MSc (Environmental Management)

NUS Multidisciplinary and Interdisciplinary Programme (Offered by Six NUS Schools and Faculties)

OVERVIEW

The National University of Singapore (NUS) Master of Science (Environmental Management) (MEM) is a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary graduate degree programme that taps on the deep expertise of six NUS academic units in areas pertinent to environmental and sustainability management:

Since it was launched about 20 years ago, the MEM programme has attracted students from around the world, including from countries like Bangladesh, Canada, China, Finland, France, Japan, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Myanmar, Nepal, Norway, South Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States of America (USA).

In 2022, MEM was identified as a strategic programme and NUS flagship course in sustainability by the University Sustainability and Climate Action Council. In line with this, the programme curriculum was revamped to provide pedagogical flexibility to students whilst providing a broad-based multidisciplinary curriculum.

Why This Programme?

  • Acquire multidisciplinary competencies from professors who are specialists in their fields, as well as experts from established local and international environmental agencies and organisations.
  • Be exposed to a wide range of perspectives by attending the MEM5104 Seminars on Environmental Management and have the opportunity to network with prominent practitioners and researchers from Singapore and abroad who are well-versed in the subject matter.
  • Learn from both inside the classroom and out in the industry through the Capstone Project Course, which enables students to gain valuable experience while applying their knowledge and skills to address sustainability challenges with a sponsoring company or organisation.
  • Graduate with an internationally recognised Master’s Degree that opens doors to influential roles at mid- and senior-managerial levels in both the public and private sectors here and in the region.

APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION

Application Period
An Academic Year (AY) at NUS consists of two semesters and a special term (which occurs during the Semester 2 Vacation, and is divided into two parts of six weeks duration each):

  • Semester 1: Aug–Dec
  • Semester 2: Jan–May
  • Special Term (Part 1): May–Jun
  • Special Term (Part 2): Jun–Jul

For the MEM programme, there is one application period for each AY:

Programme Intake Application Dates
MEM Semester 1
(Aug Intake)		 1 Nov of preceding year to 31 Jan of intake year

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Admission to the MEM programme is granted on a competitive basis as places in the programme are limited. Applicants should possess the following minimum requirements:

Academic 

Bachelor's Degree (with Honours) from a well-recognised university; additional requirements may be stipulated for undergraduate degrees from universities whose academic standards are not widely known
Skill/Experience

Three to five years of working experience preferred, with or without prior experience in sustainability work; fresh graduates with outstanding academic performance but no working experience may be considered on a case-by-case basis 
English Language

Applicants whose native tongue is not English:

  • Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) minimum score of 85 (Internet-based), or
  • International English Language Testing System (IELTS) minimum Academic score of 6.0

Note: TOEFL / IELTS scores are valid for two years from the test date and should not have expired at point of application. Expired scores will not be considered for the application.
Other

Applicants should aspire to become leaders in environment and sustainable development

Note: Applicants are responsible for ensuring that application information and all supporting documents are truthful and correct. NUS reserves the right to verify information provided as part of an application. False or misleading information in an application (including but not limited to test scores, resumes, certificates, transcripts, etc.) is grounds for admission rejection, revocation and/or dismissal from the University.

MODE OF STUDY AND PROGRAMME CANDIDATURE

The MEM programme is offered on the following basis (with estimated time to complete the programme indicated below):

 Full-time  12 months 
 Part-time  24 months

Note: International applicants must be accepted into an approved full-time course in Singapore to apply for a Student’s Pass. For more information, refer to the Singapore Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) website.

PROGRAMME STRUCTURE

The MEM is a 40-Unit coursework-based Master’s Degree programme comprising:

  • Core/essential courses (28 Units), and
  • Elective courses (12 Units):
    • At least 8 Units from Specialised Electives,
    • Up to 4 Units from General Electives.
Core/Essential Courses

These courses are unique to the MEM programme. Each course may consist of pre-class readings, assignments, tests and/or projects, and online/face-to-face classes and seminars.

View Courses

Course Code Course Title Units
AR5323 Well & Green Built Environment 4
BL5102 Environmental Science 4
LL5459X Environment and Sustainability – Law, Governance and Practice 4
MEM5101 Business and Sustainable Development 4
MEM5102 Applied Research Methodology 4
MEM5103 Capstone Project for Environmental Management 4
MEM5104 Seminars on Environmental Management 0
PP5269M Environmental Economics and Public Policy 4
Elective Courses

Students must complete 12 Units of elective courses, of which at least 8 Units must be Specialised Electives and the remaining can be General Electives. Elective course offerings are subject to change and may not be offered every semester.

View Courses

Specialised Electives
Course Code Course Title Units
BL5331 Conservation Governance and Climate Solutions 4
ESE5901 Environmental Technology 4
LL5484X  Introduction to Business Law 4
LL5485X Negotiation 4
MT5007G Management of Technological Innovation 4

General Electives
Course Code Course Title Units
BL5210 Biogeography 2
BL5218 Directed Studies in Behavioural Ecology 4
BL5230 Biological Invasions 4
BL5233 Data Analysis for Conservation Biology with R 4
BL5234 Quantitative Methods and Critical Thinking in Biology 4
BL5238 Infectious Disease Modelling 2
BL5312 Natural History Collections and Conservation 4
BL5322 Field Techniques in Biological Conservation 4
BL5323 Spatial Modelling for Environmental Sustainability 4
BL5324 Ecological Perspectives on Global Change 4
BMS5125 Sustainable Strategy 4
BMS5129 Applied Sustainability: A Systems Perspective
 4
BMS5408 Special Topics in Organizational Behaviour
4
BMS5416 Managing across Cultures 4
CCS5101 Climate Change - The Science and the Policy   4
CCS5102
 Sustainability and Climate Change 
  4
CCS5103
 Political Economy of Climate Change and Sustainable Development 
  4
PP5227 Principles and Policies in Sustainability and the Environment 4
 IE5206 Energy and Sustainability: A Systems Approach  4
 ETP5381 Carbon Market & Sustainable Financing 4
 
 

For more details about the courses (e.g., laboratory-based or not, subsidy status), please click here.

View sample study schedule.

Note: Courses are subject to change. For more information about the courses listed above (as well as other courses offered in the current academic year), please visit NUSMODS.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

To graduate from the MEM programme, students must meet the following requirements:

Programme and/or Specialisation

Read and pass a total of 40 Units, comprising:

  • 28 Units of core/essential courses, and
  • 12 Units of elective courses:
    • At least 8 Units from Specialised Electives,
    • Up to 4 Units from Generalised Electives.
Course and/or Qualification

It is compulsory to successfully complete MEM5104 Seminars on Environmental Management by:

  • Attending at least 3 seminars related to environmental management topics or areas
  • Submitting a report
Grade Point Average (GPA) 

Minimum 3.0 (out of maximum 5.0)

Please see also the University’s minimum standards for Continuation and Graduation Requirements specific programmes may implement stricter or additional requirements.
Other 

Not applicable

FEES AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

The University reserves all rights to review fees as necessary and adjust accordingly without prior notice.

Tuition

S$49,500.00 (excluding GST) / 
S$53,955.00 (including 9% GST)

Note: The tuition fees for this programme are payable based on the number of Units taken in a semester. The amount stated above is for 40 Units. Students who are required to take more than 40 Units for programme completion may be subjected to additional tuition fees.

Financial Assistance

Students in this programme may be eligible to receive funding support from some of the following scholarship and financial assistance schemes*:

* Subject to terms and conditions. Kindly refer to respective bodies offering the scholarship or financial assistance scheme for more information. NUS makes no representation or warranty of any kind, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability, availability, or completeness of the information provided here.

Application

S$100.00 (excluding GST) /
S$109.00 (including 9% GST)

  • Non-refundable and non-transferable

Acceptance

S$5,000.00 (excluding GST) /
S$5,450.00 (including 9% GST)

  • Payable upon acceptance of offer
  • Non-refundable and non-transferable
  • Will be credited towards tuition fees

Miscellaneous Student Fees

As published by Office of the University Registrar

  • Payable every regular semester

Programme at a Glance*

Upcoming Event(s):

Watch this space for updates!
Next Intake:
Application Period:
Nov 2025–Jan 2026

Updating soon!

* For full details, please refer to main write-up.


For enquiries, contact us.

MEM Seminars

MEM Events

Video
VOD MEM

Urban Energy: Promoting a Healthy Lifestyle for Hungry Cities

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Click on the links below for more information:

Is work experience required for admission into the programme?

Work experience is preferred for admission into the programme. However, fresh graduates who have outstanding academic performance but no prior working experience may be considered on a case-by-case basis. As admission into the programme is on a competitive basis, applicants are encouraged to provide, along with their educational qualifications, details of any relevant work experience (including demonstrated involvement in sustainability management) so that their applications are more complete and representative of their achievements.

Is the personal statement compulsory for admission into this programme?

The personal statement is optional. You may upload a written personal statement during the application.

Must I have a degree in any particular field before I can apply for the programme?

The MEM programme is a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary programme; we welcome students from all academic backgrounds, so long as they have good degrees from well-recognised universities.

Is an honours degree a requirement?

The main basic qualification for the MEM programme that applicants must have is a good undergraduate degree with honours from a well-recognised university. For applicants without an honours degree, evidence of further post-graduation education might be helpful in assessing their application.

Is a GMAT or GRE score required?

At the point of application, GMAT/GRE scores are not compulsory. For all coursework programmes, additional requirements may be stipulated later, e.g. if applicants come from universities whose academic standards are not known. These may include GMAT/GRE scores. Where such a score is required, the test must not have been taken earlier than two years before the proposed date of admission onto the programme.

How many students are admitted into the programme each year?

There is no fixed quota on the number of students to be admitted per cohort; we consider each application on its own merit, and then take into consideration academic and relevant backgrounds, nationalities and so on.

What topics are covered in the MEM Seminar Course and who are the speakers?

Within the graduation requirements for MEM is the mandatory attendance of three seminar sessions. The seminar sessions are designed to allow students to gain exposure to a diverse range of current topics in various fields and to improve their communication skills through presentations and interactions with other professionals.

What does the MEM Capstone Project entail?

The Capstone Project is a course specifically designed to help students apply their learnings in a practical, hands-on setting. In addition, it provides a platform for students to learn and apply deeper research skills on specially selected topics related to sustainability issues. Working in groups of five and in consultation with the relevant NUS academic unit, students will develop impact-driven solutions to address sustainability challenges, craft a report, and then deliver a presentation for evaluation at the end of the course.

Are any field trips organised by the programme?

Exposure to the practical aspects of environment management is one of the elements of the MEM programme. Therefore, field trips are organised as part of the programme. Some of these field trips relate to particular courses, and serve as the bases for projects or assignments (making such trips compulsory). Others are not linked to any course, but are of general interest.

What are the career prospects and pathways for a graduate of the programme?

The MEM programme is a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary programme that provides education in environmental management for senior and mid-level managers and officers in corporations, institutions, and government and non-governmental organisations, both in Singapore and in the Asia-pacific region and beyond.

Some of the top careers enjoyed by current students and graduates of the programme include:

  • Environmental, Social and Governance Manager
  • Sustainability Manager
  • Green Finance Manager
  • Sustainability Lead
  • Environmental Educator or Advocate
  • International Development Manager
  • Strategic Roles In Environment and Sustainable Development
  • Green Entrepreneur
  • Environmental Consultant

What career support services can NUS offer to graduates of the programme who would like to switch careers?

The NUS Centre for Future-Ready Graduates offers career resources that can be accessed by graduating students. The Centre aims to enhance students’ employability and ensure that they are career-ready upon graduation. Some of the support initiatives include career-readiness programmes, campus recruitment talks, career fairs, and even one-on-one coaching with a certified career advisor.

Find out more here: http://nus.edu.sg/CFG/students.

 

For more Frequently Asked Questions, click here.


For enquiries, contact us.

We will guide you through the next steps of your transformative journey.

 
25 April 2025