University of Essex Student (2021)

Previously, I was a national netball player who represented Singapore in two SEA Games, winning gold and silver; four Asian Netball Championships, winning two golds and one silver; one Netball World Cup and eight Nations Cup events.

My love for the sport has turned into my long-term ambition to teach at a local or international school.

In order to achieve this goal, I chose to pursue a Degree in Sports and Exercise Science with the University of Essex to enhance my skills, knowledge and competency as an educator. As a former full-time national netball player with Netball Singapore from 2010 until I retired in 2020, I also wanted to gain a deeper understanding about other sports.

The schedule at the University of Essex is great for the people who work, and the online learning class experience is good as it helps me save time travelling from work to school. The teaching is carried out step-by-step and a summary video is available for us to review after class.

I believe attaining this Degree will provide me with more options for my future career in sports performance.

University of Essex Student (2021)

I decided to study with the University of Essex (UOE) as it is an established school in the UK and the modules are excellent for the working world, as they are geared toward applied learning. Moreover, UOE provides direct honours for its Sports and Exercise Science Degree programme.

The reason why I chose Sports Science as a major is because it is my dream to be a Sports Science graduate. I have progressed from attaining a Nitec in Fitness Training to Higher Nitec in Sport Management, and from a Diploma in Sports Science and Management holder to a Bachelor’s Degree student.

Having studied sports, health and fitness for five years, I enjoy this industry thoroughly and love gaining as much knowledge as I can, especially in sports performance.

The online learning class experience is straightforward and allows for flexibility during this pandemic. The Kaplan learning management system is simple and easy to use, as I can extract my notes from it and download or print them for offline use.

The UOE timetable is also easy and straight forward. As classes are in the evening, I can have my athletics training sessions in the morning and go to work in the afternoon.

Ultimately, I would like to pursue sports performance as a career and perhaps progress to postgraduate studies to gain more and specialised knowledge. My goal is to work with athletes and the general population, and to improve their health through better nutrition, sleep and exercise.

Northumbria University Student (2021)

I had worked full-time at the Thye Hua Kwan Moral Charities Senior Activity Centre for three years and recently started working as a Programmes Executive at YWCA. Here, I aim to equip young women and mothers from marginalised backgrounds with work skills to improve their lives through employability.

I find it meaningful to work with the elderly and devise interventions to help with their gradual memory impairment and physical limitations. I am also passionate about reaching out to people in difficult situations and making a difference in their lives.

These reasons motivated me to pursue my education with Kaplan, first with a Foundation Diploma, followed by the Diploma in Psychology. This then gave me exemptions to pursue my Bachelor’s Degree with Northumbria University, where I chose to study the Bachelor of Arts in Guidance and Counselling.

The Degree is well-suited to my goal of becoming an asset to organisations that strive to improve the welfare of those in need. Northumbria University is well-recognised for its outstanding teaching, so I feel confident about achieving my Degree here. The lecturers, who are experts in their respective professional fields, also share their experiences and knowledge with us.

The programme may serve as a stepping-stone for those who aspire to expand their career opportunities in the sector and work with people from diverse backgrounds. All the modules covered have been comprehensive and applicable to my job scope.

After I have completed the programme, I plan to further my education with a Master’s Degree in order to be empowered to care for and understand how to work with people from diverse backgrounds.

Monash University Graduate (2020)

I took up the Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood as I have a passion for educating young minds and to enhance my understanding of my role as an educator. I would recommend Monash University given its flexible schedule that is most suitable for working teachers.

Some important lessons that the programme taught me include time management, a skill which was crucial in ensuring that I met my assignments’ deadlines; and perseverance, as it being a part-time programme meant that I had to juggle meeting deadlines, attending lectures, contributing to class discussions and my job.

I truly believe that the programme has helped me to excel at my job by allowing me to apply what I have learnt during my course. It has also helped me identify solutions to the challenges I face at work.

Monash University Graduate (2020)

It has always been my passion to educate children, to help them cultivate a love of learning and set them up for a lifetime of success and well-being. Therefore, I chose to pursue a Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood at Monash University.

Monash University was my top choice. Being an international school, it offers a diverse range of courses and served as a platform to develop my creativity, openness, courage, flexibility and cultural awareness. The University also covers the required skills related to the field and ensures that students gain practical experiences through mandatory fieldwork placements.

The programme has taught me the importance of relationship-building. As an educator, one needs to manage the relationships one has with parents, community members and other professions, to determine what is best for the children.

I would recommend Monash University to others, as the staff is very supportive of the student community, especially in terms of career development and student engagement.

Monash University Graduate (2020)

I decided to further my studies to pursue my dream of helping those in need, and because of my conviction in continuous learning and development. Monash University was my first option as it is one of the top public universities in Australia, and one that is highly respected.

Skills such as interpersonal and attentive listening, and effective communication to build trust are paramount to my role as a Principal Manager. These skills have helped me to be more empathetic to ground views, identify issues, resolve conflicts, and interact with various stakeholders effectively. What I am most grateful for is how the programme has prepared me for the unknown. In my volunteer role during the COVID-19 period, the skills were useful in helping those whose mental well-being was at stake.

Monash University’s teaching methodology, the dedicated and caring lecturers who made themselves easily accessible despite the time difference, and the diverse student population made my time there engaging, interesting and made it possible for me to achieve my goal. My answer is a resounding “yes”, if asked whether I would recommend my University to others – a quality education at a reasonable cost.

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.

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.