student Fees: As published by the Office of the University Registrar
  • Payable every regular semester

Frequently Asked Questions

• Is work experience required for admission into the programme? Work experience is preferred for admission into the programme. However, fresh graduates who have outstanding academic performance but no prior working experience may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
• Is the personal statement compulsory for admission into this programme? The personal statement is optional.
• Must I have a degree in any particular field before I can apply for the programme? The MEM programme is a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary programme; we welcome students from all academic backgrounds, so long as they have good degrees from well-recognised universities.
• Is an honours degree a requirement? The main basic qualification for the MEM programme that applicants must have is a good undergraduate degree with honours from a well-recognised university.
• Is a GMAT or GRE score required? At the point of application, GMAT/GRE scores are not compulsory.
• How many students are admitted into the programme each year? There is no fixed quota on the number of students to be admitted per cohort; we consider each application on its own merit, and then take into consideration academic and relevant backgrounds, nationalities, and so on.
• What topics are covered in the MEM Seminar Course and who are the speakers? Within the graduation requirements for MEM is the mandatory attendance of three seminar sessions. The seminar sessions are designed to allow students to gain exposure to a diverse range of current topics in various fields and to improve their communication skills through presentations and interactions with other professionals.
• What does the MEM Capstone Project entail? The Capstone Project is a course specifically designed to help students apply their learnings in a practical, hands-on setting. In addition, it provides a platform for students to learn and apply deeper research skills on specially selected topics related to sustainability issues.
• Are any field trips organised by the programme? Exposure to the practical aspects of environment management is one of the elements of the MEM programme. Therefore, field trips are organised as part of the programme.
• What are the career prospects and pathways for a graduate of the programme? The MEM programme is a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary programme that provides education in environmental management for senior and mid-level managers and officers in corporations, institutions, and government and non-governmental organisations, both in Singapore and in the Asia-pacific region and beyond.
• What career support services can NUS offer to graduates of the programme who would like to switch careers? The NUS Centre for Future-Ready Graduates offers career resources that can be accessed by graduating students. The Centre aims to enhance students’ employability and ensure that they are career-ready upon graduation. Some of the support initiatives include career-readiness programmes, campus recruitment talks, career fairs, and even one-on-one coaching with a certified career advisor.