JOBS requiring psychology skills have fuelled demand for the subject at universities here.

The number of psychology graduates at the National University of Singapore (NUS) has increased by 4 per cent each year since 2006. SIM University (UniSIM) has seen an increase in applications for psychology degree programmes from 280 in 2006 to almost 900 currently.

Psychology is also popular at Singapore Management University (SMU), where about 60 per cent of students enrolled in the Bachelor of Social Science degree programme opt for psychology as their major.

Professor George Bishop, head of NUS' department of psychology, said: 'The subject is intrinsically interesting to students and has applications in a large number of fields ranging from medicine, engineering and business to the arts.'

Associate Professor Neelam Aggarwal, dean of UniSIM's School of Arts and Social Sciences, said psychology graduates 'have a good understanding of individual behaviour and interpersonal relations'.

Recent SMU psychology graduate Jennifer Li, 24, who now works as a fashion designer, said: 'I find my degree very useful because I know what influences people to buy things.'

The universities said they welcome plans by the Singapore Psychological Society to accredit their psychology courses.

AMELIA TAN

This article was first published in The Straits Times.