Bachelor of Business in Marketing and Journalism (Double Major)

My reason for pursuing a postgraduate degree was a bit different. Since I am already at the top of my organisation, pursuing the MBA would not have elevated my position at work. As cliché as it sounds, I wanted to hone the necessary professional skills and foster my personal development.

I believe that postgraduate studies are not just a means to a better job or different career path. For students with a genuine passion for a particular topic or area of research – for me, that would be my wellness business – advanced degrees provide the ideal platform to delve deeper.

In classes, my participation was sincerely welcomed. I learnt that you do not always have to be right. In fact, it is good to be wrong sometimes – you will always be learning more and advancing your ideas. My favourite module was Business, Society and the Environment. I thoroughly enjoyed engaging in discursive debates on climate change, as well as how businesses have impacted the climate. In fact, after graduation, I went straight to developing a project incorporating the goals of sustainability, which hopefully can be shared with the public by the third quarter.

I also discovered that incorporating responsible business practices are no longer just a ‘nice to have’, but an essential part of any business venture. Regardless of the size of a company, we all have a part to play to give back to society. Little drops of water make the mighty ocean, and every effort counts.

Having been trained in the hard sciences as a doctor, I felt that I needed to gain a business perspective of the healthcare industry as I was working as an Assistant Medical Director at the time, and later, as a Senior Manager (Operations).

Thus, I decided to pursue an MBA programme to acquire the theoretical fundamentals on running a business. The decision to pursue the programme at Murdoch University was a fruitful one, as it allowed me to function more efficiently as a healthcare administrator. The technical skills I learned through modules such as Accounting, and Business Finance allowed me to better make sense of balance sheets and profit and loss (P&L) statements, which I encounter in my course of work.

What I like most about the programme is that it gave me the flexibility to complete the modules at my own pace. Additionally, the modules were well-taught by the lecturers, who were both knowledgeable and engaging. My advice to those considering taking up a Postgraduate Degree is, do not hesitate to take up the MBA programme at Murdoch University, as it is a proven programme which will adequately arm you with the knowledge and technical skills on business administration.

I chose the Bachelor of Communication in Communication and Media Studies and Public Relations due to my interest in learning about media and how it works. Studying the topics in-depth has allowed me to understand how the media landscape functions. My first choice was Murdoch University as it is one of the top 100 young universities in the world.

My job entails writing news scripts for presenters to read on air. Two modules which have helped me in my job are Media Governance and the Public Sphere, and Audiences, Users and Participants. The programme has helped me to identify sources when I am writing my assignments, and to gauge if the website that I am researching on is credible – so that I know what to include in the script.

The lecturers at Murdoch University are capable and very passionate about their jobs. They go all out as teachers, and are compassionate, kind and trustworthy. I must commend my PR lecturer for how well she taught the PR modules and for making her students feel confident in their abilities. I would recommend the University as it is reputable, and the modules will aid the students in their professional lives.

I chose the Bachelor of Science in Cyber Security & Forensics and Criminology Double Major as I wanted to further my studies in cyber security and forensics and combine my interest in criminology.

I graduated from a polytechnic in 2018 with a Diploma in Information Security and Forensics. Thus, Murdoch University was my first choice as I could skip the Year One modules and there was flexibility regarding the modules taken. The two modules which have helped me at work were Databases, and Creativity and Innovation. I would recommend the University to others, especially if they prefer something more specialised and flexible. The lecturers and staff are knowledgeable and helpful as well.

I am now in my second trimester. Since classes are conducted online during the COVID-19 period, there is no need to rush down to the campus after work. I can simply log on to classes from anywhere, even using my phone. Assignments are posted at an early date, giving me sufficient time to complete them.

It has been a life goal of mine to achieve a Postgraduate Degree. I believe that this Master of Business Administration Degree I’ve obtained, would help enhance my leadership skills to lead a team.

The knowledge gained from this Degree programme’s modules have taught me what the industry best practices are and how to apply various techniques to my own leadership style. I also appreciate how the programme gave me the opportunity to network with people from various industries and career paths, and I would say that this was the best part of the programme. From a management and leadership perspective, I am now equipped with the knowledge to better practice my leadership qualities in both my career and personal life. In addition to enhancing my knowledge, I have acquired different perspectives on leadership.

Juggling work and study was a challenge. However, I believe that anyone in a management position should take up this Postgraduate Degree programme.

I decided to further my studies as I believe that formal education is required to understand managing a company. Through a great consultation provided by Kaplan, I chose Murdoch University as they offer a lot of learning support, and I felt more confident studying with them to achieve my educational goals.

I opted for a Double Major Degree as I believe doing so opens more career paths and would improve my job prospects. I selected the Banking and Finance specialisations as I often work with banks and other financial institutions and knowing how they operate helped me understand my clients better. Studying this Degree has introduced me to various financial concepts such as budgeting and financial analysis.

As a part-time student, Murdoch University made studying easy for me. Lessons were evenly spread across alternate weeks and I had the flexibility to choose when I wanted my lesson to be. This ensured that I could plan my work schedule in advance to avoid clashes. If I needed support, the Student Support team always responded quickly to resolve any situation.

I feel that the lecturers are professional, sharing their work experience as a reference for us on several subjects. I truly appreciate their time spent helping me on many occasions and going out of their way to answer my queries even after lessons.

Taking a Double Major Degree is what I recommend. It strongly enhances your employability potential, makes it easier to get a job after graduating and provides you a competitive advantage through showcasing your competency in two different fields.

I have recommended quite a few of my friends and colleagues to study with Murdoch. With its flexible study schedules for part-time students, experienced lecturers and recognised accreditation, I could not ask for more.

It was a natural choice for me to choose Murdoch University as it is recognised as one of the top universities in the world. I was drawn to the option of being able to broaden my career options by completing two majors in one degree, with my preferred choice in Journalism and Public Relations.

I like that the lecturers are highly qualified industry professionals who show a deep passion for what they are teaching, and I appreciate their caring disposition and teaching style as it helps students better understand complex topics and nuances.

In addition, thanks to Murdoch University’s unparalleled industry links, students who are enrolled in the Public Relations Major like myself will automatically receive student membership in the Murdoch University Singapore-IPRS Student Chapter, where we get to tap into the knowledge and experience of industry professionals. I have found this initiative very useful as I was able to discover more about my field of interest and acquire knowledge outside the traditional realm of the classroom through the student-centric activities spearheaded by the Student Chapter.

Murdoch University offers the opportunity to learn beyond your chosen specialisation via breadth units designed to introduce new knowledge and develop a rounded perspective that will help in preparing students for the multidisciplinary world. I was able to gain a range of interdisciplinary perspectives on various topics by working with students from other specialisations to explore problems and create solutions that are relevant and applicable in the real world.

For my self-improvement and to better understand business and management skills, I opted to advance my studies. I chose Murdoch University as it is a reputable institution in Singapore and I was familiar with it. Also, with a Murdoch University qualification, a lot of companies are opening their doors for us to enter at higher positions.

To further extend my knowledge to improve my management skills, I decided on studying Double Majors instead of a Single Major, and I would recommend others do the same as. Considering that you are already in it to fulfil your aim for a Degree, why not maximise your time and effort to acquire another specialisation which can propel you to greater heights. Since business makes the world goes round, I believe management knowledge is also good to have when starting your own.

While studying part-time, I found the Knowledge Management and Strategic Management modules to be beneficial as I was already exposed to some of the learnings during my service in the SAF as well as in my current employment.  On top of that, the Business Analytics module was useful for my understanding of the different fundamentals of decision making in business.

I appreciate Murdoch’s lecturers as I felt that they did their jobs amazingly well, ensuring that all students understood the lesson and scrutinising our assignments to ensure we can score well for it. Despite being in an adult learning environment, some lecturers even made the class interactive by implementing games and rewards to encourage us to do well in class.

Working as a Senior Airport Emergency Service Officer involves responding to real-time incidents in the airport, and it takes a lot of tenacity to manage a team while handling a crisis simultaneously. Hence, managing them well during peacetime will ensure optimum performance in times of crisis, and the management skillset I’ve acquired helps me do so. In fact, it was thanks to the Degree that I was able to apply for a management role in the AES, and I aim to set up my own business eventually.