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)

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

 


 

Mechanical Engineering (ME) Undergraduate Curriculum Structure
(Cohort AY2025/2026 onwards)
ME Major Requirements Common Curriculum Requirements Unrestricted Elective (UE) Courses
Engineering Core (20 Units)

  • MA1505 Mathematics I (4 Units)
  • MA1512 Differential Equations for Engineering (2 Units)
  • MA1513 Linear Algebra & Differential Equations (2 Units)
  • EG2401A Engineering Professionalism
    (2 Units)
  • EG3611A Industrial Attachment
    (10 Units)

Mechanical Engineering Major
(60 Units)

  • ME1103 Principles of Mechanics and Materials (4 units)
  • ME2105 Principles of Mechatronics and Automation (4 units)
  • Core Courses (32 units)
  • ME Technical Electives (12 units)
  • Integrated Project: FYP ME4101A (8 units)
General Education (GE) Courses
(24 Units)

  • GEA1000 Quantitative Reasoning with Data
  • CS1010E Programming Methodology
  • ES2631 Critique and Communication of Thinking and Design
  • CDE2501 Sustainable Systems for
    Liveable Cities
  • Communities & Engagement (GEN)
  • Cultures and Connections (GEC)
Common Courses
(16 Units)

  • EG1311 Design and Make
  • EE2211 Introduction to Machine Learning or
    EE2213 Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
  • DTK1234 Design Thinking
  • PF1101A Project Management and Finance
40 units of Unrestricted Elective Courses

(Any course open to you; may be used to fulfil requirements for specialisations, majors or minors.)

Subtotal = 80 Units Subtotal = 40 Units Subtotal = 40 Units
Minimum required for graduation = 160 Units

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.

More details about the requirements (within the sample semester schedules) can be found here.

Details about courses can be found here.

Degree requirements for different cohorts:

Specialisations

If you are passionate about pursuing an engineering career in one of the areas listed below, you may opt to specialise in higher years by reading technical electives from a given set of courses according to your cohort requirements. Our specialisations are in the following fields.

Additional requirements concerning specialisations can be found here.

Specialisations are optional, and you would not be disadvantaged should you not specialise. Instead, you could choose technical electives from a range of ME topics to strengthen your overall ME expertise. Many of our top graduates do not specialise, yet build highly successful careers in various fields of engineering. You would receive a separate certificate of specialisation in the chosen field, in addition to the B.Eng. (ME) degree scroll.

You may apply for a specialisation at the point of application to NUS (for Aeronautical Engineering, Robotics and Industry 4.0) or later in Year 2 (for all specialisations). Your selection to and continuation in each specialisation is based on overall merit, as well as your aptitude in related foundational courses – there are no quotas on the number accepted to each specialisation.

Differentiated Pathways

(for cohorts AY2019/2020 and AY2020/2021 only)
You can have a successful career not only as a practising engineer in industry, but also as an entrepreneur or a researcher. Depending on your strengths, interests and aspirations, you improve your training in your preferred profession through one of our three differentiated education pathways. Read more about the pathways here.