Minors

Archaeology, especially historical archaeology, Southeast Asian, Asian and Singapore archaeology, and history of objects and material culture, is an emergent area of study. Archaeology was officially incorporated in the National Heritage Board’s Heritage Plan 1.0 in 2019. In Heritage Plan 2.0, archaeology continues to occupy a major position (2023-2027). Archaeology plays an important role in the research, analysis, curation, and preservation of Singapore’s intangible and tangible heritage. The latter three form foci of archaeology in environmental, landscape, maritime archaeology, and zooarchaeology, for example, as well as computer programs which can be utilized in the mapping, presentation, and reconstruction of sites and societies.

The archaeology minor programme brings together insights from different disciplines across the humanities and sciences. In a broad sense, archaeology is the study of material culture and through the examination of remains not limited to architecture art, culture, technology, religion, natural materials, and the field notes, photographs and illustrations etc and their context comprising the environment, soil and geology, topography etc, archaeology constitutes a good example of a logical pairing of physical and human sciences. Context is essential in the study of archaeology; for example, historical archaeology will require students to draw insights from not just historical records, but also literary works which describe not only the sights and sounds, structures, but also the activities and behavioural patterns of the persons who dwelled in that specific time period.

Students will have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the material culture of human society, intellectual tools necessary to interpret and understand them using a combination of sound methodology and reflexive thinking, settings in which to discuss ideas and analyses within a conducive and open environment, and consider and propose ways for us to appreciate, integrate and mediate the past, present and future and to discover new ways to perceive the role of culture, history, and objects of the ancient and recent pasts in order to derive new perceptions about probable futures.

The Minor in Archaeology is open to all undergraduate students across the university.

The Minor in Art History offers a basic introduction to methodologies of art history to students across NTU. Through a study of artworks and monuments from diverse cultural and historical spheres, students acquire a foundational knowledge of artistic cultures and an understanding of their distinctiveness. Students also develop a preliminary facility for looking at artworks and interpreting them in ways that are methodical, purposeful and informed.

Attention is paid to relationships between language and visuality by employing interpretive strategies such as: the consideration of material and form, the role of description and analysis in interpretation, familiarity with precedents and models for interpretation alongside the practice of writing. Seeing, reading and writing are the formative processes in this programme.

The Minor in Chinese Creative Writing aims to nurture students with an interest in writing in Chinese, providing them with opportunities to study various literary forms and writing techniques. The courses offered will cover areas in fiction, prose, poetry, playwriting, media writing and cross-media writing, etc.

This Minor is open to all NTU students. To pursue the Minor in Chinese Creative Writing, students will have to read at least 5 courses, totalling at least 15 AUs in courses (including ONE compulsory course and any FOUR elective courses), taken as Unrestricted Electives (UE) /Broadening & Deepening Electives (BDE).

The School also partners the National Arts Council to run a Chinese creative writing residencies programme. Critically acclaimed writers, both local and international, work on a literary project of their own and teach creative writing courses in NTU.

The Minor in Creative Writing at NTU is open to all undergraduate students interested in exploring their creative literary potential. Students learn the techniques necessary for crafting well-made poetry, fiction, drama, and screenplays, and are encouraged to nurture their creative and innovative abilities. The courses comprise workshops that are devoted to literary form and technique and to the exploration of contemporary trends. Classes provide a forum for students to share their work and receive responses from professional and student authors in an encouraging and productive environment.

The Creative Writing Minor is an excellent concentration for students planning careers in fields as diverse as education, publishing, journalism, advertising, public relations, business and the civil service, as well as encouraging the budding careers of young Singaporean and Asian writers.

This interdisciplinary minor programme is curated in partnership between CoE, CoS, CoHASS, NBS, and LKCMed and is open to all NTU students. Applicants can apply for the Design and Systems Thinking Minor either during the undergraduate admission exercise or during their course of undergraduate studies. There are no special requirements for entry into this minor programme.

As the economy becomes increasingly diversified and innovation-driven, employees from different domain are required to generate innovative solutions collaboratively. This interdisciplinary approach to problem-solving calls for new pedagogical ways to train the next generation of graduates for tomorrow. The recently published "Schools of the Future" report by the World Economic Forum highlighted several critical characteristics in learning content and experiences that define high-quality learning in the "Education 4.0" framework. These characteristics include (i) opportunities for innovation and creativity, (ii) acquiring technological know-how, (iii) problem-based and collaborative learning, and (iv) lifelong and student-driven learning.

The aims of this minor programme are to prepare students for the future workplace. This programme will expose students to:
1. complex problems and how these problems are regulated in the real-world, and
2. systems thinking mindset that encourages creative problem solving outside the usual discipline-based channels.

Environmental Humanities (EnvHum) emerges as a fast expanding interdisciplinary area of research and study in recent decades, as witnessed in the intersections among academic disciplines, ranging from environmental history, environmental ethics and aesthetics, ecocriticism, critical animal studies, eco-linguistics, environmental psychology, environmental sociology, sustainable urban planning, environmental communications studies, and other sub-disciplines. The programme brings all these disciplines together so as to promote innovative, pluralistic and boundary-crossing environmental thinking and practices. 

The programme aims to introduce recent discussions and debates in EnvHum that center on three aspects: how human language, culture and society play a role in facilitating our understanding of ecology and the environment in contemporary world; the rethinking of what nature and culture mean in an age of environmental challenges; and redefining the relationships between human beings and the more-than-human-world (that includes animals, plants, nonliving matters and the environment).

Minor in Environmental Humanities Coordinator: Chu Kiu-wai, School of Humanities

The Minor in Gender and Diversity Studies is open to all undergraduate students across the university interested in exploring the concept of gender and diversity through interdisciplinary dialogues.

Students will approach the concept of diversity through discussions that will consider ethnic, national and class identities, disability, or the differently able, and sexualities, such as LGBTQ+ communities and transgendered identities. The courses in this Minor will draw upon historical engagements with gendered identities, constructions of gendered selves in language, the impact of online culture and virtual reality on identity formation, and the representation of gender in literature and literary theory.

The Minor in Geography and Urban Studies (GUS) at NTU is a program that introduces students to spatial thinking about our contemporary societies, urban development and the physical environment. GUS is based in the School of Social Sciences (SSS) in the College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (HASS) but actively cross-lists elective courses from the School of Art, Design and Media (ADM), School of Humanities (SoH), Asia School for the Environment (ASE) and National Institute of Education (NIE).

Space plays a critical role in shaping societal and environmental changes. Its influence in ordering growth, ways of life and politics of development is often invisible but significant. As many parts of the world enter into urbanization and the urban way of life, our relationship with space is intensified. GUS' distinctive focus is to introduce and equip undergraduate students with a set of spatial lenses to understand and analyse society and its organization. For this purpose, GUS draws on multiple disciplines including sociology, political science, history, art, ecology and policy to develop students' appreciation and awareness that the role of space plays in shaping urban life, public discourses and policy decisions.

Asia is the world’s most populous continent, with many vibrant economies. It has 48 independent countries, 6 partially recognized countries and another 6 dependencies/special administrative regions. It has the 2nd largest nominal GDP in the world, after the continent of Europe and contains 1st World as well as 3rd World countries. In particular, the continent is dominated by 3 giants, namely China, India and Indonesia. With their healthy economic growth, these 3 countries will be the driving force of Asia’s rise in the 21st century. As Singapore’s future is extremely dependent on the performance of our Asian neighbors, it is hence timely that NTU offers a Minor programme focusing on Asian Studies and Asia’s role in the world today, in the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. It is hoped that the Minor will enhance our students’ knowledge in a wide aspect of Asia, from economics to media to art history.

Health and healthcare issues have been gaining prominence in recent years, not least through the COVID-19 pandemic. There is a need for students to better understand the many interconnections between health and society. Policies, data analytics, and communication are a few aspects at play when it comes to developing and improving health services and systems. Histories and philosophies of medicine and approaches to start/end-of-life matters, which vary from one society to another, also play a part in shaping healthcare provision. The aim of the Minor in Health and Society is to offer multi-disciplinary perspectives on population health and healthcare provision, which will complement students’ major programmes of study. It will also broaden students’ exposure to knowledge and analytical skills that are relevant to health-related sectors.

Completing the Minor in Modern Languages demonstrates an appreciation of foreign cultures and an interest in the world beyond. A minor in a foreign language (French, German, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Spanish, or Thai) will enable students to acquire higher-level language skills and to perceive areas of their specialisation in a new light. These qualities provide extra dimensions for career opportunities in the private industry, the non-profit and government sectors, as well as for graduate school or academic careers. This minor also adds an important credential to CVs and can greatly improve employment prospects.

The Minor in Photography in NTU is open to non-ADM undergraduate students interested in studying and practicing the art of photography.

Embarking on this course you will explore photographic artworks in-depth, looking at composition and context, cultural and historical backgrounds and influences, developing a knowledge of the aesthetic values behind lens-based art and its distinctive qualities.

Through classes that integrate technical aspects with aesthetic concerns, you will acquire the technical and creative skills necessary for production, and have the opportunity to explore your own creative approach to making photographic images. Through this practice you will learn to think and express yourself visually. This Minor will be beneficial for those who want to develop their photography skills and knowledge at a higher level, as well as those interested in careers in the arts, journalism, communications, fashion and media.

The understanding of the manifold relationships between science and society is the goal of the interdisciplinary field of “Science, Technology, and Society.” Drawing on history, sociology, anthropology, philosophy, media and communication studies, and other fields, this minor will seek to introduce undergraduate students to ways of thinking about science and technology from a range of social and humanist perspectives. As a “technological” University with growing strengths in the humanities and social sciences, “Science, Technology, and Society” should form a critical part of both scientific, engineering, and social science education. Scientists and engineers need to be equipped to think about technical problems, from a range of points of view, including a social science perspective. Likewise, students of the humanities and social sciences should be able to get a better grasp of the technosciences and how they impact our lives and society.   The aim of this minor, then, is to build an intellectual bridge between the humanities, social sciences, and the natural science and engineering and to educate provide ways for all students to develop ways of thinking creatively and innovatively about science, technology, and its role in the world. NTU is in a particularly good position to offer this minor and develop its strengths in “Science, Technology, and Society.”

Students will learn about the various aspects of translation including the context of its historical development, the leading theories and the principles of translation from both Western and Asian schools. Students will also learn the basic techniques of translation, and be exposed to three specialized areas of translation (Mass Media, Business, and Science and Technology), and explore the use of translation strategies for these texts.