Hi alex1_phang3, congratulations on getting the NTU CBE offer!
Same as all the previous replies, I cant inform you on the details of the NUS Chem E, and wad im saying doesnt represent NTU Chem E administration as well.
Referring to traditional Chem Engineering jobs namely process technologists and process engineers (some just called chem engineers), MUST study modules will be covered by both NUS and NTU, in order to ensure that their graduates are well-equipped for the relevant workforce in the future. In NTU all modules taken from year 2 onwards are MUST study, except for maybe those electives which forms your specialization.
These modules are normally (This list is not exhaustive):
Fundamental (1st year)
Energy & Materials Balance
Thermodynamics
Maths
Physical Chemistry
Organic Chemistry
Material Science
Higher Level (2nd year onwards)
Fluid Dynamics
Heat & Mass Transfer
Chemical Thermodynamics
Chemical Reaction Engineering
Unit Operations I & II
Process Control & Dynamics
Industrial Safety
Design Project
All the laboratory modules
Basic Programming
Engineers & Society
With the rising biopharma industry, NTU sees the need to educate their students in biochemical engineering, where we modules related to this from year 1 onwards. Graduates working in the biopharma industry would greatly benefit from this incorporation of biochem-eng modules into the syllabus. In my personal opinion, going thru all these modules right from the start gives an alternative career path, where some (in fact quite a many) graduates go into the biopharma field.
In fact, I believe that both NUS and NTU tune their course modules to ensure their graduates are fully prepared to go into any chemical engineering related fields, and I am confident that the inclusion of biochem engineering does not affect us but rather enhances our degree in a positive way.
As for accredition, NTU CBE is on provisional accredition, and full accredition can only be awarded when 2 batches of students have graduated (i.e. from end 2009 onwards). To the best of my knowledge, our full accredition review is already in progress.(--not representative of the school admin--). Do check back our website frequently, and it is more likely than not that the school will post the full accredition notice once approved.
Up till now, I have not heard of any seniors feedback that our provisional accredition has impeded them in their career, so I should assume it isnt that big an issue. Being in a world class university like NTU, employers do trust the credibility of the school and the quality of the graduates.
On a side note, perhaps you might want to post in NUS thread/forum to see if there's any seniors who can send u the link / soft copy of their course description, as I do not have access to any and am unable to inform you on that. The way modules are structured between NTU and NUS are slightly different, where NTU offers flexibility as some core modules have been merged/split depending to improve on the flow of the modules taught.
Thanks and hopefully it helped! Would look forward to your joining in August!