National University of Singapore

This course deals with major themes and issues in public administration with specific reference to Singapore. It covers relevant domains of the city-state government and explores issues such as the relationship between politics and administration, meritocracy and performance, combating corruption, grassroots administration, and e-governance. It also discusses administrative trends and challenges in contemporary Singapore.

This course examines the basic principles of receptor pharmacology and of pharmacokinetics with emphasis on molecular and cellular mechanisms of action, clinical uses and adverse effects using lectures, tutorials and practicals. The lecture topics start with the classical drug receptor theory followed by pharmacokinetics and molecular pharmacology of drug receptors and their regulation including receptor-mediated signal transduction and membrane ion channel function. Autonomic pharmacology (adrenergic and cholinergic) is introduced. The module also focuses on the pharmacology of autacoids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents, corticosteroids, immunosuppressants, anti-asthma drugs, and anti-arthritic drugs.

 

The extraction, production, distribution and use of energy sources has significant environmental, social, political and economic impacts. Impacts are multi‐scalar, ranging from global climate change to socio‐cultural disruption at local, national and regional scales. This module exposes students to these impacts and related energy geopolitics with detailed case studies. The module also gives students a comprehensive background of the development and use of promising future post-carbon alternative energy sources such as wind, solar, geothermal, tidal, and biofuels. It discusses how to build the energy-efficient architecture of a low carbon economy and develop sustainable energy system design for the future.

This is a bilingual introductory course on some of the most interesting topics in Chinese history, literature, and culture. These topics are studied through the changes and continuities in the famous stories retold over time. The stories include those of the revengeful, the assassins, the queers, the cross dresser, and the ghost lovers. What you really need is a curious mind and an ability to comprehend basic spoken Mandarin. All assigned readings and presentation slides are in English. Classes are bilingual, and you can choose to do the term essay in either language.

This course is divided into two parts. The first half has a comparative politics focus and examines the contemporary politics of South Asian states, focusing on their political culture, institutions and processes, and political change and development. It also treats issues like ethnicity, religion, regime legitimacy, and the relationship between violence and democracy. By studying these issues comparatively regular patterns in the behavior of individuals and groups are discerned and how their demands are processed and met is understood. The second part adopts a thematic approach to explain the various factors that have shaped intra-regional relations. This includes the role of external powers and also the spillover effect of domestic conflicts. Foreign policy objectives of the regional states and their threat perceptions are the principal area of focus. The course also deals with issues of regional order and stability.

The Internet of Things (IoT), where a large number of physical objects embedded with computing power and sensors connect to the network for seamless cooperation between the cyber domain and the physical world, is revolutionizing our lives. This course serves as an introduction to the IoT and provide a holistic view of the entire spectrum of the IoT system architecture from the devices to the fog and the cloud computing. The focus is on designing IoT systems that balance both the functional and non-functional (communication bandwidth, security, safety, power) requirements. 

Building on basic circuit concepts, this course introduces the operating principles of transistors and how they are used in amplifier circuits. It discusses the foundational concepts of transistor amplifiers and analyses their performance. It also introduces operational amplifiers as a circuit component and describes how functional analog circuits, which can be applied to solving complex engineering problems, can be designed and analyzed using operational amplifiers. LTSpice is introduced as a circuit analysis tool. To augment learning, two laboratory sessions are included focusing on the topics of single transistor amplifiers and Op-Amp circuits, respectively.

Aquatic environments make up more than 70% of the Earth’s surface. They host a huge diversity of life and ecosystems, many of which are vital to man. Topics covered in this module include diversity and ecology of freshwater and marine habitats and organisms, the impacts of humans on these environments, and the conservation and management of these critical resources. Overall learning outcomes include an appreciation and understanding of aquatic habitats, their physical and biological properties and their associated ecosystems. The importance of both marine and freshwater environments to Singapore will be highlighted.

Analytics (information resulting from the systematic analysis of data) contribute significantly to smart decision-making in this Industry 4.0 era. This course promotes "System 2 thinking" via the scientific paradigm of Data, Model and Decisions for complex business and organizational problems. The course focus is on the appreciation and the applicability of select analytical tools for informed managerial decision-making rather than their technicalities. The course examines the applications arising in finance, marketing, management of human resources, supply chain management, and the media.

Tourism development is (at its name suggests) evaluates the intersection and diversions between development and leisure/tourism. It is intended to be a bridge between the geography department's foundational course in the geographies of tourism (GE2218) and the undergraduate capstone for honors students (GE4218). Conceptual material critiques “big D” globalized approaches to tourism development and the second half of the course responds to these critiques by considering more localized political, economic, and cultural connections in tourism strategies. While localized development projects often suggest more equitable growth, input from local stakeholders, an incorporation of livelihood strategies and grounded knowledge, and more “sustainable” models with a long-term sensibility, the course also takes a critical position toward these ideas. Learning Outcomes Top This module has three objectives: Understand the relationship between tourism and development and how it plays out across different scales; With tourism as both a lens and case study, understand critiques of “big D” development against localized understandings of development; Develop knowledge of the key drivers of tourism as a development strategy, as well as the main effects/outcomes of development. Teaching Modes Top Lectures The module will be delivered via a one hour, 35 minute lecture (every Thursday, 12-2pm, LT9). A handout of the lecture will be uploaded by Tuesday (2 days ahead of the lecture); the handout will contain key lecture material although not everything (diagrams, examples) will be provided. Students are expected to learn to annotate/write-notes as they attend the lectures. Tutorials You are to attend FIVE tutorials on weeks 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12. Each tutorial is structured based on a discussion of a lecture topic (45 minutes), followed by discussion on your Group Project (45 minutes). Tutorial handouts will be uploaded onto IVLE Workbin ahead of each tutorial. Tutorial is compulsory and attendance will be taken. Schedule Top PART I: CONCEPTS and CONTEXTS 1. Introduction to Module; What is Development? 17 January 2. What is Tourism Development? 24 January 3. What is Tourism Development in Singapore? 31 January PART II: DRIVERS of TOURISM DEVELOPMENT 4. State and Government Policies 7 February 5. Capital and Economic Actors 14 February 6. Local Hosts and Community 21 February 7. Asian Middle-Class Market 7 March PART III: EFFECTS of TOURISM DEVELOPMENT 8. Tourism and Urban Change 14 March 9. Tourism and Mythical Landscapes 21 March 10. Guest Speaker on Tourism Career (TBC) 28 March 11. Asian Perspectives on Tourism Development 4 April 12. [No Lecture: all students to focus on Group Presentation during Tutorial 4] 11 April PART IV: CONCLUSION 13. Summary & Examination Review 18 April Assessment Top (1) Examination (60% CA): GE3226 examination is on Tuesday 7 May 2019, 9am (venue to be confirmed). There will be 6 essay questions and you are to attempt 3 answers in 2 hours. (2) Group Project (25% CA): more information will be provided soon, but basically each group must come up with a proposal for a tourism development project in Singapore. Each project group must comprise 5 students from the same tutorial group. You can form groups of your own, or the Tutor can help form groups during Tutorial 1. End product: group presentation at the final Tutorial on Week 12. [Group Presentation on Week 12 = 20%; itinerary for tourist visiting you in Singapore = 5%] (3) Personal Essay (15% CA): more information will be provided soon, but basically each student must write a critical essay reflecting on your group's development proposal above (challenges and negative effects). Submission: hard copy essay on Monday 18 March 2019.