Graduation Requirements - College of Design and Engineering

At NUS, minimum standards are set for continuation in a programme of study and graduation. After each examination, depending on each student’s academic performance, he/she will be emplaced in one of the following academic standing:

Passed; or
Warning; or
Probation; or
Dismissal

The following grade scheme is used. A typical graduate-level course of 39 hours of lecture is to be assigned 4 Units.

Grade	Grade Point
A+	5.00
A	5.00
A-	4.50
B+	4.00
B	3.50
B-	3.00
C+	2.50
C	2.00
D+	1.50
D	1.00
F	0.00

A candidate who is absent in the examination of a course without a valid reason acceptable to the Board of Examiners will be given Grade F (Fail) for the course which he/she is absent in. Courses with no assigned Units or grade points are excluded from the calculation of GPA. There are a number of situations for which no grade points are assigned. Refer to NUS modular system here for details

The following continuation and graduation requirements apply to CDE graduate by coursework programmes admitted from August 2023 intake [with the exception of MSc (IP Mgt) & MSc (Petroleum Projects & Offshore Technology)]:-:

Continuation requirements

For continuation of candidature, a student must obtain satisfactory progress during his/her candidature as follow:

- All MSc programmes except MSc (Supply Chain Mgt):
  - academic probations/warnings:
    - probations/warnings are issued to students if GPA < 3.00; &
  - academic dismissal to students if:
    - in the 1st semester of study, the GPA < 1.50 ; or
    - for 2 consecutive semesters of study, GPA < 2.50; or
    - for 3 consecutive semesters of study, GPA < 3.00
    - fail to meet the minimum proficiency grade for a repeated core/foundation course.²
  - MSc (Supply Chain Mgt) students:
    - academic probations/warnings:
      - probations/warnings are issued to students if GPA < 3.00; &
    - academic dismissal to students if:
      - in the 1st semester of study, the GPA < 2.00; or
      - for 2 consecutive semesters of study, GPA < 3.00

The above rules on probation/warning and dismissal shall also apply to a candidate on an exchange programme, and/or a candidate on leave of absence of one semester or longer. If a candidate is given an academic probation/warning prior to his leave, the probation/warning prior to his leave shall count towards dismissal.

A student cannot repeat a previously passed NUS module for which the student had previously obtained a passing grade in his/her 1st attempt, either from current/previous course of study within NUS (including CET, SCALE, undergraduate, exchange or postgraduate studies) unless approved by student’s home department and course host department for the purpose of attaining the minimum proficiency level of their core/foundation grade for his/her current graduate programme. Students permitted to repeat a core/foundation course to meet minimum proficiency level for their programme should have obtained a B- grade and below for the first attempt; can only repeat the same course once only, and up to 8 Units of such course(s) in their entire candidature. However, programmes with pre-approved conditions should take precedence. Students who did not secure the minimum proficiency grade for a repeated core course will be dismissed from the programme.

Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory courses shall be excluded in determining the academic warning of a student.

Students must complete their requirements for their degrees within their maximum period of candidatures, failing which they will have their candidatures dismissed.

Students who fail to register for courses by the 2^nd instructional week of the semester shall be deemed that they are no longer interested in their graduate programme and will have their candidatures dismissed.

Graduation Requirements

For graduation, a student must:

obtain a minimum GPA of 3.00 (B-) for the courses equivalent of 40 Units (inclusive of foundation/core courses, where required); &
obtain at least 40 Units (inclusive of foundation/core courses, where required) of which at least 30 Units must be at graduate level within the subject or in related disciplines. The remaining credits may be from graduate level and/or Level 4000 courses in the same or other disciplines subject to the approval of the Department within the maximum candidature of 2 years and 4 years for full-time and part-time students

Students may be allowed to take more than 10 courses or its equivalent of 40 Units only if at the point of request to read more courses, the student has less than 40 Units or his/her GPA is < 3.00. In general, all students are expected to graduate after obtaining 40 Units and who have already achieved a GPA of ≥ 3.00. Students are to approach their home Department for details on the specific curriculum and expected proficiency requirements for their respective programme of study.

Note:

GPA - Grade Point Average [Formulae for GPA = Sum (Grade point x Unit) ÷ Sum (Units)]

Unit - Units Sum (Unit)

GP - Grade Points

All letter grades (including Grade F) are computed in the GPA computation for Master's by Coursework students who have yet to accumulate 40 Units.

Students who have achieved more than 40 Units, the GPA is computed on the best courses equivalent of 40 Units (inclusive of foundation/core courses, where required). Should any of the transferred course(s) be the lowest grade (except if the course is a core/specialization course), the course(s):

will be excluded from the best GPA computation; &
will no longer be shown on students’ transcript for the Master of Science programme. Students may provide the academic transcript of their previous programme of study as proof that they have read the course.

Continuation and Graduation Requirements