Double Degree Programmes within CDE - College of Design and Engineering

Overview

Students from Cohort AY2024/2025 onwards may pursue a double degree programme (DDP) within the College of Design and Engineering (CDE). They will graduate with two honours degrees from CDE which may be completed within 4 or 4.5 years (i.e. 8 or 9 regular semesters).

A DDP within CDE enables students to widen their knowledge and skills in design and/or engineering, and build a stronger foundation to undertake multidisciplinary specialisations within CDE that require knowledge from different disciplines (e.g. the Robotics Specialisation and Industry 4.0 Specialisation) which are open to several Engineering majors. Having a DDP in complementary fields (e.g. Civil Engineering with Architecture or Industrial Design with Electrical Engineering) could also broaden job prospects and lead to new and unique career options as students learn how to engage professionals from both fields.

Overall curriculum structure

In general, students will typically need to read around 180 units in order to complete the DDP, before accounting for double counting between the selected majors / degree programmes and other additional courses such as bridging courses.

The overall curriculum structure of the DDP comprises the following:

CDE Common Curriculum: 60 units
Primary degree major: 60 units
Second degree major: 60 units

Students can choose any combination of degree programmes from CDE, including two Bachelor of Engineering programmes or two Bachelor of Arts programmes, except for the following:

Bachelor of Engineering (Computer Engineering) with Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical Engineering)
Bachelor of Arts (Architecture) with Bachelor of Landscape Architecture

Additionally, students can only choose the following as their primary degree programme. Nonetheless, those who wish to enrol in the following as a second degree programme may submit an appeal to be considered on a case-to-case basis:

Bachelor of Engineering (Computer Engineering)
Bachelor of Arts (Architecture)
Bachelor of Arts (Industrial Design)
Bachelor of Landscape Architecture

CDE Common Curriculum

In general, students in this DDP will only need to read one course to satisfy each pillar in the CDE Common Curriculum. These courses are classified as CA and contribute to the GPA for both degree programmes.

Some of the pillars in the CDE Common Curriculum may be fulfilled by courses from the University Town College Programme (UTCP), Ridge View Residential College (RVRC) Programme, or NUS College (NUSC).

CDE Common Curriculum pillar	Course to be read by DDP students
Data Literacy	Default is GEA1000 Quantitative Reasoning with Data. Students can read BT1101, DSA1101, or ST1131 in lieu of GEA1000. NUSC students will read GEA1000N in lieu of GEA1000. Students who are enrolled in Industrial & Systems Engineering as either primary or second degree programme must read IE1111R. If they have not read GEA1000 prior to admission into the DDP, they must replace GEA1000 with 4 units of unrestricted electives.
Digital Literacy	Students who are enrolled in any Engineering major as either primary or second degree programme must read CS1010% Programming Methodology (any variant). Students who are enrolled in Architecture or Landscape Architecture with Industrial Design can choose CS1010% or either of the following: AR2524 Spatial Computational Thinking ID2116 Computing for Design Computational Problem Solving (for those in NUSC only) NUSC students in Engineering majors must read CS1010% in lieu of Computational Problem Solving.
Communities and Engagement	Students may read any course from the approved list for this pillar as documented on the Office of the University Registrar's website. Students may fulfil this pillar using approved courses from UTCP, RVRC or NUSC as documented on the Office of the University Registrar's website.
Critique and Expression	Students who are enrolled in any Engineering major as either primary or second degree programme must read ES2631 Critique and Communication of Thinking and Design. Students who are enrolled in Architecture or Landscape Architecture with Industrial Design may read any course from the approved list for this pillar as documented on the Office of the University Registrar's website. Students may fulfil this pillar using approved courses from UTCP, RVRC, or NUSC.
Cultures and Connections	Students may read any course from the approved list for this pillar as documented on the Office of the University Registrar's website. Students may fulfil this pillar using approved courses from UTCP, RVRC or NUSC as documented on the Office of the University Registrar's website.
Singapore Studies	Students may read any course from the approved list for this pillar as documented on the Office of the University Registrar's website. Students may fulfil this pillar using approved courses from UTCP, RVRC or NUSC as documented on the Office of the University Registrar's website. Students who are enrolled in Architecture as either primary or second degree programme must read CDE2501 Liveable Cities to fulfil this pillar.
Artificial Intelligence	Students who are enrolled in any Engineering major as either primary or second degree programme must read EE2211 Introduction to Machine Learning. Students who are enrolled in Architecture or Landscape Architecture with Industrial Design can choose either EE2211 or CDE2212 AI for Design.
Creating Narratives	Default is CDE2000 Creating Narratives. Students with accredited diplomas may be exempted from this course. NUSC students may fulfil this pillar using approved courses from NUSC. Students who are enrolled in Architecture as either primary or second degree programme will read AR1101A Design 1: Seeing, Thinking, Making in lieu of CDE2000.
Design Thinking	Default is DTK1234 Design Thinking. Students with accredited diplomas may be exempted from this course. Students who are enrolled in Architecture as either primary or second degree programme will read AR1101A Design 1: Seeing, Thinking, Making in lieu of DTK1234. Students who are enrolled in Landscape Architecture as either primary or second degree programme will read DTK1234A Design Thinking in lieu of DTK1234.
Maker Space	EG1311 Design and Make. Students with accredited diplomas may be exempted from this course.
Project Management	PF1101 Fundamentals of Project Management. Students with accredited diplomas may be exempted from this course.
Sustainable Futures	Default is CDE2501 Liveable Cities. NUSC students may choose either CDE2501 or NSS2001 Science and Society from NUSC. Students who are enrolled in Architecture as either primary or second degree programme will read AR1329 Climate, Ecology & Architecture to fulfil this pillar.
Systems Thinking	Default is IE2141 Systems Thinking and Dynamics. Students who have read the Junior Seminar course (UTC1702%) in Residential College 4 are exempted from this course and must replace it with 4 units of unrestricted electives.
Integrated Project	Students to choose one course (8 units) from curated list of Integrated Project courses which is relevant to either degree programme. Students are NOT required to also take a second course for the same pillar that is relevant to the other degree programme. Students are strongly encouraged to select a topic for the Integrated Project course that is relevant to both degree programmes so as to maximise the benefits of interdisciplinarity that are offered by this DDP.

Double counting between majors in primary and second degree programmes

In general, students may double count up to 24 units of courses in each major (i.e. up to 40% of each major) with another major, second major, minor or specialisation, subject to the following restrictions:

Up to 20 units of courses can be double counted between the two majors in the DDP, while at least 40 units of courses in each major in the DDP must be distinct from the other major.
If there are additional core courses that are identical or mapped between the two majors in excess of these 20 units of double counted courses (examples as shown in the table below), students must read additional discipline elective courses from either major to replace these identical or mapped core courses. Unrestricted elective courses and bridging courses cannot be counted for this purpose in lieu of the additional discipline elective courses.
Courses that are double counted between the two majors in the DDP cannot also be counted toward another second major, minor, or specialisation as it would lead to triple counting.

If both majors in the DDP are Engineering majors, the 20 units of courses that can be double counted between the two majors will comprise the following courses in the Engineering core:

Modelling and simulation: complete 8 units of courses with minimum of 2 units each for Linear Algebra, Calculus, and Differential Equations
EG2401A Engineering Professionalism (2 units)
Internship(s): complete minimum 10 units from the curated list of internship courses e.g. EG3611A Industrial Attachment (10 units), EG3612 Vacation Industrial Attachment (6 units), and EG2605 Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme (4 units).

To fulfil their compulsory internship requirement, students who are enrolled in two Engineering majors can undertake internships that are relevant to either major. However, they are strongly encouraged to go for internships that are relevant to both majors in order to maximise the benefit of doing the DDP. Polytechnic-intake and other students who have received advanced placements credits for the internship requirement will be considered as having fulfilled the internship requirement.

Primary Engineering programme

Second Engineering programme

Number of units of additional discipline elective courses that must be read from either Engineering programme

Biomedical Engineering

BN1111 may be mapped to these courses in the following second degree programmes:

Chemical Engineering: CN1101A
Electrical Engineering: EE1111A
Engineering Science: ESP1111
Materials Science & Engineering: MLE1001B

BN2111 may be mapped to these courses in the following second degree programmes:

Chemical Engineering: CN2102
Engineering Science: ESP2111
Materials Science & Engineering: MLE2001A
Mechanical Engineering: ME2104

Biomedical Engineering with the following as second degree programme:

Chemical Engineering: 8 units
Electrical Engineering: 4 units
Engineering Science: 8 units
Materials Science & Engineering: 8 units
Mechanical Engineering: 4 units

Students may opt to complete gateway courses in the second degree programmes as listed here instead of mapping them using BN1111 and/or BN2111 and completing 4/8 units of additional discipline elective courses from either degree programme.

Students who take Materials Science & Engineering as a second degree programme must complete MLE2301 as technical elective if both MLE1001B and MLE2001A are mapped by BN1111 and BN2111.

Chemical Engineering

CN1101A may be mapped to these courses in the following second degree programmes:

Biomedical Engineering: BN1111
Engineering Science: ESP1111
Materials Science & Engineering: MLE1001B
Mechanical Engineering: ME1102

CN2102 may be mapped to these courses in the following second degree programmes:

Engineering Science: ESP2111
Materials Science & Engineering: MLE2001A

Chemical Engineering with the following as second degree programme:

Biomedical Engineering: 4 units
Engineering Science: 8 units
Materials Science & Engineering: 8 units
Mechanical Engineering: 4 units

Students may opt to complete gateway courses in the second degree programmes as listed here instead of mapping them using CN1101A and/or CN2102 and completing 4/8 units of additional discipline elective courses from either degree programme.

Students who take Materials Science & Engineering as a second degree programme must complete MLE2301 as technical elective if both MLE1001B and MLE2001A are mapped by CN1101A and CN2102.

Civil Engineering

CE1103 may be mapped to these courses in the following second degree programmes:

Chemical Engineering: CN1101A
Engineering Science: ESP1111
Materials Science & Engineering: MLE1001B
Mechanical Engineering: ME1102

CE2155 may be mapped to these courses in the following second degree programmes:

Chemical Engineering: CN2102
Engineering Science: ESP2111
Materials Science & Engineering: MLE2001A

Students who take Mechanical Engineering as a second degree programme may choose either CE2134 or ME2134 to fulfil both degree programmes.

Civil Engineering with the following as second degree programme:

Chemical Engineering: 8 units
Engineering Science: 8 units
Materials Science & Engineering: 8 units
Mechanical Engineering: 8 units

Students may opt to complete gateway courses in the second degree programmes as listed here instead of mapping them using CE1103 and/or CE2155 and completing 4/8 units of additional discipline elective courses from either degree programme.

Students who take Materials Science & Engineering as a second degree programme must complete MLE2301 as technical elective if both MLE1001B and MLE2001A are mapped by CE1103 and CE2155.

Computer Engineering

CG1111A may be mapped to these courses in the following second degree programmes:

Biomedical Engineering: BN2111
Chemical Engineering: CN1101A
Engineering Science: ESP1111
Materials Science & Engineering: MLE1001B
Mechanical Engineering: ME2104

CG2111A may be mapped to these courses in the following second degree programmes:

Biomedical Engineering: BN2111
Chemical Engineering: CN2102
Engineering Science: ESP2111
Materials Science & Engineering: MLE2001A

Students who take Engineering Science as a second degree programme may choose either CG2023 or EE2023 to fulfil both degree programmes.

Students who take Industrial & Systems Engineering as a second degree programme will read CS2040 (any variant) to fulfil both degree programmes.

Computer Engineering with the following as second degree programme:

Biomedical Engineering: 4 units
Chemical Engineering: 8 units
Engineering Science: 12 units
Industrial & Systems Engineering: 4 units
Materials Science & Engineering: 8 units
Mechanical Engineering: 4 units

Students may opt to complete gateway courses in the second degree programmes as listed here instead of mapping them using CG1111A and/or CG2111A and completing 4/8 units of additional discipline elective courses from either degree programme.

Students who take Materials Science & Engineering as a second degree programme must complete MLE2301 as technical elective if both MLE1001B and MLE2001A are mapped by CG1111A and CG2111A.

Electrical Engineering

EE1111A may be mapped to these courses in the following second degree programmes:

Biomedical Engineering: BN1111
Chemical Engineering: CN1101A
Engineering Science: ESP1111
Materials Science & Engineering: MLE1001B
Mechanical Engineering: ME1102

EE2111A may be mapped to these courses in the following second degree programmes:

Biomedical Engineering: BN2111
Chemical Engineering: CN2102
Engineering Science: ESP2111
Materials Science & Engineering: MLE2001A
Mechanical Engineering: ME2104

Students who take Engineering Science as a second degree programme may choose either EE2023 or PC2020 to fulfil both degree programmes.

Electrical Engineering with the following as second degree programme:

Biomedical Engineering: 8 units
Chemical Engineering: 8 units
Engineering Science: 12 units
Materials Science & Engineering: 8 units
Mechanical Engineering: 8 units

Students may opt to complete gateway courses in the second degree programmes as listed here instead of mapping them using EE1111A and/or EE2111A and completing 4/8 units of additional discipline elective courses from either degree programme.

Students who take Materials Science & Engineering as a second degree programme must complete MLE2301 as technical elective if both MLE1001B and MLE2001A are mapped by EE1111A and EE2111A.

Engineering Science

ESP1111 may be mapped to these courses in the following second degree programmes:

Biomedical Engineering: BN1111
Chemical Engineering: CN1101A
Electrical Engineering: EE1111A
Materials Science & Engineering: MLE1001B
Mechanical Engineering: ME1102

ESP2111 may be mapped to these courses in the following second degree programmes:

Biomedical Engineering: BN2111
Chemical Engineering: CN2102
Electrical Engineering: EE2111A
Materials Science & Engineering: MLE2001A
Mechanical Engineering: ME2104

Students who take Electrical Engineering as a second degree programme may choose either EE2023 or PC2020 to fulfil both degree programmes.

Students who take Mechanical Engineering as a second degree programme will read ME2121 to fulfil both degree programmes.

Engineering Science with the following as second degree programme:

Biomedical Engineering: 8 units
Chemical Engineering: 8 units
Electrical Engineering: 12 units
Materials Science & Engineering: 8 units
Mechanical Engineering: 12 units

Students may opt to complete gateway courses in the second degree programmes as listed here instead of mapping them using ESP1111 and/or ESP2111 and completing 4/8 units of additional discipline elective courses from either degree programme.

Students who take Materials Science & Engineering as a second degree programme must complete MLE2301 as technical elective if both MLE1001B and MLE2001A are mapped by ESP1111 and ESP2111.

Environmental Engineering

ESE2101 may be mapped to these courses in the following second degree programmes:

Chemical Engineering: CN1101A
Engineering Science: ESP1111
Materials Science & Engineering: MLE1001B

ESE2102 may be mapped to these courses in the following second degree programmes:

Biomedical Engineering: BN1111
Chemical Engineering: CN2102
Engineering Science: ESP2111
Materials Science & Engineering: MLE2001A

Environmental Engineering with the following as second degree programme:

Biomedical Engineering: 4 units
Chemical Engineering: 8 units
Engineering Science: 8 units
Materials Science & Engineering: 8 units

Students may opt to complete gateway courses in the second degree programmes as listed here instead of mapping them using ESE2101 and/or ESE2102 and completing 4/8 units of additional discipline elective courses from either degree programme.

Students who take Materials Science & Engineering as a second degree programme must complete MLE2301 as technical elective if both MLE1001B and MLE2001A are mapped by ESE2101 and ESE2102.

Industrial & Systems Engineering

IE1111R may be mapped to these courses in the following second degree programmes:

Chemical Engineering: CN1101A
Engineering Science: ESP1111
Materials Science & Engineering: MLE1001B

IE2111 may be mapped to these courses in the following second degree programmes:

Chemical Engineering: CN2102
Engineering Science: ESP2111
Materials Science & Engineering: MLE2001A

Students who take Computer Engineering as a second degree programme will read CS2040 (any variant) to fulfil both degree programmes.

Industrial & Systems Engineering with the following as second degree programme:

Chemical Engineering: 8 units
Computer Engineering: 4 units
Engineering Science: 8 units
Materials Science & Engineering: 8 units

Students may opt to complete gateway courses in the second degree programmes as listed here instead of mapping them using IE1111R and/or IE2111 and completing 4/8 units of additional discipline elective courses from either degree programme.

Students who take Materials Science & Engineering as a second degree programme must complete MLE2301 as technical elective if both MLE1001B and MLE2001A are mapped by IE1111R and IE2111.

Materials Science & Engineering

MLE1001B may be mapped to these courses in the following second degree programmes:

Chemical Engineering: CN1101A
Electrical Engineering: EE1111A
Engineering Science: ESP1111

MLE2001A may be mapped to these courses in the following second degree programmes:

Chemical Engineering: CN2102
Engineering Science: ESP2111

Materials Science & Engineering with the following as second degree programme:

Chemical Engineering: 8 units
Electrical Engineering: 4 units
Engineering Science: 8 units

Students may opt to complete gateway courses in the second degree programmes as listed here instead of mapping them using MLE1001B and/or MLE2001A and completing 4/8 units of additional discipline elective courses from either degree programme.

Mechanical Engineering

ME1102 may be mapped to these courses in the following second degree programmes:

Biomedical Engineering: BN1111
Chemical Engineering: CN1101A
Electrical Engineering: EE1111A
Engineering Science: ESP1111
Materials Science & Engineering: MLE1001B

ME2104 may be mapped to these courses in the following second degree programmes:

Biomedical Engineering: BN2111
Chemical Engineering: CN2102
Electrical Engineering: EE2111A
Engineering Science: ESP2111
Materials Science & Engineering: MLE2001A

Students who take Civil Engineering as a second degree programme may choose either CE2134 or ME2134 to fulfil both degree programmes.

Students who take Engineering Science as a second degree programme will read ME2121 to fulfil both degree programmes.

Mechanical Engineering with the following as second degree programme:

Biomedical Engineering: 8 units
Chemical Engineering: 8 units
Civil Engineering: 4 units
Electrical Engineering: 8 units
Engineering Science: 12 units
Materials Science & Engineering: 8 units

Students may opt to complete gateway courses in the second degree programmes as listed here instead of mapping them using ME1102 and/or ME2104 and completing 4/8 units of additional discipline elective courses from either degree programme.

Students who take Materials Science & Engineering as a second degree programme must complete MLE2301 as technical elective if both MLE1001B and MLE2001A are mapped by ME1102 and ME2104.

Admission

Students who are interested to pursue this DDP must meet the following criteria:

Have a minimum GPA of 4.00 (before exercising the S/U option on any course) for their first degree programme.
Completed between 60 units and 80 units (excluding units earned from student exchange programmes or advanced placement credits), i.e. just after the third semester or fourth semester in NUS (note: students cannot enrol in a DDP beyond the end of their fifth semester).
Passed at least 12 units of courses from the major in the second degree programme, including the gateway course(s) for the major listed below but excluding courses in the CDE Common Curriculum and those that are double counted or mapped between the two majors.
Obtained a minimum GPA of 4.00 (before exercising the S/U option), i.e. average grade of B+, for the courses from the major in the second degree programme.
Able to complete both degree programmes within a maximum candidature period of 10 regular semesters.

In addition to the above, students may also need to go through an interview. Admission is subject to availability of vacancies in the second degree programme, and may be subject to other factors such as performance during interview and quality of other applicants.

The application window is normally open between Week 6 and Week 11 of each regular semester. The application link will be posted here once the application window is open. Applications submitted outside of this window or after the deadline will NOT be accepted.

Applications will be reviewed after the release of examination results for the same semester, and the outcome will be made known within 2 to 3 weeks from the release of examination results.

Gateway courses for Engineering majors

Engineering major	Gateway courses
Biomedical Engineering	BN1111 Biomedical Engineering Principles and Practice I BN2111 Biomedical Engineering Principles and Practice II
Chemical Engineering	CN1101A Chemical Engineering Principles and Practice I CN2102 Chemical Engineering Principles and Practice II
Civil Engineering	CE1103 Principles of Structural and Geotechnical Engineering CE2155 Principles of Structural Mechanics and Materials
Computer Engineering	CG1111A Engineering Principles and Practice I CG2111A Engineering Principles and Practice II
Electrical Engineering	EE1111A Electrical Engineering Principles and Practice I EE2111A Electrical Engineering Principles and Practice II
Engineering Science	ESP1111 Engineering Principles in Action ESP2111 Sensor System Electronics
Environmental Engineering	ESE2101 Environmental Science and Engineering Principles & Practice ESE2102 Principles & Practice in Environmental Monitoring
Industrial & Systems Engineering	IE1111R Industrial & Systems Engineering Principles & Practice I IE2111 Industrial & Systems Engineering Principles & Practice II
Infrastructure & Project Management	IPM1104 Built Environment Engineering Principles and Practice PF1101 Fundamentals of Project Management
Materials Science & Engineering	MLE1001B Materials Science & Engineering Principles and Practice I MLE2001A Materials Science & Engineering Principles and Practice II
Mechanical Engineering	ME1102 Engineering Principles and Practice I ME2104 Engineering Principles and Practice II

Click here to apply (for current NUS students only)

Candidature period and tuition fees

Regardless of the combination of majors for this DDP, the normal candidature period is 10 regular semesters. However, most students in the DDP should be able to graduate within 8 or 9 semesters.

Students in this DDP are required to pay only the prevailing tuition fee of their primary degree programme during the normal candidature period. However, those who take longer than the normal candidature period to complete the DDP will have to pay partial non-subsidized fees, culminating in full non-subsidised fees, during the extended semesters.

Continuation requirement and exit

Students in this DDP will need to maintain a minimum GPA of 3.50 for both degree programmes. They will be given a warning if they do not meet this requirement for a single semester. Those who do not meet this requirement for two consecutive semesters will be required to withdraw from the DDP by withdrawing from the second degree programme. However, this continuation requirement is not applicable once a student's total cumulative units exceed 140 units.

A student may decide to withdraw or can be asked to withdraw from this DDP by withdrawing from the second degree programme. All the courses that the student has taken to fulfil the requirements of the second degree will be reflected in the transcript and included in the computation of the GPA for the single degree programme.

Students in the DDP who want to withdraw from the primary degree (i.e. originally offered degree) programme and change to the second degree programme must seek a formal transfer through the Office of Admissions if their second degree programme is one of the following:

Bachelor of Engineering (Computer Engineering)
Bachelor of Arts (Architecture)
Bachelor of Arts (Industrial Design)
Bachelor of Landscape Architecture

If both primary and second degree programmes are Engineering (except Computer Engineering), students must seek for approval from CDE to withdraw from their primary degree programme and change to the second degree programme.

Contact us

You may contact Ms Lesley Poong at lesley@nus.edu.sg or 6516 1339 if you have questions about this DDP.