Frequently Asked Questions

The maximum validity period for a Graduate Certificate is 5 years for matriculation into MTech.  The maximum period of study for MTech Capstone project is 1 year (undertaken within 2 years after matriculation); hence, an MTech that is undertaken via the stackable pathway must be completed within 7 years.

Stackable Graduate Certificate programmes offered by NUS-ISS are an alternative pathway for continuing education.  Participants will have the flexibility of studying at their own pace by taking the required modular courses that make up the respective Graduate Certificates to meet their needs and may wish to go on to stack their Graduate Certificates into a Masters qualification.  For participants taking the traditional MTech they will follow the individual programme academic timetable.  

No, there will not be any entrance test or interview conducted for participants who are taking the Stackable Graduate Certificate programme.  However, some of the modular courses have prerequisites. 

To be awarded a Graduate Certificate, participants are required to be deemed "Competent" at all the individual modular course level, and achieved a pass in the Practice Module which consist of a graded project and written assessment.

If they wish to stack their Graduate Certificates into a Masters qualification, they are required to satisfy the following requirements at the time of matriculation before they commence on the graded Capstone Project. (i.e. after having completed one (Software Engineering) or two (Enterprise Business Analytics/Intelligent Systems) Fundamental Graduate Certificates and any two Specialist Graduate Certificates):

• Possess the equivalent of an NUS 4-year undergraduate degree, preferably in Science or Engineering or demonstrate equivalent academic skills
• Demonstrate high levels of proficiency in the Graduate Certificates, with a minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 in each of the Certificates
• Have received a favourable assessment at an admissions interview conducted by ISS

Graduate Certificates in the area of Business Analytics (Stackable Pathway):

• Graduate Certificate in Analytics Project Management (Fundamental)
• Graduate Certificate in Business Analytics Practice (Fundamental)
• Graduate Certificate in Customer Analytics (Specialist)
• Graduate Certificate in Practical Language Processing (Specialist)
• Graduate Certificate in Advanced Predictive Modelling and Forecasting (Specialist)
• Graduate Certificate in Big Data Engineering and Web Analytics (Specialist)

  Graduate Certificates in the area of Intelligent Systems (Stackable Pathway):

• Graduate Certificate in Intelligent Reasoning Systems (Fundamental)
• Graduate Certificate in Pattern Recognition Systems (Fundamental)
• Graduate Certificate in Intelligent Robotic Systems (Specialist)
• Graduate Certificate in Intelligent Sensing Systems (Specialist)
• Graduate Certificate in Intelligent Software Agents (Specialist)
• Graduate Certificate in Practical Language Processing (Specialist)

  Graduate Certificates in the area of Software Engineering (Stackable Pathway):

• Graduate Certificate in Architecting Scalable Systems (Fundamental)
• Graduate Certificate in Designing and Managing Products and Platforms (Specialist)
• Graduate Certificate in Engineering Big Data (Specialist)
• Graduate Certificate in Architecting Smart Systems (Specialist)
• Graduate Certificate in Securing Ubiquitous Systems (Specialist)

Participants taking the modular courses under Stackable Graduate Certificate programmes can schedule their courses using the NUS-ISS Executive Education Calendar.  

The modular courses are conducted on  both weekdays (either Monday to Friday) and weekends (Sat) from 9am – 5pm . Each course is typically 3-5 contact days.  

Currently, there are no tuition fees loan or scholarships extended to Stackable Graduate Certificate programmes.

The Service Obligation scheme is not available to Stackable Graduate Certificate programmes.

Only international students successfully admitted to the traditional MTech full-time programme will be eligible for application and issuance of Student’s Pass, subject to Singapore Immigration & Checkpoints Authority’s approval. 

There are no particular order in which the modular courses are to be completed.
However, we strongly encourage participants to complete the modular courses shown in the learning pathway, as there may be prerequisites for each modular courses.

Participants can sign up for the individual modular courses within each Graduate Certificate via NUS-ISS website. 

Yes.  For example, in the Stackable Graduate Certificate programme in Smart Systems and Platforms, Big Data Engineering for Analytics is also part of the modular course offered under the Stackable Graduate Certificate programme in Data Science.

By taking the modular courses via stackable pathway, the assessment results cannot be counted towards the Grade Point Average (GPA) under the MTech programme.

Achieving a "Competent" grade in the modular courses is a requirement before attempting the Practice Module.  The grades achieved in the Practice Module assessments at the Graduate Certificate level will be counted towards GPA.

A participant who is interested in traditional pathway of MTech programme is required to submit the online application with application fee payment before the closing date.  He/she has to go through the entire application and shortlisting process including attending entrance test, interview etc.

Upon successfully admission into the programme, the participant can submit his/her request for exemption by sending an email to ask-iss@nus.edu.sg. Please note that each request will be subjected to approval. Exemptions will be considered only for courses that are taken within the last 5 years.

Participants who had already completed some EEP courses in the past can enrol for the remaining modular courses.  However, these completed modular courses must be taken within the last 5 years.

To be awarded a Graduate Certificate, participants are required to be deemed competent at all the individual modular course level, and achieved a pass in the Practice Module, which consist of a graded project and written assessment.

A Practice Module can only be taken after completing and passing all the required modular courses in the Graduate Certificate.  It consists of a graded project and written assessment.  The graded project will require participants to tackle one or more real world problems and apply the concepts learned from the modular courses.  These projects may be selected from their own organisations or other NUS-ISS approved sources. The written assessment are held twice a year, in May and Nov, during weekday evenings and/or Saturdays.  A briefing session will be conducted after a participant is deemed “Competent” in all the modular courses in the Graduate Certificate, and wish to take the Practice Module to be awarded the Graduate Certificate.

To be awarded with an MTech degree, every student is required to successfully complete a ‘Capstone Project’.  These projects will typically take the form of a consulting engagement for a sponsoring organisation and will provide students with the opportunity to practice their newly acquired skills as part of a team working on a real-life project.  These projects also enable sponsoring organisations to experience and assess new technologies, techniques and methods. 

For full-time students, the project is in the form of a 20-week internship.  For part-time students or students taking stackable programme pathway, the project will be conducted over a 6 – 12 month period.  The sponsoring organisation may be the employer of one of the team members.  We encourage students to source suitable projects in advance, from either within their own organisations or from other approved sources.

Participants may need to attend additional coaching sessions and re-assessments if they do not pass.  NUS-ISS reserves the right not to disclose any information on the course assessment process.

Participants will be invoiced for individual modular courses instead of payment for the Graduate Certificate.

There will be no supplementary assessments for participants who fail the Practice Module. Participants can either self-study or opt to retake the failed module, and reassessment fees are applicable.

They could also retake the entire Graduate Certificate (fees applicable) to fulfil the minimum GPA requirement for the Graduate Certificate.  There will be a maximum grade capped for retaking any assessments.

The Practice Module (i.e. projects and assessments) will be graded.  Participants taking the Graduate Certificate are required to achieve competency in every modular course and pass the Practice Module (i.e. achieve a minimum of C) in order to be awarded a Graduate Certificate.

No, definitely not! Both pathways are equally rigorous.  For the MTech traditional pathway, each Practice Module (graded projects and assessments) is interleaved with the class days, i.e. is taken in parallel with the Graduate Certificate classes rather than at the end of the Graduate Certificate.  The examinations for the Practice Module will be conducted at the end of each semester in May and November.

From 1 April 2020, NUS-ISS will no longer be participating in the PMI R.E.P programme. However, participants can still claim PDUs under category “Courses from other third party providers”. As a PM practitioner, each participant will need to decide how many PDUs to claim (it is no longer the pre-approved number) under each category.

The process is as listed below:

1. Log into your PMI account http://ccrs.pmi.org
2. Select "Report PDUs"
3. Select “Course or Training” option
4. For Provider, please type “Institute of Systems Science, National University of Singapore”. Indicate the type in the required information (e.g. provider name, activity name, dates, and number of PDUs). If you have provided an activity number, please do not use it – please type the name of the course in the Activity field instead. Please do not select any course or provider from the drop-down menu
5. For Course, please type course title as printed on your Certificate of Attendance  (Do not select an option from the drop-down menu)
6. Enter the start and end dates of the class
7. For URL, please enter www.iss.nus.edu.sg
8. For contact email, please enter ask-iss@nus.edu.sg
9. Once you have entered this information, please agree that the claim is accurate and click the submit button.

A: Participants who enrol for the Graduate Certificate programme will enjoy either 40% subsidy (Singaporean) or 20% subsidy (Permanent Resident). Participants will be entitled to only one subsidy.

Kindly note that the above subsidies are eligible to Singaporeans and Permanent Residents only. For current subsidies and fees please refer to the individual courses listed in NUS-ISS website. If you have been given a subsidy for the modular course before, you may not be eligible for another subsidy for the same course.

A: Participants who sign up for the courses on a modular basis will not be entitled to the graduate certificate subsidy.

Participants may refer to the Graduate Certificate classes in the Training Calendar published on the NUS-ISS website to plan your learning journey.

Participants who prefer a more flexible timetable may sign up for classes under the NUS-ISS Executive Education programmes. You will not be entitled to the graduate certificate subsidies but may qualify for the modular subsidies for the Executive Education programme.

Please note that the above subsidies are available to Singaporeans and Permanent Residents only.  For current subsidies and fees please refer to individual Graduate Certificate Programme listed in NUS-ISS website.

A: In general, courses taken from other learning institutions will not be recognised as part of the qualifications towards our NUS-ISS programmes. However, if you have taken a course or programme from a recognised institution of higher learning that is comparable to the content and conduct of an NUS-ISS module, your learning or experience may be recognised as a waiver for a pre-requisite or for a module in the Graduate Certificate. For example, a participant who holds a MSc in Statistics from NUS may be given a waiver for the Statistics Bootcamp course in the Business Analytics Practice Graduate Certificate in the Data Science Stackable programme.

A: If you have taken the courses previously with subsidies, you will need to pay the full fees should you wish to retake the same courses.

A: Yes, a participant may submit his/her request for exemption by sending an email to ask-iss@nus.edu.sg. A ‘competent’ grade is required.  Exemptions will be considered only for courses that are taken within the last 5 years.

A: Yes, you will qualify for the subsidy via programme enrolment. However, the subsidy will only apply for the remaining modular courses from the start date of the first course of the graduate certificate.

The completed modular courses must be taken within the last 5 years.  To be awarded a Graduate Certificate, participants are required to be deemed competent in all the individual modular courses, and achieved a Pass grade in the Practice Course.  The Practice Course comprises a graded project and written exam or other assessment.

A: There will be no refund of fees for an incomplete practice module.

A: In general, there will be no refund of fees for signed up courses or the Graduate Certificate. However, if you have a valid reason (such as an Medical Certificate, National Service commitment, etc., you may submit a request for a refund or reschedule by sending an email to ask-iss@nus.edu.sg.

A: There is no particular order in which the modular courses are to be completed, except that they must fulfil the pre-requisites of each course.We strongly encourage participants to follow the through-train Master of Technology programme timetable to ensure a smooth learning journey and to fulfil the necessary pre-requisites.

A: NUS-ISS is committed to running modular classes with a minimum class size. In the event that we need to postpone the scheduled run, your registration will be transferred to the next scheduled run. Participants will have time to complete the courses within two (2) years.

A: Participants who have taken a modular course before but who did not satisfy the required competency standards to pass the course will not be eligible for a subsidy if they retake the course. 

A: Participants will be issued a Certificate of Completion for a modular course if he/she meets the minimum attendance rate of 75% for the course and has passed the course assessment.

A: Certainly! These modular courses are designed to provide essential skills for the digital economy and encourage lifelong learning.

A: Participants will be given 5 years to complete all the required Graduate Certificates.  The 5 years for matriculation to the Master’s programme will start from the completion of the first Graduate Certificate.

A: Assessment results for Graduate Certificates (the GradCert Practice Module) can be counted towards the requirements for the MTech programme. Assessment results from the individual modular courses do not count towards the GPA. Participants must compete the individual modular courses successfully (fulfilling minimum attendance and achieving a ‘Competent’ grade).

A: No, there will not be any entrance test or interview conducted for participants who are taking the stackable graduate certificate programme.  However, some of the modular courses have prerequisites.  To be awarded a Graduate Certificate, participants are required to be deemed competent at all the individual modular course level, and achieved a pass in the Practice Course, which consist of a graded project and written assessment. 

If they wish to stack their Graduate Certificates into a Masters qualification, they are required to satisfy the following requirements at the time of matriculation before they commence on the graded Capstone Project. (i.e. after having completed one (Software Engineering) or two (Enterprise Business Analytics/Intelligent Systems) fundamental Graduate Certificates and any two specialist Graduate Certificates):

• Possess the equivalent of an NUS 4-year undergraduate degree, preferably in Science or Engineering or demonstrate equivalent academic skills
• Demonstrate high levels of proficiency in the Graduate Certificates, with a minimum GPA of 3.0 in each of the Graduate Certificate(s)
• Have received a favourable assessment at an admissions interview conducted by NUS-ISS

Candidate without the equivalent undergraduate degree may apply to be matriculated under special circumstances only after completing all the Graduate Certificates and meeting a minimum GPA of 3.0.

Graduate Certificates in Data Science (stackable pathway):

• Graduate Certificate in Analytics Project Management (Fundamental)
• Graduate Certificate in Business Analytics Practice (Fundamental)
• Graduate Certificate in Customer Analytics (Specialist)
• Graduate Certificate in Practical Language Processing (Specialist)
• Graduate Certificate in Advanced Predictive Modelling and Forecasting (Specialist)
• Graduate Certificate in Big Data Analytics (Specialist)

   

  Graduate Certificates in Artificial Intelligence (stackable pathway):

• Graduate Certificate in Intelligent Reasoning Systems (Fundamental)
• Graduate Certificate in Pattern Recognition Systems (Fundamental)
• Graduate Certificate in Intelligent Robotic Systems (Specialist)
• Graduate Certificate in Intelligent Sensing Systems (Specialist)
• Graduate Certificate in Intelligent Software Agents (Specialist)
• Graduate Certificate in Practical Language Processing (Specialist)

   

  Graduate Certificates in Smarts Systems & Platform (stackable pathway):

• Graduate Certificate in Architecting Scalable Systems (Fundamental)
• Graduate Certificate in Designing and Managing Products and Platforms (Specialist)
• Graduate Certificate in Engineering Big Data (Specialist)
• Graduate Certificate in Architecting Smart Systems (Specialist)
• Graduate Certificate in Securing Ubiquitous Systems (Specialist)

A: Only international students successfully admitted to the through-train Master of Technology full-time programme will be eligible for application and issuance of Student’s Pass, subject to Singapore ICA’s approval.

A: Participants who wish to convert to the through-train  Master of Technology programme should follow the application procedures and schedule for the through-train programmes. The opening and closing dates for application will be announced on the NUS-ISS website..

Upon successfully admission into the programme, the participant can submit his/her request for exemption by sending an email to ask-iss@nus.edu.sg. Please note that each request will be subjected to approval.

A: Yes, the fee for Practice Modules is $218.00 (inclusive of 9% GST).

A Practice Module can only be taken after completing and passing all the required modular courses in the Graduate Certificate.  It consists of a graded project and written exam or assessment.  The graded project will require participants to tackle one or more real world problems and apply the concepts learned from the modular courses.  These projects may be selected from their own organisations or other NUS-ISS approved sources. 

The written exam or assessment will be conducted twice a year in Apr/May and Nov, during weekday evenings and/or Saturdays.  A briefing session will be conducted after a participant is deemed “Competent” in all the modular courses in the Graduate Certificate, and wish to take the Practice Module to be awarded the Graduate Certificate.

A: The Practice Modules (i.e. projects and assessments) will be graded.  Participants taking the Graduate Certificate are required to achieve competency in every modular course and pass the Practice Modules (i.e. achieve a minimum grade of ‘C’) in order to be awarded a Graduate Certificate.

A: There will be no supplementary assessments for participants who fail the Practice Modules. Students can either self-study or opt to retake the failed Practice Course (Please note that fees will apply).  Participants who retake the Practice Modules will have their grade capped.

Participants may also opt to retake the entire Graduate Certificate (Please note that fees apply) to fulfil the minimum GPA requirement for the Graduate Certificate. 

A: All MTech pathways have the same rigour and requirements.  Students on the through-train MTech pathway may fullfil their project  requirements in parallel with the Graduate Certificate modular classes rather than at the end of the Graduate Certificate.  The written exam or assesment for the GradCert Practice Module is the same for the stackable and the through-train students/participants.

A:

Non-matriculated Stackable GC Student Withdrawal Policy:

1. This policy applies to all non-matriculated Stackable Grad Cert students who have signed up for the Grad Cert Practice Module.
2. Students with extenuating circumstances (e.g., due to work, maternity, travel, etc.) may apply to withdraw from the Practice Module without penalty. Valid documentation must be presented. A successful application needs the support of the Programme Chief and the approval of Director, Graduate Programmes. A withdrawal does not count towards the number of attempts at the Practice Module.
3. Students who otherwise withdraw from the Practice Module before the Grad Cert examination will receive an “Incomplete” as their grade. Students may choose to continue with their Practice Module within 3 years but must pay the Practice Module fee again. If the student does not complete the Practice Module within 3 years, the “Incomplete” will automatically convert to an “F” grade. A student with an “Incomplete” who chooses to withdraw again will continue with the “Incomplete” and timed from the first “Incomplete” grade.
4. Students may not apply to withdraw from a Practice Module after they have sat for the examination.
5. Please note that Grad Certs may evolve or be retired to remain relevant to industry needs. If a specific Grad Cert is no longer offered in a subsequent semester, students who withdraw under any circumstances should make alternative arrangements with NUS-ISS.

A: Yes, the fees for Master of Technology Capstone Projects are listed below with no subsidies.

• Master of Technology in Enterprise Business Analytics - S$6431 (inclusive of a compulsory Data Science Solutions Implementation course and 9% GST)
• Master of Technology in Intelligent Systems - S$5450 (inclusive of 9% GST)
• Master of Technology in Software Engineering - S$5450 (inclusive of 9% GST)

A: Applicants who do not meet the minimum admission requirements for an MTech programme, but perform well in the Graduate Certificates and with sufficient justification e.g. prior experience, demonstration of abilities etc., will be considered for admission on a case-by-case basis.  Stackable Programmes offered by NUS-ISS are designed as an alternative pathway to ensure lifelong learning regardless of prior qualifications.

A: We strongly encourage students to source suitable projects in advance, from either within their own organisations or from other approved sources, so that you can apply what you have learned from the courses and bring the benefit to your organization through this capstone project experience.

A: We suggest your Capstone project should be a new initiative that are still in research or planning stage, and not already in the implementation stage, so that you can integrate and apply what you have learned from the GradCerts and maximise your learning opportunities. The Capstone Project supervisor from ISS will provide guidance and advice during this journey.