Everything You Need To Know About NUS Information Systems (Year 1 Guide AY22/23)

If you are an incoming freshman (Y1), you will find this post useful. And if you love it, please consider sharing it with your fellow computing besties.

When I was a freshman (AY 21/22), I was lost and had ZERO resources. These are some of the resources gathered from my seniors, friends, and my own experience <3.

I made a YouTube video to guide you through this blog post and the resources too 😄

Before reading further, familiarize yourself with the degree requirements for the NUS Information Systems curriculum. It clearly outlines the two groups of modules you must take, university-level requirements (ULR) and program requirements (specific to your major).

The program requirements for Information Systems can be summarized:

At the end of 4 years, there will be a few milestones you hit:

1. Foundation
2. Develop Competency
3. Develop Expertise

In Foundation, you will be covering 2 areas,

• Analytics and Statistics (MA1312/MA1521/MA2002, ST2334 + BT1101)
• Computing (CS1010J, CS2030, CS2040)

In Develop Competency, you will be covering 3 areas,

• Full-Stack Development (IS2102, IS2103, IS3106)
• Project Management (IS4301, IS4100)
• Professionalism and Communication (IS1103, IS2101, IS3103)

In Develop Expertise,

• Choose A Specialty (choosing your track to specialize in)
• Industry Capstone Project &/ Dissertation (IS4103,IS4010, CP4101)

Unlike in secondary school and tertiary education, you are allocated subjects and classes with a fixed timetable, this is not the same for NUS.

One of the biggest shocks that I had coming into university was the fact that we could plan our timetables and modules! I finally have the freedom to decide what I want to study (to some extent).

I created a Google Sheet study plan for you, which outlines the modules that you should take in your Year 1 depending on your academic background – JC/ Poly.

These study plans are taken from my IS friends (credits to Shawn Lim & Dorothy Yuan 💗), please do your research to find out more about each module and its prerequisites and posteriorities.

Check out my YouTube video for a more in-depth explanation of the modules you should take.

These are the modules that I took in my Year 1, most of which are prerequisites to higher level modules. I will also share tips on planning your weekly timetable!

Y1S1 (AY21/22)

During my first semester, I took a total of 22 MCs or 6 modules. Some were pre-allocated modules to take like MA1521, ES1103, CS1010J which were compulsory for me.

✍🏻ES1103 English for Academic Purposes

I took this module as part of my university requirement after I received a Band 2 for my QET. This was a purely ENGLISH module which taught you the basics of writing essays. The best part of this module is that besides the 2 hour seminar-style lectures, little to no preparation is needed outside of class. I enjoyed this module due to its low workload, so put a little effort into this module.

Workload Rating: 1/5

What I wished I knew:

Given that this module has a very low workload, I could have considered taking it during the Special Term 1/2 or taken an extra module in Y1S1 aka overload. This is hands-down the easiest module I have taken in university!

➗MA1521 Calculus for Computing

I took this module as it is a prerequisite to many of the CS modules and ST2334. However, I particularly disliked this module as it encompasses proving calculus formulas...I found the idea of proving from principles challenging as it differs from the usual way of solving in H2 Math.

Workload Rating: 4/5

What I wished I knew:

In font size 10 on the Information Systems curriculum website, it states

"MA1521 to be chosen if student wants to keep the option of switching to Computer Science stream."

Given that I have no intention to change to a more challenging course, I should have opted to take MA1312 instead of MA1521.

(Do this at your own risk, if you fail to take MA1312 in your first semester, you are not qualified to take other core modules in the coming semesters due to its prerequisites.)

👩🏻‍💻CS1010J Programming Methodology

This is the most fundamental programming module you will take as a prerequisite to ALL your other modules. The programming language you will be learning is Java, this gives you a slight advantage over your other computing friends as higher modules like CS2030 will require a good mastery of Java. I particularly enjoyed this module despite its tricky exams...

Workload Rating: 4/5

What I wished I knew:

The assessments were not difficult but it was harder to score than expected. The tracing questions during exams were tricky and full of "traps". I wish I was more careful during my exams :)

👩🏻‍💼CFG1002 Career Catalyst

I took this 2MC module as an Unrestricted Elective (UE) conducted by the NUS Centre for Future-Ready Graduates, which aims to teach you how to prepare for internships. Through the VMock portal, I learnt ways to write a simple resume (supposedly vetted by AI lol), steps to ace interview questions and guide on Zoom interviews.

Workload Rating: 0.5/5 (You read that right!)

What I wished I knew:

This was a simple and important module to take, especially if you are lost in internship applications. I liked that there were no face-to-face classes and the assignments were simple too. It is really feels like a 0.5MC mod...

This module has no pre-requisites, so you can take this module even in Y2 onwards!

🥰UTC1409 Junior Seminar: The Pursuit of Happiness

I loved this module as it discusses about the economics of happiness. Can money buy happiness and what really makes people happy? – was a central question for this module. Prof Siok was able to break down complex ideas about psychology and economics of happiness. I was extremely inspired by her and the study of happiness, which led me to mention it in the CAPT On Record podcast (hosted by yours truly😊!)

Workload Rating: 2/5

What I wished I knew:

Take. This. Module. Really. One of the most enjoyable modules I have ever taken.

💖Jean's Y1S1 Thoughts...

⏲️Timetable Structuring

There were a few non-negotiables for my timetable:

1. No 8am classes, my day starts at 10am. If you have thought about scheduling a 8am class by choice, DO NOT DO IT. You will not have the capacity to wake up at 6am to drag yourself to class. I am glad I took the advice of my seniors 👀
2. 12pm Lunch. I enjoy allocating time for meals and bonding with my new friends. This was a conscious decision I made to jio someone for almost every lunch break. Uni is the time to put yourself out there!

What I wish I did:

Nothing, this timetable is a piece of art in my eyes, so many breaks!

🏫Modules Taken

On a whole, I thoroughly enjoyed all the modules that I took as it gave me a smooth transition into my first year of NUS.

1. Take MA13 instead of MA1521. Drop MA1521 for a relatively easier module, if you do not like proving in Calculus. (Do this at your own risk, if you fail to take MA1321 in your first semester, you are not qualified to take other core modules in the coming semesters due to its prerequisites.)
2. Take UTC1409, I learnt something new about the way the world views happiness and the ways I can live well.
3. Take CFG1002, I learnt how to write my first resume and the importance of having a presentable LinkedIn page lol.

Y1S2 (AY21/22)

During my second semester, I took a total of 20 MCs or 5 modules. Note: I was not able to bid for ACC1701X, so I did not take this module.

💻CS2030 Programming Methodology II

This module follows up from CS1010J and teaches 2 broad components, object-oriented programming (OOP) and functional programming (using streams). This module was taught by Prof Henry Chia, who has an interesting teaching style of breaking down difficult concept into simple logic, and had a good mix of live coding and slides teaching for each lecture. Not only is he good at teaching, he is really good at setting tricky exams...

⭐There are many module reviews for CS2030, I think this is worth a read.

Workload Rating: 5.5/5

What I wished I knew:

Spend more time on this module. There are weekly lab assignments due every 2 weeks and a single project due at the end of the semester. Do your due diligence to complete the assignment every week such that your work does not get piled up.

And, START YOUR PROJECT EARLY.

📊BT1101 Introduction to Business Analytics

This module was an introductory module to data analytics and covers descriptive, prescriptive and predictive analytics. The tutorials and exams were focused on coding in R. Despite the workload, I enjoyed this module because of my TA Minh Hai who was supportive and explained the concepts of data analytics well.

Workload Rating: 4/5

What I wished I knew:

Similar to CS2030, the consistent effort for your weekly lab sessions pay off as you will revise the content taught during the lectures in your labs.

🧮ST2334 Probability and Statistics

This module covered concepts familiar to H2 Math students and were pretty understandable. However, this module has a 70% Final Exam which you must do well in, in order to achieve a decent grade. I enjoyed studying this module with friends.

Workload Rating: 3/5

What I wished I knew:

You don't have to attend tutorials. I found that the videos pre-recorded by the lecturers were sufficient in explaining the concepts for this module. Spend your time wisely doing the tutorial questions instead and google the solutions online :)

🗣️IS2101 Business and Technical Communication

This module aims to enhance your professional communication skills in IT related work setting. I suppose NUS does not want us to only know how to code... Your grade for this module is largely dependent on your luck and your randomly-selected teammates. We had to prepare and pitch a presentation almost every week in our groups of 4 – this was arguably the most time-consuming part of the module. My key takeaways from this module were ways to conduct pitch presentations, write formal emails and business proposals for a company.

Workload Rating: 3/5 and

What I wished I knew:

Do not go into this module with an S/U mindset. If you have a flair for language and presentations, this module is a fairly manageable (so long as you have good teammates...)

🌊UTW1001D Self, Society and the Digital Tsunami Era

This module focuses on research into the areas of post-truth, identity construction and agency in the era of social media and digitalization. The first 6 weeks were focused on reading research papers about the topics and the next 6 weeks were spent crafting your research paper. For my research paper, I chose to focus on identity construction – investigating the tactics of adequation (Bucholtz & Hall, 2005) by social media users in their identity construction of body image through discourse on normalized bodies on Instagram.

I have a love-hate relationship with this module as writing is not my forte...

Workload Rating: 3/5

What I wished I knew:

I might have chosen to do another more interesting IEM :)

💖Jean's Y1S2 Thoughts...

⏲️Timetable Structuring

There were a few non-negotiables for my timetable:

1. My day starts at 10am, same as Semester 1! Semester 2 was definitely harder given that I was taking 2k modules...I enjoyed being able to sleep in on most days, it really helped each day not suck lol.
2. Check your venues Semester 2 finally had physical classes so made sure that the venues for my physical classes were near to one another. I also dedicated Wednesdays and Fridays to be my "dress-up-for-class" day. Travelling daily would be extremely taxing!
3. No classes on Friday after 6pm. I learnt from Semester 1 that nothing sucks more than seeing your friends 🥳TGIF but you are stuck in lecture...Give yourself a break, you need it.

🏫Modules Taken

If you were to ask any seniors, which semester was you best semester?

Most of my seniors said Year 1 (S1), and I can vouch for this.

Before I entered NUS, these were some questions I have and perhaps these are yours too.

✒️Will I be Studying a lot?

Your modules will definitely keep you busy with weekly deadlines and monthly quizes. Here is a reference of Y1S1 spent on doing assignments using my Focus-To-Do app. Studying with friends and seeking help from your friends will definitely ease the workload and the struggle of adapting to higher education.

🤗Will I be able to make New Friends?

Living in CAPT and having physical classes really allowed me to tap into the network of NUS. You will make friends, as long as you are willing to put yourself out there.

Here is a cute appreciation post to my lovely friends and acquaintances I made along the way:

Will I have the Opportunity to Grow?

Definitely, if you give yourself the chance. If you can't find a game where the odds are in your favor, create one. University is a time and a safe space for you to TRY and CREATE your opportunity.

In CAPT's Social Innovation Wing, I am thankful to work with inspiring individuals like Sherman, Yong Xin, Linus, Aaron who brought the CAPT On Record podcast into reality. I can also check "Hosting A Podcast" off my bucket list now!

If you are reading this post, you might have found me from YouTube. It has been a bucket list item of mine to vlog publicly and put myself out there. While it is a small channel, it is a big deal of love for me. I was thoroughly touched by the support of my friends to #YOLO and also inspired by my favorite CAPT Youtubers Joel and Nicole <3

And lastly, I love to create something and build it to life. I am currently doing my Orbital (CP2106: Independent Software Development Project) project over the summer. I am thoroughly enjoying learning to create mobile applications using React Native (JavaScript) and Firebase!

I will be writing about that soon so do keep a look out. Here is a quick update on my Orbital experience...after submitting Milestone 2.

🥰Learnt something new from this blog post? Remember to jot down some notes for yourself and share this knowledge with your friends!

💕Since you are here, why not join the club? I spill the tea on university tips and more in the member's portal 😉 Join now.

Want to talk? Contact me here!

👩🏻‍💻 Jean Tay, NUS IS