UNIVERSITY OF SAN CARLOS

School of Business and Economics

Department of Accountancy
Dear Sir/Maam, we are students of the University of San Carlos, Philippines, taking up Bachelor of
Science in Accountancy. We are conducting a research as a requirement for our BA109 Business Research
course. Our research is entitled
A STUDY ON THE ALIGNMENT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF SAN CARLOS ACCOUNTANCY
AND BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION ACADEMIC PROGRAMS WITH THOSE OF SELECTED
SOUTHEAST ASIAN UNIVERSITIES.
Below is a list of questions which we have partially answered based on the information we have gathered
from your website. We would be very thankful if you can go through the items and correct, add or
expound on them as necessary. The questions are particular to your Accountancy and Business
Administration academic programs.

QUESTIONNAIRE
Name of University: National University of Singapore (NUS)
Seal:

General Questions

What are the schools mission and vision statement and its core values? How does this
directly or indirectly impact the Accountancy and Business Administration academic
programs?
Vision: A leading global university centered in Asia, influencing the future.
Mission: To transform the way people think and do things through education, research
and service.
Core Values:

Excellence: Deliver the best in teaching, research and service

Integrity: Uphold the highest moral and ethical principles

Innovation: Embody curiosity, ingenuity and enterprise
Teamwork: Respect and inspire one another in our collective endeavours
Care: Serve our community and safeguard the environment

http://www.nus.edu.sg/about-nus/overview/vision-mission-strategy
http://bschool.nus.edu/AboutUs/AboutNUSBusinessSchool/VisionMission.aspx

What school term/academic calendar are you following? When does it start and end?
The standard academic calendar consists of two semesters and a special term. Each
semester normally includes 13 weeks of instruction and 2 weeks of examinations. The
special term takes place during the Semester 2 vacation period. It comprises two parts,
each of which lasts 6 weeks and is inclusive of an examination period.
http://www.nus.edu.sg/registrar/calendar.html

What department or school or college are Accountancy and Business Administration

under?
National University of Singapore Business School

How much is the average tuition fee?

At present, undergraduate education at NUS is highly subsidized by the Government of
Singapore, which pays for the bulk of the operating costs besides the infrastructural costs.
The substantial tuition subsidy from the Government of Singapore comes in the form of a
tuition grant which is administered by the Ministry of Education (MOE) and offered to
all admitted students.
Singapore citizens in receipt of the tuition grant will not be required to undertake a
service bond. However, Singapore Permanent Residents and international students will be
required to undertake a service bond under the terms of the tuition grant to work for a
Singapore-registered company for three years upon completion of their degrees.
School of Business
For new students admitted in AY2014/2014
Tuition Fees covering Semesters 1 & 2 of the Academic Year
Per annum amounts
Fees payable
Fees payable by students in receipt of MOE
by students
Tuition Grant
not in receipt
Singapore
Singapore
International
of MOE
Citizens
Permanent
Students
Tuition Grant
Residents
S$ 31,200

S$ 9,250

S$ 12,950

S$ 18,500

Special Term Fees

Per module amounts
Singapore Citizens
Singapore
Permanent
Residents
S$925
S$1,295

International
Students
S$1,850

http://www.nus.edu.sg/registrar/edu/UG/fees.html
https://share.nus.edu.sg/registrar/info/ug/UGTuitionCurrent.pdf
Faculty Requirements

What are your requirements for hiring teachers/professors in your Accountancy and
Business Administration academic programs?

What are the specific qualifications in order that a teacher may teach a particular
course?

How are teachers being evaluated throughout the course of their teaching careers?

How does the university ensure the continuing professional education of their teachers?
What are the opportunities given to teachers in order to improve their qualifications?

Student Requirements

What are the entry requirements for applicants? How many students apply every year
and how many are actually accepted?
Admission is based on academic merit as well as open competition among all eligible
applicants.

Minimum requirements needed for Singapore 'A'-Level applicants (regardless of

nationality) presenting the new 'A' Level curriculum
Minimum requirements for Singapore 'A'-Level applicants (regardless of nationality)
who are applying with the Singapore-Cambridge GCE 'A' Level qualification
Polytechnic diplomas from Singapore
Equivalent qualifications for international applicants (e.g. SAT or submission of SAT
or ACT scores
International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma

Discretionary Admissions Criteria

http://bba.nus.edu/admissions_requirements.html

How are the students performance assessed? How are they graded? What is your
grading scheme? Are Accountancy and Business Administration students required to
maintain a particular grade/rate?
Students receive letter grades for each module taken, except for the cases listed below.
Each grade corresponds to a grade point as shown below:
Grade
A+
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
D+
D
F

Grade Point
5.0
4.5
4.0
3.5
3.0
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
0

Academic progress is tracked by CAP represented as follows:

CAP = ________sum (module grade point x MCs assigned to module)_____
sum (MCs assigned to all modules used in calculating the numerator)
Modules with no assigned MCs or grade points are excluded from the calculation of CAP.
There are a number of situations for which no grade points are assigned:
Completely Satisfactorily/Completed Unsatisfactorily (CS/CU)
Exempted (EXE)
Incomplete (IC)
In Progress (IP)
Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U)
Withdrawn
http://www.nus.edu.sg/registrar/edu/modular.html

How can a student be terminated from his program? Are students required to take a
qualification exam before they are to advance to the next academic level? If yes, what

kind of qualification exam? Are there significant changes in population of students in

each academic level?

What are the specific requirements that Accountancy and Business Administration
students must comply before they can graduate?

Curriculum

What are the programs being offered in the respective school/college/ department?
Undergraduate Programs:

Bachelor of Business Administration Accountancy/ BBA(Acc.)

Double Degree BBAs:
o BBA + Comms & New Media
o BBA + Computing
o BBA + Economics
o BBA + Engineering
o BBA + Law
o BBA + Master in Public Policy (MPP)
o BBA + Master of Science (Management)/ MSc (Mgt)
o Ad hoc Double Degree Programs
Undergraduate Majors and Minors:
o Major in Management (Technology)
o Minor in Technopreneurship
o Major in Management
o Minor in Management
http://bschool.nus.edu.sg/AcademicProgrammes.aspx

Graduate Programs:
Research-based PhD Programs:
Doctor of Philosophy in Departments of Strategy and Policy, Decision
Sciences, Finance,Accounting, Management & Organisation, and Marketing
http://www.nus.edu.sg/admissions/graduate-studies/research-programmes.php
Coursework Programs:
Asia-Pacific Executive MBA

Asia-Pacific Executive MBA (Chinese)

Master of Business Administration

Master in Public Administration and Management Programme (in Chinese)

(MPAM)

Master of Science (Management)

Master of Science Business Analytics Programme

Double Degree MBAs:

o NUS- Hautes Etudes Commerciales (HEC) Paris Double Degree MBA
o NUS-Peking University (PKU) Double Degree MBA
o S3 Asia MBA
o UCLA-NUS Executive MBA
http://www.nus.edu.sg/admissions/graduate-studies/courseworkprogrammes.php

What are the program requirements (major and minor) for your Accountancy and
Business Administration undergraduate academic programs?
Bachelor of Business Administration (Accountancy)
Modules
Modular
% of Total
Credits (MCs) Requirement
s
UNIVERSITY LEVEL REQUIREMENTS
20
16.67%
General Education Modules (at least 8 MCs)
Singapore Studies Module (at least 4 MCs)
Breadth: Electives Outside Business School
(at least 8 MCs)
PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
92
76.67%
Major Requirements
(a) 15 Core Modules
(b) 8 Accounting Essential Modules (worth a
total of 32 MCs)
UNRESTRICTED ELECTIVE
8
6.66%
REQUIREMENTS
TOTAL
120
100%
Modules

Bachelor of Business Administration (Accountancy Honors)

Modular
% of Total

Credits (MCs)
UNIVERSITY LEVEL REQUIREMENTS
General Education Modules (at least 8 MCs)
Singapore Studies Module (at least 4 MCs)
Breadth: Electives Outside Business School
(at least 8 MCs)
PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
Major Requirements
(a) 15 Core Modules
(b) 13 Accounting Essential Modules (worth a
total of 32 MCs)
- 8 Accounting Essential Modules (worth
total of 32 MCs)
- An Honours Dissertation (worth 12
MCs)
-Compulsory Field Service (worth 8
MCs)
UNRESTRICTED ELECTIVE
REQUIREMENTS
TOTAL

20

Requirement
s
12.5%

112

70%

28

17.5%

160

100%

http://bba.nus.edu/undergrad_acc_2014.html
Undergraduate Curriculum Structure
http://www.nus.edu.sg/registrar/edu/UG/curriculum.html

What are the courses being offered in your Accountancy and Business Administration
undergraduate academic programs? For each course, what is the number of units and
the related requisites?
Core Modules
Module Code

Module Title
(i)

BSP1005
BSP2001
DSC2008
(ii)
MNO1001
ACC1002
MKT1003
BSP1004
ACC1006
ACC2002
FIN2004
BSP2005

Analytical Core
Managerial Economics
Macro and International Economics
Business Analytics Data & Decisions
Functional Core
Management and Organisation
Financial Accounting
Marketing
Legal Environment of Business
Accounting Information System
Managerial Accounting
Finance
Asian Business Environments

DSC2006
BSP3001
(iii)
MNO2007
ES2002
Module Code
ACC3601
ACC3603
ACC3604
ACC3605
ACC3606
ACC3614
ACC3616
ACC3619

Module Code
ACC3602
ACC3613
ACC3615
ACC4611
ACC4612

Operations Management
Strategic Management
Leadership Core
Leadership and Ethics
Business Communication

Accounting Essential Modules

Module Title
Corporate Accounting and Reporting
Assurance and Attestation
Corporate and Securities Law
Taxation
Advanced Corporate Accounting &
Reporting
Valuation
Corporate Governance and Risk
Management
Integrated Perspectives in Accounting and
Business
Accounting Elective Modules
Module Title
Managerial Planning and Control
Advanced Assurance and Attestation
Accounting Theory
Advanced Taxation
Seminars in Accounting

http://bba.nus.edu/undergrad_acc_2014.html

Are Accountancy and Business Administration students allowed to pace their own
curriculum or are the courses already fixed for each school term? What is the minimum
and maximum period (terms/semesters) to complete the Accountancy and Business
Administration academic program?
The NUS Business School operates on a modular system. Students have the flexibility to
design their curricula and to pace their studies. They also have the freedom to take all
modules in the sequence they prefer, subject to any prerequisite requirements and to
modules availability through the Centralized Online Registration System (CORS). It is
theoretically possible to complete a BBA (Acc) in 2 years, and a BBA(Acc.H) in 3 years.
http://bba.nus.edu/undergrad_bba.html

What is the minimum and maximum number of units required to be taken during a school
term? How is the appropriate number of units determined for each course?
Students typically enroll for modules that together are worth from 15 to 24 MCs (i.e.
about 4 to 6 modules) in a regular semester. More can be taken on exceptional basis.
http://bba.nus.edu/undergrad_bba.html
The MC-value of a module is derived by dividing the estimated total number of workload
hours per week for that module by the credit factor of 2.5. There are five workload
components to each module. In the module description, these components are given in a
series of five numbers. For example, NM2217 Creating Interactive Media has a workload
of 2-2-0-3-3'. If we represent the five numbers in a workload series as A-B-C-D-E',
each letter would refer to:
Component
A
B
C
D

Description
No. of lectures
No. of tutorial hours
No. of laboratory hours
No. of hours for
projects, assignments,
fieldwork, etc.
No. of hours of
preparatory work

Remarks
Actual contact hours per week
Actual contact hours per week
Actual contact hours per week
This caters to assignments, independent
studies, fieldwork, and other forms of
continuous assessment that contribute towards
the final grade of the module.
This refers to the number of hours a student is
expected to spend each week in preparing for
lectures and tutorials.

http://www.nus.edu.sg/registrar/edu/modular.html

What other programs are available to students in order to enhance their curriculum?
University Scholars Program (UPP)
http://bba.nus.edu/undergrad_special_usp.html
NUS Overseas Colleges
http://bba.nus.edu/undergrad_special_noc.html
Exchange Program
http://bba.nus.edu/exchange_about.html
Bizad Leadership Development Program
Value Programs
http://bba.nus.edu/bldp_intro.html

Value Programs: Career Training, Internships, Europe Preparation, Language Studies,

Competitions (Campus, Singapore, International), Internationals Programs, Overseas
Study

Are reviews in preparation for any licensure or competency examination (if there is)
conducted as part of the curriculum?

For the Accountancy program, what accounting standards are used in teaching? (GAAP
or IAS)

Teaching and Learning Approach

What educational system are you implementing? Is there a particular educational model
which the university is adopting?
The undergraduate and graduate curricula are based on a modular system. The NUS
modular system combines the rigour and depth of the British university system with the
flexibility and breadth of the American system. Under this system, workloads are
expressed in terms of Modular Credits (MCs), and academic performance is measured by
grade points on a 5-point scale. Students can progress at their own pace and choose from
a wide range of modules offered by different Faculties/Schools. The modular system
offers students the possibility of accelerating their courses of study by taking more
modules per semester (i.e., above the average of 20 MCs per semester), subject to the
approval of their home Faculty.
http://www.nus.edu.sg/registrar/edu/modular.html

What kind of teaching and learning approach is used in classes? How are lectures and/or
tutorials conducted?

How many students are there in a class, lecture or tutorial?

What primary resources (like textbooks and handouts) are used in classes?

What kinds of outputs are usually required from students?

What is the primary language used in classes?

Research

Is the university (particularly the Accountancy and Business Administration departments)

a research institution? How did it obtain such status? How does the university promote
and encourage research?

How active are the faculty and students in conducting research? To what extent is the
university involved in research activities?

Community Extension

What programs does the university have to assist societal development? Who are
involved in such programs? Who are the direct beneficiaries?

Partnerships

What government, professional and academic institutions are in partnership with the
university? What are the significant undertakings and/or goals of such partnerships?

Does the university participate in any faculty and student exchange programs? Who are
its partner universities?
NUS tends to be the natural first choice for the best foreign universities seeking an
exchange partner in the region. The following link contains a list of NUSs Partner
Universities offering business modules.
http://bba.nus.edu/exchange_partnerunis.html\

Measures of Competitiveness

On average, how many among the graduating students of the Accountancy and Business
Administration academic programs graduate with honors?

On average, how many among the graduates of the Accountancy and Business
Administration undergraduate academic programs proceed to graduate studies?

Are there any licensure exams or any competency exams that students take after they
graduate? If there are any such examinations, what is the universitys passing
percentage?

Has the university conducted a recent graduate tracer study? How soon do the
Accountancy and Business Administration students land a job after they graduate? In
what job positions do the universitys graduates usually find themselves in? How much
are they earning?
Full-time MBA Class of 2014 Graduate Employment data
http://bschool.nus.edu/CareerService/GraduateEmployment/MBAGraduateEmployment/t
abid/1344/Default.aspx

What accreditations does the department/college/school have?

In 2003, NUS Business School was the first school in ASEAN to be awarded the
Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accreditation followed
by the European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS) accreditation in 2009. These
accolades represent two of the highest quality indicators for Business Education
worldwide.

What is the universitys rank based on recent ranking publications?

NUS placed 22nd in the 2014 QS World University Ranking.
http://bba.nus.edu/undergrad_bba.html
http://bschool.nus.edu.sg/AboutUs/SchoolRankings/tabid/373/Default.aspx