Academic Programmes | Programme Requirements and Description of Courses | CN Yang Scholars Programme | Streaming | Second Major | Minor Programmes | Special Programmes | Attachment Programmes | URECA | Admissions | Tuition Fees | Scholarships and Financial Assistance Schemes | Matriculation | Freshmen Welcome Ceremony | Change of Programme | Course Registration | Special Terms | Examinations | Academic Standing and Grading Systems | Medals and Prizes | Convocation | Honorary Degrees

Nanyang Business School

3.1.1 Degree programmes and requirements


Undergraduate study


Bachelor of Accountancy programme

The Bachelor of Accountancy programme offered by the Nanyang Business School (NBS) is the most established and well-regarded Accountancy programme in Singapore and the region. We have a long tradition of training professional accountants for leadership roles as partners in accounting firms, chief financial officers of major corporations and managing directors of public and private companies. The majority of the top accountants in Singapore have been trained by us in the last 50 years.

The three-year direct honours Bachelor of Accountancy (B.Acc.) programme is recognised as a professional Accounting qualification in Singapore by the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Singapore and the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority. It is accredited by CPA Australia and recognised by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia for entry into their respective programmes. Our degree is also accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). We are among only six schools in the world, outside of the US, to have the AACSB accreditation in Accounting.

Partnering with the top US accounting programme at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, we embarked on Project Discovery more than five years ago, to radically transform the way that Accounting is taught. There is now a greater focus on risk assessment, corporate governance and ethics, and integration of disciplines such as economics, finance, strategy, psychology and systems thinking into the understanding of Accounting. Active learning methods based on real-world cases and projects are emphasised to develop students’ critical thinking and communication skills.

Our Accounting faculty is ranked top three in the Asia-Pacific region for our research accomplishments. With top Accounting professors teaching in the programme, up-to-date curriculum and pedagogical changes, coupled with the renowned rigour and high standards of our programme, we ensure that our students have the best Accountancy education available in this part of the world, and guarantee that our graduates are well prepared to meet the challenges of the new and global economy.


Curriculum structure

The curriculum for the B.Acc. programme comprises Business and core Accounting courses, a professional attachment and General Education Requirements.

Business courses

B.Acc. students are required to complete nine Business courses within the three-year direct honours programme.

*This course must be offered by students who have not passed or are not exempted from the Qualifying English Test for admission to the B.Acc. programme.

Core Accounting courses

Students are required to read nine core Accounting courses across their second and third years of study.

Professional attachment

NBS students pursue a professional attachment lasting eight or ten weeks at the end of their second year of study. This attachment is carefully crafted to be relevant and enriching, allowing our students to acquire first-hand practical experience and sharpen their skills in the industry. In addition to providing practical real-life work experience for our students to balance their academic training, NBS students also get to interact and network with professionals in the working environment, setting up valuable contacts necessary to give them the edge in the working world. The attachment often serves as an excellent opportunity for employers to assess our students and their quality, prior to making a permanent job offer to them, even before graduation.


Bachelor of Business programme

The rigorous three-year accelerated Bachelor of Business (B.Bus.) honours programme is among the top undergraduate business programmes in Asia. The broad-based programme is innovatively designed to deliver both academic knowledge and the key competencies needed for peak performances in a dynamic and competitive business environment. The programme attracts the very best students in Singapore and the region and its graduates are sought after by major employers for their specialised knowledge and strong competencies in creative and critical thinking.

The programme is noted for these distinctive features:

• Relevance: Industry-relevant majors and professional attachments that prepare our students to contribute effectively to their future employers.
• Research: The final-year Applied Research Project facilitates the acquisition of in-depth knowledge and research skills in a topic of the students’ choice.
• Flexibility and choice: Students may take up options such as minors offered by other schools in NTU, overseas exchange programmes, or second majors.

A wide range of specialisations are available to best match students’ diverse aptitudes and interests:

Actuarial Science – The first of its kind in Asia since 1991, this specialisation is globally recognised with accreditation from the Institute of Actuaries, UK.

Banking and Finance – We are a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Programme Partner and we offer the largest range of cutting-edge courses taught by Finance faculty who are ranked top in ASEAN and fourth in the Asia-Pacific region. Our students achieve a high degree of success in the Chartered Financial Analyst certification.

Human Resource Consulting – The only Human Resource Consulting specialisation in the Asia-Pacific region that prepares graduates to focus strategically on building and sustaining people as a critical source of competitive advantage.

Information Technology – With a state-of-the-art curriculum that combines rigorous IT competency with business domain knowledge, this unique programme produces IT-savvy professionals who are much sought after by businesses in Singapore and abroad.

Marketing – This highly interactive programme offers a curriculum with a strong global and Asian perspective, a practical orientation and an emphasis on thinking skills, imagination and creativity. Our highly-rated students go on to find jobs in virtually every industry.

Tourism and Hospitality Management – Designed in collaboration with the Singapore Tourism Board and major industry players in response to strong industry demand, this specialisation focuses on the high growth areas of business travel and events, attractions and integrated resorts management.


Curriculum structure

The curriculum for the B.Bus. programme comprises foundational and advanced Business courses, a p-rofessional attachment, an applied research project and General Education Requirements.

Business courses

B.Bus. students are required to complete 10 Business courses within the three-year direct honours programme.

*This course must be offered by students who have not passed or are not exempted from the Qualifying English Test for admission to the BBus programme.


Specialisation courses


Actuarial Science

(To take six courses comprising five compulsory core courses and one specialisation prescribed elective)

Five Compulsory core courses

*Actuarial Science students who would like to obtain full professional exemptions from the Institute of Actuaries (UK) will have to take all the compulsory core courses and prescribed electives above (except BA212).


Banking and Finance

(To take five courses comprising two compulsory core courses and three specialisation prescribed electives)

Compulsory core courses

For a broad-based finance concentration, students may choose three prescribed electives from across the different tracks listed below. To focus on a particular finance field, students may opt to read electives from any one of the three tracks: Asset Management, Wealth Management or Corporate & Investment Banking.

Asset Management (Choose three or more)

Wealth Management (Choose three or more)

Corporate & Investment Banking (Choose three or more)

Human Resource Consulting


Five Compulsory core courses

Recommended electives

Information Technology

(To take five courses comprising two compulsory core courses and three specialisation prescribed electives)


Two Compulsory core courses

Three specialisation prescribed electives to be chosen from the following

Marketing


Five Compulsory core courses

Recommended electives

Tourism and Hospitality Management


Six Compulsory core courses

Recommended electives

Professional attachment

NBS students pursue a professional attachment lasting eight or ten weeks at the end of their second year of study. This attachment is carefully crafted to be relevant and enriching, allowing our students to acquire first-hand practical experience and sharpen their skills in the industry. In addition to providing practical real-life work experience for our students to balance their academic training, NBS students also get to interact and network with professionals in the working environment, setting up valuable contacts necessary to give them the edge in the working world. The attachment often serves as an excellent opportunity for employers to assess our students and their quality, prior to making a permanent job offer to them, even before graduation.


Applied Research Project

The Applied Research Project, offered as a core component to all B.Bus. students in their final year of study, enables them to integrate and synthesise the in-depth knowledge gained from core courses and the broad-based cross-disciplinary electives taken throughout the programme.

Students have the flexibility to take on topics in wide-ranging Accounting or Business-related areas according to their interests.


Second Specialisation programme

The Second Specialisation programme offers students who are academically able the choice of obtaining a second specialisation in an area outside of their first specialisation to broaden their skill sets and knowledge, making them more attractive to employers.

Second specialisations may be pursued in these areas:

• Banking and Finance
• Business Law
• Economics
• Human Resource Consulting
• Information Technology
• Marketing

Curriculum structure


Banking and Finance
(To complete four from a menu of courses)


Four courses to be chosen from the following:

Business Law


Course requirements for Accountancy students
Accountancy students to take four courses comprising one compulsory core course and three prescribed electives


One Compulsory core course

Three prescribed electives to be chosen from the following:

Course requirements for Business students
Business students to take four courses comprising two compulsory core courses and two prescribed electives


Two Compulsory core courses

Two prescribed electives to be chosen from the following:

Economics


Course requirements for a second major in Economics:
(To complete 13 courses comprising six compulsory core courses and seven prescribed electives)


Six Compulsory core courses

Prescribed electives (Choose up to seven):

And, at least one Level 300 or 400 course from:

^ A student may choose to do an Applied Research Project in Economics in lieu of two elective courses


Human Resource Consulting
(To complete four from a menu of courses)

Information Technology
(To complete four courses comprising two compulsory core courses and two prescribed electives)

Two Compulsory core courses

Two prescribed electives to be chosen from the following:

Marketing
(To complete four courses comprising two compulsory core courses and two prescribed electives)

One Compulsory core course

Three prescribed electives to be chosen from the following:

General Education Requirements

Apart from the Business and Core courses and the professional attachment mentioned above, NBS students need to fulfill the following General Education Requirements (GER) to complete their programme:

GER-Core

* This course will also cover topics on Singapore Studies.


GER – Prescribed Electives (PE)

Students are required to take a prescribed elective course each from the following areas

• Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
• Science, Technology and Society

General Education Requirements offer breadth of study, enabling NBS students to understand and appreciate the broader issues and trends in areas of study relating to the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Science, Technology and Society, both areas of which represent key fields broadly relevant to all professions.


GER – Unrestricted Electives (UE)

The programme’s flexibility also allows students to pursue a variety of options for an enriching learning experience, thus ensuring that they are endowed with a wide set of skills and knowledge to meet the demands of the new economy.

Unrestricted electives available to NBS students under the broadening component include:


Broad-based education options

Being a large comprehensive University, students enjoy many options for interdisciplinary learning and exposure. The flexibility of a well-designed curriculum which balances the in-depth disciplinary training in the respective fields of profession with broadening study enables students to pursue a variety of options outside their area of specialisation.

Under the broad-based and flexible framework of the Accountancy, Business and double degree undergraduate programmes, students can also obtain a minor under the University Minor Programme offered by other schools in areas such as Communications, Psychology, Entrepreneurship, Sports Management, etc.

In addition, students may also choose to read electives offered by other schools from foreign languages, sciences, technology, communications, and humanities to arts, design, media and sports.


Overseas exchange experience

Recognising the increasing importance of international exposure and the value of cross-cultural links and exchanges in today’s global economy, NBS students are encouraged to pursue a semester of study or work at one of NTU’s overseas partner universities under the Global Immersion Programme or the International Student Exchange Programme. Short term study abroad opportunities such as the Global Summer Studies and the Global Discover Programme are also available.


Applied Research Project

The Applied Research Project, offered as an optional component to all B Acc students in their final year of study, enables them to integrate and synthesise the in-depth knowledge gained from core courses and the broad-based cross-disciplinary electives taken throughout the programme.

Students have the flexibility to take on topics in wide-ranging Accounting or Business-related areas according to their interests.


Double Degree in Accountancy and Business programme

The synergy between Accountancy and Business is widely appreciated in an increasingly complex business environment. The Double Degree in Accountancy and Business leverages this synergy to equip graduates with multiple sets of skills and knowledge to meet the challenges of the new economy.

Graduates who are well-versed in both Accountancy and Business are set to thrive in today’s vibrant and global business environment. Also, armed with a dual set of skills, graduates will command higher marketability and enjoy wider career options upon graduation.


Curriculum structure

The curriculum for the Double Degree Programme comprises Business and Accounting courses, a professional attachment, an applied research project and General Education Requirements.

Nine Business courses

Students are required to complete nine business courses in the course of the programme.

*This course must be offered by students who have not passed or are not exempted from the Qualifying English Test for admission to the programme.


Nine Accounting core courses

Nine Accounting core courses are read by students across the second, third and fourth years of study.

Business specialisation courses

A wide range of specialisations are availableto best match students’ diverse aptitudes and interests. Double Degree students will have the opportunity to specialise in one of the following six business specialisations at the end of their first of year of study by choice and academic merit:

Actuarial Science – The first of its kind in Asia since 1991, this specialisation is globally recognised with accreditation from the Institute of Actuaries, UK.

Banking and Finance – Offers the largest range of cutting-edge courses taught by Finance faculty who are ranked top in ASEAN and fourth in the Asia-Pacific region. Our students achieve a high degree of success in the Chartered Financial Analyst certification.

Human Resource Consulting – The only Human Resource Consulting specialisation in the Asia-Pacific region that prepares graduates to focus strategically on building and sustaining people as a critical source of competitive advantage.

Information Technology – With a state-of-the-art curriculum that combines rigorous IT competency with business domain knowledge, this unique programme produces IT-savvy professionals who are much sought after by businesses in Singapore and abroad.

Marketing – This highly interactive programme offers a curriculum with a strong global and Asian perspective, a practical orientation and an emphasis on thinking skills, imagination and creativity. Our highly-rated students go on to find jobs in virtually every industry.

Tourism and Hospitality Management – Designed in collaboration with the Singapore Tourism Board and major industry players in response to strong industry demand, this major focuses on the high growth areas of business travel and events, attractions and integrated resorts management.

Specialisation courses


Actuarial Science
(To take six courses comprising five compulsory core courses and one specialisation prescribed elective)


Five Compulsory core courses

One specialisation prescribed elective to be chosen from the following:

*Actuarial Science students who would like to obtain the full professional exemptions from the Institute of Actuaries (UK) will have to take all the compulsory core courses and prescribed electives above (except BA212).


Banking and Finance
(To take five courses comprising two compulsory core courses and three specialisation prescribed electives)


Two Compulsory core courses

For a broad-based finance concentration, students may choose three prescribed electives from across the different tracks listed below. To focus on a particular finance field, students may opt to read electives from any one of the three tracks: Asset Management, Wealth Management or Corporate & Investment Banking.


Asset Management (Choose three or more)

Wealth Management (Choose three or more)

Corporate & Investment Banking (Choose three or more)

Human Resource Consulting


Five Compulsory core courses

Recommended electives

Information Technology
(To take five courses comprising one compulsory core courses and four specialisation prescribed electives)


One Compulsory core course

Four specialisation prescribed elective to be chosen from the following:

Marketing


Five Compulsory core courses

Recommended electives

Tourism and Hospitality Management


Six Compulsory core courses

Recommended electives

Professional attachment

Double degree students pursue a professional attachment lasting eight or ten weeks at the end of their third year of study. This attachment is carefully crafted to be relevant and enriching, allowing our students to acquire first-hand practical experience and sharpen their skills in the industry. In addition to providing practical real-life work experience for our students to balance their academic training, NBS students also get to interact and network with professionals in the working environment, setting up valuable contacts necessary to give them the edge in the working world. The attachment often serves as an excellent opportunity for employers to assess our students and their quality, prior to making a permanent job offer to them, even before graduation.


Applied Research Project

The Applied Research Project, offered as a core component to double degree students in their third year of study, enables them to integrate and synthesise the in-depth knowledge gained from core courses and the broad-based cross-disciplinary electives taken throughout the programme.

Students have the flexibility to take on topics in wide-ranging Accounting or Business-related areas according to their interests.


General Education Requirements

NBS students need to fulfill the following General Education Requirements (GER) to complete their programme:


General Education Requirements (GER) – Core

* This course will also cover topics on Singapore Studies.


General Education Requirements – Prescribed Electives (PE)

Students are required to take two GER-prescribed electives course each from one of the following areas

• Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
• Science, Technology and Society

General Education Requirements offer breadth of study, enabling NBS students to understand and appreciate the broader issues and trends in areas of study relating to the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and Science, Technology and Society, both areas of which represent key fields broadly relevant to all professions.


General Education Requirements – Unrestricted Electives (UE)

The programme’s flexibility also allows students to pursue a variety of options for an enriching learning experience, thus ensuring that they are endowed with a wide set of skills and knowledge to meet the demands of the new economy.

Unrestricted electives available under the broadening component include:


Broad-based education options

Being a large comprehensive University, students enjoy many options for interdisciplinary learning and exposure. The flexibility of a well-designed curriculum which balances the in-depth disciplinary training in the respective fields of profession with broadening study enables students to pursue a variety of options outside their area of specialisation.

Under the broad-based and flexible framework of the Accountancy, Business and double degree undergraduate programmes, students can also obtain a minor under the University Minor Programme offered by other schools in areas such as Communications, Psychology, Entrepreneurship, Sports Management, etc.

In addition, students may also choose to read electives offered by other schools from foreign languages, sciences, technology, communications, and humanities to arts, design, media and sports.


Overseas exchange experience

Recognising the increasing importance of international exposure and the value of cross-cultural links and exchanges in today’s global economy, NBS students are encouraged to pursue a semester of study or work at one of NTU’s overseas partner universities under the Global Immersion Programme or the International Student Exchange Programme. Short term study abroad opportunities such as the Global Summer Studies and the Global Discovery Programme are also available.