SINGAPORE - Singapore Polytechnic (SP) will introduce five new diploma courses next year. These include the region's first Diploma in Perfumery and Cosmetics, and two diplomas for the high growth and high demand area of digital media technology.

The three-year diploma courses will be available from April 2010. The course modules were formulated after a rigorous, year-long consultation with various stakeholders, companies and prospective students.

Diploma in Perfumery and Cosmetic Science

With five out of the world's top 10 flavour and fragrance houses based in Singapore, the country is fast becoming the regional epi-centre for this industry. According to the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), the beauty industry in Singapore rakes in S$120 million each year and is projected to grow by 30% annually.

Riding on the meteoric growth and acknowledging the rising demand for skilled manpower in this sector, SP's School of Chemical and Life Sciences will offer a multi-disciplinary course in perfumery and cosmetic science. The course modules will cover formulation and product development that may interest industry players and eventually lead to the commercialisation of new products in the market.

Graduates from the course can look forward to a career in the fragrance, flavour and cosmetic sectors, chemicals and home and personal care markets.

Diploma in Materials Science

The School of Chemical and Life Sciences is leveraging on the 40-year solid foundation of the existing Diploma in Chemical Process Technology to offer its new Diploma in Materials Science. This new course places special emphasis on areas such as green technology, nanotechnology, biomaterials and aerospace materials. The course will cater to the growing need for new materials and applications in the biomedical and renewable resources field.

Students taking this course will get to go on local and overseas industrial attachments with some of the bigwigs in the industry such as IBN, REC, ExxonMobil and PolyOne.

Diploma in International Business

SP's School of Business will offer the Diploma in International Business where students will receive training in cross-cultural and cross-regional business transactions. In addition to its curriculum that includes business communication, marketing, finance, human resource and research aspects of international business, students will be required to learn a foreign language.

Diploma in Digital Animation & Diploma in Visual Effects and Motion Graphics

With Singapore gearing up to meet the demands of the flourishing S$100 billion animation, games and effects industry, SP is all set to play a strategic role in cultivating the necessary creative and artistic skills for the market.

SP's School of Digital Media and InfoComm Technology will offer two new digital media courses with emphasis on honing the students' aptitude towards the aesthetics - a quality that is in great demand in the digital media market

The Diploma in Digital Animation (DDA) centres on animation production while the Diploma in Visual Effects and Motion Graphics (DVEMG) focuses on computer generated effects. DDA provides students with hands-on experience, from story-boarding, traditional drawing to animation. DVEMG, on the other hand, trains students to create realistic yet awe-inspiring moving images by integrating live-action footage with computer generated imagery.

Both courses offer intensive local and overseas internship programmes with renowned production and post-production studios and companies. Students will also have access to a brand new visual effects studio, complete with rigs, harnesses and blue screen to achieve their creative vision.

For more information about the new courses, please visit www.sp.edu.sg.