University College Dublin Graduate (2019)

Despite my time constraints working at a public health institution and being a mother of two, I sought a quality Degree that could fit both my schedule and location needs. That was why I enrolled with the University College Dublin (UCD) Bachelor of Business Studies (Honours) in Management programme at Kaplan.

Pursuing a Degree after 14 years was initially daunting as I had to balance my work and the needs of my two young children. But life as a UCD student was unexpectedly refreshing. The pace of study was manageable even for me and that helped to allay my anxiety as an older student. The lessons offered in this UCD programme were relevant, practical and applicable to my daily work. So it empowered me with the confidence to take on greater responsibilities, and I became more proactive in resolving challenges within my organisation.

What attracted me the most was the remarkable flexibility of the programme structure, which has allowed me to strike a perfect balance between my personal commitments and academic pursuits. The programme’s flexibility also allowed me to engage in modules which are relevant to my work.  Furthermore, with the wide range of academic programmes offered at Kaplan, I can choose a programme within my area of interest.

I decided to pursue my studies with University College Dublin (UCD) due to its global reputation for academic excellence, where it is ranked in the Top 1%* of universities worldwide. Additionally, UCD shows a strong track record in graduate employability and is aligned with industry needs. Majoring in the Bachelor of Business Studies (Honours) (Management), I was equipped with the business foundation knowledge. This knowledge allowed me to enrich my professional journey, and coupled with my years of working experience, I was able to spearhead a few startups and non-profit organisations. I would recommend UCD as I found that it has provided me with good learning opportunities and exposure.

*Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2023

University College Dublin, Second Upper Class Honours Graduate (2020)

University College Dublin stood out to me as it is ranked as one of the Top 1% of institutions worldwide*. My friend, who had previously studied with UCD, gave good reviews about the University as well. Therefore, I decided to enrol with them to study a Bachelor of Business Studies (Honours) in Marketing Degree programme, choosing Marketing as my major as I wanted to prepare to move into a business development role.

The programme has taught me that networking and acquiring industry-relevant knowledge are more important than what can be learned in the classroom. Classroom learning enables you to understand the principles. However, experiential learning and sharing experiences with others reinforces what is being taught during the programme’s industry-relevant lessons.

Working as a freelancer, which requires frequent travel, while concurrently taking care of my pregnant wife and navigating through the programme was tough. However, with support from great classmates and team members, all of us were able to make it through the course. Memorable!

By applying the principles taught in the programme and relating them to the feasibility of the case studies, I was able to apply what was learnt to my work, creating a marketing platform for a new product by combining everything I was taught into a campaign.

UCD is my recommended University for students as its many lecturers have industry experience to share, and their experiences are very applicable to one’s work. Also, the programme’s assignments enable students to apply what they have learnt.

*Times Higher Education 2020

Due to my background in financial advisory, I developed a keen interest in Finance and decided to further enhance my skills in this field. After conducting some research on available programmes, I found that the modules offered by University College Dublin (UCD) at Kaplan were aligned with my learning objectives and applicable in preparing me for the jobs I wanted to pursue.

UCD’s Triple-Crown Accreditation assured me of the programme’s quality and standards, which attracted me to choose UCD over other options. Additionally, the programme structure was well suited to my needs as a part-time student, acknowledging the limited amount of time I had and effectively balancing the workload between lectures and assignments. Furthermore, Kaplan’s central location was helpful for me since I had to travel around for work.

This Degree has equipped me with a solid foundation in comprehending key concepts and terminologies used in the corporate world, enabling me to perform at an advanced level.  My learning experience was also further enhanced by the engaging lecturers. Upon graduating, I was able to successfully transition to a new job as a Financial Analyst. I would recommend this UCD programme to anyone looking to pursue their studies at a recognised university with a holistic learning experience.

University College Dublin Graduate (2019)

I chose to embark on my career in my youth instead of pursuing higher education, so I could grow my income first. As I grew up, I felt the need to further my studies for future career prospects and personal growth.

I wanted to experience a quality education with a reputable business school and to graduate faster than my peers, so I decided to take up an 18-month Honours Degree programme with University College Dublin (UCD) at Kaplan. I chose UCD because it is ranked among the top 1% of institutions around the world, and accredited by bodies such as the AACSB and EQUIS for meeting their rigorous quality standards.

It is my aspiration to advance towards a management position in the near future, so having opportunities to lead group assignments in class helped to grow my leadership capabilities and communication skills. As a working adult, the programme’s compact schedule allowed me to make plans so I could better balance my time between work, family and studies. I looked forward to my lessons as the lecturers were always sharing deep insights on how the actual business world operates.

University College Dublin Graduate (2019) & Kaplan Diploma Graduate (2014)

I’ve always wanted to earn an Honours Degree after graduating from ITE. While serving my National Service, I discovered that I could achieve my goal by taking up a part-time 8-month Diploma in Commence (Marketing Management) with Kaplan, which would grant entry to a Degree with University College Dublin (UCD), an elite business school ranked among the Top 1% of institutions worldwide¹.

I was really happy that I made this choice as I have had an amazing study experience at Kaplan. My Diploma tutors taught me as if I was studying at a University level, while simultaneously providing extra guidance. As a result, I had a smooth transition to my Degree studies with UCD upon completing my Diploma².

I think studying at UCD is perfect if you want to experience the new and grow as a global citizen. I’ve learned a lot about various cultures by interacting with many students from different countries and experiencing lessons with several fly-in lecturers from Ireland.

¹Times Higher Education 2019
²Jeremiah graduated with a Kaplan Diploma in Commence (Marketing Management) in 2014, and a Bachelor of Business Studies (Hons) in Marketing from UCD in 2019.

University College Dublin, 1^st Class Honours Graduate (2020)

To further my studies, I enrolled with University College Dublin as it offers an academically challenging, and satisfying, honorary Degree programme. I feel that achieving these honours represents one’s ability to learn, their discipline to work hard and their motivation to achieve more.

The biggest lesson this programme has taught me is how value should be created. As resources such as time are valuable and limited, this course has helped me understand that it is very important to make full use of my resources to create and deliver value effectively so as to directly make meaningful contributions in life or work.

I opted to major in Finance as I believe it is an exciting field that presents many job opportunities and requires both analytical skills and creativity. This programme has also taught me the importance of collaboration as many projects require in-depth communication, understanding and information exchange. Through the process, I learned how to communicate and cooperate more effectively and correctly. As a Finance student, I appreciate that I was able to learn while also improving my communication skills.

I would recommend UCD to other students as it is ranked among the Top 1% of universities in the World*. In addition, it is an elite business school that also holds the Triple Crown international accreditations, representing the highest form of achievement and recognition for business schools.

The University’s Degrees are recognised by the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange (CSCSE). Having recognition in China means more opportunities and options are made available as China’s impact on the world economy is evident.

*Times Higher Education 2020

I observed how businesses have been adjusting and transforming their models to thrive in the e-commerce world. It became evident to me the importance of staying updated in this dynamic business environment. Motivated by this realisation, I decided to take up the Bachelor of Business Studies (Honours) (Digital Business) (Top-up) Degree programme with University College Dublin (UCD) at Kaplan because I believe it is well-aligned with the modern business environment. I am convinced that I have made the right choice.

The modules offered by UCD specifically assist students to comprehend and navigate the realm of digital business. I also found great value in applying what I have learned in my daily business interactions. The part-time study option was very well planned as the classes and exams did not interfere with my work responsibilities. Moreover, we had access to online resources which were incredibly helpful for my exam preparation. Upon completing the Degree programme, I was promoted at my company, which further affirms the impact of this programme on my career.

Despite the challenges of enrolling during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, both Kaplan and UCD have demonstrated their professionalism in managing student affairs. I also appreciate Kaplan’s dedication to selecting and offering programmes that are not only relevant to the present environment but also affordable. As someone who has benefitted from UCD’s programme at Kaplan, I will not hesitate to promote it to others.