Freshmore curriculum
Having completed a review and revamp, SUTD introduced a new Freshmore curriculum* from the AY2020 cohort onwards. Some key elements of the revamped and enhanced curriculum include:
Foundation
The first three terms are common to all students and build the foundation in Science, Mathematics and Technology (SMT), Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) and design. This approach provides a broad and rigorous education and aims to provide the students with a strong base to select and excel in their choice of major and also build foundational literacy for future careers and endeavours.
The incorporation of design projects within and across subjects further imbues design thinking, critical inquiry, problem solving, communication and collaboration skillsets, which are highly relevant and useful in the industry. These 2D design projects will also be reflected in the academic transcript from AY2020 onwards.
Example of Term 1 2D Design Project
01.018 Interdisciplinary Design Project
Project Scenario:
Airdropping medicine and food to an isolated flooded village affected by COVID-19.
The project is an interdisciplinary effort across 4 different modules:
- Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences (HASS) module: provides social context to the problem.
- Modelling and Analysis (Math): Model the air dropping motion of the package with a circular geometry parachute of different radii using optimisation techniques on Excel software.
- Computational Thinking for Design: Apply geometric modelling and simulation techniques to design the parachute of the emergency supply delivery system (cargo) using computer software.
- Physical World (Physics): Fabricate a parachute and shock absorption mechanism (force dissipation) to deliver the emergency supplies to the ground safely under two main criteria: (1) cargo should land in the shortest time of flight, and (2) the impact force on landing must be minimised to ensure cargo survivability.
Our students underwent the following stages of this project:
- Modelling a parachute. Model a flat surface using Rhinoceros 3D and create a mesh from it using Grasshopper. This mesh is analogous to the parachute membrane laid flat on the floor.
- Visual simulation of airdrop. Set up the physics-based form-finding system. Set anchors which represent the attachment points of the cable to the membrane. Set the mass for the particle representing the airdropped supplies.
- Run the simulation to drop the parachute. Change initial setup parameters to see their effects.
- Design Emergency Aesthetics. Once the design’s finalised, to personalise the parachute further, for example by mapping colours/images to the mesh (via the custom geometry preview component). In addition, record an animation of the parachute dropping.
- Inertial Measurement Unit. The following is the device the students will airdrop in lieu of a cargo with medicine and supplies. The device measures acceleration as function of time.
Expand learning beyond the classroom and into the region
The SUTD Freshmore Asian Cross-curricular Trips (FACT) is a programme that is incorporated into specific Freshmore courses. All Freshmore students are eligible to participate in the SUTD FACT and a one-time subsidy will be provided.
Incorporating such short immersion trips as nuggets of learning experience into our Freshmore curriculum, we offer students the opportunity to “see the world” and develop their world view right from the first year.
Extension of Grade-Free System
In addition to all subjects in Term 1 being grade-free (Pass/No Record), students can choose up to four more subjects from Terms 2 and 3 to be grade-free. With this arrangement, you can better adjust to academic life at SUTD, explore new areas that you are interested in or embrace learning subjects that you have no prior background in without worrying about grades.
Flexibility to Pursue Interests
Students are allowed to choose any 2 of the following 4 elective modules in Term 3, to provide them with more options to pursue their own educational interests.
- Science and Technology for Healthcare
- Data Driven World
- Designing Energy Systems
- Spatial Design World
Computational Design Courses
Computational Thinking for Design (Term 1) and Spatial Design World (Term 3 elective module) are newly designed modules to strengthen students’ digital literacy in preparation for the data-driven world.
Mathematics and Physics
The following core modules were developed with increased correlation between Mathematics and Physics in mind, with enhanced linkages and translation to the majors.
- Term 1:
- Modelling and Analysis
- Physical World
- Term 2
- Modelling Space and Systems
- Technological World
- Term 3
- Modelling Uncertainty
Chemistry and Biology
Science for a Sustainable World (Term 2) and Science and Technology for Healthcare (Term 3 elective module) have been designed based on current and relevant themes that are driven from the point of view of the Sciences.
List of Freshmore Subjects
| Term 1 |
| Modelling and Analysis |
| Physical World |
| Computational Thinking for Design |
| Social Science: Understanding Behaviour, Culture & Society (HASS) |
| Term 2 |
| Modelling Space and Systems |
| Technological World |
| Science for a Sustainable World |
| Design Thinking and Innovation |
| Term 3 |
| Modelling Uncertainty |
| Global Humanities: Literature, Philosophy, and Ethics (HASS) |
| Any two electives: Science and Technology for Healthcare – Elective Data Driven World – Elective Designing Energy Systems – Elective Spatial Design World – Elective |