Bachelor of Computing in Artificial Intelligence (with Honours*)
Build the intelligence driving tomorrow’s breakthroughs
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing how the world works – transforming healthcare, finance, smart cities, sustainability, and much more.
If you want to understand how intelligent systems truly work, how to design them, and how to leverage their strengths, the AI programme at NUS Computing gives you the skills and expertise to do so.
You will learn how to design and build AI systems that perform reliably, scale efficiently, and serve society meaningfully.
Why Study AI at NUS Computing?
Build foundations that endure
AI evolves quickly. Architectures change. New techniques emerge.
What endures are the principles behind them.
You will develop a strong grounding in the fundamentals of artificial intelligence, including its mathematical foundations, the theory and practice of data-driven learning, and the design of large-scale intelligent systems. When you understand AI from first principles, you gain the tools and judgement to adapt as the field evolves, ensuring that your skills remain valuable even as technologies change.
Learn by building systems that matter
From early core courses through advanced electives, you will design, implement, and evaluate intelligent systems. You will tackle hands-on projects that use real datasets and grapple with practical challenges such as performance trade-offs, data quality, and ethical considerations. Through exposure to diverse AI areas, such as planning, vision, and robotics, you will graduate with experience building and assessing AI systems at the forefront of the field.
Engage with research and industry
AI at NUS Computing extends beyond the classroom. You may:
- Undertake industry internships
- Contribute to research projects led by world-leading faculty
- Develop capstone projects addressing real-world challenges
- Participate in AI-focused student initiatives and competitions
These experiences deepen your technical expertise while strengthening your ability to apply it meaningfully.
NUS AI Talent Scholarship
If you are a Singapore Citizen applying to the Artificial Intelligence programme, you may be considered for the NUS AI Talent Scholarship, a prestigious University-level award recognising exceptional academic achievement and leadership potential in AI-related fields.
The scholarship supports students who aspire to careers in AI research, industry, or entrepreneurship. Beyond financial support, recipients benefit from mentorship, research opportunities, and global exposure through overseas programmes.
You only need to submit one scholarship application through the Office of Admissions to be considered.
Acacia Experience
Students with a strong interest in AI may apply to stay at Acacia College, NUS’ newest AI-themed Residential College at University Town.
Acacia offers a two-year interdisciplinary programme where students engage in small-group discussions, hands-on AI applications, and thought-provoking courses on AI’s societal impact. Beyond the classroom, you may participate in hackathons, symposia, and community-led initiatives with peers who share your interest in AI.
It is an opportunity to deepen your engagement with AI as part of a community of shared interest.
Flexibility to Choose Your Path
Students applying to the Computer Science or Artificial Intelligence programmes do not need to decide immediately between the two. During your first two years, you will have the flexibility to explore foundational computing subjects and key areas of AI before selecting your degree programme. This gives you time to discover what you enjoy most, where your strengths lie, and which direction is the better long-term fit.
If you wish to broaden your perspective, you may pursue:
- A Double Degree (e.g. with Accountancy, Applied Mathematics, or Business Administration)
- A Double Major
- A Minor in areas such as Entrepreneurship or Interactive Media
Subject to meeting programme requirements, these pathways allow you to combine deep AI expertise with complementary disciplines.
Visit our Undergraduate Programmes catalogue for more information.
What Do You Learn in an AI Degree at NUS
In the AI degree, you will learn how intelligent systems are designed, built, and evaluated, with attention to their real-world impact. You will gain a clear understanding of what artificial intelligence is, how it works, and how to assess its strengths and limitations. You will explore how AI systems can be developed in ways that are reliable and beneficial to the people who use them. Your studies will focus on how AI systems learn from data, understand the world, make decisions, and take action.
How AI Learns from Data
Modern AI systems are built by learning from data. They are trained on large collections of examples such as text and images, and they learn patterns that allow them to make predictions or generate useful responses. You will study how these learning processes work, how to design them carefully, and how to evaluate whether a system is reliable and trustworthy. This foundation underlies applications such as conversational AI, speech recognition, and medical image analysis.
How AI Understands the World
AI systems today must make sense of complex information around them. They “see” the world through images and they “listen” to us through language. You will learn how computers turn raw data such as sound waves, pixels, and sensor readings into meaningful information. This enables AI systems to interpret language, analyze images, and recognize objects and scenes in videos. You will explore how to build systems that understand the world around them.
How AI Makes Decisions and Acts
AI systems increasingly operate in the physical world, where they must make decisions and take action. You will study how intelligent systems evaluate options, plan sequences of actions, and make choices. This is especially challenging when information is incomplete or outcomes are uncertain. You will learn how to design systems that can work toward a goal while making trade-offs among time, cost, and safety. These ideas play a key role in navigation systems, logistics management, and autonomous robotic systems.
How AI Is Used Responsibly
As AI systems become part of everyday life, it is important to think not only about what they can do, but how they affect people. You will explore questions such as: How should AI handle personal data? What happens if a system makes a mistake? How can we reduce the risk that an AI system treats people unfairly? You will learn how design choices, data, and testing all influence how AI systems behave in the real world. This helps you build systems that are more reliable and more likely to improve people’s lives.
Sampler of Courses
CS1101S Programming Methodology
Begin your journey with NUS Computing’s distinctive introductory programming course. Through challenging missions and creative projects, you build strong computational thinking skills that form the foundation for advanced AI systems. Can you win the Sumobot Battle?
CS3268 Responsible AI
AI is rapidly changing the world around us. In this course, you explore how to design and evaluate AI systems that are more reliable and more likely to improve people’s lives.
CS4225 Big Data Systems for Data Science
Modern AI runs on massive amounts of data. Learn how large-scale data systems are built and managed, and how to make them fast, reliable, and ready for real-world use.
CS4240 Interaction Design for Virtual and Augmented Reality
Step into the world of immersive technology. Design interactive systems that blend perception, intelligent behavior, and human-centered interfaces in virtual and augmented environments.
CS4248 Natural Language Processing
How do machines understand what we write or say? In this course, you explore how computers analyze and generate human language, from text analysis to building conversational systems.
CS4243 Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition
Teach machines to make sense of images and video. Learn how AI systems detect objects, interpret scenes, and extract meaning from visual data.
CS4246 AI Planning and Decision Making
How does a robot decide what to do next? Explore how intelligent systems plan actions, weigh alternatives, and operate effectively in uncertain and changing environments.
CS4262 Machine Learning Systems
Powerful AI models depend on powerful systems. Learn how to design efficient and scalable machine learning systems, and explore the unique engineering challenges behind training and deploying modern AI.
CS4278 Intelligent Robots
Bring AI into the physical world. Learn how robots perceive their surroundings, plan movements, and act safely and autonomously in real environments
What You Could Become
With an NUS degree in AI, you can shape the technologies that define the next decade.
You might become:
- An AI Engineer, designing and deploying intelligent systems that power healthcare, financial platforms, smart cities, and sustainable technologies.
- A Machine Learning Engineer, building models that learn from data to drive modern AI applications.
- An AI Systems Architect, designing the large-scale platforms and infrastructure that enable powerful AI systems to run efficiently and reliably.
- An AI Researcher, developing new methods and advancing the frontiers of intelligent systems.
- A Data Scientist, uncovering insights from complex data to inform strategy and decision-making.
- A Computer Vision Engineer, creating systems that interpret images and video for applications such as autonomous vehicles and medical imaging.
- A Natural Language Processing Engineer, building systems that understand, generate, and interact through human language.
- A Robotics Engineer, developing intelligent machines that perceive their surroundings, plan actions, and operate safely in the physical world.
AI expertise is increasingly valued across industries, from healthcare and finance to sustainability, education, and scientific research. With a strong grounding in technical foundations and responsible design, you will be prepared to apply intelligent systems to a wide range of real-world challenges.
FAQ: What is the difference between Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Business Artificial Intelligence Systems (BAIS) degree programme?
The AI degree is more technical and broad, focusing on the science and engineering of AI, while the BAIS degree combines technical AI skills with business and management knowledge, focusing on deploying AI solutions in business contexts:
- Offered under the Common Computer Science Programmes
- Focuses on the technical foundations of AI, including algorithms, machine learning, and software engineering
- Prepares students for roles in AI research, development, and technical implementation across various domains
- Emphasises deep technical and mathematical skills, theory of computation, and engineering of AI systems.
- Specifically designed for students interested in applying AI to solve business problems and drive digital transformation
- Integrates AI technologies with business strategy, governance, and management
- Prepares students to design, implement, and manage AI systems that enable digital innovations and business impact
- Offers degree specialisations in AI Governance and Management, Digital Product and Platform Management, and Financial Technology
- Emphasises practical, real-world applications and industry experience, including internships and capstone projects
AI Perspectives
From research in trustworthy AI and human-centric systems to collaborations with industry and government, AI at NUS contributes to national and global conversations on responsible innovation.
Listen to the Times Higher Education podcast, where Professor Tulika Mitra, Dean of NUS School of Computing and Associate Professor Suranga Nanayakkara, Department of Computer Science, discuss how NUS Computing is preparing graduates to pair deep technical excellence with empathy, ethics, and interdisciplinary thinking.
*Subject to meeting Honours classification requirements.