Technological skills are in high demand these days, and coding is now one of the hottest on the list for rather obvious reasons. (In fact, that’s probably why you’re here).
Aside from our country’s Smart Nation initiative, which will open up a lot of IT job opportunities, programmers are needed everywhere in every industry — as long as anything needs software, you’ll find coders!
Just how much demand are we talking about? According to a recent commentary in The New Paper (by Francois Lancon, the senior Vice-President of Oracle (Asia Pacific)), research commissioned by Oracle Academy has found that “70 per cent of the fastest growing skills and 26 per cent of the highest paying skills in these fields are related to computer science”! Many of these skills involve proficiencies in coding languages such as Java and Python.
One specific area where coders/programmers will be put to work in is the app industry. In a mobile app forecast by market researcher App Annie, the app economy alone could double to a cool 101 billion, globally.
So, if you’ve wanted to learn to code for interests’ sake, or to acquire this valuable skill, here’s a starter list of courses you can take a look at! Do note that programming only tends to take up a portion of any computer science degree, and you’re often expected to spend time outside the curriculum to further your knowledge or pick up a new language.
We also recommend that you check out the free resources and courses online to see if coding is for you — and what kind, Java programming? C programming? — before investing in a paid one. Happy learning!
*All course fees are for 2018/19’ intakes and subject to changes depending on the school; fees do not include misc. fees. All fees are in SGD unless otherwise stated.
Short Courses (online)
- Mozilla
Programme Duration: Self-paced
Curriculum: Covers programs like HTML, Python, CSS
Course Fees: Free!
Prospects: The course description reminds its takers that the goal is to bring you from “beginner” to “comfortable” so don’t expect to be ready to jump into a programming role right after completion. The general opinion we’ve gathered, however, is that this is one of the better places you can begin with!
Programme Duration: Self-paced, typically pursued across 11 weeks
Curriculum: Topics include abstraction, algorithms, data structures, encapsulation, resource management, and the languages covered include C, Python, and Javascript.
Course Fees: Free! Only pay if you want a verified certificate of completion.
Prospects: Again, this is a good introductory course to see if you really want to explore programming as a career/in greater depth.
- General Assembly
This is one intense programme: the Web Development Immersive has no exams and grades, but plenty of individual and collaborative projects so you can build up a portfolio over time, as well as put theory and knowledge into practice. Class ratios are kept small at 1:6, so you’ll get the attention you need. General Assembly also provides career support/networking/coaching and alumni opportunities!
Programme Duration: 12 weeks, full-time. Remote course also available.
Curriculum: Programming Fundamentals, both Front and Back-end Web Development
Course Fees: 12,500. If you are Singaporean and eligible for IDA’s Tech Immersion and Placement Programme, receive subsidies of approx. 70%.
Prospects: The General Assembly course comes highly reviewed, with many successfully transiting into a programming/IT career after taking it. Another reminder, however, that results also depend on your own initiative and efforts!
- Lithan Academy
Lithan Academy is a Digital Skills Accelerator with 6 campuses in Asia, and helps train and recruit IT talent for enterprises. Aiming to prepare students to be future ready, the courses they have range from digital marketing to software development.
Programme Duration: For full-time, 12 weeks (8 hrs/day, 3 days/wk). For part-time, 24 weeks (3 hrs/day, 4 days/wk)
Accreditation: Lithan Academy is EduTrust certified.
Curriculum: The course covers a total of 4 modules: Front-end Web Development, Programming with PHP, Database Design and Implementation using MySQL, and Application Integration using PHP.
Course Fees: 960—8000 depending on amount of subsidy/available sponsorship. You can use SkillsFuture credit here.
Prospects: You will obtain a certificate of completion. You can explore PHP developer roles, or go on to take Lithan Academy’s Advance Certificate in Web Development Programme to further your skills, with exemptions for certain units.
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Degrees
- Singapore Institute of Technology (Awarded by DigiPen)
A niche degree, this one is for the ones keen on a career in the video game industry. Offered by DigiPen, an institute known for their rigorous curriculum and intense workloads, stuff you’ll learn how to do include programming real-time 2D/3D applications, optimising high-level language programs, and the necessary mathematical concepts such as calculus and linear algebra. Students will also have to complete a number of projects, and go on a 3 month immersion trip to DigiPen’s home campus at Redmond in the USA (exciting!)
Programme Duration: 4 years
Accreditation: The DigiPen Institute of Technology Singapore is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (“ACCSC”, or “the Commission”), a recognized accrediting agency by the United States Department of Education.
Curriculum: The degree will cover the programming languages C/C++, motion dynamics, game implementation techniques and computer graphics, just to name a few subjects.
Course Fees: With tuition grant: 10,770 per annum for locals, 21,000 for Permanent Residents, 28,313 for international students
Prospects: Some positions graduates can expect to fill are: game scripters, software engineers, artificial intelligence programmer, technical writer and technical program manager. Check out the full list at DigiPen for more careers!
- National University of Singapore
NUS’s Computing department can trace its roots all the way to 1975, and is one of the leading computing schools in both Asia and the world (#10 internationally and #1 in Asia, QS Rankings 2018). The department offers courses in computer science, information systems, computer engineering. business analytics as well as information security.
One of the modules that caught our interest is the CS1101S Programming Methodology module, which has been ‘gamified’, where students “take on challenging missions to level up and occasionally meet Sumobots, Jedi Knight and Darth Vader” (NUS 2017 computing brochure). Sounds cool.
Programme Duration: 4 years
Curriculum: There are 10 focus areas for NUS’ Bsc in Computer Science. As such, students will take modules that revolve around 1) Algorithms & Theory, 2) Artificial Intelligence, 3) Computer Graphics and Games , 4) Computer Security, 5) Database Systems, 6) Multimedia Information Retrieval, 7) Networking and Distributed Systems, 8) Parallel Computing, 9) Programming Languages, and 10) Software Engineering.
Course Fees: With MOE tuition grant: 8,200 per annum for locals, 11,500 for Permanent Residents, 17,550 for international students.
Prospects: Expect opportunities for entry-level positions such as software developer, database administrator and data analyst to be open to you. Some of NUS’ computer science students/grads have been reported to have secured internship opportunities/jobs at Silicon Valley companies. For those interested on furthering their knowledge, NUS also offers a Masters in Computing with a Computer Science specialization.
- Singapore University of Technology and Design
Young but strong, SUTD’s ISTD is very much a computer science degree with an engineering slant. Students studying this pillar will be taught the programming languages Python and Java in their formal classes and have exposure to the others through short courses or internships. Aside from ‘traditional computer science’ subjects like algorithms and database management systems, students can also study Computer engineering modules like Microelectronic Circuits and Devices.
Programme Duration: 3.5 years over 8 terms
Curriculum: Take modules on topics such as blockchain technology, artificial intelligence, computational data science as well as introductory modules to probability and statistics as well as information systems and programming.
Course Fees: With tuition grant: 13,050 per academic year for locals, 18,250 for Permanent Residents (PRs), 27,950 for international students
Prospects: SUTD ISTD graduates have reportedly found jobs across various industries, in companies such as DSTA, KPMG and IBM. They also have a 100% employment rate (2018).
- PSB Academy
- Bachelors of Science with Honours in Computer Science (Awarded by Coventry University)
PSB Academy has been in the news recently for its new campuses and dedication to providing students with top facilities and studying environments, and students taking up this degree will most likely study in their new campus at Jackson Square! Coventry University, which awards this degree, is UK’s top modern university of the year (2018, Complete University Guide UK) and is also one of the top 12 Universities in the UK (2018, Guardian). Course intakes happen during March, July and November.
Programme Duration: 16—32 months
Accreditation: PSB Academy is EduTrust certified.
Curriculum: Take modules delving into software engineering, Android application development, and open source development. Everything will culminate in an individual project during the final year.
Course Fees: With exemptions: 23,368.80 (locals/international). Without exemptions: 35,374.20
Prospects: Expect opportunities for positions such as IT consultant, network engineer, systems analyst and multimedia programmer to be open to you.
- Nanyang Technological University
With its beginnings in 1988 as the School of Applied Science in 1988, NTU’s School of Computer Science and Engineering (SCSE) has come a long way. Today, it ranks number 16 internationally and number 3 within Asia for Computer Science and Information Systems (QS Rankings 2018). Classes are taught through lectures, tutorials, and hands-on practice.
Programme Duration: 4 years, Part-time available
Curriculum: Modules such as Net Centric Computing, Computer Graphics and Visualisation, Advanced Software Engineering and Data Science and Analytics
Course Fees: With tuition grant: 8,200 per annum for locals, 11,500 for Permanent Residents, 17,550 for international students. Without tuition grant: 31,970
Prospects: 90% of SCSE grads obtain jobs within 6 months of graduation, and according to MOE’s graduation employment surveys, have consistently been NTU’s top earners.
- Kaplan Higher Education Singapore
- Bachelor of Science in Computer Science (Single major, awarded by Murdoch University)
Kaplan is one of the largest private higher education providers in Singapore, so it’s quite unlikely that you haven’t heard of them! Their Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, awarded by Murdoch, is delivered through a combination of lectures, tutorials, and workshops, and is recognized by the Australian Computer Society (ACS). One of the pluses for this degree is in its flexibility: students can customize their own timetables to accommodate to their schedules.
Programme Duration: 16 –28 months
Accreditation: Kaplan is EduTrust certified.
Curriculum: Modules include Software Architectures, Data Structures and Abstractions and Operating Systems and Systems Programming.
Course Fees: S$19,003.20 for locals and Permanent Residents
Prospects: Expect careers as a Computer Network Architect, Web Developer, Information Security Analyst or Computer Programmer, just to name a few.
Upcoming
- Singapore Management University
- Bachelor of Science (Computer Science)
- With majors in IT Solution Development AND IT Solution Management or Advanced Technology
- To be launched in 2019
- Bachelor of Science (Computer Science)
Again, we reiterate that the list is by no means exhaustive. If you have a course that you’d like to recommend, do drop us a comment so the Digital Senior team can add it in!