What is student life like at SMU Singapore in terms of class structure, exam format, and the grading system for Indian master's students?
SMU runs a participatory class model that is different from the lecture-heavy format most Indian students are used to. Class participation typically makes up a meaningful portion of the grade, often 20 to 30 percent, which means speaking up in class is not optional but assessed. This can initially feel uncomfortable for students accustomed to passive lecture attendance, but it also makes classes more engaging. Students design their own timetable by choosing and bidding for courses each semester, with the flexibility to cluster classes on two or three days and keep other days free.
• Grading at SMU is done on a curve, your grade is partly determined by how your performance compares to your cohort, not only by absolute score.
• This means that performing well requires being among the stronger performers in your class rather than just reaching a threshold.
• Exams include a mix of closed-book finals, project submissions, group work, case analyses, and presentations depending on the course.
• The assessment model is generally more continuous than in Indian universities, with multiple components contributing to the final grade rather than a single end-of-semester exam.
More expert answers
SMU classes are three hours long with a break in the middle, and the participation component of the grade, typically 20 to 30 percent, means speaking in class is assessed, not optional. Most Indian students find this initially uncomfortable because Indian educational culture tends to reward listening and note-taking over speaking in a class setting. The adjustment period is real but short, most students adapt within the first semester. Students design their own timetable each semester by bidding for courses using a points system, which means popular electives require strategic allocation of bidding points.
• Some students choose to concentrate all classes on two or three days; others distribute them across the week.
• Grading at SMU is on a curve, your final grade reflects your performance relative to your cohort, not only your absolute score.
• This means that being consistently above average in a cohort of competitive students is the target, rather than reaching a fixed threshold.
• Assessments are continuous: most courses involve a mix of participation, group projects, case presentations, midterm, and finals, with no single assessment determining the entire grade.
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