Double degree: Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Biomedical Sciences
Bachelor of Medicine (Chinese Medicine)

Programme Objectives

1. To offer broad-based training to biomedical students in modern sciences and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to prepare them for challenges in lifesciences-related or TCM-related careers in the future.
2. To initiate research undertaken by the Drug Discovery Centre at School of Biological Sciences on herbal natural products. At the same time, provide intensive training for biomedical students on TCM.

Statute

1. The degree of Bachelor of Science with Honours (Biomedical Sciences) is one of the two degrees that will be awarded to students upon successful completion of a 5-year double-degree programme in biomedical sciences and Chinese medicine.
2. The B.Sc. (Honours) in Biomedical Sciences will be awarded by Nanyang Technological University while the Bachelor of Medicine (Major in Chinese Medicine) will be awarded by the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, People’s Republic of China.
3. The period of study for the degree of Bachelor of Science with Honours (Biomedical Sciences) at NTU is three academic years after which the student will proceed to BUCM for their 4th and 5th year.
4. During the period of study for the degree of Bachelor of Science with Honours (Biomedical Sciences), a candidate must pursue such courses of study as may be prescribed by Regulations made by the Academic Board on the recommendation of the School of Biological Sciences.
5. Successful completion of the programme requires a candidate to have:
   1. The student must obtain a total of not less than 153 academic units within the maximum period permitted, unless such candidates have been granted exemption by the School from taking certain courses, on a case-by-case basis;
   2. The student must obtain 138 of the 153 academic units at NTU by the end of the third year. The remaining 15 academic units will be awarded for a Final Year Project. Students will start work on their FYP after their final examination at NTU before proceeding to their BUCM programme in August of the same year.
   3. The student must pass all the core courses and fulfill the requirements for prescribed electives and general electives as determined by the School of Biological Sciences; and
   4. The student must also fulfill such other requirements as may be prescribed by the Academic Board.
6. No candidate shall be permitted to take more than six years to complete the prescribed programme of study for the degree of Bachelor of Science with Honours (Biomedical Sciences).
7. The Academic Board may, on the recommendation of the School of Biological Sciences, make Regulations prescribing the form and scope of examinations and the admission of candidates thereto.
8. The Academic Board may, on the recommendation of the School of Biological Sciences, grant such exemptions as it thinks fit from any of the requirements of this Statute.

Courses of Study

1. The courses of study and the distribution of the courses for the degree of Bachelor of Science with Honours (Biomedical Sciences) will be determined by the School of Biological Sciences with the approval of the Academic Board.
2. Each course will be assigned a certain number of academic units as may be determined by the School of Biological Sciences.
3. There are three compulsory components to the curriculum:
   1. Core courses: These are compulsory courses offered throughout the course of study. Core courses are designed to provide students essential foundation courses in life-sciences.
   2. Final year project: All students are required to undertake a 3-month Final Year Project during the vacation after the second semester of the third year of study. The project will be supervised by staff from the school, at the research/health care facilities, or at the research institutions.
   3. General Education Requirement (GER): GER covers a wide spectrum of broadening subjects applicable to students in all disciplines. Students are required to complete 15 academic units of GER to fulfill the requirement to graduate. The semester for the reading of GER PE (6 AUs) and UE (9 AUs) subjects can be specified by the students within the three years of the programme. The GER PE subjects are sub-categorized into two fields with the following weightage in AUs:
      1. Arts/humanities/social sciences (3 AUs)
      2. Business and management (3 AUs)
4. Only courses of the GER-PE and GER-UE may be registered under the satisfactory/unsatisfactory (S/U) option. Course(s) registered under S/U option will be graded as “Satisfactory” if the grade obtained is at least ‘C’; otherwise, it will be graded as “Unsatisfactory”. Course(s) under S/U option will not be included in computation of CGPA but AU earned will still count towards AU requirement for graduation. Students cannot exercise the S/U option on courses tied to second major or minor programmes. The maximum AU allowed for S/U option is 9.

Examinations

1. There shall be an examination at the end of each semester. Candidates will be examined in each of the courses they are offered in the semester.
2. There shall be one paper for each of the courses of study offered.
3. A candidate may proceed with the next stage of the programme of study if he/she satisfies the requirements prescribed by the Academic Board.

Laboratory Classes

During the programme of study for the degree, candidates must attend laboratory classes and perform to the satisfaction of the Chair of the School of Biological Sciences. In assessing examination results in any year of study, considerable weight will be given to the standard of the student’s work in the laboratory.

Internship of TCM

Candidates must attend TCM laboratory practicals and clinic internship and conduct disease studies and case reports to be assessed by the school.

Assessment of Course Work

For the purpose of these Regulations, certain courses of study as determined by the School of Biological Sciences may be assessed according to coursework and assignments in lieu of an examination paper.