My Degree in 16 months

I know many of you have been asking me about what I studied in University, and advice about picking a course etc. Tadah! Here I am to give you a better understanding about what I did and perhaps give a different perspective about private universities in Singapore.

As we all know, education is an integral part of our lives as young Singaporeans. I'm not saying that you wouldn't succeed without a college degree here in Singapore, because there are many fine individuals who made it without even a Olevel certification (then again success is subjective to a certain extent as well). On the other side of the spectrum, a degree can not only be a stepping stone for you to work in an industry that you want to be a part of, it can also widen your knowledge about the things that you are interested in.

Some people are lucky enough to have smart parents who sit them down at a young age and map out their lives for them. I know people who always knew what they wanted to do since a young age. It might have been to become a film producer, an architect, maybe even a professor in Universities. It amazes me how grounded these kids were, while my interests was purely based on what was cool and attractive, for example dance, fine art, fashion, media etc. Hell no, I didn't know what I wanted to do exactly. It was just all over the place, nothing specific.

I understand that there are many stereotypes about private Universities, and one main concern revolves around how "recognized" the school is. Personally, I feel that it all boils down to what sector you plan to work in future. For example, a private education will not really matter as long as you're not in the government sector (which I was pretty clear that I wasn't particularly interested in). I've applied for many jobs along the years - from marketing, branding to advertising and honestly, the certificates that I possess did not play a vital role in their impression of me as person.

And so, at the age of 21 after completing 2 diplomas in 2 different private institutions... I started gravitating towards the idea of getting a degree. Hey, its the natural step to take after getting 2 diplomas right? After intensive research, I found out that Kaplan has a vast variety of programmes for both diplomas and degrees.

My choices were narrowed down according to 2 important factors:

1. Length of the programme
2. Flexibility of classes (since I was also working at the same time)

I found out that the courses that Murdoch University in Kaplan offered 16-mth courses, which is pretty time efficient as compared to a 36 / 48-mth course in a local University. I was interested to do double Bachelor Degrees in Media Studies and Public Relations. I only had to do 3 prerequisites - since both my diplomas (marketing and business administration) are not super related to Mass Communications.

I had an in-depth chat with the program manager before signing the student contract as I wanted to know what I was going to be studying and whether the modules spoke to me. Many people tend to neglect this step, however I think its super important to find out whats in store for you before you decide on the course.

Note that I had certifications in Marketing and Business Administration before enquiring about double Bachelor Degrees in Media Studies and Public Relations in Kaplan Murdoch University.

Prerequisites:
Introduction to Mass Communications
Introduction to Public Relations
Feature Writing (something like an advanced English Language course)

Core Modules:

I wouldn't say that I enjoyed studying every single one of the core modules I took, because some of them were seriously a pain in the ass. But honestly speaking, I really really enjoyed my course of study in Kaplan Murdoch University. So much that my attendance was near-perfect (besides the days that I couldn't get off work to get to class). The time spent in every lecture hall was worth it, as I learnt so much from my lecturers in school. I was blessed to meet lecturers who would go the extra mile for their students and never fail to make lessons extremely dynamic.

I really like how I wasn't restricted in my course of study, and was given a lot of space to write essays about topics that I was actually interested in. Like how I did essays on the global influence of Gangnam Style, how the media has indirectly promoted bulimia and anorexia etc. Some of us actually really enjoyed doing our assignments (no, I'm not crazy nor delusional) cause we could pick topics according to our personal preferences.

The lecturers in the Media Studies and Public Relations department are outspoken and inspiring on many levels. Most of them have been working in the media industry for a significant number of years and are truly great people to speak to.

Also, I'd like to point out that the study materials that Kaplan students receive are identical to the ones received by the students on-campus in the respective universities. That said, my Australian school mates in Perth don't have it any easier or harder than me. You can even choose to complete a few semesters in the university that you are in. I was thinking of doing my last semester in Perth but could't get the slack easier modules I wanted to do there due to popular demand :/

While studying at Starbucks with my girl, Stephanie, at 3am in the morning.

Besides, I couldn't bear to leave my classmates here in Singapore. Those whom I had grown heavily attached to. My classmates and I even went for an overseas trip to Bangkok together! That was how close we were <3

One of the modules in my course, Campaign Management, required us to form teams of 5-6 to work with an actual client from a non-profit organization. Together as a team, we handled a donation campaign with our client from Red Cross Singapore, and had a lot of fun coming out with creative strategies for our campaign. Our client was extremely nice and the whole experience working with an actual client with my classmates was just unforgettable.

We showcased our pitch at the Mad Camp conference last month, the final lap before graduation.

My team and I at a brainstorming session during our final semester. 

Something that really attracted me was that Kaplan is located in the heart of town with a wide range of food within walking distance. I NEED FOOD. Plus, the campus amenities are clean and maintained well, with kick-ass homemade sandwiches at the first level. What else oh lots of quirky and attractive people around the area since 3 major arts schools are like a street away (not like this is relevant anyway right hehe)

On a serious note, I highly encourage you to pick a course that you're interested in. Honestly. Learning can be extremely fun if you're studying the right course for you. Some people are just not cut out for certain courses, so read up and find out what are the modules that the course encompasses! I am glad to say that I did not simply "pull through" university, but enjoyed every moment of it :)

The route that I took in Kaplan Murdoch University is the fastest route to getting a Bachelor's qualification without compromising on quality education that YOU deserve. It took me about 16 months (excluding prerequisites) to complete my double Bachelor Degrees in Media Studies and Public Relations. Feel free to drop me an email at audreyfaithlim@hotmail.com if you would like to know more about my course in Kaplan! Would be happy to help clarify some doubts from a graduate's perspective :)

For more information, visit Kaplan at their official website here.

- This post was initiated by Kaplan Singapore but all thoughts are solely mine :)