INNOVATION & DESIGN PROGRAMME
(iDP)
SECOND MAJOR/MINOR
Innovation & Design Programme (iDP)
Integrating Design, Technology and Entrepreneurship
Primary Major Requirements
SEMESTER 1
SEMESTER 2
SEMESTER 3
SEMESTER 4
iDP is designed to inculcate in you an entrepreneurial mindset, equipping you to comprehend innovation and apply your knowledge and skills effectively to solve problems and design new products, services and experiences. It is also a platform for you to collaborate with your peers from different disciplines on hands-on projects that address intricate, real-world challenges.
DP Courses Year 1 Core Courses
Common Curriculum Courses
Year 2 Core Courses
Common Curriculum Courses
SEMESTER 5
Year 3 Core Courses and Electives
SEMESTER 6
SEMESTER 7
Year 4 Electives
SEMESTER 8
Innovation & Design Capstone or Ideas to Start-up (for second major only) Settle into NUS
Product Design and Innovation (or other electives)
Value Creation in Innovation (or other electives)
Ideas to Proof-of-Concept (or Complex Systems Design: From Mission to Prototype)
Structured as a second major or minor that is open to all primary majors in NUS, our curriculum brings you through an enriching journey in design and innovation. You will learn how to create innovative solutions to meet the needs of users and customers in a technologically feasible manner and matched with a viable business strategy. If you are keen on entrepreneurship, you can join the NUS Overseas Colleges (NOC) programmes and further develop your ideas for commercialisation through our Ideas to Start-up final year project.
Product Design & Innovation
Learn different approaches to identify user needs and desires, identify opportunities for innovation, and generate ideas for new products.
Ideas to Proof-of-Concept
Technology (Feasibility)
User Needs (Desirability)
Business Opportunity (Viability)
Innovation
Value Creation in Innovation
Learn about industry value chain and competitive strategies, develop value propositions for product ideas, explore various business models, and craft effective go-to-market approaches.
Work in teams with peers, faculty members, and industry partners from different disciplines and backgrounds to create a product idea to address a problem of interest, and build proof-of-concept prototypes for testing.
Innovation & Design Capstone
Apply and integrate knowledge and skills acquired from preceding courses to pursue an area of innovation in design or research which may be an extension of a preceding project or a fresh one that arises from a new design problem or research question.
Ideas to Start-up
Transform product ideas into viable ventures through customer and market discovery, business model and venture creation, and development of minimum viable products.
Our Student Projects
Innovation needs a team-based process to succeed. From day one, you will learn to work together on projects with peers from different disciplines while being mentored by faculty members with diverse backgrounds. Projects in iDP span different themes and also include many special competition teams.
Innovating for Better Healthcare
Design solutions for healthcare needs in hospitals and the community.
Innovating for Sustainable Cities
Design solutions to tackle challenges of urbanisation and sustainability.
Valorising food waste to produce sustainable chemicals
Innovating for Future Mobility
Design future mobility solutions and novel vehicles for people and goods.
Electric blended wing body aircraft
Innovating with Immersive Reality
Intrigued to Innovate
Tune in to this podcast to discover how our students address real-world challenges with innovation: their thoughts, motivations, and lessons learned.
Develop novel applications using virtual reality, augmented reality, and generative AI.
Nasogastric tube training device for caregivers
Virtual reality childbirth delivery simulator
Innovating for Smarter Living
Design smart devices and solutions to enhance everyday life, work, and play.
Autonomous end-to-end wine glass washing and polishing system
Innovations in Intelligent Systems
Design complex engineering systems and automation for various applications.
Autonomous robot for detection of invasive species
Innovations in Space Systems
Special Competition Projects
Bumblebee
Design autonomous system of underwater vehicles, surface vehicles, and unmanned aerial vehicles.
NUS Formula FSAE
Build, test, and race formula-style electric race cars in the annual FSAE Michigan competition.
NUS Calibur Robotics
Design new technologies for applications in outer space. Student-built Galassia nanosatellites
Design and fabricate specialised robots to compete in the DJI RoboMaster University Championship.
Profiles of Current Students
Charlyn Kwan
Ting Yu
Bachelor of Engineering (Computer Engineering), Class of 2026
NOC Toronto
“iDP is a truly rare opportunity that allows me to embrace my inner engineer and contribute to meaningful projects not found anywhere else in NUS.”
Muhammad Zakir
Haziq Bin Mohd
Padzal
Bachelor of Engineering (Engineering Science), Class of 2026
NOC Malaysia
“I leverage my second major in iDP to fuse entrepreneurial creativity with engineering expertise, crafting prototypes like a computer vision-enabled boxing robot that seamlessly integrates my passion for sports and cuttingedge technology.”
Namit Deb
Bachelor of Computing (Computer Science), Class of 2027
NUS CanSat Team
“I joined iDP because it provides me the opportunity to work on projects with a real-world impact, opening my eyes to the incredible feats we can achieve through innovation.”
Students in iDP come from diverse disciplines within the College of Design and Engineering as well as other Colleges/Faculties/Schools in NUS, creating a very vibrant community that is passionate about their innovation, design, and entrepreneurship projects.
Ong Jia Wen Amelia
Bachelor of Engineering (Biomedical Engineering), Class of 2026
Duke-NUS Health Innovator Programme
“iDP lets me turn curiosity into real-world innovation. Being able to build ideas from scratch with strong mentorship has been one of the most meaningful parts of my NUS journey.”
Low Tse Han
Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical Engineering), Class of 2027
Executive Producer, Intrigued to Innovate
“iDP gives me the rare opportunity to step out of my comfort zone, explore meaningful projects, and apply real-world engineering concepts with a practical, entrepreneurial-minded approach.”
Ong Tian Gui, Givson
Bachelor of Arts (Industrial Design), Class of 2026
NOC Stockholm
“iDP allowed me to work with students from engineering, social sciences, and the sciences, and introduced me to innovation frameworks and diverse perspectives that enriched my design process and helped me shape more grounded, real-world solutions.”
Where Our Graduates Go
iDP graduates go on to take up diverse roles like engineers, product designers, product managers, and consultants in a wide range of industries such as engineering, financial services, public service, and research and development. The majority of iDP graduates secure their first job before graduation. Many iDP graduates also founded their own start-up companies.
Manager
Job roles of iDP graduates (based on data from latest alumni survey)
Our Start-Up Founders
Vishnu Saran
Bachelor of Engineering (Materials Science and Engineering), Class of 2019
CEO, Invigilo AI
Invigilo is Singapore’s leading AI video analytics solution provider for improving workplace safety in high-risk environments.
Chang Qingyang
Bachelor of Engineering (Civil Engineering), Class of 2021
Co-founder and CEO, ConcreteAI ConcreteAI is a construction technology start-up that develops solutions for real-time monitoring of concrete curing for construction companies to improve productivity and quality assurance.
Nguyen Tuan Dung
Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical Engineering), Class of 2023
Co-founder and COO, HiveBotics
HiveBotics is redefining the future of work by automating laborious and hazardous tasks, starting with restroom cleaning.
Nandiraju Rishi Bharadwaj
Bachelor of Engineering (Chemical Engineering), Class of 2024
Founder and Director, Innorini Life Sciences
Innorini is an organisation that focuses on pioneering research and development in the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical domains.
How to Apply?
Students who are applying to any Design, Engineering, or Computing major may select iDP as a second major or minor in the NUS application form, or join iDP during their first or second year in NUS. Students who are applying to other majors may join iDP during their first or second year in NUS.
There is no specific requirement for admission into iDP other than enrolment in any primary major in NUS. We welcome applicants from all disciplines who are enthusiastic to be part of our unique learning experience.
