Experience with DDP in
Engineering and Economics
Marianne Tan
Chemical Engineering & Economics
Year 5
1
Overview
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Modules
Experience With Modules
Potential Difficulties
Integrated Honours Thesis
Why Do The DDP
2
Economics Modules
• Microeconomics
– Consumer behaviour, Producer behaviour
• Macroeconomics
– Growth, Business cycles
• Econometrics
– Linear regressions for empirical study
• Electives
3
Module Workload
• DDP is designed to be completed in 5 years,
averaging 20MC per semester
• Engineering
– 3 hr lectures, 1 hr tutorial
• Economics
– 2 hr lectures, 1 hr tutorial
• Typically, 20-24MC workload per semester
• 20-22hr curriculum time per week
4
Sample Timetable
• 6 Modules – 1 Engin, 3 Econs, 2 Arts
800
900
1000
1100
Mon
EC3102
LT9
Tue
EC4101
AS6-02-12
SC1101E
LT11
1200
EC3102 - T
AS3-03-04
1300
1400
1500
1600
1700
Wed
Thu
EC3341
LT8
Fri
EC4101 - T
AS2-05-09
CN4203R
LT3
GEK1055
LT10
SC1101E - T(E)
AS1-02-08
GEK1055 - T(E)
AS5-02-05
CN4203R
LT4
EC3341 - T
AS3-02-13
5
Difficulties
• Modules that are not offered every semester
– Engineering modules
– PH2208 Applied Ethics
– Economics electives
– Remedy: check the NUS Bulletin religiously
• Timetable clashes
• Pre-requisites
• Juggling school and extra-curricular activities
6
Lessons Learnt
• Get to know the staff in charge of DDP in your
department office
• Plan your modules ahead of time
– NOTE: Recommended module schedules do not
always work
– Be prepared to be flexible and change your
module schedule along the way
– Do the problematic modules (e.g. PH2208, EC core
modules) as soon as you can to avoid
complications later on in the programme
7
Integrated Honours Thesis
• 16 MC integrated project
– Single project with elements from both
Engineering and Economics
• 2 or 3 semesters
• Combined assessment
– Thesis and oral presentation
– Interim reports and/or presentations
– Slight variation between departments
• e.g. Engineering graded Interim Report but Economics
used it as a ‘for information’ report only
8
IHT: How to make it work
• Start talking to supervisors early
• Download the IHT registration form from the
website, get it signed and submit it in the early
weeks of the semester before submission
– i.e. if you want to submit in Year 5 Sem 2, submit the
form in Year 5 Sem 1
• FYP deadlines typically don’t apply to IHT exactly,
so ask your department office what you have to
submit and when
9
Why Do The DDP
• Broader perspective of the world and its
issues
• Self-enrichment
• Interest
• Career Prospects
10
Career Prospects
• Wider variety of careers to choose from
• Easier to get noticed by employers
BUT
• Unlikely to get a wage premium because of
DDP
11
Q&A
12
Sample Project
• Greenhouse Gas Accounting and the Prospect
of Carbon Labelling of Food Products in
Singapore
– Life Cycle Assessment, Environmental Economics
– Method: Literature review, empirical research via
survey
– Engineering: Life Cycle Assessment of GHG impact
of food
– Economics: Carbon Labelling, Willingness to Pay 13
Resources
• Module search
– http://www.nus.edu.sg/registrar/nusbulletin/mod
ulesearch.html
• Exam schedule
– https://inetapps.nus.edu.sg/registrar/exam/stude
nts.html
• Economics: Modules offered
– http://www.fas.nus.edu.sg/ecs/undergraduate/m
odules.html
14