FAQ

Yes, the UTCP is designed as an alternative pathway to the GE programme at NUS. For more information, please refer to this page.

No. UTCP students take the same number of courses to graduate as non-UTCP students. Most faculty degree programmes require students to complete General Education (GE) courses to graduate.

Students from faculties without a GE requirement, such as Medicine, Dentistry and Law, and selected programmes (e.g. Nursing and Pharmacy) are not enrolled in the UTCP and read fewer College courses to meet their residency requirement, by arrangement with the Home Faculty.

For students admitted from AY2021/22

UTCP students who read the four UTCP courses (a Junior Seminar, an Ideas & Exposition course and two Senior Seminars) will fulfil the requirements of the following four GE pillars:

• Cultures and Connections
• Critique and Expression
• Singapore Studies
• Communities and Engagement

For UTCP students from the NUS College of Humanities and Sciences (CHS), you will be exempted from four courses in the CHS Common Curriculum as illustrated in this circular. 

In addition to the four UTCP courses,  students must also read a course under the Data Literacy or Digital Literacy pillar with their faculties.

For students admitted before AY2021/22

The five UTCP courses replace the GE requirement, except that students admitted from AY2016/2017 onward must still take the Quantitative Reasoning GE module. The fifth UTCP course is taken as an Unrestricted Elective instead.

Incoming senior students (those who have already been at NUS for at least one year) are expected to read one course (preferably a Senior seminar) per year to establish or maintain residency. This requirement may be adjusted for students whose programmes do not allow the reading of ULRs. Year 1 students with reduced ULRs or limited course space to read the full five UTCP courses are expected to read the relevant UTCP courses that can fulfil their graduation requirements and residency requirement during their stay in CAPT. Please email captbox2@nus.edu.sg if you need more information.

The Junior Seminars are graded on a CS/CU basis. The Senior Seminars and Ideas & Exposition courses are letter-graded, with the option to S/U.

No, you have to read and pass a Junior Seminar before reading a Senior Seminar as Senior Seminars are level 2000 courses.

Yes, you can read one I&E course together with a Senior Seminar concurrently in the same semester. You can also read 2 Senior Seminars concurrently in a semester. However, note that successful pre-allocation of courses is subject to overall courses demand and availability of course quota. Due to limited course places, you may not be pre-allocated two courses concurrently in a semester.

You should plan to take one UTCP course each semester in your first and second year. Students who leave taking two courses to their fourth (Year 2 Sem 2) semester often find themselves unable to complete UTCP and will be at a disadvantage if applying for Senior Retention.