The Minor in Computing is open to all students in NTU except students from the School of Computer Engineering and B.Bus (IT) students from the Nanyang Business School.  A quota may be set by the School of Computer Engineering.

It is designed for students who do not wish to become computer engineers but recognise the value of basic computing knowledge and skills in complementing their selected course of study.  Computing subjects require hands-on practice. The minor does not advocate a theoretical approach to design and implementation of Computing; Hence, each subject assumes laboratory sessions.

Requirements

A total of 16 AUs is required to obtain a minor in Computing.  To be awarded a Minor in Computing, all students must complete a valid combination of four CM1XX or selected SCXXX subjects. In recognition that many schools offer a first course in programming, the minor has two routes:

1)   Those who have already completed an introductory programming course, and
2)   Those with no background in programming at all.

Students with no formal training in programming[1] will be required to complete both CM 101 and CM102 as compulsory subjects. The remaining 2 subjects can be selected from the CM subjects offered or those SC subjects listed below.  All students intending to select subjects from the list in Section 2 must have successfully completed the requisite compulsory subjects.  Those intending to select SC4XX level subjects are required to be of final year standing. Approval of their selection is subject to the authorization by the Prescribed Elective subject course coordinator. It is anticipated that only those students with adequate background from their major will be deemed fit to register for these SC4xx level subjects.

The AUs obtained for the minor subjects can be counted towards fulfillment of General Elective requirements.  No monitoring will be carried out to explicitly retain or drop students from the program. A student is expected to successfully accumulate the requisite number of AUs in order to be awarded the minor.  The compulsory subjects are tailored to suit the students in the minor program rather than 'sharing' courses with Computer Engineering students.

Curriculum – Minor in Computing 

Section 1	Computing Minor Specific Subjects
CM101 JAVA and the Internet	[COMPULSORY for students without formal programming background]
CM102 How Computers Work	[COMPULSORY for students with and without formal programming background]
CM103 Applying IT
CM104 Reasoning with Objects	Recommendation is for students to do CM101 and CM102 first

Section 2	Shared SC level Subjects
CPE101	Electronics Principles
CPE104/CSC104	Logic Design
CPE105/CSC105	Data Structures and Object-Oriented Programming
CPE203/CSC203	Software Systems and Models
CPE416/CSC411/SC432[2]	Distributed Systems/Computing
CPE425/CSC301/SC433	Programming Languages
CPE432/CSC427/SC435	Visualization
CPE410/CSC407/SC443	Computer Game Programming
CPE418/CSC414/SC447	Geometric Modelling
CPE420/CSC418/SC449	Linear Programming
CPE428/CSC425/SC452	Simulation and Modelling
CPE429/CSC426/SC453	Software Testing

 

Commencement of the Programme

Commence from Semester 2 of 2003/2004. Check NTU class schedule for subjects offered during each semester.

Subject Code and Title	No of Hours Per Week				No. of AUs	Pre-requisite	Offered as GE:Y/N	Notes
	Lect	Tut	Lab	Total
Section 1
CM101 JAVA and the Internet	2	1	1	4	4	Nil	Y	Compulsory for students without formal programming background[1]
CM102 How Computers Work	3	1.5		4.5	4	Nil	Y	Compulsory for all students.
CM103 Applying IT	3	1.5		4.5	4	Nil	Y
CM104 Reasoning with Objects	3	1.5		4.5	4	Nil	Y
Section 2
CPE101 Electronics Principles	3	1.5		4.5	4		Y
CPE104/CSC104 Logic Design	3	1.5		4.5	4		Y
CPE105/CSC105 Data Structures and Object-Oriented Programming	2	1	1	4	4		Y
CPE203/CSC203 Software Systems and Models	3	1.5		4.5	4		Y
CPE416/CSC411/SC432  Distributed Systems/ Computing	3	1.5		4.5	4		Y	Approval Required.
CPE425/CSC301/SC433  Programming Languages	3	1.5		4.5	4		Y	Approval Required.
CPE432/CSC427/SC435 Visualization	3	1.5		4.5	4		Y	Approval Required.
CPE410/CSC407/SC443 Computer Game Programming	3	1.5		4.5	4		Y	Approval Required.
CPE418/CSC414/SC447 Geometric Modelling	3	1.5		4.5	4		Y	Approval Required.
CPE420/CSC418/SC449 Linear Programming	3	1.5		4.5	4		Y	Approval Required.
CPE428/CSC425/SC452 Simulation and Modelling	3	1.5		4.5	4		Y	Approval Required.
CPE429/CSC426/SC453 Software Testing	3	1.5		4.5	4		Y	Approval Required.
Total No. of AUs to obtain Minor: 16

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ON MINOR IN COMPUTING

Q1	Why are there two different routes to obtaining a Minor in Computing?
Ans	Some students already have a sufficient exposure to an introductory language. Such students will be allowed to replace CM101 with another elective.
Q2	What is the definition of a formal course in Computer Programming?
Ans	Students who have successfully completed the First Year Common Engineering G168 are considered to be formally trained in Computer Programming. Please note that other Schools have some introduction to the use of computers but they do not constitute sufficient programming background. Such courses include School of Biological Sciences:   BS105: Basic Computing                                                BS210: Bioinformatics; Nanyang Business School:     AB113: Information Technology School of Communication & Information:  CS108: I.T. for Media Use .
Q3	I have been involved in some computing activities such as web design, database and office applications writing during my secondary school days and would like to hone my skills professionally.  The Minor in Computing does not seem to offer specialized areas for me to pursue my interest.  Would I stand a better chance to work in the ICT industry if I have a Minor in Computing?
Ans	The Minor in Computing should provide a student with sufficient knowledge to work with basic ICT based jobs. The goal of this minor is to equip students so that they can work knowledgeably with their counterparts with a Computing Major when they enter industry. This serves as an edge over others without the minor.
Q4	Is there any order for the non-compulsory minor subjects that I should first take?
Ans	Students must complete their compulsory subjects before they will be allowed to take the non-compulsory subjects.
Q5	Can I take CM103 or CM104  (or other subject listed among the electives subjects) before taking CM101 or CM102?
Ans	Students who are not exempted from CM101 must complete CM101 first. CM102 must also be completed before other CM or SCXXX courses are made available.
Q6	How will the minor enhance future employability?
Ans	It is envisaged that this minor will provide an edge in competing for jobs in the future. In whichever major you are taking, there is a universal need for computing tools and applications. Hence, an organization should view this minor as an added bonus in its employees.
Q7	I am majoring in business and would like to go into eCommerce. But I notice your Minor does not offer specialities in the area.  How can the minor help me?
Ans	The Minor in Computing provides a technological basis for students. It will cover the technical aspects of computing and how technology can be used to support eCommerce. It however will not focus on the business aspects of eCommerce.
GENERAL QUESTIONS
Q8	Can I register for more than 1 minor subject under the Minor programme in the same semester?
Ans	Students are advised to restrict themselves to one minor subject. However, if due to a lighter course load, a student has time for a second minor subject, they may be placed on the wait-list during registration. Subject to vacancies available after other students are allotted their first minor subject, allocation will be carried out on a first-come basis during the add/drop period.
Q9	If I inform the School that I am interested to do a Minor, can the School help me if there are clashes in my time-table?
Ans	The School will schedule classes to suit the majority. It is ultimately the responsibility of students to register for the minor subjects based on their schedules.
Q10	Will my performance in my major affect the status of the minor?
Ans	SCE will not query the status of the student's performance in the major. As long as the student is fulfilling the minor course requirements, SCE will not terminate the student's registration in the minor course. However, you should monitor your own progress and if you are unable to cope with your major, you should drop the minor.
Q11	When is the best time to start?
Ans	You should start taking Computing Minor subjects after your first semester results are out. Due to the number of subjects involved, students in Year 2 (for 3-year degrees) and Year 3 (for a 4-year degrees) or higher may not have enough time to fulfill the requirements for the Computing Minor.

[1] Refer to FAQ Q1 and Q2 for clarification
[2] Those intending to select SC4XX level subjects are required to be of final year standing.