Our coursework Masters programme is a unique graduate degree option designed for those who aspire to internationalise their career and enrich their life experience through continued study in the social sciences. With a one-year investment, you can earn a Master of Arts degree awarded by one of the world’s top-ranking academic institutions, the National University of Singapore. Graduates of the MA in Contemporary Southeast Asia will be able to engage with ongoing issues about the region, equipped with robust knowledge, sharp analytical skills, and well-honed cross-cultural competencies.
Arts and Social Sciences
Southeast Asian Studies
fasbox58@nus.edu.sg
Department of Southeast Asian Studies Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences National University of Singapore Blk AS8, Level 6 10 Kent Ridge Crescent Singapore 119260The Department of Southeast Asian Studies offers an ideal alternative to students who find disciplinary approaches to learning narrow or restrictive, and those who prefer a more subject-oriented curriculum. Our department aims to offer a truly inter-disciplinary approach to learning which draws on different perspectives and methodologies from the humanities and social sciences, all thoroughly informed by local experience and knowledge.
No scholarships provided for the programme
| Commitment | Average Candidature | Maximum Candidature |
|---|---|---|
| Full Time | 1.5 Year | 2 Years |
| Part Time | 2.5 Years | 3 Years |
Bachelor’s degree holders who seek to gain integrated, interdisciplinary insights into Southeast Asia through fieldwork and archival research while learning from the Department’s first-rate scholars in the social sciences and humanities.
| Criteria | Minimum Score | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| GPA | A good NUS Honours degree (Merit/Second Class and above) or equivalent (e.g. a four-year Bachelors degree with at least an average grade of B or equivalent) in related disciplines such as the humanities, social sciences, area studies, and other interdisciplinary studies with evidence of having read subjects related to Southeast Asia or Asia; or a good Bachelors degree (at least an average grade of B equivalent) in related disciplines such as the humanities, social sciences, area studies, and other interdisciplinary studies with evidence of having read subjects related to Southeast Asia or Asia and successful completion of a placement test; or exceptionally, other qualifications and experience, as well as successful completion of a placement test, subject to approval by the Graduate Studies Division, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. | ||
| English Proficiency Tests | TOEFL Internet-based | 85 / 120 | |
| IELTS | 6 / 9 | ||
- Shortlisted applicants will be interviewed in batches throughout the application period. Each applicant will only have one round of interview.
- A minimum of 22 for the writing section of the TOEFL internet-based test
Please refer to the Faculty’s website here for the complete admission requirements and here for a list of supporting documents required.
| Category | Application Window | Application Result Released | |
|---|---|---|---|
Semester 1 Intake (August) | All students of any nationalities | Application Opens: October 1 2025 Application Closes: January 15 2025 | End of May |