If you are reading this, chances are your life crosses paths with NUS.
A majority of graduating JC and polytechnic students pursue
further studies at either NUS, NTU or SMU. After two semesters or more
at these institutions, the mugged mind starts asking what-if questions.
“What if I actually pursued my childhood dreams?” or “What if I
chose to do it somewhere else?” So what if you had taken the road less
travelled? Where would you have gone?
This article seeks to highlight
some of the more unconventional means to tertiary education available
within our ever expanding shores.
Degree in Hospitality
Let's start with University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) Singapore. Ah, CSI comes to mind. Or is it something else?
Anyway, with the integrated resort business come 2009, a degree with UNLV Singapore is more than a safe bet. Recognised as one of the leading hospitality management programmes in the United States, UNLV Singapore offers the Bachelor of Science Degree in Hotel Administration and the WSQ Advanced Certification in Meetings, Incentive, Conventions and Exhibition (MICE).
A joint collaboration between the university and the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA), the WSQ aims to provide professional development opportunities for those who are either new or have been working in the MICE industry. What's better, this programme can be completed in 9 months!
Cross-faculty Degree
Aside from the usual business and management degrees, SIM University offers many other very appealing degrees as well.
One such degree is the new Bachelor of Arts in Translation and Interpretation offered by its School of Arts and Social Sciences. If you think this course is merely speaking with conviction, you are dead wrong.
“The translation and interpretation courses address the fundamental theories, techniques, and methods of translation and interpretation. The wide range of practical courses provides a broad cultural background and essential interdisciplinary knowledge required by professional translators and interpreters. At the end of the programme, students will be able to translate and interpret with professionalism different genres of texts in media, trade, law, literature, science and technology, and conference proceedings.”
For people who were from odd-combination classes, you might want to take it up a notch by going for ‘fusion’ degrees from the School of Science and Technology, like the Bachelor of Science in Computing with Psychology and the Bachelor of Science in Mathematics with Economics, to name a few.
Degree in Performing Arts
Of course, for people with artistic leanings, the all too familiar art colleges like Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) and LASALLE-SIA College of the Arts provide a holistic art learning experience.
One programme that caught my eye was Fine Art with Contemporary Writing, offered by NAFA. This programme, in collaboration with the University of Huddersfield, “is an interdisciplinary programme that trains students to straddle both art and writing.”
The career opportunities is marked by picture-making and text-production, which include text-based visual artist, artist-writer, artist-poet, art curator, arts manager, art journalist and cultural critic, among others. This programme is organised around studio activity, professional orientation and critical reflection to form a holistic experience.
People who fancy a career as an actor would be glad to know about the Bachelor of Arts (Hons) Acting offered by LASALLE-SIA. This programme aims to nurture the natural ability in you and guide you towards a career as professionals.
As all true serial addicts know, acting is tough, demanding and very susceptible to cruel criticisms. Prospective applicants would do well to build up your stamina, grow extra layers of skin and uh, play more ‘pretend’ games.
The musically-inclined could also find a place in LASALLE-SIA, which offers Bachelor of Arts (Hons) Classical Music, Jazz or Popular Music.
The local art scene has gained significant ground since the last few years, what with events like the annual Singapore Arts Festival, and various talent competitions. Furthermore, there is an earnest pushing from the government nowadays, which is very different from the olden days when the earnings for such specialty were uncertain and hard to come by.
Degree in Business
Lastly, there are also many acclaimed graduate business schools for Trump wannabes, for example, INSEAD, University of Chicago Graduate School of Business and S P Jain Center of Management, which provide various postgraduate opportunities.
If you find tertiary education unnecessary, then I say it's time to work! Explore various professions and skills while you're at your youth! This route is more familiarly known as ‘seh wui tai hok’ in Cantonese, or Society University, literally.
If there’s still the issue of appeasing the family, take a hike instead. An old Chinese saying goes, “You learn more from 10 days of travel than 10 years in school.” A gap year is popular among teens in Western countries, and although some might dismiss it as a waste of time, these people often perform better later in school and at work.
What's their strength over their peers? Experience in life. HOOKED
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