NUS Bulletin AY2024/25

School of Continuing & Lifelong Education

Bachelor of Technology (BTech) Computing

SCALE offers the following BTech programmes in Computing disciplines in partnership with the NUS School of Computing, one of the leading computing schools in the world with faculty members who are both internationally recognised researchers and inspiring teachers:

Bachelor of Technology (BTech) Engineering

SCALE in partnership with the College of Design and Engineering offers the following BTech programmes in Engineering disciplines:

These programmes are accredited by the relevant engineering bodies, and taught by highly qualified Engineering faculty members using first-class laboratory facilities in NUS.

Bachelor of Information Technology (BIT)

SCALE offers the following programme in partnership with the NUS School of Computing, one of the leading computing schools in the world with faculty members who are both internationally recognised researchers and inspiring teachers:

Periods of Study in each AY: In addition to the two normal semesters of study in each Academic Year (Semesters 1 and 2), the BTech and BIT Programmes also runs a 10-week Special Term during the period from May to July.

Minimum and Maximum Candidature: SCALE recognises the need to equip potential adult learners with the necessary skills within a reasonable amount of time so that they stay relevant in the industry upon graduation.  As such, for the BTech Programmes, the minimum and maximum candidature periods are two-and-a-half and six years respectively, inclusive of approved periods of leave of absence. For the BIT programme, the maximum candidature period is 5 years, inclusive of approved periods of leave of absence. Nonetheless, records show that if work, family and other commitments permit, students typically attend classes three evenings a week and should generally be able to complete their degree requirements in four years for BTech programmes and three years for BIT programme. The curriculum structure is completely modular and flexible and students should study at their own comfortable pace.  Students are strongly advised not to rush through their programmes; instead, they should attempt to arrange their other commitments to allow them sufficient time and peace of mind to focus on, and gain the most out of, their studies. If taking an extra semester to complete their degree requirements results in greater benefit from their studies, it might be worthwhile to do so as the benefits are lifelong.

Workload: In general, unless otherwise approved by SCALE, a student may register for up to 14 Units of courses during a normal semester and 2 courses in a Special Term, excluding Industrial Practice course.

General: Students are advised to read carefully other relevant information presented in this document as well as published by the Office of the University Registrar (www.nus.edu.sg/registrar).  Of particular importance are information relating to: the Modular System, Undergraduate Education Continuation and Graduation Requirements, Academic Calendar, Responsibility for Notices/Circulars, Update of Personal Particulars, Acceptance Record, Leave of Absence, Grading Policy and Exam Process, Graduation, Discipline, Course Enrolment, S/U Option Declaration, and Commencement amongst others.  Academic and administrative rules and regulations set out by the University will apply to every NUS student.

  • the final semester before completion of all graduation requirements for the degree; and
  • the semester in which the students are undergoing industrial attachment or doing their final year projects.

Students who fail to sign up for tutorial/laboratory/recitations for their course(s) will be automatically withdrawn from class. The maximum workload permissible per semester will be subjected to approval by the University and home faculty.

Admission Intake: The BTech Computing programmes have one intake in each Academic Year for Semester 1 in August.

All diploma holders admitted into the BTech Computing programmes will generally be granted a set of Advanced Placement Credits (APCs) automatically. Further credits will be considered for holders of certain ICT-related diplomas which have been accredited for admission.  Additional credits may also be granted for the completion of relevant post-diploma academic qualifications before admission, and/or by opting to register to sit for Module Advanced Placement Credit Tests.

The structure and design of each of the BTech programmes in Computing are based on those of the corresponding four-year full-time Bachelor of Computing (BComp) programmes offered by the School of Computing. To qualify for a BTech degree in Computing, a student must take and pass a minimum of 160 Units of courses, as tabulated below, and achieve a GPA of at least 2.00.

Table: 160-Units BTech Computing curriculum structure

  Minimum Units required
University Level Requirements  
General Education (GE) Courses 1 20
Sub-total 20
Programme Requirements   
Foundation & Major Requirements 112
Sub-total 112
Unrestricted Elective Courses 2 32
Grand-total 3 160

Notes:

A limited selection of GE courses (from the wide range available in the University) which can best meet the interests and professional needs of BTech students, will be offered specially in the evenings. The GE courses will be pre-allocated to the BTech students based on the recommended study schedule.

20 Units of UE courses will normally be given as Advanced Placement Credits to holders of diploma or higher qualifications. UE courses enable students to pursue their interests without any restrictions. Students may select any courses at any level from among Technical or GE courses offered to BTech students to meet this requirement.

3 Grand Total includes double counting of course (s) if applicable.

Stage Promotion: Students will be deemed to have progressed to the next stage of study if they have obtained at least the number of Units , including exemptions, as stated below:

To move to Stage 2 (Year 2): 32 Units
To move to Stage 3 (Year 3): 64 Units
To move to Stage 4 (Year 4): 108 Units

Degree Requirements & Recommended Study Schedule

  • Bachelor of Technology (Business Analytics)
  • Bachelor of Technology (Cybersecurity)
  • Bachelor of Technology (Software Engineering)

Admission Intakes: The BTech Engineering programmes have one intake in each Academic Year for Semester 1 in August.

As all students admitted into BTech programmes in Engineering must have the minimum of a recognised polytechnic diploma, all students are granted, upon admission, advanced placement credits of 40 Units which is equivalent to one year of the four-year full-time degree requirements.  Students with additional post-diploma academic qualifications completed before admission may, on a case-by-case basis, apply and be considered for additional advanced placement credits.  The granting of such additional credits will be entirely at the discretion of the University.

The structure and design of each of the BTech programmes in Engineering are based on those of the corresponding four-year full-time Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) programmes offered by the College of Design and Engineering.  To qualify for a BTech degree in Engineering, a student must take and pass a minimum of 160 Units of courses, as tabulated below, and achieve a GPA of at least 2.00.

Table: 160/161-Unit BTech Engineering curriculum structure

  Minimum Units required
University Level Requirements  
General Education (GE) Courses1 20
Sub-total 20
Programme Requirements 2  
Faculty Requirements 8
Foundation & Major Requirements 3 100 – 108
Sub-total 108 – 116
Unrestricted Elective Courses 4 24 – 36
Grand-total 5 160 – 161

Notes:

A limited selection of GE courses (from the wide range available in the University) which can best meet the interests and professional needs of BTech students, will be offered specially in the evenings. The GE courses will be pre-allocated to the BTech students based on the recommended study schedule.

These are specific to the individual BTech programme and reference should be made to the relevant sections.

3, 4 20 Units of programme requirements and 20 Units of unrestricted elective requirements will normally be given as Advanced Placement Credits to holders of relevant diploma or higher qualifications.

4 UE Courses enable students to pursue their interests without any restrictions. Students may select any course at any level from among Technical or GE courses offered to BTech students to meet this requirement.

5 Grand Total includes double counting of course(s) if applicable.

Stage Promotion: Students will be deemed to have progressed to the next stage of study if they have obtained at least the number of Units, including exemptions, as stated below:

To move to Stage 2 (Year 2): 36 Units
To move to Stage 3 (Year 3): 76 Units
To move to Stage 4 (Year 4): 112 Units

Degree Requirements & Recommended Study Schedule

The BIT programme is offered in partnership with the School of Computing. The BIT programme enables students to attain the following outcomes by the time of graduation:

  1. Strong knowledge of computing foundations and fundamentals, including
    (a) familiarity with common computing themes and principles,
    (b) high-level understanding of systems as a whole, and
    (c) understanding of the theoretical underpinnings of computing and their influences in practice.
  2. An ability to function effectively in teams to accomplish a common goal.
  3. An understanding of professional, ethical, legal, security, and social issues and responsibilities.
  4. An ability to understand the applications of computing tools and techniques and to analyse the local and global impact of computing on individuals, organisations, and society.
  5. Recognition of the need for and an ability to engage in continuing professional development.

Degree Requirements

Candidates must satisfy the following requirements to be conferred the degree of BIT.

  • Complete a minimum of 120 Units with at least GPA of 2.00.
    (Note: 20 Units of unrestricted elective requirements will normally be given as Advanced Placement Credits (APCs) to holders of diploma or higher qualifications. Students will be required to complete a minimum of 100 courses as listed below).
  • Comply with the requirement that the limit on the number of Level-1000 courses to be counted towards fulfilment of graduation requirements being 60 Units (excluding 20 Units of unrestricted elective requirements normally given as APCs to holders of diploma or higher qualifications).
  • Satisfy any other additional requirements that may be prescribed by SCALE, the School of Computing, or the University.

List of courses:
All courses are 4 units, unless otherwise stated.

A. University Level Requirements (24 Units)

  • Culture and Connections (course with prefix GEC)*
  • Singapore Studies (course with prefix GESS)*
  • Communities and Engagement (course with prefix GEN)*
  • Critique and Expression (course with prefix GEX)
  • Data Literacy (course with prefix GEA)**
  • Digital Literacy (course with prefix GEI)**

B. Programme Requirements (72 Units), comprising

  1. Computing Foundations - 48 Units
    • TCX1001 Introduction to Computing
    • TCX1002 Introduction to Programming
    • TCX1003 Digital Ethics and Data Privacy
    • TCX1004 Mathematical Techniques for Computing
    • TCX2001 Data Structures and Algorithms**
    • TCX2002 Introduction to Business Analytics**
    • TCX2003 Database Systems and Management
    • TCX2004 Introduction to Application Development
    • TCX2005 Information Systems, Management and Organisations
    • TCX2006 Introduction to AI and Machine Learning
    • TCX3901 Industrial Practice (8 Units)
  1. Mathematics Foundations - 12 Units
    • TCX1101 Introductory Mathematics
    • TCX2101 Calculus and Linear Algebra for Computing
    • TCX2102 Probability and Statistics
  1. Elective Courses - 20 Units, at least three courses from a single focus area
  •  

Business Analytics

    • TCX3211 Data Management and Visualisation
    • TCX3212 Predictive Analytics
    • TCX3213 Data Mining and Machine Learning in Business Analytics
    • TCX3214 Text Mining and NLP in Business Analytics
    • TCX3215 Solutions Development for Business Analytics

Software Engineering

    • TCX3221 Software Engineering
    • TCX3222 Systems Programming
    • TCX3223 User Interface Development
    • TCX3224 Managing Software Projects
    • TCX3225 Software Design Requirements Analysis

Cybersecurity

    • TCX3231 Information Security Management
    • TCX3232 Network and Cloud Security
    • TCX3235 Computer Security

C. Unrestricted Elective Courses (24 Units)
Note: 20 Units will normally be given as Advanced Placement Credits to holders of diploma or higher qualifications. Students will need to complete the remaining 4 Units.

*Students admitted into the BIT programme will be granted exemptions for the GEC, GESS and GEN pillars.
**TCX2001 and TCX2002 are double-counted towards both the respective Major requirements and the GEI and GEA pillars respectively.

Study Schedule
There is only one intake per academic year in Semester 1 (i.e. August). One sample study schedule is shown below. This assumes the students' work and other commitments allow them sufficient time to properly cope with their studies. Students are advised to slow down if necessary so that they progress at their own comfortable pace.

Sample Study Schedule (beginning in Semester 1 of an Academic Year):

      1. The number of Unit of a course is denoted by the number in the bracket.
      2. Courses marked with an asterisk (*) are courses stretching over more than one semester and the total number of Units will only be given upon completion of the course.
1st Year of studies
Sem 1:
  • TCX1001 Introduction to Computing (4)
  • TCX1003 Digital Ethics and Data Privacy (4)
  • TCX1101 Introductory Mathematics (4)
Sem 2:
  • TCX1002 Introduction to Programming (4)
  • TCX1004 Mathematical Techniques for Computing (4)
  • TCX2101 Calculus and Linear Algebra for Computing (4)
SpTerm:
  • TCX2005 Information Systems, Management and Organisations (4)
  • TCX2003 Database Systems and Management (4)
2nd Year of studies
Sem 1:
  • TCX2002 Introduction to Business Analytics (4)
  • TCX2004 Introduction to Application Development (4)
  • TCX2102 Probability and Statistics (4)
Sem 2:
  • TCX2001 Data Structures and Algorithms (4)
  • Programme Elective 1 (4)
  • Programme Elective 2 (4)
SpTerm:
  • TCX2006 Introduction to AI and Machine Learning (4)
  • General Education Course (4)
3rd Year of studies
Sem 1:
  • TCX3901 Industrial Practice*
  • Programme Elective 3 (4)
  • Programme Elective 4 (4)
Sem 2:
  • TCX3901 Industrial Practice (8)
  • Programme Elective 5 (4)
  • Unrestricted Elective (4)

NOTE: If you are a current student, please refer to the SCALE Student Portal (connect nVPN before accessing) for the degree requirements and study schedule applicable to your cohort.

 

Stage Promotion: Students will be deemed to have progressed to the next stage of study if they have obtained at least the number of Units , including exemptions, as stated below:

To move to Stage 2 (Year 2): 64 Units
To move to Stage 3 (Year 3): 96 Units

MOE Tuition Fee Subsidy

The Ministry of Education (MOE) provides eligible Singaporeans and Singapore Permanent Residents (SPR) taking part-time undergraduate degree programmes in the local universities with a substantial tuition fee subsidy. Please visit this link for the details.

SkillsFuture Mid-Career Enhanced Subsidy

With this enhanced subsidy, Singaporean students aged 40 and above will pay tuition fees that are lower than the standard subsidised fees payable by other Singaporean students who are below 40 years old.

The availability of this enhanced subsidy is tied to the student’s eligibility for the tuition fee subsidy in the first instance. Hence, a Singaporean student must be eligible for the tuition fee subsidy in order to be eligible for the enhanced subsidy.

SkillsFuture Credit

SkillsFuture was introduced in 2015 to encourage Singaporeans to take timely action to reskill and upskill to seize opportunities in the future economy. Singapore Citizen aged 25 years and above are entitled to an opening credit of S$500. To offset outstanding tuition fees using SFC, students will need to request for a certification letter from SCALE Finance (scale.finance@nus.edu.sg) as soon as the course allocation outcome is released during the CourseReg Exercise, and at least 3 working days before term starts. The following must be provided for the certification letter to be issued:

a) Your Student ID

b) Amount of SFC you wish to claim

c) A screenshot of course(s) registered in EduRec

Post-Secondary Education Account (PSEA)

The PSEA is part of the Post-Secondary Education Scheme to help pay for your post-secondary education. It is opened automatically for all eligible Singaporeans. Students who wish to utilise the PSEA funds may submit the Ad Hoc Withdrawal Form from week 4 of Semester 1 and 2. You may refer to the User Guide on Applying Online for PSEA Ad Hoc Withdrawal. The approved PSEA funds will be disbursed to your student account to offset your outstanding tuition fees 4-6 weeks after submission. To check your PSEA balance funds, you may call the 24-hour hotline at 6260 0777.

For more information on faculty-specific financial aid, visit https://scale.nus.edu.sg/programmes/lifelong-learning/faq-old/financial-aid-subsidies

For more information on university-wide financial aid, visit http://www.nus.edu.sg/oam/financial-aid