ELECTIVE OPTIONS SCHEME Specialisation with Flexibility !

 Frequently Asked Questions
Started in July 2003, the "Elective Options" scheme offers students great flexibility.

Under this scheme, students are allowed to choose one Option, comprising 3 to 5 subjects. Students can choose from several Options offered for each Diploma. These Options, carefully planned and designed after a survey and analysis of the current demands of the industry and job market, are all "hot" topic areas in today's new economy.

The main benefit of these Options is that students can specialise in a popular area with great prospects (eg. Aerospace Engineering), while still getting a broad-based grounding in an Engineering field (eg. Mechatronics). This is vital in case is a downturn in the Aerospace sector at any time.

There are also Electives, which are special subjects that focus on a particular niche area which is in high demand by the industry. These Electives will equip students with niche skills, making them more marketable and industry-ready.

OTHER ADVANTAGES OF THE ELECTIVE OPTIONS SCHEME

  1. allows students to match their interest to the relevant area of technology
  2. adds value to the diploma and hence raise students' market value in the eyes of employers
  3. provides more variety of subjects to students
  4. widens students' career opportunities and further studies choices after graduation
  5. Optons provide SPECIALISATION with FLEXIBILITY
    -- students specialise in a field of study, but yet get a firm grounding in other Engineering areas
    which they can fall back on, in case of a downturn in that specialised field.

ELECTIVES / OPTIONS OFFERED:

Diploma programmeElective Options
Electronics
  1. Aerospace Electronics
  2. Business
  3. Robotics
  4. Programming & Networking
  5. Mobile Computing
  6. Photonics
Mechatronics
  1. Aerospace Engineering
  2. Process Control and Automation
  3. Robotics
  4. 3D Design and Visualisation
Info-Communications
  1. Computer Game Programming & Web Services
  2. Wireless Technology
Computer Engineering


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Microelectronics
Biomedical Informatics
& Engineering
Media & Communication
Technology


Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Why aren't these Elective Options incorporated as part of the diploma course, but offered as electives?
A: There is a limitation in curriculum hours in each course and hence it is not possible to incorporate all these Elective Options as part of the diploma course. Also, the Elective Options allow us to meet the demands of the industry in their various vital technologies and applications.

2. Are these Elective Options offered in other Polytechnics as well?
A: A few of them might be, but the range and combination of options would be different.

3. Why are these Elective Options offered only in the 3rd year of a diploma course?
A: Students have to build their fundamental knowledge and skills in the first 2 years of their study before they can embark on the specialised path of the Elective Options. In addition, the first 2 years of study will allow students to know exactly what are their technological areas of interest which they hope to specialise in.

4. Is the workload of each Elective Option the same as for other academic subjects?
A: Yes, the workload is typically the same, that is, comprising about 4 or 5 hours of classes per week.

5. Why is the Elective Option scheme only offered for 4 Diploma programmes?
A: This is because the other Diploma programmes such as Computer Engineering, Telecommunications, and Microelectronics, are already specialised diplomas by themselves. The other Diplomas (eg. Biomedical Informatics & Engineering, and Business Process & Systems Engineering) may develop their Elective Options later, when there is an industry need for it.

6. Will I get an additional certificate given by Temasek Polytechnic upon completion of the Elective Option? And is the cert recognised by the industry?
A: No, there is no additional certificate for taking the Elective Option. However, some Elective Options (eg. Computer Networking) prepares students for industry standard certifications. For eg, the Computer Networking Elective Option prepares and equips students for the CISCO networking exam, leading to an industry-recognised CISCO Certified Networking Associate (CCNA) status.

7. Is the Elective Option less detailed and more superficial than a full compulsory module in a diploma programme?
A: No, definitely not in the case of Temasek Engineering School's Elective Options scheme. Each Elective Option puts students through 3 or 4 subjects, and trains students up to industry standard in terms of skill-set and knowledge.

8. Are there any special criteria or entry pre-requisites in order to take the Electives / Options?
A: Yes, some of the Elective Options may have entry pre-requisites based on the grades obtained by students in their 2nd year. This is to ensure that students who join that Elective Option have the relevant skill-set and right aptitude for that technology area. This also ensures high standards and graduates who have taken a particular Elective Option are regarded highly by companies in the industry.

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