| What are the USP Requirements for the Advanced Curriculum?
For Cohorts Matriculated in 2002 and Before
For cohorts matriculated in 2002 and before, they will observe the requirements of two Advanced Course-Based Modules (CBMs) and two Advanced Independent Study Modules (ISMs).
For Cohorts Matriculated in 2003
For cohorts matriculated in 2003, they are accorded more flexibility to vary the number of CBMs and ISMs for fulfilling their Advanced Modules requirements as a coherent package of study, although they will need to read at least one ISM to tie up and conclude the package.
Although the Advanced Curriculum accords flexibility to the students in varying the numbers of CBMs and ISMs read, FASS USP students will read not more than two ISMs for their undergraduate degree, as the Faculty would like their students to engage sufficiently in class interaction and discussions with their peers (USP or non-USP) in other regular coursework modules. For FASS USP students majoring in English Language/English Literature/Theatre Studies and reading more than one ISM, only at most one ISM may be at level 4000 while the rest are to be at level 3000.
For Cohorts Matriculated in 2004 and After
For cohorts matriculated in 2004 and onwards, the students are to undertake one of the options; taking note that specific requirements differ widely from option to option, and even from programme to programme within the same option:
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(A) Academic Inquiry |
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(B) Cultural Immersion;
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(C) Entrepreneurial Development;
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How do the USP Advanced Curriculum Requirements fit into the Degree Graduation Requirements?
In many cases, USP Advanced Curriculum (AC) credits also count towards other graduation requirements, such as major requirement, faculty requirement, or unrestricted electives. The rule-of-thumb is as follows:
- A USP AC module can count towards the major requirement if its content is directly related to the major; however, even in such cases, some departments have a limit on such credits; for example, for Life Sciences, normally only 4 MCs of independent study (UROPS) at Level 3000 can count towards the major requirement;
- A USP AC module can count towards the faculty requirement if its content is directly related to subjects offered by the faculty (in some cases, they are required to be outside the major);
- All modules can count towards unrestricted electives, except for FASS which requires them to be outside the major.
- For students opting for the Entrepreneurial Development Option, the whole of the NOC or iLEAD experience, on its own, will be treated as fulfilling the Advanced Curriculum requirements.
Thus, for example, students should be prepared that credits from multidisciplinary modules may not count towards the major requirement. Also, for most majors, NOC credits can only count towards unrestricted electives. At 40 MCs, the NOC credits exceed the minimal unrestricted elective credits required to graduate.
When they are preparing their Advanced Curriculum study plans, students need to work closely with their departments/faculties to ascertain which AC credits count towards which graduation requirements. In many cases, this will be determined on a case-by-case basis. For individualized programmes, it is necessarily so.
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