Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy Postgraduate Programs

Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy offers several  Postgraduate Programs for international applicants who want to study in Singapore. Several Scholarships options are available .

1. Master’s in International Affairs:

The two-year full-time Master’s in International Affairs (MIA) program, offered by one of the top public policy institutions in the world, combines comprehensive yet practical training to deepen competence, knowledge, and insight into international affairs. Graduates of LKYSPP programs obtain a foundational awareness of global events and a profound understanding of how Asia impacts and is impacted by the rest of the world, enabling them to become leaders in their fields. In addition to an intensive experience in Asia, the Master’s in International Affairs program provides students with a solid theoretical foundation and a practical understanding of the various disciplinary subfields of international relations.

Details
Offered by: Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy
Application open date: 1 August
Application close date: 10 December
Degree level: Master’s in International Affairs,
Location: Singapore

Specializations

Students may opt to graduate without any specialization. However, they may choose from one of the following specializations:

• Politics, International Relations, and Law
• International Security
• International Economics and Development
• Regional Studies: The Asia Pacific
• International Public Management and Leadership
• Energy, Environment, Water

2. Master’s in Public Policy

The Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKYSPP) in Singapore offers a two-year full-time Master’s in Public Policy (MPP) program that provides rigorous instruction to a solid foundation in policy analysis, program assessment, and management. This program allows all applicants to work on complex issues that shape national, regional, and global policies. Upon enrolment, applicants can opt to specialize either in economics and development, politics and international affairs, or management and leadership. The Master in Public Policy program is designed for young professionals with up to 5 years of work experience to meet the demand for skilled policymakers and analysts across the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate maturity and commitment towards the public service. This program equips all students with relevant, practical knowledge and skills to develop effective policies that address the challenges and interests of their countries in light of global affairs.

3. Master in Public Administration

The Master of Public Administration (MPA) program, which is full-time and one year in length, prepares students for senior management positions in the public sector. For professionals who want to work on increasingly complex issues influencing national, regional, and international policies and initiatives, it offers an intense, multidisciplinary course of study.

The Master in Public Administration program at the LKYSPP aims to equip future business executives with the knowledge and skills needed to run government organizations and agencies. Participants in the program will be exposed to practical information and skills that academics, public managers, leaders, and policy practitioners employ. Candidates may anticipate expanding their network on a national and international scale, as well as improving their leadership and management skills.

Candidates for the MPA program may pursue a double degree with either the NUS Business School or the NUS Law School. Please be aware that English proficiency is a requirement for program candidates. Furthermore, all applicants should demonstrate a strong interest in public administration and a steadfast dedication to public service.

Endowed and School Funded Scholarships

The Lee Kuan School of Public Policy administers scholarships for master’s degrees in international affairs, public policy, and public administration that are only given out based on merit. Applicants’ academic and professional records must be outstanding. They must also exhibit significant levels of devotion to serving the public service and leadership potential. Scholars should not hold more than one scholarship, fellowship, or award at a time without prior approval from the school.
The terms of the relevant scholarships cover the following costs:

• Tuition fees, medical insurance fees, examination fees, and other approved fees
• A monthly maintenance allowance throughout the study
• A one-time book and settling-in allowance
• Cost of travel from home country to Singapore (economy airfare by the most direct route)
• Cost of travel from Singapore to home country upon graduation (economy airfare by the most direct route)

4. Ph.D. in Public Policy

The goal of this PhD in Public Policy program is to provide the next generation of thought leaders with solid knowledge and analytical abilities. The necessary knowledge and skills are needed to produce, assess, and communicate public policy research. This program offers advanced training for individuals seeking employment in academic institutions, international organizations, governments, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) with significant research commitments.

Generous scholarships and access to a range of teaching and research assistantships are available. Admission to this program is highly competitive. Only about 6 to 8 candidates are admitted each year.

5. Ph.D. Scholarships

1. NUS Research Scholarships are available to Ph.D. candidates of all nationalities. The Scholarships are initially valid for one year and are renewed annually with good progress. The award may be given out for up to four years. Scholarship renewal is contingent on successful periodic evaluation. A candidate will lose their research scholarship if they receive a warning or are put on probation.
2. Candidates with extraordinary promise or achievement in research are given the President’s Graduate Fellowship (PGF). The University chooses a handful of Ph.D. research students each semester to receive the honor.

In addition, Incoming Ph.D. students and existing NUS Research Scholars who have completed their Ph.D. Qualifying Examinations are eligible to apply for PGF fellowship awards (except for SMA and GPBE students). Subject to an annual evaluation of the scholar’s good progress, the grant is tenable for up to four years. The award results will be communicated to the applicants sometime in May.

Curriculum

To graduate, a PhD student must complete the following:

• 5 Core modules
• 3 Elective module
• 2 Common courses for NUS graduate research students
• a PhD Qualifying Examination, followed by a thesis

Application Checklist

• Online application form
• Degree scrolls and academic transcripts (with grading description)
• Comprehensive CV highlighting academic and professional experience
• Research proposal, statement of intent, and writing sample
• Two academic reference letters
• Publications or research project involvement (optional)
• GRE scores (optional but strongly encouraged)

• OEFL or IELTS scores (required if degree not fully taught in English)

  • TOEFL iBT: 100 overall, minimum 27 in Writing
  • IELTS Academic: 7.0 overall, minimum 7.0 in Writing

Application Procedure

The application is online. Create your account, then proceed with your application by preparing the required documentation and fulfilling the requirements.

Apply Now

Please visit the website of Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy for further details about the graduate programs.

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Degree scrolls and academic transcript (including grading description)

Curriculum vitae or Resume

TOEFL / IELTS

GRE / GMAT (optional)

Two letters of reference—can be professional and academic. One professional and one academic reference are preferred.

The ideal candidate will be highly driven, outward-looking, and open to new ideas. They should be enthusiastic about understanding the revolutions occurring in Asia and throughout the world.

Candidates for admission to the program should have a substantial Bachelor’s degree with honors (second class or higher) or its equivalent.

Applicants with at least two years of work experience are preferred. Proficiency in written and spoken English is critical.

2 to 5 years of work experience is preferred. Candidates should demonstrate maturity and a commitment to public service.

Proficiency in written and spoken English is a must.

The selection procedures are stringent as the program is an intensive professional course of study leading to positions of responsibility.

Evaluation Criteria

To be selected, applicants must meet the following two criteria

Intellectual distinction: Demonstrated by prior academic achievement, recommendations, and analytic training

Leadership Capabilities: Demonstrated by prior achievements in extracurricular, civic or community activities and employment history through recommendations

To be considered for the Master’s in Public Policy program, you must have either

A National University of Singapore degree with at least 2nd-class honours, upper division, or an equivalent degree, such as a 4-year Bachelor’s degree with an average grade of B or better

A good Bachelor’s degree

Other qualifications and experience may be accepted subject to approval by the NUS Board of Graduate Studies. Applicants should preferably have some background in economics and mathematics.

Applicants should have at least 5 years of work experience and have attained a mid-level managerial position. They aspire to management roles and demonstrate commitment to public service. Proficiency in written and spoken English is a must.

Meeting minimum requirements does not guarantee admission

The PhD in Public Policy program at the LKY School is very competitive. The PhD Admissions Committee evaluates the following factors to guarantee that it admits only students with excellent potential for high-quality doctoral work, prompt completion, and successful academic careers.

Your application should provide evidence of academic excellence and suitable academic preparation, both indicating your ability to perform well in the PhD program, including the required coursework. This includes the relevance and quality of your undergraduate and graduate degrees, and your GRE test scores.

You should apply if you intend to pursue an academic career in a university or institution where intensive research is a core function. We think of our PhD students as research and teaching apprentices in training for the academic profession. In your statement of purpose, the Admissions Committee will especially look for evidence of passion for research and hunger for knowledge.

Provide English language test scores

TOEFL iBT or TOEFL iBT Home Edition: Overall score of 100, with a minimum Writing subscore of 27.

IELTS Academic Test: Overall score of 7.0, with a minimum Writing subscore of 7.0.

You should prepare a high-quality research proposal indicating a research topic aligned with a potential supervisor’s research interests and the overall research interests of the LKY School. We regard PhD students as junior research collaborators and, as such, they are an essential part of the School’s research community. You will be expected to contribute actively and productively to our research activities and publication output. The core research areas are:

Policy Studies, Public Management and Governance

Social Policy

International Relations and Global Governance

Economic Development and Competitiveness

You should, therefore, identify a potential supervisor from the LKY School faculty web page and state in your application with whom you would like to work and on what research topic. Only full-time Professors, Associate Professors, and Assistant Professors of the LKY School can be supervisors. Adjunct, Visiting, and Joint Appointment Professors are omitted.

Please note that getting a potential supervisor’s consent does not guarantee admission. Your application will need to be assessed by the Admissions Committee. You may be asked to appear for an interview and a written examination. The Admissions Committee will not entertain any correspondence on admissions issues while your application is under consideration, except for instances when the Committee has sought clarification or further information.

Applicants from the following disciplines are eligible to apply to the PhD program

Public Policy

Public Administration

Economics

Political Science

Social Science

Upon selection for the master’s degree in the LKY School of Public Policy, students will get exposure to:

Global Business Hub, your ideal Career in Asia,

Hub for World-Class Education,

Quality of Life,

Unique Cultural Confluence.