Author: Mohamed Nawfal (article originally taken from uniclues.com)
Course: xxx
Electrical Engineering is inarguably the driving force behind most modern inventions. Computer technology and the world wide web are two Electrical and Computer Engineering-related inventions that have evolved rapidly and revolutionised our world. It is thus a discipline that has plenty to offer in terms of discovery, innovations, and creativity.
Engineers largely focus on building things, be it buildings, machines or other types of systems. These products do not have to be tangible items. For example, Process Engineers build pipelines to develop and manufacture products on an industrial scale while Quality Assurance Engineers âbuildâ and execute testing procedures to ensure quality. To elaborate on the diverse roles that engineers perform, letâs take an organisation like SMRT for example. Engineers are involved in:
This probably oversimplifies the plethora of other roles engineers around the world assumes. It can be seen that some engineering roles require much less hands-on work than others.Â
I joined engineering because I want to solve interesting problems and have a tangible positive impact on the community. In particular, Iâm interested in how technology can be applied to healthcare, which may be done so through the innovation of medical devices and analytical tools. Â
I was considering which major, in its application, was the most intriguing. This narrowed my choices down to Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Biomedical Engineering. From there, I decided to do some self-exploration and enrolled in online courses. Here are some of the courses I tried:
Of the 3 courses, MITâs was the most thought-provoking and stimulating to me. Apart from the courses, I read chapters from each subjectâs introductory textbooks to get a feel of the content. Most textbooks were downloaded online but I did go to the extent of borrowing books from the library as well. Eventually, I had to rule out Biomedical Engineering as I was unsettled by my absolute lack of exposure to biology (I didnât take biology at both the O and A levels). Ultimately, I decided on electrical engineering as it appealed to me the most and I could digest Electrical Engineering topics more easily.
âI did not give much thought to the Indicative Grade Profile (IGP) of the course. In my opinion, a low IGP is an indication of the supply and demand of the course, nothing more.â
In hindsight, I am lucky that my interests match my ability as not only did I find the introductory Electrical Engineering topics more interesting, they were easier to understand as well. Moreover, I did not have to weigh between practicality and interests as Electrical Engineering is decently remunerative.
The chief reason I went with NUS Electrical Engineering is because of its research capability. NUS has close relations to a research institute that I find appealing, whereas NTU Electrical and Electronic Engineering does not have much research capability in the field Iâm interested in. To understand each schoolâs research capability, visit their website.Â
Click here for NUSâ research capability as a whole and here for NUS Electrical Engineeringâs research capability.
Another reason why I chose NUS is because of the campusâ accessibility. Lastly, the fact that NUS graduates command higher starting salaries further reinforced my decision to go to NUS, although I would definitely not recommend students to prioritise salary when choosing their university courses.
If you are unsure about which school to choose, speak to students and staff from each school if you can. Consider the research capability of each school and other non-academic factors such as graduate employment statistics, convenience and school culture.
Unfortunately, yes. Most engineering disciplines require either H2 Physics or Chemistry, in combination with H2 Mathematics. Admission criteria may change from year to year, so do visit the official school websites for more details!
Engineering is a wide-ranging field with several majors. Different majors require different levels of proficiency from their students. For some majors, you canât run away from Physics and Mathematics. These include Mechanical Engineering and Civil Engineering. Electrical Engineering leans towards depth rather than breadth when it comes to Physics, focusing mainly on the topic of Circuits and Semiconductors.
Most majors do not focus too much on Mathematics at the undergraduate level. For Electrical Engineering, in particular, it seems like there is generally a heavier emphasis on Mathematics compared to the other majors. However, that doesnât mean that other engineering majors completely disregard Mathematics. Most of them gives students the freedom to specialise in a sub-field that places emphasis on Mathematics if they wish to do so.
Interest in Mathematics and Physics would generally make you a better fit for Engineering courses. The curriculum structure of Engineering courses is largely similar to the structure of the A-Level Curriculum. For those interested in theory and proving (like in H3 Mathematics), I suggest you go for a degree in Mathematics or Physics instead.
With that said, Mathematics and Physics in Engineering are not as difficult compared to degrees in the pure sciences. This is because Engineering students do not have to worry about proving theories and will be focusing on the application of theories instead. Generally speaking, Iâll say that students with A/B in H2 Mathematics will be quite comfortable with undergraduate Engineering Mathematics. Even if you arenât confident in your Mathematics, thereâs enough time to catch up. Donât count out Engineering just because of the perceived difficulty of Mathematics.
To flourish in engineering you have to have a strong interest in what you study and be curious about how things work. Interest in engineering and inquisitiveness are of utmost importance as they will be your sources of motivation through this arduous journey. Also, stay away if youâre looking for an easy degree or looking to secure a high paying job.
There are some general topics that youâll encounter in Year 1 that should be simple enough for you to pick up on your own. These include:
You can search for resources online. I personally referred to âElectrical Engineering â Principles and Applicationsâ for some light reading but Iâm sure there are plenty of great resources out there that could be more suitable for people with different learning styles, such as Youtube videos.
Moreover, apart from these core Electrical Engineering topics, you will also be taking Mathematics modules in Year 1. Hence, refreshing your understanding of Calculus, Statistics, Complex Numbers and Matrices wouldnât hurt. My suggestion to you is to start with the topics above before you delve into Mathematics as the latter may be too dry for your liking.
In my opinion, minors donât add as much value as people make it out to. Also, the second majors are administrative enigmas. One would have to stress tremendously over planning timetables every semester. Personally, I think students should take individual modules that either interest them or improve them. If there are enough of them to make up a minor/major, great! However, trying to squeeze out a major or minor purely for its paper qualification is too much of a hassle.
Engineering Science Programme (ESP) is a new course and there arenât much graduate statistics to give us an understanding of its employability. From what I have heard, it is a rigorous course. The list of its modules gives me the impression that it is a broad degree with modules from different majors. These modules also seem to be the harder modules from each major.
âThe course is known for attracting students who aspire to specialise in research in the future. However, I will play devilâs advocate in saying you can join any engineering discipline and position yourself towards the research route as well.â
The flexibility offered by this degree is a double-edged sword. Although it buys you time to decide on what to focus on, you might end up with a mess of modules in your portfolio, with no real focus, if you cannot decide on your area of specialisation. Hence, ESP requires good planning of which modules to take.
At NUS Electrical Engineering, students take on introductory mathematics and programming courses in preparation for the subsequent higher-level courses. They are also exposed to the salient subsections of Electrical Engineering, such as digital design, signals and circuits in their first two years. This allows them to explore their options before they choose which area to specialise in. After such exposure, students can pick out a handful of higher-level courses, called outer-cores, in the subfields of their liking.Â
There is a healthy balance between theory-based and empirical learning. Most courses have hands-on activities involved. These activities, which range from classroom lab sessions to projects, can be based on both hardware and software theories.
A significant portion of coursesâ grades is determined by the finals. However, the weightage of the finals tends to dwindle slightly as students progress on to higher-level electives, where students are rewarded more for class participation and class quizzes.Â
I like how the professors that I have interacted with are really nice and passionate about their work. Many lecturers actively tie their course content with their research interest and/or real-world applications, which helps students appreciate the content better. My peers have also been friendly and nice to work with! They are always willing to extend a helping hand. Fortunately, I have not experienced any âbackstabbingâ cases in the past 3 years.Â
Timetable scheduling is quite rigid, especially for the first two years. Since the core modules are preallocated, it is nearly impossible to customize our schedules to clear core modules that we are interested in first, which makes it harder to plan for higher-level electives later on.
Electrical Engineering has helped me understand how the technology works. It has taught me to think critically about the benefits and limitations of up-and-coming technologies. This allows me to keep abreast of the advancements in technology.Â
Apart from hard skills and technical knowledge, NUS Electrical Engineering has allowed me to develop my soft skills through group projects, where I had to interact with both my peers and my lecturers.
Everyone in engineering can apply to the Innovation and Design Programme (IDP). IDP tends to focus more on group work. It is also allocated more resources, like 3D printers, than the other courses. However, one drawback is that its students have little to no freedom to explore other modules as their credits are mostly used up by IDP modules. For those considering the IDP, my advice to you would be to decide after your first semester at university.
Students can choose to go for shorter overseas programmes like summer/winter school which can be completed in a month and fulfil the requirements for 2 modules. One can also opt for the semestral exchange programmes, which span around half a year, and complete 3-4 modules in the process. NUS also has a 6 month to a year-long NUS Overseas Colleges programme, where students can work and study simultaneously overseas.
I did an internship at a research institute within NUS. Working in a small team as a research intern gave me the opportunity to work on multiple tasks that spanned across different aspects of Engineering, which was great exposure for me! My supervisor also allowed for the freedom to explore solutions myself and was encouraging and supportive. This gave me the chance to work independently, which I cherish a lot.Â
The Graduate Employment Survey shows that electrical engineering students generally have good prospects of finding a job. Although I do not know the exact number for the proportion of graduates that go to non-engineering jobs, I believe that it is, roughly, a 60-40 or 70-30 split between those who take up engineering jobs and those who take up non-engineering jobs like finance.
I would like to work in the healthcare industry or engage in Biomedical research. My dream job should:
I am currently deciding between going into the industry and research. For further studies, Iâm considering between NUS Graduate School for Integrative Sciences and Engineering (NGS) and Duke-NUS based on the areas of research these two institutes provide funding to. However, I am willing to consider other institutes that provide funding to the areas of research I am interested in.
From researching online, it seems like local PhD programmes pay a higher stipend than overseas programmes. However, you canât rule out the novelty of venturing out of Singapore, as well as the vibrant research environment overseas.
However, I am wary that looking for a suitable job as a PhD holder might be a challenge, especially outside of academia. In my opinion, if you take the opportunity to develop skills that are highly sought after during your 4-6 years in a PhD programme, you will have a good chance of joining academic institutions, research institutes or even going into the Engineering industry. However, if your skillset is too focused on one area of expertise and is inflexible, companies may be reluctant to hire you.
Personally, I find university more demanding yet more fulfilling. You get plenty of opportunities to meet impactful peers and professors and to step out of your comfort zone. It gets stressful when one has to juggle academics, social life and side projects.
The views and opinions expressed here are solely those of the interviewees and do not reflect the official policy or position of any institution. They are also not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, class, individual or organisation.
The information contained in this website is intended to provide general guidance only. It should not be relied upon as professional advice and does not 100% guarantee admission into any course.
0 Comments