Curriculum Structure

The Common Curriculum consists of 10 carefully curated pillars to give a solid foundation in interdisciplinary skills. We emphasise instilling lifelong skills via the following pillars:

  1. Design Thinking
  2. Maker Space
  3. Artificial Intelligence
  4. Project Management
  5. Data Literacy
  6. Digital Literacy
  7. Critique and Expression
  8. Cultures and Connections
  9. Singapore Studies
  10. Communities and Engagement

Curriculum Structure

Students should complete a total of 160 units (or the equivalent of 40 courses), comprising:

  1. Common Curriculum: 40 units (or the equivalent of 10 courses)
  2. Primary Major: 80 units (or the equivalent of 20 courses)
  3. Unrestricted Electives: 40 units (or the equivalent of 10 courses)
  4.  

These aim to provide CDE students with a comprehensive and well-rounded education, preparing them for success in their chosen careers and beyond.

Workload is measured in terms of Units, where one Unit is the equivalent of 2.5 hours of study and preparation per week. Most courses are typically 4 Units.

Minimum requirement for graduation is 160 Units.

Curriculum for AY2025/2026 cohort onwards

Common Curriculum

(40 Units)

General Education Pillars

(24 Units)
  • Singapore Studies (GESS - CDE2501 Liveable Cities for CDE students)
  • Cultures and Connections (GEC%)
  • Communities and Engagement (GEN%)
  • Critique and Communication of Thinking and Design (ES2631 for CDE students)
  • Digital Literacy (CS1010E for CDE/ESP students)
  • Data Literacy (GEA1000 for CDE/ESP students)

4 Units per course

CDE Common Curriculum

(16 Units)
  • EG1311 Design and Make (4 Units)
  • EE2211 Introduction to Machine Learning or EE2213 Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (4 Units)
  • DTK1234 Design Thinking (4 Units)
  • PF1101A Project Management and Finance (4 Units)

Major Requirements

(80 Units)

Engineering Core

(20 Units)
  • MA1511 Engineering Calculus (2 Units)
  • MA1512 Differential Equations for Engineering (2 Units)
  • MA1508E Linear Algebra for Engineering (4 Units)
  • EG2401A Engineering Professionalism (2 Units)
  • EG3611A Industrial Attachment (or equivalent) (10 Units)

ESP Major Courses

(60 Units)
  • ESP1111 Engineering Principles in Action (4 Units)
  • ESP2111 Sensor System Electronics (4 Units)
  • ESP2106 Principles of Continua (4 Units)
  • ESP2107 Numerical Methods & Statistics (4 Units)
  • ESP2110 Design Project (4 Units)
  • ESP3903 Major Design Project 2 (4 Units)
  • PC2130B Applied Quantum Physics (4 Units)
  • PC3235B Applied Solid State Physics (4 Units)
  • ME2121 Engineering Thermodynamics & Heat Transfer (4 Units)
  • PC2020 Electromagnetics for Electrical Engineers (4 Units)
  • EE2023 Signals and Systems (4 Units)
  • ESP3201A Machine Learning in Engineering Science (4 Units)
  • Integrated Project* (8 Units)

Choose ONE from the following list:

  • EE3331C Feedback Control Systems (4 Units)
  • ME3142 Feedback Control Systems (4 Units)

Unrestricted Electives

(40 Units)

Build your own Degree 

*Integrated Project: ESP4901/XFE4401/CDE4301/CDE4301A

More Resources

Students enrolled in the academic year starting in August 2021 will adopt a new undergraduate curriculum structure. Students will read a total of 160 Units (or the equivalent of 40 courses), as shown in the following schema:

The Common Curriculum is jointly developed with industry partners. It seeks to integrates knowledge and skillsets relevant to the professional training offered by both schools and to equip students with essential 21st century competencies. The following pillars make up the Common Curriculum, comprising 60 Units (or the equivalent of 15 courses).

Workload is measured in terms of Units, where one Unit is the equivalent of 2.5 hours of study and preparation per week. Most courses are typically 4 Units.

Minimum requirement for graduation is 160 Units.

Curriculum for AY2021/2022 to AY2024/2025 cohort
Common Curriculum

(60 Units)

 General Education Pillars

(24 Units)
  • Singapore Studies (GESS%) - CDE2501 Liveable Cities
  • Cultures and Connections (GEC%)
  • Communities and Engagement (GEN%)
  • Critique and Communication of Thinking and Design (ES2631 for CDE students)
  • Digital Literacy (CS1010E for CDE/ESP students)
  • Data Literacy (GEA1000 for CDE/ESP students)

4 Units per course
CDE Common Curriculum

(36 Units)
  • EG1311 Design and Make (4 Units)
  • IE2141 Systems Thinking and Dynamics (4 Units)#
  • EE2211 Introduction to Machine Learning (4 Units) or
    EE2213 Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (4 Units)
  • DTK1234 Design Thinking (4 Units)
  • PF1101 Fundamentals of Project Management (4 Units) or
    PF1101A Project Management and Finance     (4 Units)
  • EG2501 / CDE2501 Liveable Cities (4 Units)#
  • CDE2000 Creating Narratives (4 Units)#
  • Integrated Project* (8 Units)
Major Requirements

(60 Units)

 Engineering Core

(20 Units)
  • MA1511 Engineering Calculus (2 Units)
  • MA1512 Differential Equations for Engineering (2 Units)
  • MA1508E Linear Algebra for Engineering (4 Units)
  • EG2401A Engineering Professionalism (2 Units)
  • EG3611A Industrial Attachment (or equivalent) (10 Units)
ESP Major Courses

(40 Units)
  • ESP1111 Engineering Principles in Action (4 Units)
  • ESP2111 Sensor System Electronics (4 Units)
  • ESP2106 Principles of Continua (4 Units)
  • ESP2107 Numerical Methods & Statistics (4 Units)
  • ESP2110 Design Project (4 Units)
  • ESP3903 Major Design Project 2 (4 Units)
  • PC2130B Applied Quantum Physics (4 Units)
  • PC3235B Applied Solid State Physics (4 Units)
  • ME2121 Engineering Thermodynamics & Heat Transfer (4 Units)

Choose ONEfrom the following list:

  • PC2020 Electromagnetics for Electrical Engineers (4 Units)
  • EE2023 Signals and Systems (4 Units)

Unrestricted Electives

(40 Units)

 Build your own Degree 

*Integrated Project: ESP4901/XFE4401/EG4301/EG4301A/CDE4301/CDE4301A

#Please click here for more information.

More Resources

University Level Requirements Programme Requirements Unrestricted Electives
  Faculty Requirements Major Requirements  

5 General Education (GE) Courses (20 Units)

Five pillars (1 course per pillar):

  • Human Cultures
  • Asking Questions
  • Quantitative Reasoning
  • Singapore Studies
  • Thinking and Expression

EG2401A Engineering Professionalism (2 Units)

ES2531 Critical Thinking and Writing (4 Units)

Core Curriculum

CS1010E Programming Methodology (4 Units)
ESP1104B Sensor System Electronics (4 Units)
ESP1111 Engineering Principles in Action (4 Units)
ESP2106 Principles of Continua (4 Units)
ESP2107 Numerical Methods & Statistics (4 Units)
ESP2110 Design Project 2 (4 Units)
ESP3902 Major Design Project 1 (4 Units)
ESP3903 Major Design Project 2 (4 Units)
ESP4901 Research Project (8 Units)
MA1507 Advanced Calculus (4 Units)
MA1508E Linear Algebra for Engineering (4 Units)
ME2121 Engineering Thermodynamics & Heat Transfer (4 Units)
MLE1010 Materials Engineering Principles & Practice (4 Units)
PC1433 Mechanics & Waves (4 Units)
PC2020 Electromagnetics for Electrical Engineers (4 Units)
PC2130B Applied Quantum Physics (4 Units)
PC2133 Applied Solid State Physics (4 Units)
PC2134 Mathematical Methods in Physics (4 Units)

Industrial attachment

EG3612 Vacation Industrial Attachment (6 Units)

Specialisations

5 courses from chosen specialisation basket (20 Units)

 Unrestricted Elective (UE) Courses
Total Units = 20 Total Units = 6 Total Units = 102 Total Units = 32
  Total Units = 160  
University Level Requirements Programme Requirements Unrestricted Electives
  Faculty Requirements Major Requirements  

5 General Education (GE) Courses (20 Units)
Five pillars (1 course per pillar):

  • Human Cultures
  • Asking Questions
  • Quantitative Reasoning
  • Singapore Studies
  • Thinking and Expression

EG2401A Engineering Professionalism (2 Units)

ES1531 Critical Thinking and Writing (4 Units)

Core Curriculum

CS1010E Programming Methodology (4 Units)
ESP1104A Sensor System Electronics (6 Units)
EG1111 Principles and Practice 1 (6 Units)
ESP2106 Principles of Continua (4 Units)
ESP2107 Numerical Methods & Statistics (4 Units)
ESP2110 Design Project 2 (4 Units)
ESP3902 Major Design Project 1 (4 Units)
ESP3903 Major Design Project 2 (4 Units)
ESP4901 Research Project (8 Units)
MA1507 Advanced Calculus (4 Units)
MA1508E Linear Algebra for Engineering (4 Units)
MA2501 Linear Algebra & Application (4 Units)
ME2121 Engineering Thermodynamics & Heat Transfer (4 Units)
PC1433 Mechanics & Waves (4 Units)
PC2020 Electromagnetics for Electrical Engineers (4 Units)
PC2130B Applied Quantum Physics (4 Units)
PC2133 Applied Solid State Physics (4 Units)

Industrial attachment

EG3612 Vacation Industrial Attachment (6 Units)

Specialisations

5 courses from chosen specialisation basket (20 Units)

 Unrestricted Elective (UE) Courses
Total Units = 20 Total Units = 6 Total Units = 102 Total Units = 32
  Total Units = 160 Â