ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Artificial Intelligence (Design and Engineering)
The Future of Design and Engineering
What is the Minor in Artificial Intelligence (Design and Engineering) About?
The minor in Artificial Intelligence (Design and Engineering) provides students with a solid foundation in data engineering, data science, and machine learning and enables them to develop skills and innovative solutions to engineering problems. It blends theoretical understanding with contextualised learning, preparing graduates to design practical systems, solve data-driven problems, and contribute across domains such as autonomous systems, smart infrastructure, robotics, and more. The programme develops both technical expertise and a data-driven mindset that enhances problem-solving and future career readiness in an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven world.
Why Minor in AI?
AI is transforming industries, from autonomous systems and robotics to smart buildings and materials design. The minor in AI (Design & Engineering) offers a targeted, interdisciplinary, and practical education tailored to CDE students, providing them with an industryfocused, hands-on learning experience that is applicable to their field of study. Students can choose from a suite of electives designed specifically for students across a range of Design and Engineering programmes. The syllabus and content of these electives are meticulously curated to highlight the relevance of AI to the fields in Design and Engineering.
Career Prospects and Advancements
Completing the minor in AI boosts your employability in fields where data-driven decision making and automation are essential. AI skills are highly sought after in sectors such as autonomous systems, robotics, smart infrastructure, fintech, healthcare, and beyond. Singapore’s national focus on becoming a leader in AI accelerates demand for professionals who can bridge engineering knowledge with AI expertise.
Student Learning Outcomes
Students completing the minor will be able to:
• Grasp the fundamental concepts of AI, including machine learning, natural language processing, and computer vision.
• Identify real-world problems that can be addressed with AI and propose appropriate solutions.
• Model real problems using tools like optimisation, classification, regression, and clustering.
• Assess the performance of AI models using appropriate metrics.
• Analyse complex problems and develop innovative AI-based solutions.
• Understand ethical considerations and develop responsible AI systems.
Profiles of Current Students
Duan Yihe
Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical Engineering), Class of 2027
“Taking the minor in AI (D&E) has been a very rewarding part of my NUS journey. The machine learning courses gave me the confidence to apply what I learned beyond the classroom, such as participating in the NUS DSA Mini Hackathon and other machine learning challenges. I especially enjoyed seeing how theory could be turned into practical solutions under real constraints. I am now working on an autonomous vehicle project, where ideas from the AI minor, such as perception, control, and datadriven decision-making, are directly shaping my work.”
Himaya Hewageegana
Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical Engineering), Class of 2026
“The minor in AI (D&E) helped me see how hardware and intelligence work together in real systems. I began to understand how sensing, data, and decision-making combine to create adaptive, responsive solutions. It changed how I approach engineering—encouraging me to think about uncertainty and user context. The minor complemented my Electrical Engineering background by enabling me to design systems that are not just functional, but intelligent.”
Nicholas Chong Xian He
Bachelor of Engineering (Computer Engineering), Class of 2027
“Inspired by the efficiency of the human brain, I chose the CDE minor in AI (D&E) to better understand how intelligent systems can be built and applied in real-world engineering. Combined with my Computer Engineering major, the minor has strengthened my ability to connect hardware with smart algorithms. It provides a solid foundation in modern AI while remaining manageable alongside my major, equipping me with practical skills to contribute confidently to emerging technologies.“
Eligibility
The minor in Artificial Intelligence (D&E) is open to students taking a primary major within the College of Design and Engineering. Students may apply at the point of admission, where the selection criteria are based on their university admission score and/or their proficiency in mathematics.
The following groups of students are precluded from taking the minor in Artificial Intelligence (D&E):
• Students who are not reading a CDE primary major
• Students taking a minor in Artificial Intelligence offered by School of Computing
