NUS BBA

Academic Programmes

BBA(Hons) / BBA Acc(Hons) + MPP

Business Administration and Business Administration (Accountancy) students who display strong academic ability and wish to pair their business degree with a master degree, may choose to do the following:

Concurrent Degree Programme with Master of Public Policy

  • Overview
  • Programme Structure
  • Candidature & Leave
  • Admissions
  • Courses Offered
  • Continuation and Termination
  • Grading and Degree Classification
  • Fees & Scholarship
  • Contact Us

Overview

The NUS Bachelor of Business Administration with Honours, BBA (Hons)/ Bachelor of Business Administration (Accountancy) with Honours, BBA Acc (Hons), and Master in Public Policy (MPP) Concurrent Degree Programme aims to prepare the next generation of policy leaders to apply business principles to social and environmental issues, as well as to address corporate social responsibility and business ethics concerns. This dual-degree offering had been developed for would-be professionals in the public, private and non-profit sectors with an interest in the global dimensions of public affairs and national policies.

There is a convergence in the practices of public sector and private sector companies, and in the management of private enterprises and state or public enterprises. Hence, Business Policy and Public Policy, Business Administration and Public Administration, or Business Administration and Public Policy are closely intertwined and correlated. The set of management precepts applicable to private enterprises draws parallel in the government sector, particularly in the context and framework of government-linked companies in this dynamic continent.

This concurrent degree programme by the School of Business and the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy develops versatile leaders to tackle the biggest issues through BBA’s managerial leadership training and MPP’s unique exposure to country-wide policy shaping.

The rigorous academic curriculum is well complemented by the intimate networking among selective like-spirited future leaders, many nominated by their own governments from more than 20 countries in this part of the world and beyond, while others are double-masters students from New York, London and Paris. The experience is thus ideal for young people in this region who aspire to lead in the public sector and its enterprises, or in private or non-profit sector areas that cherish the widest international connections or require insights into issues on the region’s national agendas.

Programme Structure

For students matriculated from AY2021 onwards:

For students matriculated from AY2019 and AY2020:

For students matriculated from AY2017 and AY2018:

For students matriculated before AY2017/18:

Candidature & Leave

The maximum period of candidature will be six years, excluding approved leave of absence.

A student may be granted an official leave of absence, for personal or academic reasons, for not more than two semesters in total.

Admissions

Admissions to the concurrent degree programme is highly competitive and selective. Applicants should have very good verbal skills in order to mingle comfortably with generally more mature MPP students who articulate and write well.

There is a dual-entry system for the concurrent degree programme:

(1) Admissions with competitive A-level qualifications or equivalent
Same online application for admission to NUS (refer to FAQ).
Eligibility as per BBA/ BBA Acc programme.

(2) Admissions at the end of the second year of the BBA/ BBA Acc programme
Application through BBA Office when the invitation is announced in the middle of Second Semester;
GPA of at least 4.0 out of 5.0.

All offers to this Concurrent Degree Programme are conditional in the first instance.  In other words, a place in the MPP programme is not guaranteed.  Students must apply formally during their third year in the BBA/ BBA Acc to join their MPP cohort for the Master’s programme in the fourth year.

To initiate the process, students have to submit an application form and two referee reports to lkyadmissions@nus.edu.sg by 15 December of their third year.  Interviews will be conducted in January/February the following year before the outcome is made known in March/April.  Please note that not all shortlisted candidates will be interviewed.

Courses Offered

MPP core courses are usually taken as a cohort starting in August, during the last 3 or 4 regular semesters of the Concurrent programme. If students in this CDP have completed most of their BBA (Hons)/BBA Acc (Hons) degree requirements and wish to optimize their workload in the final undergraduate semester, they may read some of the MPP electives before the MPP core courses, subject to approval from both faculties.
Information on courses offered and the class schedules are available at:

Continuation and Termination

Students can choose to leave the concurrent degree programme, or can be removed from the concurrent degree programme if they fail to meet continuation requirements. A student whose academic performance falls under any one or more of the following categories shall be dismissed from the concurrent degree programme, even if all other requirements are met:

(a) GPA falls below 4.0 for completed BBA/ BBA Acc courses for 2 consecutive semesters; or
(b) GPA falls below 3.0 for completed MPP courses for 2 consecutive semesters; or
(c) GPA falls below 3.5 for completed MPP courses for 3 consecutive semesters; or
(d) Fail any particular MPP course twice; or
(e) Fail 3 or more MPP courses

Students who leave the concurrent degree programme are permitted to work towards BBA or BBA Acc (with or without honours) if prevailing continuation requirements for these undergraduate programmes are met. For students who leave the concurrent degree programme, units completed in the concurrent degree programme will be counted towards the fulfilment of the prevailing degree requirements for BBA or BBA Acc (with or without honours), with all completed MPP courses being included in the computation of the GPA for the undergraduate programme.

Grading and Degree Classification

In students’ graduating semester, they must obtain a Grade Point Average (GPA) of :

  • at least 3.0 for all MPP Units and,
  • at least 3.5 for courses counting towards the BBA(Hons) or BBA Acc (Hons) degree.

Two separate degrees will be conferred with the same conferment date, and two degree scrolls issued, one for each degree. BBA(Hons) or BBA Acc (Hons) degree classification will be dependent on the GPA computed.

Fees & Scholarship

Students pay prevailing fees for the BBA(Hons) or BBA Acc (Hons) Programme until they have completed at least 132 of the 180 Units in the concurrent degree programme; thereafter students pay prevailing MPP fees.

Those staying beyond the fifth year (including any leave of absence) in the concurrent degree programme may be required to pay full (unsubsidised) BBA (Hons)/ BBA Acc (Hons) or MPP fees.

Students currently receiving financial aids for their BBA/ BBA Acc programme should consult their awarding organisations concerning whether any extra fees will be covered.  Many NUS-funded scholarships cover tuition fees for the fifth year in dual-degree programmes.  The School of Business also offers attractive full entrance scholarships to direct–entry students that covers up to the fifth year of study.

The Student Financial Aid Unit and the Part-time Appointment Scheme provide financial aid information.  International students are also encouraged to seek funding from their government agencies.

Contact Us

Please consult NUS’ FAQ page for Concurrent Degree Programmes.

Other Useful Links:
Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy MPP FAQ.

If you have any queries on this concurrent degree programme, please email us at BIZ Special Programmes