Fast Track Your Ambitions
For students who are looking for a real Australian University to continue their education, JCU Singapore is a great place to fast-track your ambitions.
By Yvette Lim
Derrick Tan is passionate about psychology. This is evident from the way he talks about it. “Psychology gives me insights into life. I learn about everything from emotions, to thinking, to cognition and to behaviour, (what causes people to react the way they do)” says the 23-year-old who majors in Psychology at JCU Singapore.
Doing national service immediately after graduating from Junior College, gave Derrick time to think about his future. The Psychology course offered by James Cook University Australia at the JCU Singapore campus appealed to him. “The program is accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC), and the campus in Singapore is a real campus, not a partnership with an external university. So we're not dealing with agents or middle-men,” he says. “You know you're paying for quality.”
“The Psychology Department here focuses on the essence of the discipline. This particularly attracted me. At JCU Singapore, we go straight into the psychology program and focus on the things I came here to study. There is also the opportunity through a wide range of electives to broaden your program. In the end it's determined by your interest and your skills. There is flexibility but the framework remains intense and rigorous and the standards must be met,” says the final-year honours student.
Clearly passionate about his education, Derrick plans to take his academic pursuits further by doing his Master’s in Holland, preferably in the area of Psychology and Law. A young man with a clear vision for his future, Derrick is interested in working in the area of criminal law and forensic psychology. “I'd like to help law enforcement personnel to do criminal profiling; to help them identify potential criminals and so on. I hope to also serve as expert witnesses in courts,” he says.
His confidence is in part, a result of the education he is receiving at JCU Singapore. “Here you are expected to be an independent learner. Supervisors provide guidance and support but in the end it’s up to you. This has helped me develop a range of skills which will support my professional career.”
A wide range of study options
In addition to psychology the campus provides a range of other programs in business, information technology and education at the undergraduate and post graduate level. Joan Ting is currently completing a hospitality and tourism double major as part of a Bachelor of Business program.
The 21-year-old Singapore Polytechnic graduate with a Diploma in Biomedical Science decided to make the switch to the hospitality sector for a good reason. “I found the lab work required in biomedical science just too restricting and lacking in human contact. That’s why I switched to a more people orientated program,” Joan explains.
Like Derrick, Joan was attracted by JCU Singapore's flexibility and guarantee of quality. “After all James Cook University is ranked in the top 4% of universities in the world,” says Joan. “And it provides the opportunity for me to move to Australia at any time (subject to Australian immigration requirements) should I chose to complete my education and graduate there.”
At the JCU Singapore campus, James Cook University Australia offers the same programs it offers in Australia though they are contextualised for Asia ensuing they have a local relevance as well as academic rigour. JCU Singapore is also a popular choice amongst local junior colleges and polytechnic graduates because it offers a real Australian degree right here in Singapore.
Fast track your program at JCU Singapore
The program at JCU Singapore is fast tracked, reducing standard completion times by a full 12 months. This is achieved by reducing student holiday periods and not by reducing quality or rigour. Students simply get fewer holidays and concentrate on their studies year round. Completing the full program in a shorter time means that JCU graduates can apply their knowledge in the real world earlier.
The fast-tracked program also makes completing the course more challenging. “Well, because it's a fast track course, we have to finish all our work within a shorter time frame than the students in JCU Australia do. So that's the main challenge,” said Joan.
International exposure
With classmates from Europe, Asia and America, the environment is vibrant and cosmopolitan. This has helped Joan, who was initially quite shy to open up to people and build her confidence. “When I was at the poly, I didn't have much contact with people from other countries. This is just not the case here. There are students from all over the world giving me with a great opportunity to build a variety of friends and to learn about different cultures. I am sure this will help me win my dream position in an event management company,” says Joan.
One of the more interesting modules Joan has taken is Destination Management. This module focuses on packaging, integrating and promoting specific tourist destinations. “If I’m not successful in getting a job as an event manager I’d like to be working in destination management. I think I would really enjoy helping communities build their wealth by developing world class tourism destinations at their doorstep,” Joan says.
At the end of the day, a quality education is what prompted Derrick and Joan to choose JCU Singapore. With academics and lecturers chosen specifically for the qualifications skills and experience and what they offer JCU students the quality of the courses is assured.
Derrick’s and Joan’s final words - “If you want to be challenged, if you really want to learn and if you really want to succeed then do a course here at JCU Singapore. It's a vibrant place, and provides a conducive environment for study. JCU Singapore is your passport to future opportunities.”
Contributed by JobsCentral Pte Ltd
