NUS-MOE Humanities and Social Sciences Research (HSSR) - Frequently Asked Questions
Prerequisites for HSSR
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What are the prerequisites for HSSR?
As the programme is at H3 level, students must have the necessary knowledge and competencies at H2 level. Thus, students are required to take the corresponding subject at H2. For example, a student who wishes to take the programme in Economics must have taken H2 Economics in JC1, and will continue to take H2 Economics in JC2 for the GCE ‘A’ Level Examination.
Please refer to the HSSR Overview for more details on prerequisites.
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What language medium is used for the HSSR subjects of:
- HSSR (Chinese Language and Literature), and
- HSSR (Malay Language and Literature)?
The Extended Essay for HSSR (Chinese Language and Literature) and HSSR (Malay Language and Literature) must be written in Chinese and Malay respectively.
However, the half-day briefing, which is compulsory for all HSSR students, will be conducted in English.
Subject combinations and restrictions
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Since HSSR is offered in six different subjects, are students allowed to take the programme in two subjects?
No, students may enrol for the programme in one subject only. For example, students taking HSSR in History are not allowed to take HSSR in Geography.
However, students taking HSSR in one subject may also take the MOE H3 Research in the same subject.
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What are the restrictions in subject combinations for students taking HSSR?
Students who choose to offer both HSSR and the MOE H3 Research for subjects like Literature in English, History and Geography should not submit the same research topics or the same areas of study.
Students should also note that the primary texts used in H3 Literature in English must be different from the texts used in HSSR (Literature in English) to ensure that there is no duplication of content. Similarly, the prescribed texts for H3 Chinese Language and Literature, and H3 Malay Language and Literature must not be used for HSSR (Chinese Language and Literature) and HSSR (Malay Language and Literature) respectively to ensure that there is no duplication of content.
Furthermore, students who take HSSR in the subjects of Chinese Language and Literature, Literature in English, and Malay Language & Literature should ensure that their HSSR Extended Essay should not be based upon texts studied for their H1 or H2 papers for the respective subjects.
Supervision and research
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What is the period of supervision for HSSR?
The period of supervision starts with the briefing in January and ends with the NUS academic term in May. NUS Supervisors cannot be expected to be contactable after that period. Students will continue research and writing to complete their Extended Essays on their own after this period.
With this in mind, students are advised to use their time wisely and plan in advance their schedule of work.
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Are HSSR students required to rework their research proposals that had been submitted at the application stage?
The research proposal is used by the HSSR Committee to evaluate and select applicants for the programme. The proposal is not required to be submitted with the Extended Essay for grading.
However, NUS Supervisors may at their discretion choose to guide students in reworking the proposals if they feel that the students can benefit from the process.
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Can a student, with the support of his/her NUS Supervisor, change the topic or focus of his/her research for his/her Extended Essay?
The student should keep to the topic and focus that he/she had selected. The topics offered have been approved as they have been shown to be within the scope of the subjects at the ‘A’ levels, and are valid extensions of learning from current H2 syllabi for the various subjects. Changing the topic or focus of the research may result in work that does not follow H3 requirements in terms of learning outcomes or standards. It may also be disadvantageous for the student if the new topic or focus demands knowledge or skills that are not built upon those from their H2 level.
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Can I get funds for the purchase of materials and data that I may need for my research?
Other than what is made available to you by the NUS library, there is no fund for the purchase of additional resources. This is a consideration you should take into account in proposing the scope of your proposal. It is your responsibility to make sure that your research investigates an area in which data and resources are available.
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What is the period of access to NUS library resources?
The NUS Library card given to HSSR students will be valid from the date of matriculation to mid-June. If problems regarding access to library resources are encountered, please seek help from the NUS library staff.
Submission Procedures
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What are the subject code and paper numbers for HSSR?
The subject code is U601. It is the same as the one used in registering for HSSR under the Integrated Examinations System (IES).
The paper numbers are:
Paper Paper Number Economics Paper 1 Geography Paper 2 History Paper 3 Literature in English Paper 4 Chinese Language and Literature Paper 5 Malay Language and Literature Paper 6 -
Is there a standard format or presentation required of the HSSR Extended Essay?
The suggested format for the Extended Essay will be supplied with the relevant forms nearer the submission deadline.
Please note that the format given then is only a suggestion. Some subjects may specify different or additional requirements. Your NUS Supervisor may also give you instructions on his/her preferred format that is relevant to your subject.
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What counts towards the word limit of the Extended Essay?
The following are not included in the word count:
- titles and content of diagrams (e.g. graphs, charts, tables, maps)
- footnotes
- bibliography
- appendices
- acknowledgements
- page numbers
This is consistent with other MOE H3 Research guidelines.
Please note that the word limit for Chinese Language and Literature is different from that for the other subjects.