Bachelor of Arts in Tourism and Events and Public Relations (Double Major)

“Education”. A word so commonly used and so important in our 21st century, yet it has a different meaning to each one of us. Looking back at my past 2 years studying the MBA course, I am filled with gratefulness, mainly for the privilege to expand the knowledge and skills which are applicable and relevant in my vocation. Being a full-time working adult while taking an MBA was no easy task as I needed to find a new momentum in my daily routines. However, it is through these challenges that I am also thankful for the meaningful experiences and professionalism that Murdoch University at Kaplan has offered.

The curriculum and pedagogical approaches adopted by the University throughout my MBA course have made me re-evaluate the guiding principles behind my perspectives. Education is more than attaining a qualification. It is, for me, the platform offered by an educational institute to individuals who want to make a positive impact on both their personal lives and society. Education challenges your own assumptions and questions your own thought process, which helps to form new knowledge.

I believe that education is also about learning to appreciate diversity in our society. This is important to me as I meet people from all walks of life daily in my work. Being able to help them meant that I first needed to upgrade my skills, and this was what motivated me to pursue the MBA. Equipping myself with these new skills has helped me to better engage my team and clients.

Many have said that networking is the best part of the MBA programme and I agree. The friendships forged and the discussions we had enabled me to broaden my perspectives. I particularly enjoyed the Leading the Engaged Enterprise module. As a team lead, I find myself always aiming to inspire and nurture my team to fulfil their highest potential. The insights gained from this module have definitely helped me with that.

Benjamin Franklin once said, “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest “. Some advice I will give to those who are considering a Postgraduate Degree is to be certain of your reasons for doing so. Take some time to list them down and talk to experienced individuals. Of course, once you have decided to do so, you need to be ready to make some sacrifices, but know that it will be worthwhile.

Thank you, Murdoch University and Kaplan, for providing me this life-changing opportunity to study your MBA programme. I am confident that it will expand my horizons and carry me through life.

My choice to study with Murdoch University was due to its highly positive reputation compared to other universities and its association with the Innovative Research Universities network. They also provide programmes which fit my career needs flawlessly, and exceeded my expectations of the syllabus. I found the “Cyber Forensics and Information Technology” and “Information Security Policy and Governance” modules to be especially practical for my work.

As my current role involves investigation of suspects’ electronic devices and monitoring suspicious activity within company networks, my Degree has helped me understand my job scope in greater detail and allows me to improvise investigation methods. It also educates me on performing my job ethically.

As a part-time student, I appreciate that Murdoch University provides flexible study schedules, suitable for part-time students, and keeps assignment and revision deadlines reasonable for us to cope with. The lecturers’ presentations were clear and paced evenly so as not to overwhelm students, and I have found the lecturers themselves to be quite helpful.

To my fellow students, I recommend Murdoch University as my choice to study with as they offer well-organised programmes that focus on the essentials.

Top 2% Vice Chancellor’s Commendation for Academic Excellence Awards 2020 Recipient
Murdoch University Graduate, Valedictorian (2020)

My decision to study Psychology and Human Resource Management was influenced during my days serving National Service. I was posted to a manpower department within an army unit and exposed to the nature and workings of human resources. I learnt how every process, framework and system contributed to the overall HR strategy and ultimately, the goals of the unit. This sparked my interest in wanting to learn more about Human Resources.

I decided on a Double Major Degree in Psychology and Human Resource Management with Murdoch University as it is an internationally recognised University. My choice of this Double Major not only combined both my interests, I believe it will offer wider career prospects and give me the competitive advantage for my future career. For the same reason, I would recommend others to take this up as well.

Through its partnership with Kaplan in Singapore, Murdoch University offers an accelerated university education that provides the same Degree qualification as its Australia campus. This programme can be completed in a shorter timeframe of 2 years instead of the usual 3 to 4 years at other universities. Therefore, I believe it is a suitable choice for students aiming for career progression.

In terms of learning, the lecturers were open to discussions and feedback about their teaching and encouraged discussions and participations during the lectures to ensure we were engaged. They were also helpful and patient in giving advice when we faced issues with assignments. There were even instances when lecturers would sacrifice their free time during breaks or after classes to ensure we understood the module.

While building my career, I decided to study part-time to improve my progression opportunities. As one of the few institutions offering a shorter programme for my chosen Degree and a part-time option accommodating my work, I opted to study a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Media Studies (Single Major) with Murdoch University through Kaplan in Singapore.

The Degree programme enabled me to balance work and school, inspired me to be more analytical and gave me an in-depth understanding of the media industry. Its core units have encouraged me to think out of the box and consider critical topics and the underrepresented in our society. These are relevant to my current job scope where I manage social media accounts of several brands.

I found Murdoch’s lecturers to be nothing short of encouraging. They were supportive, presented insights and shared work experiences of their own while encouraging self-study and independence without being over-accommodating. This was especially important as it challenged me but I was never overwhelmed by the workload.

Murdoch University provides the right study-life balance for students. With its variety of programmes available, I have personally recommended it to many of my colleagues and friends.

The Degree programme pushed me to work harder, enhanced my writing skills, encouraged my critical thinking and improved soft skills such as time management and team work. After graduating, I was promoted to an Assistant Community Manager.

I am glad to say that my Murdoch journey has been rewarding thus far. Exposure to industry-relevant modules like Forensics Data Analysis and Cyber Forensics, has laid a solid foundation for me to appreciate how different kinds of events and network traffic flows work. Working concurrently as an Engineer in a Security Operations Centre, I am able to tap on the data analytical skills learnt to effectively monitor and investigate offences that occur in the organisation’s network.

On top of that, as an individual who seeks career progression, I strongly believe that diving into more than one area of specialisation will enhance my versatility to future employers. Pursuing a Double Major has matched my thirst for learning with my two main fields of interest – Cyber Forensics and Information Security, opening doors to more career pathways.

Since young, I have always wanted to pursue a career in cyber security. Upon attaining a Higher Nitec certificate in Network Security Technology and a Diploma in Information Technology from Republic Polytechnic, I was motivated to advance my tertiary education with
Murdoch University.

Reminiscing my Kaplan journey reminds me of my deep appreciation for the refreshing curriculum delivered by experienced lecturers. Not only were they able to highlight the essence of each topic through the sharing of real-life experiences, they patiently guided us in terms of prioritising our workload. The knowledge I have gained from this Degree programme has strengthened my adaptability in countering real-world issues such as spotting key indicators in system faults, performing active hunting and providing prompt incident responses.

In search of enhancing my credentials, I was attracted to Murdoch University due to its stellar reputation in grooming graduates with strong employability prospects. There were many Double Majors to choose from and I eventually decided to enrol for a Degree in Cyber Forensics, Information Security & Management and Business Information Systems. My Double Major Degree not only taught me to pinpoint an organisation’s weak security governance, it exposed me to varied ways of implementing proper data storage systems and also enhanced my analytical skills.

I was offered a new role in managing critical security governance issues and adeptly applied my theoretical knowledge to drive productivity and revenue for digital security in my organisation. Pursuing a Double Major Degree has expanded my perspectives, and I encourage others to take it on with Murdoch University as well.

Top 2% Vice Chancellor’s Commendation for Academic Excellence Awards 2019 Recipient

I’ve always been interested in Psychology, especially with regards to understanding the human mind and rationale behind our actions. Like many others, I initially entered the field for the purposes of self-discovery. Over time however, I developed a passion for understanding the behaviour of others and using that knowledge to help them instead.

My educational journey has peaked with me receiving the Top 2% Vice Chancellor’s Commendation for Academic Excellence Award, and I attribute my achievement to the friends who supported me along the way. This experience has motivated me to take pride in my accomplishments and excel even further, and I’ve learnt to focus on outdoing and improving myself.

I believe that Murdoch University offers one of the best Psychology programmes for me. In fact, I decided to continue advancing my education to a Bachelor of Arts Honours Degree in Psychology with Murdoch University. Not only is it a natural progression of my studies, it also provides me opportunities to study overseas. By doing so, I can be better prepared to undertake research roles in the future as well.

I plan to begin building my career as well as prepare myself to pass the Medical College Admission Test after graduating. Eventually, I aim to enrol in a medical school so I can achieve my ambition to become a psychiatrist.