General Information

Programme Structure

Career Outcomes

 

What is the programme about?

On the B.Sc.(Project and Facilities Management) programme, students gain proficiency in a broad range of academic subjects which equips them to take up roles in various fields, and in particular, the professional and managerial functions relating to the built environment.

To enable graduates to be agile managers and leaders who are adept at anticipating and responding to change, the programme focuses on scope and design management, schedule management, value management, quality management, risk management, procurement and dispute management, energy management, intelligent facilities, and strategic facilities management. The programme is underpinned by a strong foundation in the relevant science and technology.

What is Project Management?

The success of any project, such as developing the proposed integrated resorts in Marina Bay and Sentosa, transforming the old General Post Office into the Fullerton Hotel or building Changi International Airport Terminal 3 depends on the Project Manager. The Project Manager leads the entire project process, from pre-conception through the design to the completion and commissioning phases. On the B.Sc.(Project and Facilities Management) programme, students acquire the core expertise that will enable them to assume such positions in industry.

Project managers need to integrate and manage the scope, time, cost, risk, quality, human resources, communications and procurement of projects . These functions are undertaken using relevant knowledge, tools and techniques while balancing the internal and external environments.

What is Facilities Management?

Changes in the economy in general, and in the sector concerning the built environment in particular, such as the involvement of the private sector in major infrastructure developments; securitisation of built assets; efficient and effective utilisation of resources such as energy; and concern of building users and occupiers with their health and comfort in indoor environments have made professional real-time facilities management commercially necessary.

Moreover, the facilities in which firms operate are expected to support their efforts to enhance their productivity, reduce their costs, and enhance the value of their goods or services. These facilities must be professionally managed if they are to provide the necessary support for the activities they are meant to support. The Facilities Manager is responsible for managing the work environment to support and sustain the work and activities of organisations and their staff.

What are the admission requirements?

GCE Advanced Level Candidates

Admission is based on academic merit as well as open competition among all eligible applicants. In addition to fulfilling admission requirements for the applicant category that they belong to, applicants should also ensure that they fulfill the subject prerequisites for the programmes which they wish to be considered for.

GCE ‘A’ Level Examination:
'AO'-Level pass in Chemistry or Mathematics or Physics or Physical Science.

Polytechnic Diploma holders:
Candidates holding diplomas of programmes which are offered by the polytechnics in Singapore may also apply for admission. These candidates would be given advanced placement credits.

For information on Advanced Placement Credits for the BSc (Project and Facilities Management) programme, please visit:
http://www.bdg.nus.edu.sg/bscprogrammestructure.htm

Other Candidates

• The University will accept, as equivalent to the Singapore-Cambridge GCE 'A' Level Examination, the following examinations:
  
  
• Higher School Certificate Examination or GCE 'A' Level Examination (English and Malay medium) conducted by the Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate;
  
• Higher School Certificate Examination or GCE 'A' Level Examination in Commerce* conducted by the Singapore Ministry of Education;
  
• Higher School Certificate Examination conducted by the Malaysian Examinations Syndicate in collaboration with the Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate; and
  
• Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) conducted by the Malaysian Examinations Council

* Candidates should note, however, that:

Office Administration and Principles and Practice of Office Administration are not subjects acceptable for admission to the University.
Other qualifications regarded as at least equivalent to those given above may be accepted by the University Senate for the purposes of admission.

(Information on admission requirements is correct at time of publication.)

For information related to admission, please visit: http://www.nus.edu.sg/oam/apply/

Who should apply for the programme?

Prospective students for the B.Sc.(Project and Facilities Management) programme should have a passion to contribute to, and also to manage project teams in a multi-disciplinary framework. The programme is also intended for anyone who has the interest and desire to embrace the challenges of managing large physical assets such as airports, hospitals, educational institutions, science parks, seaports, and commercial buildings. It is particularly suitable for those who would like to take up the challenge of using technological innovations and managerial expertise efficiently, effectively and responsibly towards this end.

Will students without a Science background be at a disadvantage?

The B.Sc.(Project and Facilities Management) programme covers and integrates a wide range of subjects including some which are drawn from the arts (such as economics, finance and law), and others which are based on science and technology. For this reason, each of the modules is taught in such a way as to provide students a sound grounding in its concepts and principles before these are applied. Students from the Arts, Commerce and Science streams will do well on the programme.

How many places are available on the Project and Facilities Management programme?

The number of places offered for the B.Sc.(Project and Facilities Management) programme varies from year to year, and is related to the nation's perceived human resource needs.

What is the ratio of male and female students in each programme?

The B.Sc.(Project and Facilities Management) programme is suitable to both male and female students. There has been a good balance of male and female students in the undergraduate programmes of the Department of Building. For example, in the cohort of students admitted in the academic year 2004-2005, the male to female ratio was 1:1.6.

How do I apply?

For Singapore students, applications are invited through advertisements in the mass media and by electronic means soon after the release of the Singapore-Cambridge GCE `A' Level Examination results in late February or early March each year.

You can apply now online at: http://www.nus.edu.sg/oam/apply/

What is the structure of the academic year?

Click here for the most updated Academic Calendar.

How long is the programme?

The B.Sc.(Project and Facilities Management) programme is a direct honours degree one. Students doing the programmes at a regular pace should complete it in 4 years. Those who perform well in the earlier years and are adjudged to be able to progress at a faster pace can complete the programme in 3½ years, if they take additional modules in their Second and Third Levels of the programme. Students with polytechnic diplomas that have been granted maximum Advanced Placement Credits may be able to complete the programme in 3 years. The maximum period of candidature is 7 years. The period of approved leave of absence granted to a student is excluded from the maximum period of candidature.

What is the structure of the programme?

The B.Sc.(Project and Facilities Management) programme has the following structure:

• a foundation core that covers fundamentals of project management, information technology, environmental science, project scheduling and control, facilities planning and design;
  
• a project management core that covers the project cycle including project feasibility, financing, design, costing, procurement, risk management, quality management, dispute management, and project close-out; and
  
• a facilities management core that covers strategic facilities management, energy management, intelligent facilities and total building performance.

Details of the programme curricula can be found: click here.

What teaching mode is adopted?

On each of the modules of the B.Sc.(Project and Facilities Management) programme, a formal lecture (normally two hours in a week) is followed by a tutorial session (normally two hours in alternative weeks). A tutorial session involves small groups of students, and may be in the form of presentations by students, a general discussion, a debate, or a seminar.

Project work is used to encourage the development of students’ research capabilities as well as their skills in teamwork. Coverage of some modules involves hands-on practice on the computer. Others are supplemented by experiments in the laboratory or the field. Some assignments and/or projects may require students to visit sites or collect data from the industry.

Students of the Department are exposed to practice in the industry to enable them to apply knowledge gained from academic studies to real-life work situations. This is achieved through the means now outlined.

Seminar Series

The Department organises a series of seminars which are open to all students and graduates of the School as well as members of the public. These seminars are led by eminent practitioners, academics and researchers from Singapore and abroad who are invited to speak on topical issues and developments in knowledge and practice.

Practical Training Scheme

Undergraduates of the Department of Building undergo 9 weeks of approved practical training at the end of their Third Level of study. Students are attached to firms that manage projects and facilities, and to construction and real estate organizations in Singapore and overseas to gain experience in real life work situations. This helps them to be familiar with practices and procedures in industry, and enhances their interpersonal and communication skills. The period of industrial attachment also assists students in securing contacts for their future careers. Some students have found opportunities, or been placed, with overseas organizations in Australia, China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Mauritius, New Zealand, Thailand and the United Kingdom.

Site Visits

The Department arranges for students in all years of study to visit the sites of major buildings and items of infrastructure and the offices of some top companies and relevant government agencies to provide students with the opportunity to relate what they have learnt in the classroom to real-life situations, as well as to expose students to the organisational and operational set-ups in these companies and agencies.

Integrated Project

In the Final Level of the B.Sc.( Project and Facilities Management) programme, students are organised into small groups to work on aspects of a real-life project and to submit and present their reports. This exercise attempts to integrate elements of all the modules studied in the level. In so doing, students learn the need to adopt a multi-disciplinary approach to their work as well as appreciate how the different modules covered relate to one another.

Dissertation

In the Final Level of study, the Dissertation provides students with an opportunity to conduct research on topics of their choice under the guidance of a supervisor, culminating in the submission of a 10,000-word report (dissertation). The Dissertation offers students an advantage in their career upon graduation. Before embarking on their work on their Dissertations, students are given training in research methods.

Student Exchange Programme and Educational Trips

Going abroad for one semester to learn and live in a new environment is a new challenge which the University and the Department encourage as many students as possible to experience. The experience of the teaching and learning environment in an overseas university, and the opportunity to meet people from many cultures widens the students’ horizons and equips them to participate in the global economy. Given the Singapore government's encouragement to firms in all sectors to internationalise their operations, such evidence of a global perspective will be an advantage in their future career.

To provide students with an international perspective of the construction industry, the Department provides support for the students to organise overseas educational trips. This gives students the opportunity to learn and interact in a different environment outside the classroom, and to obtain the exposure which will be valuable to them should they decide to pursue their careers outside Singapore.

For more information on the Student Exchange Programme, click here.

What do the graduates do?

In the sector concerning the built environment, B.Sc.(Project and Facilities Management) graduates can find employment as contract administrators, contract managers, construction managers, facilities managers, project managers and quantity surveyors, among others. A brief description of the roles and duties of such professionals is now provided.

Construction Manager

The Construction Manager is responsible for mobilising resources such as materials, labour, equipment and finance, and for overseeing and managing their use during the construction phase of a development project to achieve the objectives set by the client.

Contract Administrator or Contract Manager

The Contract Administrator or Contract Manager administers the contractual and cost aspects of a development project, including valuing the work done by the contractor periodically and recommending progress payments to the contractor; advising the client on the cost implications of changes in the design or in the client's requirements; and providing advice on the contract pertinent to the project.

Project Manager

The Project Manager plays a leadership role on the project as the client’s main representative, providing expert advice to the client, and leading the project team comprising the design consultants, contractors and sub-contractors to achieve time, cost and quality targets. The involvement of the project manager stretches over the design, feasibility, construction, commissioning, property maintenance and management phases of a development project.

Quantity Surveyor

The Quantity Surveyor provides the commercial management role on the project and provides overall cost advice to both the building owner and the contractor to achieve value for money. This includes evaluation of alternative design proposals, preparation of cost forecasts, preparation of contract documentation, valuation of work done by the contractor periodically, and preparation of the final account for the project.

Facilities Manager

The role of the Facilities Manager spans all the stages in the process of delivering the built environment. It includes providing advice on building performance to improve the design, preparing plans for monitoring the performance of the facilities, and managing the component systems in facilities in an integrated manner to unleash the full potential that built facilities and their systems can contribute to the economy, quality of life and work, and ecological sustainability.

Where will the graduates be employed?

Graduates of the B.Sc.(Project and Facilities Management) programme will be employed in government departments, statutory boards, and in private sector organisations. Some of the statutory boards and government departments that have employed graduates from the department’s undergraduate programme include the:

• Building and Construction Authority
• Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore
• Housing and Development Board
• Economic Development Board
• International Enterprise Singapore
• Jurong Town Corporation
• Land Transport Authority
• Ministry of Education
• Ministry of Manpower
• Ministry of National Development
• Public Utilities Board
• Sentosa Development Corporation
• Singapore Tourism Board
• Urban Redevelopment Authority.

The graduates from the programme will also find work in private-sector organisations such as construction consultancy firms, facilities management companies, financial institutions and construction and property development companies.

What are the career opportunities for B.Sc.(Project and Facilities Management) graduates?

Project Management will continue to gain in importance as activities in all sectors of the economy become more complex, and need to be organised in the form of discrete but inter-related projects. A recent report published by the US-based Project Management Institute showed that the world spent nearly US$10 trillion (about 25% of total world product) on projects. In Singapore, the recent upturn in the level of demand for building and infrastructure development, involving large and complex projects such as development of two integrated resorts and the MRT Circle Line project is expected to continue.

Facilities Management will also be important as private sector participation in major infrastructure projects in Singapore and the region is expected to increase, and as firms look at all the factors which contribute to their efficiency, productivity, cost levels and, ultimately, their competitiveness. These factors include the facilities in which they operate, and how these are designed, developed and managed.

The combination of two areas of knowledge relevant to different aspects of the process of developing and managing built facilities gives the graduates an essential versatility and a range of career options.

In recent years, there have been increasing opportunities for graduates with the kind of expertise provided by the B.Sc.(Project and Facilities Management) programme to pursue their careers outside Singapore, particularly in the developing countries in the Asia-Pacific region such as China, Indonesia, Myanmar and Vietnam.

Will there be opportunities for further studies in Singapore after I graduate?

Graduates of the B.Sc.(Project and Facilities Management) can further their studies on the taught graduate programmes offered by the Department of Building: M.Sc.(Building Science), M.Sc.(Project Management) and M.Sc.(Construction Law and Arbitration).

Details of these graduate programmes can be found at: …..

Will there be opportunities for further studies in Singapore after I graduate?

Graduates of the B.Sc.(Project and Facilities Management) can further their studies on the taught graduate programmes offered by the Department of Building: M.Sc.(Building Science), M.Sc.(Project Management) and M.Sc.(Construction Law and Arbitration).

For more information on graduate programmes, click here.

Are the graduates able to work in other fields?

The B.Sc.(Project and Facilities Management) programme focuses on the projects involved in the development and management of built assets which are, arguably, the most complex projects in terms of their physical and financial scale, the number of companies and persons involved, and the material and technological inputs. The knowledge of the management of such projects is also applicable to many other sectors where activities are also organised in the form of projects. These sectors include some types of manufacturing such as aerospace, shipbuilding, car manufacturing, and some services such as information technology (IT) and the mass media. Many large corporations and some national agencies have project management departments or groups to plan and execute projects using cross-functional teams.

For further information, email:
Ms Suraini