Singapore Management University (SMU) will, from Academic Year 2021-2022 (which begins in August 2021), offer a new second major in Digital Business, to train a pipeline of talent with the necessary knowledge and skills to support the country’s business digital transformation demands across industries. This is the first such undergraduate major in Singapore.
The second major will be jointly offered by Lee Kong Chian School of Business (LKCSB) and School of Computing & Information Systems (SCIS). The collaboration leverages SCIS’ strength in delivering more technical courses and LKCSB’s forte and focus on the application of digital technologies to business. Both Schools will also jointly curate courses relevant to digital business.
This much anticipated second major aims to produce graduates who are able to apply basic programming skills, and have a good understanding of the different digital technologies in use, such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, analytics, mobile networks, social media, and the Internet of Things. At the same time, the graduates will know how to apply these digital technologies to various business functions in order to create value.
Professor Venky Shankararaman, SMU’s Vice Provost (Undergraduate Matters), said, “In an increasingly complex world, a multi-disciplinary education is immensely valuable. The Digital Business second major offers a rare opportunity for students with an aptitude in business and technology to be trained and well-prepared for a fast-changing world.”
“As the industry moves along the broader plan promulgated by the government, we are starting to see strong marketplace demand for graduates familiar with a grounding in the business disciplines, an affinity for technology, some coding and software development skills, and data analytic skills. We are confident that the ability to use and apply digital technologies in the business context is going to be an advantage that can give our graduates an edge when seeking employment,” he added.
The major is offered to SMU undergraduates from all disciplines. The University expects approximately 40 students to declare the new second major in its first year of launch.