NTU widens options to add value to engineering courses

NTU widens options to add value to engineering courses

A select number of engineering freshmen entering the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in August can add value to their degrees by taking on humanities modules in a new second major in society and urban systems.

About 20 students from NTU's various engineering degree courses will learn about problems caused by urban development in fast- changing cities like Singapore, and arrive at sustainable solutions to address these issues.

"With urban centres, there will be a host of complex but connected problems," said Professor Alan Chan, dean of NTU's College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences.

"These are problems that cannot be solved by a single discipline but would require a concerted effort by experts in different fields," he added.

The double-major programme, which marries engineering know-how with the socio-cultural aspects of urban systems planning and policymaking, is jointly offered by the colleges of Engineering, and Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences.

It is one of at least five new academic courses NTU is introducing this year.

The others include a second major in biomedical structural biology, specialised programmes in international trading and business analytics, as well as a semester-long internship option for accountancy students.

The courses, taught by NTU professors such as structural biologist Daniela Rhodes, will cater to rising demand for skilled manpower in emerging fields such as big data analytics.

Professor Kam Chan Hin, NTU's senior associate provost of undergraduate education, said: "These new courses will certainly widen the career options of our students.

"More importantly, there will be fresh talents who can contribute to the next lap of Singapore's development."

 


This article was first published on Feb 18, 2015.
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