Program Overview

Master of Cities

The Master of Cities prepares students to be at the forefront of shaping and transforming cities. Students will gain firsthand perspectives of urban projects and policies from expert faculty and engage in cross-cultural dialogues with other urban professionals. The program equips students with interdisciplinary practical and theoretical concepts to analyze complex urban issues and deliver impactful change.

Advance Your Career

The program's flexible format is designed for driven professionals, allowing them to balance work and study without extensive commitment every semester. With a blend of in-person intensive blocks and shorter periods of online learning, students will gain cutting-edge urban insights and apply them at work immediately.

Build Your Urban Toolkit

Cities are complex, and no single approach can solve them all. Students will learn from local and international experts spanning different disciplines and across theory and practice to understand how different cities have approached their challenges in unique ways. This will equip students with the tools necessary to remain nimble and relevant in any urban context.

Cities as Living Textbooks

The Master of Cities goes beyond theory to immerse students in the messy, layered, and real-world challenges of actual cities. The case-based approach is designed for professionals who do not just want to study cities but want to understand how change really happens. With Singapore as a base, students will gain insider access to one of the most dynamic and well-planned urban systems in the world and critically examine how it navigates competing demands across density, sustainability, inclusivity, and innovation.

Curriculum Structure

Cities Core Courses

• CIT5001: A Systems Approach to Liveable Cities This course provides an overview of the complexities and challenges that cities face to achieve liveability, from envisioning what it means for cities, getting the evidence and stakeholders' support for informed decision-making, to institutional building and management methods for effective governance, policy formulation, and integrated planning.
• CIT5002: Inclusive Cities This course introduces students to the effects of urbanization on various stakeholders and how to balance and address conflicts of interests and priorities amongst them within Singapore and other cities.
• CIT5003: Sustainable Cities This course examines the challenges and opportunities in building sustainable cities, leveraging on Singapore's experience and exploring how cities from different countries address the complex interplay between sustainability, nature, and urban development.
• CIT5004: Competitive Cities This course explores the dynamics of urban development in a globalized world, where cities must balance sustainability, technological innovation, economic growth, and social equity to remain competitive.
• CIT5005: Governing Cities This course delves into the complexities of integrated planning and urban governance against the backdrop of a rapidly evolving urban environment, providing a foundational and critical understanding of urban governance through three key interdisciplinary and practice-oriented themes.

Translation Courses

• CIT5010: Integrated Capstone Project This immersive and project-based course challenges students to draw upon their well-rounded Cities scholarly education to produce original academic research and practice projects, transforming their scholarly knowledge into impactful academic research and real-world applications.
• CIT5011: Masterclass by Visiting Professors This course provides a platform for students to actively engage and respond to contemporary urban issues and complexities in real-time, discussing urban complexities and bridging theoretical knowledge with cutting-edge research and industry practices.

Cross-Department Courses

Electives are offered by other departments within NUS to further build each student's interest and relevant specialization. A total of 8 units is required.

Admission Requirements

• Eligibility: NUS Honours degree (Merit/Second Class and above) or equivalent (e.g., a four-year Bachelor degree with at least an average grade of 'B') in a relevant discipline; or in exceptional cases, a Bachelor degree in a relevant discipline with at least two years of relevant work experience, subject to approval by the Faculty and Board of Graduate Studies, on a case-by-case basis.
• English Requirement: TOEFL (internet-based test) > 85 or IELTS (academic) > 6.0 is required if the first language is not English.
• Other Supporting Documents:
  • A resume (max. 4 pages)
  • A personal statement on education and professional experience relevant to cities' issues (max. 2 pages)
• Application Period:
  • 28 July 2025 - 15 October 2025 (January 2026 intake)
  • 16 October 2025 - 28 February 2026 (August 2026 intake)

Fees and Funding

• Application Fee: S$100 per non-refundable application fee (not inclusive of prevailing GST)
• Total Programme Fee (Not Inclusive of GST): S$68,000
• All fees are subject to 9% GST.
• The fee does not include the Miscellaneous Student Fees (MSF), payable on a semester basis.
• Singaporeans/PRs/International students who are NUS alumni are eligible to enjoy up to 40% tuition fee rebates under the NUS Master's by Coursework Enhanced Tuition Fee Rebate Scheme.