Starting your university applications, but not sure what majors or programs to apply for?
That’s only natural. Choosing a major can be a stressful decision that forces one to consider the intersection of passion and practicality. This might involve some reverse engineering: if you have an idea of what you want to do in the future, you can work backwards and use this information to discern what to major in right now.
Drawing on the data we’ve gathered from ten years-worth of university consulting – during which we’ve helped over a thousand students gain admission to the schools of their dreams – we compiled a list of the most common major choices amongst Singaporean applicants:
| Business/Finance |
|---|
| Accounting Business Administration Business Analytics Marketing Entrepreneurship Organizational Management Risk Management |
| Engineering |
|---|
| Aerospace Engineering Biomedical Engineering Chemical Engineering Civil Engineering Computer Science Electrical Engineering Mechanical Engineering |
| Physical/Life Sciences |
|---|
| Biology Chemistry Physics Biochemistry Neuroscience Psychology |
| Humanities |
|---|
| History Philosophy |
| Social Sciences |
|---|
| Economics Political Science International Relations |
| Mathematical Sciences |
|---|
| Mathematics Applied Mathematics Statistics |
Worth noting, first of all, is that whether applying to Singapore or universities abroad, these popular major choices always seem to prevail amongst applicants.
From Applied Mathematics to Aerospace Engineering, STEM subjects make up a majority of the course diversity found above. This makes sense, given Singapore’s quintessential role as a hub for scientific and technological achievement in this ever-advancing world. From a return-on-investment standpoint, such degrees are conventionally considered to be some of the most lucrative. Notable among these is Computer Science – a subject that, just a decade ago, was nowhere near as popular as it is today.
While STEM majors are on the rise, this is not to say that non-STEM courses have become any less sought-after. After all, without a thorough understanding of people and how they organize, science and technology could never have evolved, nor would we know how to translate valuable research findings into effective policy.
Additionally, as interdisciplinary learning continues to gain prevalence in the world of higher education, cross-exploration between the social sciences and humanities has become all the rage, owing to the seamless and never-ending links to be found across their various disciplines. This includes Business and Finance majors, too, who often venture into Political Science, Sociology, Economics, and Psychology to better understand their own subject matter.