Q: Will MOE open up more places in computer science degrees?
A: In recent years the universities have increased the number of courses in this field which are officially referred to as Information and Digital Technology (IDT) degrees. As a result, the number of places has also gone up significantly.
In reply to your question, MOE said that with falling student cohort sizes, IDT places cannot increase indefinitely without eventually affecting the manpower pipeline for other important economic sectors.
It said it will need to take a calibrated approach when considering any further increase to IDT places, to distribute talent across the whole of Singapore's economy.
Q: What does my son need to consider when deciding between the various computing programmes offered across the different universities? Can I find out more specifically about computing degrees in SMU, which my son is keen on?
A: Your son has chosen a popular field of study that offers good job prospects. Computing and computer technology are part of just about everything that touches our lives, from the cars we drive, to how we work, to how we entertain ourselves.
A computing degree can open the door to an array of high-paying fields, such as software engineering, web development, information technology and network systems administration.
In reply to your questions, the dean of SMU School of Computing and Information Systems (SCIS) Professor Pang Hwee Hwa said the school currently offers four undergraduate computing programmes that target different job roles demanded by employers.
SMU's Computer Science degree emphasises strong technical skills in translating scientific principles to usable computing technologies and solutions, as well as the management skills needed to navigate complex software development and system deployment concerns.
Its Information Systems degree teaches students to identify emerging technologies and market trends, and exploit opportunities to digitally transform an organisation.
