FAQ

This post is in response to a question by Nee on majoring in Economics vs. Political Science in NUS.

First, to clear things up a little, this WordPress is in fact written by multiple authors who are majoring in different subjects (mainly Economics and Political Science). Our aim is to create a database of modules that we have taken, which might be useful to current or potential NUS students. :)

Now, back to the question at hand, two of us said authors will try to give some insight into majoring in Economics vs. Political Science.

 

• What is the most enjoyable aspect in studying your major?
  
  E:
  I really enjoy learning about how economists create models of the modern world in attempting to understand and predict the effects of people and firms on markets. However, my specific interests in economics tends more towards applied economics, where theoretical frameworks and statistics are used to shape policies to improve society’s general well-being. In conjunction to this, I also look forward to the opportunity to study behavioural economics in examining the effect of the irrational human being within the rigid constructs of economic models.
  
  PS: Political Science has exposed me to the nitty-gritty complexities, conundrums and paradoxes of human behaviour and government operations, as well as international conflicts. It has also allowed me to think about my own personal stance towards difficult issues that may have no simple or easy answer, and defend my position after having thought through it. All the ethical dimensions that are invariably intertwined in PS enrich the discussion and they’ve really brought value to me as an individual and a student, in the way I look at the world around me. It is when your emotions are engaged and you feel something for the subject material that you are studying, that makes PS something you can truly be passionate about.

• What were your career considerations in choosing your major?
  
  E:
  Economics is definitely a practical choice in terms of future employability when graduating with a Bachelor Degree from the Arts faculty. As I intend to work in the public sector after graduation, I believe my intended specialization in applied economics will be useful in my future career. However, I think that a Bachelor Degree is ultimately still a general degree, so it doesn’t really matter what your major is, unless you intend to do a Masters or PhD in the subject.
  
  PS:
  I was thinking about the possibility of working in the public service, as Political Science offers a broad view of events on the international and national level, which feels relevant to the government sector. It has a good mix of the humanities angle (political theory – ideas and theories) and the social sciences side as well, which often deals more with statistical and empirical research, which felt like a good plus to the degree.

• In general, what is the format or syllabus of study for your major?
  (i.e. essay writing, math, assignment-based, forum posts, lecture / tutorials, seminars etc.)
  
  E:
  Economic modules tend to be quite math-based. However, do expect some modules that require essay writing skills. This is especially for macroeconomic modules, which require you to explain theoretical models in words, together with graphs. In general, economics modules also follow a 2 hour lecture, 1 hour tutorial format, so the workload is overall quite manageable. Textbook readings are not always necessary although recommended, and module assessments generally include tutorial participation, midterms and finals. Tutorial participation, in this case, just means presenting your working to a problem set on the board and explaining how you attained your answer. You generally only need to present twice per module in each semester.
  
  PS:
  Political Science modules are definitely more assignment/essay-based, and there tends to be little group work. Depending on which sub-category the PS module is within, there would also be different expectations. For example, International Relations and Comparative Politics, the modules tend to more detail-oriented and even research-based, especially for the latter. I tend towards Political Theory, which focuses on understanding political theorists’ arguments very closely, and being able to understand the relationships between different theories. In PS, there are only four 2-hour tutorials, and it really is unnecessary to read your readings (or even a substantial amount of them, depending on the module).

 

• What would you say are “prerequisites” for taking your major?
  (i.e. interest in theories, confident in presentations, comfortable with project work etc.)E:
  I would say the only “prerequisites” are that you are generally comfortable working with mathematics and theoretical models.
  
  PS:

  Honestly, the only prerequisite would be interest, and maybe at least an ambivalence towards writing essays.

 

• Do you have any plans related to your major?
  (i.e. Specializations, Summer Programmes, SEP etc.)E:
  I intend to specialize in applied economics. (See question 1 for explanation).
  As an economics major, I have applied for a Student Exchange Programme at the Department Partner of NUS Economics Department, Lund University School of Economics and Management. Due to an agreement between the two Economics Department, there are 16 places for students in one academic year, which is a lot more than spaces available at Faculty or University level partners. In other words, if the perks of student exchange is factored into your decision of majors, you can look at what student exchange opportunities your major department can offer you. For economics, the department has 3 partner universities – Lund University School of Economics and Management (Sweden), Stockholm School of Economics (Sweden), and Chulalongkorn University (Thailand).  
  
  PS: In Political Science, there are no official specialisations, but as mentioned previously, people often gravitate towards a sub-discipline that draw their attention more. I do not plan on going for exchange, only summer school, but I would be clearing my minor mod there instead. With that said, there are plenty of exchange universities that are great for PS, like University of Copenhagen, Sciences Po, and George Washington University. Also, there are summer schools that teach PS mods, and in fact, these are easy to find, with one of the more popular ones being King’s College London (you can likely map back level 3000 mods from there). 

• Do you have any other advice you would like to share regarding the major you are currently studying?E:
  It’s not hard to do well in economics (and probably other subjects too) if you are willing to work hard. Of course, interest is important too, because you don’t want to end up studying something you don’t enjoy. However, I think the most important thing is to not set your expectations too high (e.g. get A for all modules) and life will be a lot easier.   
  
  PS: Honestly, I think that though I was weighing other majors in Y1S1, there would be no other major that would win out in the end over Political Science. I have learned a lot from what I’ve studied, because PS spans a lot of topics (from ethics, to government organisations, to international relations, to regional politics) that helps us to broaden our perspective from our limited local view. While clearly there are some tough and boring parts, like in any other major, and it may sometimes be hard to score (depending on which mod you take), I think that if you are willing to stick it out, you will certainly find gems within what you study – which you definitely will carry with you even when you graduate one day :)