Frequently Asked Questions

Programme Objectives

What is the Innovation & Design Programme (iDP), and how does it differ from the Innovation & Design-Centric Programme (iDCP) and Design-Centric Programme (DCP)? How is it related to the Second Major and Minor in Innovation & Design?

The Design-Centric Programme (DCP) was launched in 2009 as an alternative learning pathway to provide a platform for learning that brings together engineering, form, function, aesthetics, culture and lifestyle. In 2016, the DCP was enhanced with a dose of innovation and enterprise and renamed as the Innovation & Design-Centric Programme (iDCP). The iDCP gave students a broader scope to realize and capture value from their ideas. Through the design process, students in the iDCP learned to create solutions from multi-disciplinary perspectives. They are encouraged to challenge current assumptions of how people interact with products and to critically evaluate the ability of current products and services to serve the needs of people. Students in the iDCP adopt a user-centred approach to understand, visualise and describe users in the context of how people live, work and play. The iDCP took students further by allowing them to explore and plan business start-ups.

In 2017, the programme reached a third milestone. It was rebranded as the Innovation & Design Programme (iDP) and formalized as a Second Major in Innovation & Design. This was followed by the creation of the Minor in Innovation & Design in 2021 to enable more students to benefit from the iDP while still allowing them room to use their remaining electives to explore other interests such as a specialisation or another minor. Both the Second Major and Minor in Innovation & Design are open to students from all disciplines, thus making the iDP a truly multidisciplinary programme.

How does the iDP enhance my education at NUS?

The iDP aims to cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset, which is a way of thinking about and approaching challenges and opportunities, with a focus on innovation and design. This mindset allows students from different fields to work together to solve real and challenging problems. Students in the iDP will learn how to identify and solve problems within highly ambiguous resource-constrained circumstances; think critically and creatively; and collaborate with others from different disciplinary backgrounds. The ability to work in a multidisciplinary environment is essential in the working world. The project modules in the iDP provide a multidisciplinary platform for students to apply and hone the knowledge and skills learned in their own disciplines, while gaining knowledge in other engineering and non-engineering fields at the same time. In the process, students will also develop their professional skills and abilities such as communication, project management, and teamwork.

What are the possible career paths for iDP graduates?

This programme trains students to think about developing new ideas and solutions to solve ill-defined problems. Such a mindset is a good starting point for any career. Our graduates would be well placed to pursue a wide range of careers in the industry such as technology start-ups, product design, engineering and non-engineering services, and other jobs where Design Thinking and creativity play a big role. Our graduates have been able to secure their first jobs relatively easily.

Admissions

What are the admission criteria for the iDP?

There are no special criteria for admission into the iDP. We welcome any applicant who is keen to be part of our unique learning experience. However, applicants must meet the admission criteria set out by their respective primary majors. Students in the iDP must first be accepted into an undergraduate programme in NUS before joining the iDP.

When can I join the iDP?

Applicants who intend to apply to an Engineering major in NUS and are interested to join the iDP may select an Engineering major of their choice and include the Second Major in Innovation & Design in their application form during the NUS admission exercise. Successful applicants will be admitted into the iDP during matriculation.

Applicants who are unsure whether to join the iDP at matriculation may apply during the end of their first or second semester in NUS. Those who intend to apply to a non-Engineering major may also apply to join the iDP during the end of their first or second semester in NUS.

Applicants with polytechnic qualifications may join the iDP at the start of their first or second semester in NUS.

For freshmen students, email invitations to join the iDP will be sent out when the application period is open in each semester, which is normally around March/April and October/November.

Can I choose between the Second Major and Minor in Innovation & Design?

By default, all students in the iDP will be enrolled in the Second Major in Innovation & Design.

Those who wish to exit with only the Minor in Innovation & Design can inform us upon completion of the modules for the Minor.

What do I need to do to prepare for my application?

Current NUS students should check their NUS email for invitations to apply to the iDP. The application instructions may be found in the email invitations.

Prospective students who are applying an Engineering major in NUS should include the Second Major in Innovation & Design in their application form if they intend to join the iDP at matriculation.

How will I know whether my application is successful?

Current NUS students will be notified by email.

Prospective students who are applying to NUS may check their application status via the Office of Admission’s website.

I have received an invitation to apply to the iDP during my first semester in NUS. Can I choose NOT to apply at this point and wait for the next call for applications during my second semester? Does it matter whether I join during the first or second call for applications?

Current NUS students can join the iDP at the end of their first or second semester. If they are unsure whether to join the iDP at the end of their first semester, they can apply during the application window in their second semester.

The academic requirements of the iDP are the same regardless of the point of entry. However, those who join in a later semester may need to defer some iDP modules to another semester or complete more than one iDP module concurrently in the same semester. Students should work out their study plan carefully, refer to the recommended study plans provided on this website, and contact us if they need more detailed advice about their study plan.

Can poly-intake students join the iDP?

Students with polytechnic qualifications are welcome to join the iDP.

Those who intend to enrol in the Second Major in Innovation & Design will have to graduate with additional modules on top of their minimum graduation requirement since they have a smaller unrestricted elective space. In order to complete the Second Major in Innovation & Design, it is likely that poly-intake students will need to graduate within 7 semesters instead of 6 semesters so that their workload for each semester is reasonable.

Those who intend to enrol in the Minor in Innovation & Design should be able to graduate within 6 semester, but they may have to graduate with one or two additional modules on top of their minimum graduation requirement if they need to read bridging modules for their primary major.

Students with polytechnic qualifications may join the iDP at matriculation or after completing their first semester in NUS.

Is the iDP suitable for all students?

The iDP is open to ALL students who wish to experience this alternative learning pathway. Students who are self-motivated and enthusiastic in solving complex problems, even when faced with uncertainties, are encouraged to apply. The iDP is also suitable for students who have entrepreneurial aspirations or like to work on hands-on projects. Those who can work in teams tend to perform well as the iDP involves a lot of group work.

Do I need to pay extra fees if I am in the iDP?

You only need to pay the tuition fees for your undergraduate degree programme, i.e. your primary major. There is no additional tuition fees for taking up a second major, minor, specialisation or other programmes in NUS.

However, if you extend your candidature beyond the normal candidature period of 8 semesters, higher tuition fees will apply for the additional semesters.

The latest tuition fees may be found on this website:

https://www.nus.edu.sg/registrar/docs/info/administrative-policies-procedures/ugtuitioncurrent.pdf

Work in the iDP

What form of work would I be doing as an iDP student?

The iDP consists of a series of project-based modules. Students are expected to develop their knowledge, skills, and abilities in innovation and design in a cumulative manner through their project work. The projects are supplemented by lectures, workshops, laboratory sessions, and seminars to provide students with the necessary knowledge and skills. Where opportunities arise, students may also participate in local and international design competitions.

Project work in the iDP is group-based. Students normally work in groups (typically 3 to 5 members) with peers from different disciplines.

Do I need to take additional modules as an iDP student?

In most cases, students would not need to take additional modules beyond the minimum graduation requirements especially if they are able to double-count a number of modules between the iDP and their primary majors. The iDP is structured as a Second Major or Minor in Innovation & Design which should fit neatly within the unrestricted electives (UEM) space which ranges from 40 MCs to 48 MCs for a typical 4-year programme.

What are the modules that I need to enrol for as an iDP student?

The requirements for various cohorts are listed on the Curriculum page.

Is there any difference in the requirements for students who are admitted at various stages?

What are the areas of interest that are available for me to choose from for my iDP projects?

Projects in the iDP are classified into six broad areas of interests:

For the design project module EG3301R and final year project module EG4301, students can propose their own projects or choose from those offered by the teaching staff.

What are the advantages of working on my iDP project over multiple years?

The iDP timeline affords students the opportunity to work on single project or a series of related ones, if they wish to do so, from Year 1 to Year 4 instead of multiple unrelated projects.

Students may begin by formulating their projects in Year 1 and Year 2 when they take EG2201A User-Centred Collaborative Design and EG2301 Case Studies in Innovation; proceed to conceptual design, proof-of concept, and prototyping in design project module EG3301R DCP Project in Year 2 and Year 3; and finally to further prototyping, testing, implementation, and evaluation in Year 4 through the final year project module EG4301 DCP Dissertation. Those who are keen to explore commercialisation of their project idea can take the pre-accelerator module EG4301A Ideas to Start-up in lieu of EG4301 during their final year.

The extended time spent on a single project over multiple years allows students to work on more challenging problems. It gives them more time to probe deeper into a problem, the space to think out of the box when ideating solutions, and the chance to refine their work through multiple iterations in order to achieve better-quality outcomes.

What are the resources available to me when I work on my iDP projects?

Every project will be supervised by at least one teaching staff who would guide and support students in their work. Every project will also receive some funding for consumables. Students can use the facilities within the iDP as such the electronics and assembly workshops, as well as the Central Workshop (which is part of the College of Design and Engineering) for their prototyping work. Students may work with their supervisors to identify other specific expertise and resources that may be required for their projects.

As my iDP projects are multidisciplinary and my project group team members come from different disciplines, who grades my work?

Projects in the iDP will be graded by teaching staff from the programme as well as those from other relevant academic units in NUS. Experts from the industry may also be invited to assess students’ work.

Can I still go for overseas student exchange programme (SEP) if I am in the iDP?

Students can only participate in a semester-long student exchange programme in Year 3 Semester 2. No project module is scheduled during this semester so as to allow students to do this. Students should not go for exchange in Year 3 Semester 1 because they are required to complete the second half of the design project module EG3301R during this semester.

Can I also take another second major, minor, or specialisation if I am in the iDP?

Students can only take one second major programme. Hence, iDP students who are enrolled in the Second Major in Innovation & Design will not be able to take another second major programme. However, they can enrol in a specialisation (for their primary major) or take up another minor.

iDP students who are enrolled in the Minor in Innovation & Design can take another second major programme, minor or specialisation.

Students who take another second major, minor, or specialisation in addition to the Second Major or Minor in Innovation & Design may need to graduate with additional modules beyond the minimum graduation requirements, hence they should work out their study plan carefully.

Can I still participate in other programmes such as Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme (UROP), University Town College Programme (UTCP), and NUS Overseas Colleges (NOC)?

Students may participate in other academic and enrichment programmes as long as they meet the requirements of their primary majors and do not exceed the maximum allowable workload for each semester. However, they may need to graduate with additional modules on top of their minimum graduation requirements. They should seek advice from the iDP or their home departments or faculties before pursuing these programmes.

Students may participate in both year-long and short NOC programmes to partially fulfil the iDP requirements.

Completion and exit

Can I drop out of the iDP after joining the programme?

Students may withdraw from the iDP anytime after joining the programme, but they should be aware of the following implications.

Firstly, students who wish to withdraw should do so at the end of a semester if they are taking an iDP module in that semester. Otherwise, they may receive a W grade for the module if they withdraw between Week 3 and Week 6, or an F grade if they withdraw after Week 6. In addition, students should not withdraw from the iDP midway through the two-semester long modules EG3301R and EG4301/EG4301A. They are required to complete the second half of these modules if they have gone through the first half.

Secondly, students who withdraw from the iDP may also need to retake some modules as advised by their home departments or faculties if these modules had originally been replaced by those in the iDP.

Thirdly, Engineering students from Cohorts AY2016/2017 to AY2020/2021 who withdraw after completing a EG3612 Vacation Industrial Attachment between Year 2 and Year 3 may need to complete an additional technical elective module in their primary major. They will not be eligible to do the semester-long EG3611A Industrial Attachment.

Fourthly, students who are in the iDP residential programme will need to vacate from the residential cluster upon withdrawing from the iDP, and source for their own on-campus accommodation.

What degree will I graduate with after completing the iDP?

Students in Engineering majors will graduate with a Bachelor of Engineering degree from their home departments in the College of Design and Engineering.

Students in non-Engineering majors will receive a Bachelor’s degree in their primary major from their home faculties.

Students from Cohorts AY2017/2018 to AY2020/2021 will be awarded the Second Major in Innovation & Design. The Second Major will be recorded on their official transcript.

Students from Cohort AY2021/2022 onward will be awarded either the Second Major in Innovation & Design or Minor in Innovation & Design. The Second Major or Minor will be recorded on their official transcript.

Will I get a separate certificate for the iDP?

Engineering students from Cohorts AY2016/2017 to AY2020/2021 who complete the iDP will receive a separate e-certificate from the College of Design and Engineering. This is because for these cohorts the iDP is one of the three pathways they need to choose for their Engineering degree programme.

No separate e-certificate will be issued for Engineering students from Cohort AY2021/2022 onward who are in the new Engineering curriculum.

No separate certificate will be issued for completion of the Second Major or Minor in Innovation & Design. However, it will be recorded on the official transcript.

Can I switch between the Second Major and Minor in Innovation & Design?

By default, all students in the iDP will be enrolled in the Second Major in Innovation & Design.

Those who wish to exit with only the Minor in Innovation & Design can inform us upon completion of the modules for the Minor.