University College Dublin

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

I began my Kaplan education with a Diploma, which laid strong foundations for my transition into pursuing a Bachelor of Business Studies (Honours) in Management (Top-up) Degree with University College Dublin (UCD).

My path to acquiring a reputable and well-recognised business Degree was clear considering UCD’s Triple Crown accreditation. Also, the University has produced alumni across the globe, with its graduates making an impact in politics, literature and the international business world over the decades.

Participating in the 2019 Kaplan Kickstart Challenge, an internship programme for students to work at start-ups and contribute business ideas for a chance to win prize money, was most memorable. Equipped with analytical, business and operational know-how and knowledge from studying at Kaplan, I was able to apply this expertise while interning. As a result, I won the ‘Best Intern’ award in the competition and was offered an extension in my internship and, subsequently, a full-time role, giving me a head start in my career.

I am no stranger to the field of logistics, having previous working experience related to this sector. To further grow in this industry, I chose to study with University College Dublin with Kaplan as I believe it is highly-ranked by the QS World University Rankings while also offering a shorter programme due to its short term breaks.

I appreciate how studying this programme has enabled me to better understand the relationship between supply chain management and business. I have also made many great friends throughout this experience. Now that I’ve graduated, I am committed to keeping my skills sharp and applying what I’ve learned to my career for the foreseeable future.

My main source of motivation during my studies was to remind myself that the only easy day was yesterday, and I advise my fellow students to aim to enjoy their studies and school time as I did.

Three important people in my life inspired me to take up this Master’s Degree. Firstly, it was my father Joseph, who was an exemplary educator himself; my wife Shirley, who encouraged me to go for my academic pursuit and lastly, my astute mentor Stephen, a fellow UCD alumnus who was always there to guide me through my career challenges. He was also the one who advised me to sign up for this programme.

The Master of Science programme at UCD was delivered by highly competent lecturers, who had augmented my knowledge in the field of Finance. I believe that the programme has equipped me with the abilities to better adapt to changes and resolve problems. It takes one from being efficient to being effective. The critical thinking developed at this level is not only valuable to my career but also to my family, social network and personal development.

I was working with a Risk Management Consultancy firm before I embarked on my Master’s education. I chose UCD’s Master of Science in Finance as it encompassed both Finance and Business elements that were relevant to my line of work. Furthermore, UCD is a well-recognised University with a leading business school in the world. After completing the programme, I joined a Global Financial Institution with a significant increment.

The lecturers from UCD were a passionate bunch who went that extra mile to help me. I fondly remember them going for lunches with me to guide me through the materials, and I am proud to become a protégé of some professors who are CEOs and consultants to various private and government agencies. This experience was a catalyst to my career transformation journey from a technical role towards a management role. I am now a Director of Technology and Operations at SSON Analytics, and I attribute this achievement to the UCD programme.

I had to join the workforce early as I did not do well for my O-level exams and my family was struggling financially. However, I never gave up on my aspirations to become a graduate one day and earn the chance to apply my knowledge to help improve the world around me.

Eventually, I worked hard and managed to save up enough to complete my part-time Diploma in Information Technology with Kaplan, even going on to secure a full-time job at Singapore Press Holdings. That helped to spur my dreams, so that I could go on and pursue a Bachelor’s Degree with University College Dublin (UCD).

I chose UCD due to its global accreditations, industry-relevant subjects and flexible schedules, as I needed to balance my work and studies. Now I feel confident of my future plans, and hope that whatever opportunity comes my way, it incorporates helping others in need.

I made my choice to enter University College Dublin (UCD) as the business school has an established brand name, and offer flexible study schedules and easy-to-follow lesson plans that I needed.

While the 18-month Bachelor’s Degree programme provided a great way to achieve my graduation goals, it also allowed me to pick up a lot of industry knowledge on business strategic planning and supply chain operations, from inventory handling to import/export shipment management.

My career started taking flight when I became a Supply Chain Analyst for a multinational corporation right after graduating two years ago, and really took off the following year when I accepted a job offer for a sales position in a Japanese multinational corporation in Singapore.

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.