Frequently Asked Questions

Undergraduate Programmes - Dept of Computer Science

Q1: What are the strengths of NUS Department of Computer Science (CS)?

We are highly ranked in the world. For example, we are ranked 12th in the world by QS World University Rankings, and top in Asia http://www.topuniversities.com/.
We have excellent teachers. For example, we have 3 faculty members on the NUS Teaching Honour Roll (three-time winners of NUS Annual Teaching Excellence Award).
Our faculty members are world leading researchers. For example, in 2010, our faculty members won best paper awards at STOC (one of the best theory and algorithms conference), SIGCOMM (one of the best networking conference) and ACM Multimedia (one of the best multimedia conferences). See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_computer_science_conferences for a rough ranking of conferences.
Our students do well in the job market. For example, we have students getting jobs at Google and Microsoft in the US this year. They also do well in getting good internships. For example, we have four students on summer internship at Facebook in the US this year.
Our students do well in getting into good graduate schools. For example, other than doing graduate studies at NUS, we have students going to Stanford and UIUC for PhD this year.
We have excellent students who will be your peers while you are in the department and who will form your network of friends and contacts for the rest of your life. For example, we currently have 7 International Olympiad medal winners studying in the CS department.
We offer about 100 modules in more than 10 areas of concentration (viz., algorithms & theory, AI, computer networks, database systems, info retrieval, parallel computing, programming languages, software engineering, systems security, visual computing). So everyone can find an area that he or she really likes/enjoys and can do well in.
We offer four bachelor’s degree programmes:
- Bachelor of Computing in Computer Science/ BComp (CS)
- Bachelor of Computing in Communications and Media / BComp (CM)
- Bachelor of Computing in Computational Biology/ BComp (CB)
- Bachelor of Engineering in Computer Engineering/ BEng (CEG)

Q2: What is the difference between the BComp (Computer Science) in NUS and similar programmes from other universities in Singapore?

See Q1 for the strengths of the NUS CS dept.

In addition to that, students in BComp (CS) are able to leverage on the strength of a reputable and comprehensive university. Because NUS is a well-established comprehensive university, it is able to offer programs such as University Scholar Program (USP) that sharpens your communication and writing skills and a UTown that provides you with Oxbridge-like student life. You are able to take diverse modules, that range from philosophy, humanities, and business to pure science, to broaden your learning horizon. In addition, you have the opportunity to develop entrepreneurship skills at the NUS Overseas Colleges, with colleges in Beijing, Shanghai, India, Israel, Stockholm, Bio Valley and Silicon Valley.

In short, students receive a more-rounded education; this provides greater versatility in job selection, and also provides greater opportunities to combine a wide variety of modules to get the education that is necessary to become a T-shaped professional.

Q3 : How many modules can a poly student get exemption from and whether it is possible to complete our programme in three years?

Polytechnic diploma holders may refer to http://www.comp.nus.edu.sg/undergraduates/exemptions_poly.html for the list of exemptions they could be granted. Completing the degree in 3.5 years is common. Beyond that, you will have to look at the exemptions that you get and whether you are willing to overload your courses.

Q.4: What are the tuition fees?

The cohort-based fee system is introduced for the new undergraduate intake of all Faculties from AY2008/09. The current annual tuition fees payable are set out here
https://share.nus.edu.sg/registrar/info/ug/UGTuitionCurrent.pdf

National Servicemen who had accepted admission to NUS earlier but plan to register and enroll as a student with the current cohort and beyond will be charged the tuition fees prevailing at the time they accepted their offer of admission. If the National Serviceman does not accept the place first offered and accepts offers to NUS in the subsequent years, he will not be able to enjoy the tuition fee effective in the year of his first offer but will have to pay the tuition fee effective in the latest year of offer which he has accepted.

Q5: What is the difference between CS and CEG?

Short answer: CEG is suitable for those who wish to work at the interface between hardware and software. CS is suitable for those who wish to use IT as a problem solving tool in almost any industry.

Long answer:

The Bachelor of Computing (Honours) in Computer Science or BComp (CS) programme aims to nurture students for a rewarding computing career in various industry sectors. Suitable for those who love hands-on work and keen to apply computing technologies to solve real-world problems, the programme will equip students with the critical knowledge and capacity to take on the world with confidence in almost any industry.

The CEG programme aims to produce graduates with a good foundation to work in the critical layer of technology that interfaces hardware with software. In particular, graduates will be able to attain significant knowledge and abilities in key technologies for real-time embedded systems, computer networking & wireless communication systems, medical imaging & information systems, intelligent control systems, and many others. In the workplace, computer engineers span a wide range of skills: Eg: developing MP3 players and headphones, creating novel security/cryptographic systems for protecting images, music, etc.

Q6. What are the differences between BComp (CM) and BA (Communication and New Media)?

BComp (CM) is a technically-inclined programme with a dose of the social and economical aspects of new media, whereas BA (CNM) emphasizes on the social and economical aspects of new media, with a small dosage of technical knowledge intoabout media. Both programmes complement each other, and it is no surprise that in some media design modules, students from both programmes work together to build a multimedia system. Such multi-disciplinary modules enhance the learning experience of students from both BComp(CM) and BA(CNM).

Q7. What are the differences between BComp (CB) and NUS Life Science programmes?

The BComp (CB) programme focuses on the innovative design of algorithms for and statistical analysis of biological and medical data. The life-science programme concentrates on proficiency in the underlying biology and biochemistry.

There is also a BSc (CB) programme offered by the Faculty of Science. Both these CB programmes share the same set of modules in the first two years. In the latter part of the programmes, BComp (CB) focuses on specific algorithmic design for and the analysis of large datasets, whereas BSc (CB) focuses on general scientific computation, such as numerical analysis.

Q8: What kind of jobs can CS graduates expect to get?

CS graduates have a wide range of jobs to choose from, ranging from programmer to business analyst. However, it is important that during their undergraduate time that:

-They sharpen their various skills to make themselves versatile to many jobs, and

-They broaden their learning experience by building up strong portfolios to demonstrate their ability beyond regular curriculum.

Finally, while programming ability is certainly desired, what is really sought after is broad fundamentals and problem-solving skills.

Q9 : What are the chances of getting a job?

From Graduate Employment Survey 2010, 97.6% of NUS CS graduates are employed six months after graduation.

According to iDA statistics, in the last few years, the Singapore ICT section persistently has 3,000-5,000 vacancies each year, even during the financial crisis not too long ago. The three local universities together graduate less than 1,000 students in computer science annually. In short, there have been between three and five ICT jobs waiting for every good computer science students each year.

In addition, the following is extracted from the speech on 5th March 2010 by Acting Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts at the Singapore Computer Society Annual Dinner and IT Leader Awards 2010:

“… the international outlook on the Infocomm Technology Sector is positive. Forecasts have shown that worldwide IT and telecommunications spending is expected to return to growth in 2010. According to Gartner, the IT industry will see a 3.33 percent increase in IT spending in 2010, up to a total of US$3.3 trillion. Hudson, an international recruitment firm, has also stated that in terms of recruitment, Information Technology is a sector likely to make a big comeback this year. In a poll of Singapore-based IT companies, 60% indicated that they had plans to increase hiring in the first quarter of this year, up from 36% in the fourth quarter of last year.”

“IDA’s latest Annual Survey on Infocomm Manpower 2009 reinforces Hudson’s findings. It indicated that despite the contraction in the Singapore economy, infocomm employment in Singapore grew by 1.3% in 2009, from 139,000 in 2008 to 140,800 this year. The strongest areas of employment growth include software development, digital media & animation, and research & development. Clearly, infocomm technology remains a crucial pillar and a strong focus of our economy, and this bodes well for infocomm professionals as well as those seeking a career in the infocomm industry. … The Information & Communications sector was the only services producing sector in Singapore that had expanded in 2009.”

Q10: How easy is it to apply for double degree course in NUS?

If you have done well in your studies, it is not difficult (minimum grade point average requirement of 4 out of 5). In fact, there is substantial flexibility to construct your own double degree programme with many other faculties, subject to the agreement of the other faculty. You need to be able to satisfy the requirements of both faculties and this can usually be done in 5 years. This is possible because the primary programmes in NUS are structured in such a way that there are free slots for students to pursue modules of interest to them; such free slots can be used to pursue a different degree/major/minor. In actual fact, many students pursuing DDP complete it in 4.5 years.

See http://www.nus.edu.sg/registrar/faqs/ddp-cdp-dm-faq.html for details.

Q11: Is it hard to change degree majors from CS to IS / (or to another faculty)? Can I change faculty after a period of study?

Applicants will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. Changing within the faculty is easier (e.g. CS to IS) as there are many common requirements. In addition to the Singapore-Cambridge GCE 'A' Level examination results (or high school equivalent) and their performance at the University, the Admissions Selection Committee will also take into consideration the applicant's reason for seeking the transfer. Applicants may be required to undergo an interview to assess their suitability for the course they have applied for. Such interviews will be scheduled at the discretion of NUS.

Q12: What is the typical workload like?

The average workload is about 5 modules (equivalent to 20 MCs). This translates to a typical workload of around 50 hours per week. Students who wish to complete their studies in shorter duration and have high grade point average may apply to the School for a higher workload per semester.

Q13: What is the difference between IS and CS?

Short answer: IS is suitable for those who wish to integrate IT with business. CS is suitable for those who wish to use IT as a problem solving tool in almost any industry.

Long answer:

The IS programme provides a stimulating education that equips students with the ability to integrate infocomm technology fundamentals with domain expertise to develop innovative solutions for organisations. Through projects and case studies that are aligned with industry best practices, students will develop an in-depth understanding of the strategic exploitation of infocomm technology in emerging organisational forms. Students become proficient in the design and development of infocomm solutions and the management of infocomm projects. Such skills are vital in helping students develop careers that are being emphasised in the iN2015 plan, such as techno-strategist, solution architect, and infocomm project manager.

Q14: Are there student exchange programs offered in SoC? To which countries

Yes, students can choose from 180 partner universities in 27 countries.

The list of NUS partners is available at http://www.nus.edu.sg/iro/partners/index.html

Q15: Can I do further studies (PhD, MComp) after my degree? In NUS or in other countries?

Yes, you will be well qualified to do further degrees. We have many students who continue on to do higher degree at NUS and overseas.

We also have a special programme for those who wish to experience research within their undergraduate studies, to decide whether they enjoy research and to learn research skills that are valuable no matter what they end up doing: Turing Programme http://www.comp.nus.edu.sg/undergraduates/cs_tp_prospective.html

Q16: I didn't get accepted by the Double Degree or Concurrent Degree Programme offered by the School of Computing, should I reject this offer and apply again next year while doing NS, or can I apply after accepting the offer?

You can accept the existing offer, and then apply for CDP/DDP after the end of the first year of your study. The application will be submitted to School of Computing, not Office of Admissions of NUS.

National University of Singapore