THE School of Computing (SoC) offers the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Programme (UROP) in Computing to provide opportunities for research in computing by talented undergraduate students.
The objective of UROP (Computing) is to foster intellectual exchange and collaboration between undergraduates and academic staff members. It allows undergraduates to participate in active research and to experience first hand the challenges and exhilaration of research, discovery and invention. Students will be working at, or near, the frontiers of computing research and this exposure will enrich their academic experience and complement their coursework.
Students will conduct research under the supervision of SoC faculty members. Typically, the research involves these activities: problem formulation, literature survey, attending research seminars, proposal and implementation of solution, evaluation, and documentation and presentation of results. The relative importance of each of these research activities may vary widely depending on the chosen research topic (ranging from basic research to applied research to innovative application development).
UROP (Computing) is administered by the Office of Special Programmes in SoC, under the charge of A/P Lee Wee Sun (Assistant Dean, Special Programmes), who is assisted by Ms Judy Ng.
A/P Lee Wee Sun SOC1 #05-26 leews AT comp.nus.edu.sg Ms Judy Ng Lee Chin S16 #05-08 (General Office) nglc AT comp.nus.edu.sg
Two modules are offered:
Code Title MCs Pre-requisite CS3208 Undergraduate Research in Computing I 4 CS2103 or CS2261 CS3209 Undergraduate Research in Computing II 4 CS3208
[Refer to Description of Modules.]
A student participating in UROP takes a two-module (8 MCs) sequence spread over two semesters: CS3208 in the first semester, followed by CS3209 in the second. Even though each UROP module is a one-semester module, it is understood that this will also include compulsory full-time research work during the vacation preceding that semester.
It is expected that the student will complete an initial research study on the project in CS3208 (vacation and first semester) and complete the research project in CS3209 (the following vacation and second semester).
To be eligible for UROP, a student must have
(You may also refer to this page.)
This track is a provision for supervisors to propose a UROP project that spans only one semester. After the student has completed CS3208, he will continue on to his CS4101 - HYP (Honours Year Project) - which spans two semesters.
Note that UROP and HYP are administered separately so though the the HYP might be seen as an extension of the UROP porject, the supervisor needs to put up two project proposals on the on-line project administration system -- one for UROP (indicating that it is CS3208->CS4101) and another for HYP.
As this track involves only one semester of UROP, it is only credited with 4 MCs. The student will have to submit a project report and prepare the poster presentation at the end of the semester. (See Reports and Evaluation below.) A grade (worth 4MCs) will be given to the student for CS3208.
Students in the CS3208->CS4101 track cannot apply for waiver of CS3215. (You may also refer to this page.)
Application for UROP is open in every regular semester (semester 1 and semester 2). A mass email will be sent out to all students to inform them that application is open, and a briefing to interested students will be conducted. Eligible students can get the application form from the General Office (S16 level 5), or download it from the On-line Forms site.
See the current CS3208 and CS3209 webpages on the IVLE for details on the evaluation.
Towards the end of each semester, a UROP student must submit a report for evaluation.
For CS3208 (in the normal CS3208->CS3209 track), the student is to submit an interim progress report, which is evaluated by the supervisor. All CS3208 projects that show satisfactory progress must continue to CS3209.
If a CS3208 project does not show satisfactory progress, the supervisor may terminate the project. In this case, the student must submit the final report for CS3208 and make a project presentation. A grade for CS3208 (4 MCs) will be given and the project will be terminated. The assessment is based on work done during the semester and its preceding vacation.
For CS3209, as well as CS3208 in the CS3208->CS4101 track, the student is to submit the final project report, which is evaluated by two independent evaluators. The student must also give a poster presentation as part of the evaluation.
Refer to Projects/Reports for the report format.
All students who complete UROP are expected to participate in the National Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme (NUROP) Congress which is held in September every year. Participation in the Congress is regarded as part-and-parcel of UROP and this includes the submission of a paper for publication in the Congress Proceedings. In addition, selected students are to present their work (oral or poster presentation) at the Congress.
Refer to the NUROP Congress page for more information.
Updated: 28 July 2005