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Academic Structure + Modules > Academic Structure > Mapping Guidelines

Mapping Guidelines

The following set of reference guidelines may be of interest to students who leave the University Scholars Programme (USP), for one reason or another, during their period of candidature in NUS.

In the event that you should leave the USP during your period of candidature in NUS, the USP modules that you have read up to that point in time would need to be mapped back to the regular degree structure of your home faculty. It is important for you to understand that:

  1. the set of mapping guidelines below only serve as a form of reference for which you might want to follow in taking initiatives to recommend mapping decisions to your home faculty.

  2. the final mapping decisions are at the total discretion of the home faculty. USP does not play any role in the decision making process.

How should I go about this?

Be proactive in taking ownership of your academic roadmap. You are advised to:

  1. first familiarise yourself with the degree requirements of a non-USP student of your major or course of study.

  2. observe how the USP modules you have read to date could possibly map back to that set of requirements.

  3. recommend the mapping decisions to your home faculty.

  4. respect the home faculty's final decisions as the home faculty is in the best position to assess whether the USP modules fulfill the degree requirements in the best capacity.

What mapping possibilities are available to me for recommendations?

USP Students Matriculating 2011 and Earlier

The USP curriculum requirement for students matriculating 2011 and earlier consists of eight First-Tier modules and four Advanced modules. USP First-Tier modules are grouped into three Domains, namely, Writing and Critical Thinking (WC), Humanities & Social Sciences (H&SS), and Sciences & Technologies (S&T). The exception is the University Scholars Seminar (USS2105) which does not fall into any of the Domains. The Advanced Curriculum takes the form of three possible options that the students may follow to fulfill their four Advanced modules requirements.

Possible First-Tier mapping

The First-Tier module requirements mirror that of the University Level Requirements (ULRs) of a non-USP student. As such, you may wish to study the following guidelines for recommending (to your home faculty) that the First-Tier modules be mapped back to the University Level Requirements on a requirement-to-requirement basis:

  1. One module from the USP SS basket for recommended mapping onto the SS requirement under ULR.

  2. USP Writing and Critical Thinking module for recommended mapping onto a similar writing requirement at the home faculty, if applicable.

  3. The remaining modules are to be put into two groups: Group A consisting of modules in the S&T Domain, and Group B consisting of modules in the Writing and Critical Thinking (if point 2 above is not applicable) and H&SS Domains.

  4. Modules in the Group outside of the student's home faculty for recommended mapping to satisfy any non-SS ULR requirement, i.e., GEMs and/or Breadth (Unrestricted Electives outside student's home faculty), subject to the GEM subject group requirement applicable to you.

  5. Modules in the other Group for recommended mapping to satisfy the GEM requirement, subject to the GEM subject group requirement applicable to you. Although USP may feel that the First-Tier modules of this Group are also multi-disciplinary enough to count towards the breadth requirements, nonetheless, the home faculty may decide otherwise if they feel that the modules of this Group do not offer enough exposure for their students.

  6. As far as possible, all USP First-Tier modules should be mapped to ULR (up to 28 MCs). Any remaining First-Tier modules for recommended mapping as Unrestricted Electives under the Programme requirement in the event that mapping to ULR is not possible in exceptional cases.

  7. In the event that you have read more than seven First-Tier modules, and have already filled up the UE portion of the Programme requirement, your home faculty may assess the suitability of the mapping of the First-Tier module for other Programme requirements.

Advanced Modules

When students read the Advanced Modules, these modules would have counted towards the home faculty's Programme requirements (Faculty/Major/Unrestricted electives Requirements) simultaneously. There is no need for mapping to be exercised as such.


USP Students Matriculating in 2012 and Later


The USP curriculum requirement for students matriculating in 2012-2013 and after consists of three Foundation modules, eight Inquiry modules, and one Reflection module. The three USP Foundation modules modules are Writing and Critical Thinking (UWC2101), Quantitative Reasoning Foundation (UQF2101), the University Scholars Seminar (USS2105). The eight Inquiry modules are divided into two domains, Humanities & Social Sciences (H&SS) and Sciences & Technologies (S&T). The Reflection module consists of a single Senior Seminar, USR4001.

Possible Foundation Modules Mapping

  1. The USP Writing and Critical Thinking module and Quantitative Reasoning Foundation module may be mapped onto similar writing and quantitative reasoning modules at the home faculty, if applicable, or possibly onto exposure modules.

  2. The University Scholars Seminar may be mapped onto UEs.

Possible Inquiry Tier Mapping

  1. One module from the USP SS basket for recommended mapping onto the SS requirement under ULR.

  2. The remaining modules are to be put into two groups: Group A consisting of modules in the S&T Domain, and Group B consisting of modules in the H&SS Domains.

  3. Modules in the Group outside of the student's home faculty for recommended mapping to satisfy any non-SS ULR requirement, i.e., GEMs and/or Breadth (Unrestricted Electives outside student's home faculty), subject to the GEM subject group requirement applicable to you.

  4. Modules in the other Group for recommended mapping to satisfy the GEM requirement, subject to the GEM subject group requirement applicable to you. Although USP may feel that the First-Tier modules of this Group are also multi-disciplinary enough to count towards the breadth requirements, nonetheless, the home faculty may decide otherwise if they feel that the modules of this Group do not offer enough exposure for their students.

  5. ISMs may be considered for mapping to the major or to UEs.

  6. As far as possible, as many USP Tier 2 (Inquiry) modules as possible should be mapped to ULRs (up to 28 MCs). Any remaining Inquiry modules are recommended for mapping as Unrestricted Electives requirement in the event that mapping to ULR is not possible.

  7. In the event that you have read more than seven Inquiry modules, and have already filled up the UE portion of the Programme requirement, your home faculty may assess the suitability of the mapping of the First-Tier module for other Programme requirements.

Possible Reflection Tier Mapping


If you have not yet fulfilled the UE portion of your degree, the Reflection tier module may be mapped as UE.  You may also consult your faculty whether it may fulfill faculty or even major requirements.