This is a good news to all BMCE students against the snobbery of some people who advocate take PCME just because it previously gives students a wider range of university course options. In 5th March, NUS announced a new admission criteria (which I only got to know about yesterday…) which I think radically change the way people treat BCME.
For below comparisons, data under “New Syllabus 2005″ and “Old Syllabus” are taken from the “16 May 2005 Univ Adm Fwk under new A-level curriculum (Annex C)” while the “New Syllabus 2007″ data is taken from http://www.nus.edu.sg/oam/apply/cata/newcurriculum.htm, from the .pdf file called h1h2_prereq. The .pdf file’s “Information is correct as at 5 March 2007.”.
(Note: This is not an exhaustive list of ALL the available course, but mostly those that have undergone changes)
(Note 2: when I mention “need” below, it really means a pass is needed)
| Faculty | Old Syllabus | New Syllabus 2005 | New Syllabus 2007 | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bioengineering | A Level Physics + Mathematics | H2 Mathematics + Physics | H2 Mathematics + Chemistry or Physics* | I find it absurb that you need to have physics but need not have any biology background to do bioengineering… |
| Chemical engineering/ Environmental engineering |
A Level Mathematics + Chemistry + AO Physics | H2 Mathematics + Chemistry + H1 Physics | H2 Mathematics + Chemistry + Physics** | BCME students can now take chemical and environmental engineering assuming they have taken O level physics |
| Computer engineering/ Civil engineering/ Common engineering/ Electrical engineering/ Industrial & Systems engineering/ Mechanical engineering/ Material Science engineering/ |
A Level Mathematics + Chemistry + AO Physics | H2 Mathematics + Physics (except for Industrial & Systems Engineering which needs only H1 Physics) | H2 Mathematics + Chemistry + Physics*** | BCME students can now take the many other engineering courses assuming they have taken O level physics |
| Computing | A Level Mathematics | H1 Mathematics | H1 Mathematics | This goes to show how far A level computing is a useless subject. But then I thought that they would want H2 mathematics students since quite a bit of logic and mathematics is invovled in computing. |
| Computing | A Level Mathematics | H1 Mathematics | H1 Mathematics | This goes to show how far A level computing is a useless subject. But then I thought that they would want H2 mathematics students since quite a bit of logic and mathematics is invovled in computing. |
| Computing | A Level Mathematics | H1 Mathematics | H1 Mathematics | This goes to show how far A level computing is a useless subject. But then I thought that they would want H2 mathematics students since quite a bit of logic and mathematics is invovled in computing. |
| Engineering Science | ? | ? | Good grades in H2 Mathematics + Physics | Pardon my ignorance but what on earth is engineering science about? Is it a new subject since the old .pdf file has nothing about it. It is also interesting to note that “good” grades (and not just a pass) is needed. |
*those who dont have H2 pass in chemistry and/or biology will have to do some bridging modules
** those who dont have H1 or H2 physics need to have taken physics in O Level and some bridging modules
*** those who dont have H2 physics need to have taken physics in O Level and some bridging modules
Comment:
It is interesting that NUS considers mathematics as an arts subject. Only if A Level does the same…
Double degrees are fun, some make sense (e.g. law and life sciences gives you and edge when it comes to biomedical legal and ethical issues or mathematics/applied mathematics and computer since computing students that have a strong mathematics background tends to prosper), others are weird (e.g. engineering and economics, if you wanted to do set up your own engineering company, you probably would do engineerng and business), one is just too specialised: computing (in communications and media)**** in NUS + master of entertainment from Carnegie Mellon, this is really a pity that you get a Carnegie Mellon degree in such a specialised course.
**** please refer to http://www.comp.nus.edu.sg/multidisciplinary/bcomp_met.htm for this piece of infomation
Last words:
You can take all subjects in NUS with BCME assuming you have a O Level pass in physics. However, if you take PCME instead, you cant take pharmacy which requires biology. The relaxation of requirements for the various engineering departments comes at a good time since more and more people are taking biology (at the expanse of physics) at O Levels. This is to all who worry for their future university course options because of taking BCME: dont worry, you can get access to all courses (as long as you have a O Level pass in physics)
