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The Humanities Department aims to nurture our students to have an appreciation and sustained interest in the world around them, who are engaged in multiple perspectives and who have a desire to contribute to the betterment of our society. 

The subjects taught by the Department are Geography, History, Social Studies and Economics.

Geography

 The Geography curriculum is designed as a systemic study of patterns and processes that have shaped the physical and human environments. It aims to create in our students, an awareness and understanding of the use and management of these environments. The curriculum will provide students with a broad overview as well as some detailed exemplification. Hence, the topics will be studied at a variety of spatial contexts - from global to local, and in contrasting contexts - from the economically more developed world to the developing world. 

The modules covered in the Foundation Years provide a general overview of the discipline, ensuring that students have a strong grounding in, and understanding of, fundamental Geographical concepts and principles.

In the Advancement and Specialisation Years, modules have been planned to equip students with the core competencies and skills required in any Geography study, in preparation for possible further study at tertiary level.

History

The History curriculum aims to give students a broad perspective in understanding the current global trends and affairs. At the same time, it will be an introspective journey into the past, an understanding of the present and a glimpse of the future. The curriculum is tailored to meet the needs of Singapore as it moves into the 21st century, braving dynamic challenges resulting from globalization and technological advancement. The curriculum also aims to draw a balance between the local, the regional and the international, the social, the economic and the political.

The modules covered in the Foundation Years provide a general overview of the discipline, as well as the basic skills necessary to ensure a good grasp of the discipline. This also ensures that students have a strong grounding in the fundamentals of History as an academic discipline. The foundational modules also aim to build in our students, a national identity and good citizenry, as well as an awareness of one’s roots and identity. 

In the Advancement and Specialisation Years, the modules will spiral outward from Singapore and Southeast Asia to the ‘international’ arena. Modules taught will focus on issues and events of an international nature and interest. These modules have been planned to equip students with the core competencies and skills required in any historical study, in preparation for possible future study at tertiary level.

Humanitites and Social Studies

From 2009, Year One students will not be taking Geography and History as separate subjects. Instead, they have been integrated, together with Social Studies, as Humanities and Social Studies. Year One students shall be taking HS1101 in Semester 1 and HS1102 in Semester 2. 

Economics

Economics has been defined as the study of how people use limited resources to produce various goods and services for the unlimited wants of the population.   There are two main branches of economics, namely Microeconomics and Macroeconomics.

Microeconomics deals with individual units in the economy, usually households or firms. For instance, it is concerned with how a household allocates its income among expenditures for various goods and services, and the determination of a firm’s profit-maximising level of production.

Macroeconomics deals with the economy as a whole. By concentrating on the economy in aggregate, macroeconomics is concerned with the total output of the economy and the general price level, not the output and price levels of a single firm or industry.

Economics modules are currently offered as Electives at NUS High for students in Years 4, 5 and 6. 

The nature of the subject is such that there needs to be a spiraling of theoretical and conceptual knowledge. Hence, the Economics curriculum is structured such that students who intend to read higher level Economics modules must have read all other Economics modules offered from Year 4 Semester 1.

   Click here for the modules offered in 2009