Fundamental and Applied Sciences Department ( FASD )was established on 1 April 2009, and was formerly known as the Foundation Studies Department (FSD). UTP Management Committee, in its sitting on 2 Feb 2009, agreed to the proposal of upgrading FSD to FASD,  from providing just pre-university education to a full fledge tertiary faculty. The International External Examiners made recommendations for the establishment of a department dealing with fundamental studies, which was also supported by UTP AAC members, namely Prof Otto CC Lin and Prof. Sung-Kee Chung. They believed that the formation of a department in the area of fundamental studies would certainly assist UTP in accelerating its move towards becoming a research university.

While maintaining the Foundation Studies in Engineering and Technology as one of academic programs that is offered via FASD, the department is now offering all the Mathematics courses for undergraduate studies. Academicians with background in Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics were grouped, to work together towards establishing this department. Some of the expected enhanced output via FASD is the expected increase in PG supervisions, FYP supervision opportunities for academicians in all UG programs, and research related activities in Fundamental and Applied areas. Collaboration and Networking activities have been intensified, and contacts have been established with renowned professors from around the world, to work in the areas of Nanotechnology, Electromagnetism and Catalysis.