Modules for Sem 2 AY07/08

It's the time of the year again to decide on my modules for next semester.

It is my belief that we should always exploit the university's resources as much as possible. Which means I need to learn as much as I can with the amount of school fees I pay. Well in this case, it's "free" but I'm in the system and I should take advantage of all available resources.

Originally I was planning on taking just 2 easy modules.

1. ISM - Independent Study Module and focus on doing my singapore research or is literature review a safer bet?
2. GRS - Graduate Research Seminar which is compulsory

Now I am informed that I can take language modules on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis. And also there are other modules in MEM and LKYSPP that are enticing me. There are also statistics modules that I really need to learn from.

What should I do? Should I give up on the ISM? Or should I try to audit everything?

The temptation includes:

1. Bahasa Indonesia (Very important)

2. Environmental Science by Prof Chou (methods in the field... maybe)
The module discusses earth's environmental dimensions of air, water and land, and the interaction between living and non-living components. Earth is considered as a system through which materials are continuously cycled. Impacts caused by natural or human influences affect the state of balance, leading to environmental problems, with human impacts causing more serious consequences to the environment and human society. The module covers the properties of air, water and land, ecosystems, biogeochemical cycles, ecosystem integrity and environmental capacity, pollution pathways and impacts, conservation science, integrated management approaches. The scientific basis of environmental management is stressed.
After reading the description, this module is out of the question

3. Business and the Environment by a visiting Yale professor (Prof thinks I should go to get connection for Yale)
There is such an heavy emphasis on industrial ecology. I'm really not sure


Potential Methods Modules:

1. PL5222 MULTIVARIATE STATISTICS IN PSYCHOLOGY
Mon, 18.00 - 21.00, AS1/02-03
This module introduces students to the use of multivariate methods for the analysis of psychological data. Included among the methods to be covered may be canonical correlation, discriminant function analysis, multivariate analysis of variance, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modelling. Emphasis will be placed on the development of skills for multivariate data analysis through hands-on analysis and interpretation of datasets.

2. SC5101 SURVEY MANAGEMENT AND RESEARCH METHODS
Tue, 18.30 - 21.30, AS1/02-12
This module is designed for survey administrators, executives directed to oversee a research project for their organizations, and research students who will use survey data. The focus of the module is not on technical details; rather, it aims to equip participants with the insights, skills and knowledge necessary to manage a large survey project in applied and basic research settings. Some of the major conceptual and methodological issues to be addressed include the role of survey research in organizational development and policy formulation, the politics of applied research, press releases, and crisis media management.

3. SC5103 QUALITATIVE DATA ANALYSIS
Wed, 18.30 - 21.30, AS1/02-12
Increasingly, more qualitative research work is being under-taken in its own right rather than as preliminary research for subsequent quantitative surveys. This explains the broadening of the range of qualitative research techniques. In addition to dealing with traditional fieldwork and participant observation methods, the module will examine a number of qualitative approaches. These include techniques of analyzing data generated by laypersons (as in life-documents: diaries, journals, travelogues), communications materials, material artifacts, and visual information. This course is open to postgraduate students with an interest in qualitative research methods.

All the stats module does not sound like what I need. How?!

I looked into undergraduate statistics modules and hopefully they would allow me to audit the class:

1) ST1232 Statistics for Life Sciences
An introduction to the basic principles and methods of biostatistics designed specifically for life sciences students who wish to learn modern research methods for analysing and extracting information from biological, biomedical and genomic data. Relevant examples will be used throughout the course to illustrate various techniques. A computer package will be used to enhance learning and to enable students to analyze real life data sets. Topics include tabular and graphical display of data, probability, probability distributions, sampling distributions, confidence intervals and regression analysis, distribution free tests, categorical data analysis, logistic and Poisson distribution, introduction to Bayesian inference. This module is essential to students of the Life Sciences.

2) ST1131 Introduction to Statistics
This module introduces students to the basic concepts and the methods of statistics. A computer package is used to enhance the effect of learning and to enable students to analyse complicated data. Topics include descriptive statistics, basic concepts of probability, sampling distribution, statistical estimation, hypothesis testing, linear regression. This module is targeted at students interested in Statistics and are able to meet the pre-requisite. It is also an essential module for students in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering and School of Design and Environment. Precludes students from Department of Mechanical Engineering.

I think I will have my hands full doing ISM, GRS, Bahasa Indonesia and auditing a stats module (hopefully I get to audit).