OVERVIEW

The National University of Singapore (NUS) Master of Science (Smart Industries and Digital Transformation), formerly Master of Science (Industry 4.0), is a multidisciplinary graduate degree programme that taps on the deep expertise of six NUS academic units in areas pertinent to Industry 4.0:

The programme aims to prepare graduates for the emerging workplace of the fourth industrial revolution (also known as Industry 4.0), by equipping them with the skills and knowledge they need to keep pace with the changes occurring in various industries (particularly manufacturing) due to technological disruption, and to lead transformation to enhance productivity in the workplace.

The MSc (Smart Industries and Digital Transformation) programme incorporates learning opportunities both inside the classroom and out in the industry. A key component of the programme is the core Capstone Project Course, which enables students to apply all their learnings in collaboration with a sponsoring company to produce a prototype, minimum viable product or innovation solution.

The MSc (Smart Industries and Digital Transformation) curriculum is specifically designed in accordance with the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) Singapore Smart Industry Readiness Index. It is intended to further aid companies in transforming their capabilities through their human capital, and support Singapore’s drive towards becoming a Smart Nation.

The MSc (Smart Industries and Digital Transformation) has also been identified to be offered as a Concurrent Degree Programme to NUS undergraduate students to help upscale their employability by equipping them with additional skills critical and necessary for rapid industry transformation.

Why This Programme?

  • Develop the breadth and depth of skillsets that defines an Industry 4.0 talent—and be a professional who can synergise technological smarts with business and operational know-how.
  • Get acquainted with cutting-edge technologies and tools (e.g. artificial intelligence and virtual/augmented reality) that will transform work and industries in the fourth industrial revolution.
  • Grab the opportunity to excel in a range of Industry 4.0 jobs such as Knowledge Analysts, Solutions Architects and Industrial User Experience/User Interface (UX/UI) Designers.

APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION

Application Period
An Academic Year (AY) at NUS consists of two semesters and a special term (which occurs during the Semester 2 Vacation, and is divided into two parts of six weeks duration each):

  • Semester 1: Aug–Dec
  • Semester 2: Jan–May
  • Special Term (Part 1): May–Jun
  • Special Term (Part 2): Jun–Jul

For the MSc (Smart Industries and Digital Transformation) programme, there is one application period for each AY:

Programme Intake Application Dates
MSc (Smart Industries and Digital Transformation) Semester 1
(Aug Intake)

1 Nov of preceding year to 31 Jan of intake year


ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Admission to the NUS MSc (Smart Industries and Digital Transformation) programme is granted on a competitive basis as places in the programme are limited. Applicants should possess the following minimum requirements:

Academic

Bachelor's Degree (preferably with Honours) in Science, Engineering, Computing, Analytics or equivalent disciplines

Note: Candidates with academic qualifications other than the above (e.g., completed Graduate Certificate(s) stackable towards MSc (Smart Industries and Digital Transformation) programme within the last 5 years with a minimum GPA of 3.5) may be considered on a case-by-case basis, subject to approval by the department.

Candidates are advised to submit a request along with their official NUS transcript during application. Please note that granting of Advanced Placement Credits (APCs) is not allowed if the Graduate Certificate/courses have been used to count towards the award of any other degree.

Skill/Experience

Programming knowledge (applicants may be required to complete a programming course to demonstrate their programming competency on a case-by-case basis)

English Language
Applicants whose native tongue is not English:

  • Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) minimum score of 85 (Internet-based), or
  • International English Language Testing System (IELTS) minimum Academic score of 6.0

Note: TOEFL / IELTS scores are valid for two years from the test date and should not have expired at point of application. Expired scores will not be considered for the application.

Other
Applicants are welcomed to submit additional test reports that they may have (i.e. GRE, GMAT) 

Note: Applicants are responsible for ensuring that application information and all supporting documents are truthful and correct. NUS reserves the right to verify information provided as part of an application. False or misleading information in an application (including but not limited to test scores, resumes, certificates, transcripts, etc.) is grounds for admission rejection, revocation and/or dismissal from the University.

MODE OF STUDY AND PROGRAMME CANDIDATURE

The NUS MSc (Smart Industries and Digital Transformation) programme is offered on the following basis (with estimated time to complete the programme indicated below):

 Full-time  12–18 months 
 Part-time  18–36 months

Note: International applicants must be accepted into an approved full-time course in Singapore to apply for a Student’s Pass. For more information, refer to the Singapore Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) website.

PROGRAMME STRUCTURE

The NUS MSc (Smart Industries and Digital Transformation) is a 40-Unit coursework-based Master’s Degree programme comprising:  

  • Core/essential courses (20 Units), and
  • Elective courses (20 Units):
    • 8–13 Units from a Graduate Certificate,
    • Remaining Units from other elective courses, chosen from any of those listed under the Graduate Certificates.
Core/Essential Courses

These courses are unique to the NUS MSc (Smart Industries and Digital Transformation) programme. Each consists of a 130-hour workload with pre-class readings, assignments, tests and/or projects, and online/face-to-face classes.

View Courses

Course Code Course Title Units
IND5001 Introduction to Industry 4.0 and Applications 4
IND5002
Digital-Physical Integration in Industry 4.0
4
IND5003
Data Analytics for Sense-making
4
IND5004
Digital Infrastructure and Transformation
4
IND5005A
Professional Career Development
0.5
IND5005B*
Industry Consulting and Application Project 3.5

*IND5005B is a capstone project meant to help students apply what they have learnt to Industry 4.0-related areas of operations in a company. Students will work in teams under the supervision of a relevant NUS academic unit to develop a prototype solution based on an implemented project in a company, craft a report about it, and then present it for evaluation at the end of the course.

Elective Courses

Students must complete 20 Units, comprising one Graduate Certificate and 4–12 Units of other elective courses (chosen from any of those listed under the Graduate Certificates). 

View Courses

Graduate Certificates
Graduate Certificate Title (Awarding Faculty)
Units
Statistics for Data Science (NUS Faculty of Science)*  8
Computing Foundations II (NUS School of Computing)  12 
Digital Business (NUS School of Computing)
12
Digital Supply Chain (NUS Business School)
12
Financial Management and Analytics (NUS Business School)
12 
Intelligent Sensing Systems (NUS-ISS)
10
Pattern Recognition Systems (NUS-ISS)
13
Intelligent Software Agents (NUS-ISS)  10
Intelligent Robotic Systems (NUS-ISS)  13
Quality Assurance and Yield Optimisation (NUS Faculty of Science)*
8
Internet of Things (NUS College of Design and Engineering)
10 
Robotics and Automation (NUS College of Design and Engineering)
10

*Only cohorts AY2023/24 and before will be eligible to be awarded these Graduate Certificates; cohorts AY2024/2025 and after may opt to take courses under these Graduate Certificates as standalone electives, but will be ineligible to be awarded Graduate Certificates


For more details about the courses (e.g. laboratory-based or not, subsidy status), please click here.

View sample study schedule.

Note: For more information about the courses listed above (as well as other courses offered in the current academic year), please visit NUSMODS.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

To graduate from the MSc (Smart Industries and Digital Transformation) programme, students must meet the following requirements:

Programme and/or Specialisation

Read and pass a total of 40 Units, comprising:

  • 20 Units of core/essential courses
  • 20 Units of elective courses:
    • 8–13 Units from a Graduate Certificate,
    • Remaining Units from other elective courses, chosen from any of those listed under the Graduate Certificates
Course and/or Qualification

As above, complete one of the following:

  • Graduate Certificate in Computing Foundations II
  • Graduate Certificate in Digital Business
  • Graduate Certificate in Digital Supply Chain
  • Graduate Certificate in Financial Management and Analytics
  • Graduate Certificate in Intelligent Robotic Systems
  • Graduate Certificate in Intelligent Sensing Systems
  • Graduate Certificate in Intelligent Software Agents
  • Graduate Certificate in Internet of Things
  • Graduate Certificate in Pattern Recognition Systems
  • Graduate Certificate in Quality Assurance and Yield Optimisation*
  • Graduate Certificate in Robotics and Automation
  • Graduate Certificate in Statistics for Data Science*
Grade Point Average (GPA) 

Minimum 3.0 (out of maximum 5.0)

Please see also the University’s minimum standards for Continuation and Graduation Requirements specific programmes may implement stricter or additional requirements.

Other 

Not applicable

*Only cohorts AY2023/24 and before will be eligible to be awarded these Graduate Certificates; cohorts AY2024/2025 and after may opt to take courses under these Graduate Certificates as standalone electives, but will be ineligible to be awarded Graduate Certificates

FEES AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

The University reserves all rights to review fees as necessary and adjust accordingly without prior notice.

Tuition

S$53,100.00 (excluding GST) /
S$57,879.00 (including 9% GST)

Note: The tuition fees for this programme are payable based on the number of Units taken in a semester. The amount stated above is for 40 Units. Students who are required to take more than 40 Units for programme completion may be subjected to additional tuition fees.

Financial Assistance

Students in this programme may be eligible to receive funding support from some of the following scholarship and financial assistance schemes*:

* Subject to terms and conditions. Kindly refer to respective bodies offering the scholarship or financial assistance scheme for more information. NUS makes no representation or warranty of any kind, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability, availability, or completeness of the information provided here.

Application

S$100.00 (excluding GST) /
S$109.00 (including 9% GST)

  • Non-refundable and non-transferable
Acceptance

S$5,000.00 (excluding GST) /
S$5,450.00 (including 9% GST)

  • Payable upon acceptance of offer
  • Non-refundable and non-transferable
  • Will be credited towards tuition fees
Miscellaneous Student Fees

As published by Office of the University Registrar

  • Payable every regular semester

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Click on the links below for more information:

What does the curriculum for the programme cover?

The MSc (Smart Industries and Digital Transformation) is a multidisciplinary programme that taps on the deep expertise of six NUS academic units, namely: the College of Design and Engineering, the Faculty of Science, the Institute of Systems Science, the School of Business, the School of Computing, and the School of Continuing and Lifelong Education. It was designed in alignment with the Singapore Economic Development Board’s (EDB) Smart Industry Readiness Index, to support Singapore’s drive towards becoming a Smart Nation.

The programme aims to equip its graduates with an in-depth appreciation of the technologies defining the latest industrial revolution, as well as how they are transforming organisations and impacting business processes and functions.

Apart from the technical skills and knowledge they need to keep pace with the latest developments, graduates can also expect to gain a holistic, “big picture” perspective of Industry 4.0, extending beyond their current work and study areas. This shift will enable them to be more effective in their work roles, and to contribute to their organisation’s digital transformation journey.

The programme also features a six-month-long capstone project, where a team of students work on a project sponsored by an actual company. Capstone projects may span different areas, including Internet of Things (IOT), data analytics across various sectors, digital supply chain, and cloud computing.

Offered on both a full-time and part-time basis, the programme is taught by world-class NUS faculty, as well as industry practitioners with extensive field experience.

What courses must I take to meet the programming admission requirements for this programme?

This requirement applies on a case-by-case basis to applicants without programming experience. Such applicants may be asked to complete the following courses:

These free online courses are offered by EdX, a third-party platform for education and learning, and will take approximately five weeks to complete (with three-to-four hours’ commitment each week).

How many certificates will I earn upon completion of the programme?

Upon completing the MSc (Smart Industries and Digital Transformation) programme, students will be awarded at least one Graduate Certificate along with the Master’s Degree.

What does the Industry Consulting and Application Project entail?

The Industry Consulting and Applications Project is a final-year capstone course specifically designed to help students apply what they have learnt to companies in areas of operations concerning Industry 4.0. Working in teams and in consultation with the relevant NUS academic unit, students will develop a prototype solution based on an implemented project in a company, craft a report about it, and then present it for evaluation at the end of the course.

Organisations participating in this initiative include multi-national corporations and Small-to-Medium Enterprises (SMEs) from both the public and private sectors (such as Dell, Micron, and JTC, to name a few).

What are the career prospects and pathways for a graduate of the programme?

The MSc (Smart Industries and Digital Transformation) programme aims to nurture a generation of change-makers and leaders who are capable of taking prominent roles in shaping how organisations and society will respond to the latest industrial revolution, which focuses on the digitalisation of manufacturing and business processes to increase productivity, improve efficiency, and develop new sales opportunities.

The curriculum for the programme is aligned to the Smart Industry Readiness Index (SIRI), which was created by the Economic Development Board (EDB) to help manufacturers on their transformation journeys as part of Singapore’s drive towards becoming a Smart Nation. Because of this, graduates of the programme can expect to be prepared for a breadth of careers in a range of different fields, even as Industry 4.0 continues to gather pace.

Some of the top careers enjoyed by current students and graduates of the programme include:
  • Control Systems Engineer
  • Automation Engineer
  • Validation Engineer
  • Equipment Systems Engineer
  • Data Scientist
  • Robotics Engineer
  • PLC Programmer
  • Systems Integrator
  • IT Solution Architect
  • UI and UX Designer
  • Project Manager
  • App Developer
 

For more Frequently Asked Questions, click here.


For enquiries, contact us.

We will guide you through the next steps of your transformative journey.

 
01 November 2024