Politics, Law, and Economics (PLE) Major

The first of its kind in Singapore, the new Politics, Law and Economics major is offered by the SMU School of Social Sciences from 2016. This innovative major aims to prepare future leaders and thinkers with a deep understanding of global political and economic transformations and the legal frameworks and contexts within which such changes take place. Students will hone strategic and analytical thinking skills and seek innovative solutions to real world problems.

Due to the interdisciplinary nature of the major, graduates would be well-equipped with the knowledge and skills to handle multifaceted jobs in their chosen fields of public service, non-government organisations or industry. Possible jobs include careers in journalism, diplomatic service, foreign affairs, public service, consulting and research, amongst others.

A new curriculum has been implemented for new incoming students with effect from Academic Year 2019/20. Students are expected to complete a total of 36 course units.

Curriculum for Politics, Law and Economics (PLE)
(from AY2024/2025 Intake Onwards)

Core Curriculum

Capabilities is about developing specific competencies and skills that are necessary to dexterously operate in an increasingly complex, digitised and data-driven working environment.

​​​​​​​Managing (2 Course Units)

Choose 2 from:
  • Collaborative Governance
  • Business, Government and Society
  • Spreadsheet Modelling and Analytics
  • Accounting for Entrepreneurs
  • Capital Markets in China
  • Leadership and Team Building
  • Management Communication

NOTE: The list of courses is a sample list and not exhaustive and subject to change.

Modes of Thinking (1 Course Unit)

Choose 1 from:
  • Critical Thinking
  • Computational Thinking
  • Managing in a Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous Context

Numeracy (1 Course Unit)​​​​​​​

  • Introductory Statistics

All students who have been granted provisional enrolment into BSc(Econ) secondary degree will have to take Introduction to Statistical Theory instead of Introductory Statistics.

Writing and Reasoning (1 Course Unit)

  • Programme in Writing and Reasoning

Exemptions may be given for the course on the basis of good pre-university grades for GCE A-level, Polytechnic Diploma, or other recognised qualifications.

Internship (1 Course Unit)​​​​​​​

Learn more about the Capabilities courses

Communities is about promote understanding of the economic, technological, and cultural systems that structure our interactions with our communities.

Economics and Society (1 Course Unit)

​​​​​​​Technology and Society (1 Course Unit)

Choose 1 from:
  • Climate Change: Global and Local Solutions
  • Climate, History and Society
  • Digital Cultures
  • Innovations for Asia’s Smart Cities
  • Science, Environment and Empire
  • Technological Solutions to Urban Challenges
  • Can Machines Think? AI in History, Philosophy, and Fiction
  • Technological Innovations Enhancing Urban Sustainability
  • Science and Technology Studies: Where Science Meets Society
  • Technology and World Change

NOTE: The list of courses is a sample list and not exhaustive and subject to change.

Cultures of the Modern World (1 Course Unit)

Choose 1 from:
  • Politics of Southeast Asia
  • Contemporary South Asian Societies
  • Global and Transnational Sociology
  • Cultural History of the Cold War in Asia
  • Foreign Languages
  • Understanding China’s Economics Miracles
  • Singapore: Imagining the Next 50 Years
  • Film in Southeast Asia
  • Urban Cultures
  • Jurisprudence: Modern and Critical Theories of Law
  • Constitutions, Cultures, and Context

NOTE: The list of courses is a sample list and not exhaustive and subject to change.

​​​​​​​Community Service (1 Course Unit)​​​​​​​

Learn more about the Communities courses

Civilisations is about engaging in critical dialogue and problem solving through immersion into fundamental and perennial debates that cut across time and space: happiness and suffering; wealth and poverty; war and peace; global and local.

Ethics and Social Responsibility (1 Course Unit)

Big Questions (1 Course Unit)

Global Exposure​​​​​​​

Learn more about the Civilisations courses

Major Requirements

Students are required to complete the following courses:

  1. Business Law
  2. Governance Through Law in Singapore: Institutions, Jurisprudence, and Values*
  3. Introduction to Political and Policy Studies
  4. Legal Theory and Philosophy
  5. Macroeconomics 1
  6. Mathematics for Economics
  7. Microeconomics I
  8. Political Theory
  9. Politics of South East Asia
  10. Interdisciplinary Perspectives and Methods
  11. Social Science Practicum
  12. Strategic Thinking

The Social Science Practicum (SSP) is a compulsory module for all BSocSc students. The goal of the SSP is to encourage the development of students as creative and curious learners ready to adapt to the challenges of a complex world. Every SSP section will be organized around a specific real-world question or problem. Within this issue, students will have license to shape a team project around what they think is interesting and important. The SSP will culminate in a showcase where student teams share their findings with the SOSS community.

*Students intending to do a double degree in LLB or the SMU Juris Doctor (J.D.) programme should replace this course with LAW204 Constitutional & Administrative Law (1.5cu).

Students must choose one of the following tracks by the end of Year 2 and take a minimum of 3 courses from Group A. The remaining 2 courses can be from Group A and/or B. Not all courses will be offered every term. Enrolled students should refer to the course offering when planning their courses.

The following is a sample of courses that are offered in each track:

Choice and Behaviour

Group A

  1. Advanced Microeconomics
  2. Economic Analysis of Law
  3. Elections and the Media
  4. Game Theory
  5. Law and Psychology
  6. Mass Media and Public Opinion Research
  7. Research Methods in Sociology and Political Science
  8. Senior Thesis in Politics, Law and Economics
  9. The Economics of Politics

Group B

  1. Power and Politics in Organisation
  2. Probability Theory and Applications
  3. Evolutionary Psychology
  4. Psychology of Group Processes and Decision making
  5. Psychology of Reasoning and Thinking
  6. Sociology of Terrorism and Political Violence

Global Studies

Group A

  1. Chinese Foreign Policy
  2. Comparing Political Systems
  3. Contemporary South Asian Societies
  4. Development Economics
  5. Global Issues and Institutions
  6. Public International Law
  7. Research Methods in Sociology and Political Science
  8. Senior Thesis in Politics, Law and Economics
  9. World Politics

Group B

  1. Global and Transnational Sociology
  2. International Migration
  3. Sociology of Terrorism and Political Violence
  4. Understanding China's Economic Miracle: Social Origins and Social Impact

Public Policy And Governance

Group A

  1. Comparing Political Systems
  2. Digital Intelligence for Lawyers
  3. Economics of Aging
  4. Health Economics
  5. Introduction to Public Policy
  6. Law and Regulation
  7. Research Methods in Sociology and Political Science
  8. Senior Thesis in Politics, Law and Economics
  9. Urban Economics and Policy

Group B

  1. Deconstructing Singapore Society
  2. Global and Transnational Sociology
  3. Governance and Development in the Global South
  4. International Migration
  5. Education Policy – A Global Perspective
  6. Sustainability Management & Governance
  7. Sustainable Cities

Distribution And Justice

Group A

  1. Comparing Political Systems
  2. Conflict and Justice in International Relations
  3. Development, Underdevelopment and Poverty
  4. Economic Development in Asia
  5. Environmental Politics and Policy
  6. Gender Politics: Exclusion and Empowerment
  7. Political Philosophy
  8. Research Methods in Sociology and Political Science
  9. Senior Thesis in Politics, Law and Economics

Group B

  1. Fairness in Socio-technical Systems
  2. International Migration
  3. Social Stratification and Inequality
  4. Sustainability Management & Governance

Sustainable Futures *New*

(offered from AY2022/23)

Group A

  1. Environmental Economics
  2. Development Economics
  3. Law & Technology
  4. Sustainability Law & Policy
  5. The Law and Information Technology in Asia: Development Issues
  6. Poverty, Development, and Underdevelopment
  7. Political Economy of Development
  8. Politics of Water in Asia
  9. Politics of Food Security
  10. Environmental Politics and Policy

Group B

  1. Sociology of Food
  2. Globalization and Information Society
  3. Science, Technology and Public Policy
  4. Environmental Science
  5. Climate Change: Global and Local Solutions
  6. Climate, History, and Society
  7. Biotechnology in a Global Society
  8. Outbreak: Epidemics and Pandemics in the Modern World
  9. Sustainable Entrepreneurship
  10. Sustainable Digital Cities

The senior thesis is an intensive course designed for BSocSc students who wish to conduct an original empirical research study under their declared major. Eligible students should first approach a relevant Social Science faculty and secure his or her agreement to supervise the thesis before applying for the course. The student will be actively involved in all stages of the entire empirical research process including formulation of research question, literature review, design of study, development of measurement and procedures, data collection, data analysis, and writing up of the final thesis report. Students will complete the thesis over two consecutive terms, typically in their senior year. Students will submit their final thesis report two weeks before the oral defence of the thesis to a thesis committee. The oral defence will typically be held on the week before the university’s final examination week. The final grade for the thesis is based on the thesis report and the oral defence. Students may also be required to present the findings of the thesis research to faculty members and other students in seminars held after the University’s final examinations.

Free Electives

Any SMU Courses (7 courses)

The Free Electives component in the curriculum allows students to choose courses from their major to deepen their disciplinary domain knowledge, or courses from other majors and schools to broaden their knowledge across disciplines. Students may take any SMU course to fulfil the Free Electives component.

Students may be given exemptions for up to 3 Free Electives CUs on the basis of good pre-university grades for GCE A-level, Polytechnic Diploma, or other recognised qualifications.

Additional Graduation Requirements

Singapore Studies

The Additional Graduation Requirements to complete the SMU Core Curriculum experience are:

  • Digital Technology/Data Analytics (D/D)
  • Sustainability
  • Singapore and Asia Studies

These can be fulfilled by a range of pre-identified courses and activities either in the Core Curriculum, in the disciplinary curriculum, or co-curricular activities.

Learn more about the Additional Graduation Requirements

Note:

  • Course listing may change from time to time
    * The details for each course are available in the Course Catalogue.
  • Enrolled students should refer to the Student Academic Handbook on OASIS for more details.

Course Exemption for SMU Juris Doctor Programme

SMU PLE alumni who are admitted to the J.D. programme within three years of obtaining their bachelor’s degree may be exempted for up to 9 course units from the 25 course units of the J.D. degree, if they have completed and obtained a minimum B grade for Law courses at SMU in the undergraduate degree. LGST courses and other universities’ courses taken on exchange do not qualify for exemption. The grade point obtained for the Law courses exempted will be computed into the J.D. GPA. If, in addition to the exempted Law courses, a student has completed other SMU courses listed in the J.D. list of Law core courses, they do not have to take those courses again but will have to replace them with other J.D. Law electives.

SMU PLE alumni who are admitted to the J.D. programme within three years of obtaining their bachelor’s degree will enjoy an additional $2,000 discount on tuition fees of the J.D. programme for each CU exempted, up to 3CUs.