Media Release

SMU announces new academic major in Politics, Law and Economics

Singapore, 25 January 2016 (Monday) - The Singapore Management University has announced that, beginning in August 2016, the university will offer a new academic major in Politics, Law and Economics (PLE).

The Bachelor of Social Science’s PLE programme will provide students an understanding of the way politics, law and economics intersect to shape the world. It will 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.

Professor James Tang, Dean, SMU School of Social Sciences said, "In a globalised world full of uncertainties, interdisciplinary knowledge and analytical skills are crucial for the future success of our younger generation."

"This new and exciting Politics, Law and Economics major offers students a programme that will broaden their minds and provide them with necessary tools to analyse major public issues. The PLE trio is a powerful and rigorous multidisciplinary academic path that allows students to gain a better understanding of the challenges of our inter-connected world."

This view is shared by Dean of SMU School of Law (SOL) Professor Yeo Tiong Min. “The Politics, Law and Economics major will enable students in the programme to understand domestic, cross-border, and global issues critically from a unique interdisciplinary standpoint.  This will be a valued skill in the increasingly complex world that we live in,” said Professor Yeo who is also the Yong Pung How Professor of Law at SOL.

Additionally, the inclusion of Economics in the curriculum will deepen students’ understanding of the dynamics of global problems. Professor Bryce Hool, Dean, SMU School of Economics said, “Economics influences almost every aspect of daily life and the welfare of the world’s peoples depends on the interplay of economic and political factors and legal and institutional frameworks. The PLE provides students with the solid foundation in economics necessary to explore such complex topics with a cross-disciplinary approach and also positions them to deepen their study of economics if they choose, by combining the PLE with an Economics major or double degree.”

Professor Tang added, “With SMU's well-known problem-solving approach that brings theory and practice together, the PLE programme will also prepare our students for leadership roles in diverse careers including government, the corporate world, and the not-for-profit sector.”

Offering a one-of-a-kind combination of disciplines, the PLE programme is unique in Singapore. Graduates would be well-equipped with the knowledge and skills to handle multifaceted jobs in careers such as journalism, diplomatic service, foreign affairs, public service, consulting and research, amongst others.    

As part of the programme, students will extend their academic learning by undertaking a 10-week internship with a participating host organisation. Government agencies and firms such as EDB, IE Singapore, Accenture, Bain & Co and Singapore Airlines have come on board to lend their support and partner SMU in its efforts to offer students experiential learning opportunities in real-world contexts.

For the inaugural class, about 40 students are expected to enrol. Admission is expected to be highly selective and competitive.