About HSS
Overview
School of Humanities & Social Sciences (HSS) is the newest School to be established at TP, adding a new dimension to the wide spectrum of courses offered. HSS adopts a multidisciplinary approach and aims to offer courses in humanities and social sciences with a focus on people-oriented specialisations. The school promotes a broad-based and holistic curriculum that will prepare students to meet the needs and face the challenges of a rapidly-changing world.
HSS graduates will acquire market-relevant knowledge and develop practical and adaptable skills through a curriculum that comprises diploma core and elective subjects. In addition, the Polytechnic-wide core modules on character education and lifelong skills help lay the foundation for the graduates’ personal and interpersonal effectiveness. It is the ultimate aim of HSS to help each graduate make a difference in their chosen career.
The School has a team of dedicated academic staff from a broad industry background. Their extensive industry knowledge and experience, coupled with many years of curriculum development and teaching experience, help to ensure the quality of the programmes on offer.
The School of Humanities & Social Sciences (HSS) was established in October 2007 when the former Interdisciplinary & General Studies Department was converted into a full-fledged academic school. Our diploma courses attract school leavers who enjoy working with people and who wish to have a deeper insight into specific areas of humanities and social sciences. We aim to prepare our students for various industries such as early childhood, silver market, human resource, social services, etc. We aim to meet the needs of employers who want to hire graduates with good reasoning and creative thinking skills, and who have the ability to connect well with people. We are also glad to share that many of our graduates are accepted into local and overseas renowned universities.
A warm welcome to TP’s School of Humanities & Social Sciences (HSS)!
At HSS, we believe in nurturing well-rounded students and are committed to bringing out the best in each of them.
This is an exciting time to join the social and care sector. This sector has been growing rapidly, particularly in recent times, and is poised for even greater growth. This signifies that there will continue to be many new opportunities awaiting our students and graduates.
The Diploma in Early Childhood Development & Education will prepare our students to be competent and caring pre-school educators; the Diploma in Psychology Studies will foster in our students a deep understanding of human behaviour alongside opportunities to contribute to nationwide mental health agenda; and the Diploma in Social Sciences in Gerontology will provide our students with holistic skills in caring for the growing silver generation in Singapore and their needs.
Our dedicated and experienced lecturers are constantly in touch with the evolving needs of the industry, ensuring that our students are taught relevant skills that would poise them for success upon graduation. We also aim to introduce more interdisciplinary and personalised learning, whilst embracing the latest technological tools to complement our efforts. We believe in taking our students out of the classroom as part of their holistic learning - HSS is known for our Overseas Community Programme which is conducted twice yearly – students visit developing countries to contribute back to society.
Our learning efforts are complemented by the three polytechnic-wide Centres of Excellence housed within HSS.
The Centre for Foundation Studies (CFS) offers TP’s flagship progamme – the Polytechnic Foundation Programme (PFP) which eligible N(A) level students can take in place of their ‘O’ levels. This programme will help strengthen their foundational knowledge and skills, putting them in good stead when they enter their diploma programmes after one year.
The Centre for Life Skills (CLS) is tasked with equipping all TP students with essential skills that are crucial for success in society and the workplace. These mandatory subjects aim to enhance communication skills, build strong interpersonal relationships, develop critical thinking, and raise awareness of global issues and promote innovative thinking.
Lastly, we also house a Centre for Applied Behavioural Sciences (CABS) which aims to bridge the gap between academic research and practical application. This Centre serves as an important platform for our HSS lecturers and students to work closely with industry partners, gaining a deeper understanding of real-world issues and problems and applying their knowledge effectively.
At HSS, we believe in the importance of teamwork, and in building up a culture of care, empathy and excellence whilst having fun at the same time! We look forward to welcoming our students to HSS, and to our alumni and industry partners, to develop richer and fruitful relationships.
I wish everyone a rich experience with us here in HSS!
Leonie Lee
Director
School of Humanities & Social Sciences
Our History
School of Humanities & Social Sciences (HSS), the newest academic school in Temasek Polytechnic, has its beginnings in the Interdisciplinary & General Studies Department (IGS).
IGS was established in 2001 as an academic department with a mission to create and deliver learning experiences for students to explore beyond their chosen disciplines and prepare them for an interdisciplinary world. Through its broad spectrum of Cross-Disciplinary Subjects (CDS) in the arts, humanities and social sciences, IGS successfully established itself as the key provider of CDS in the polytechnic.
In October 2007, IGS became a full-fledged academic school in the humanities and social sciences - School of Humanities & Social Sciences (HSS).
Professor Annabel Chen
Director, Centre for Research and Development in Learning (CRADLE)
Professor of Psychology, School of Social Sciences, CoHASS and joint appointments at LKCMedicine and National Institute of Education
Nanyang Technological University
Dr Vincent Ng
Chief Executive Officer
Allkin Singapore
Adjunct Associate Professor Eugene Shum
Director, Community Partnership
SingHealth
Dr Soon Su-Chuin
Senior Deputy Director, Manpower Policy & Planning
Ministry of Social and Family Development
Mr Derek Tan
Chief - Manpower and Talent Division
Agency for Integrated Care
Associate Professor (Dr) Kenny Tan, JP
Chief Executive Officer
St Luke’s Eldercare Ltd
Associate Professor, Health & Social Sciences Cluster, Singapore Institute of Technology
Justice of the Peace, Ministry of Home Affairs
Mr Melvin Tan
Chief Communications Officer
KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital
Chief Communications Officer, Capability and Professional Development, SingHealth
Director, Group Development, SingHealth
Mr Peter Tan
Director and Senior Principal Organisational Psychologist
Community Psychology Hub
Mr Clarence Tang
Divisional Director, Finance and Procurement Division
Ministry of Education
