ACC001 - Mag in Double Degree in Business and Accountancy, NTU

Describe a little a bit about yourself.

I would say that I am an outgoing person who likes interacting with and meeting new people, perhaps that is why I chose to take a Double Degree in Business and Accountancy.

Why did you decide to take up a Double Degree in Business and Accountancy?

Personally, the main thing is that I did not want to take up science or engineering so after striking those away, I am left with the arts which are not a good fit for me. So I went with a route of elimination.However I have a silent confession to make: My passion is actually design. However, I think that I should at least get a degree first before pursuing my interest. I must also admit there my parents’ influence had a little to do with my decision. My parents wanted me to take up a Professional degree.All the reasons mentioned above culminated in my decision to take up a Double Degree in Business and Accountancy.

Why a Double Degree?

I took a double degree at first because I was unsure of which path I wanted to take, so since I was eligible for a double degree back then, I decided to take it up and see how it goes first. It was after a year in school so far that I realised that business is not really my cup of tea. So I decided to drop Business and focus on Accountancy. Personally I feel that having a double degree might not be as useful as it seems because when I progress into the workforce, it usually requires the knowledge or either but you normally will not need the knowledge of the other.

How would anyone know if they are a good fit for Accountancy?

I love interacting with numbers but take note here that that does not mean that I love Mathematics. Numerous people have the idea that if someone is good in Mathematics, then Accountancy may be a good career option. However, that is not the case because Accountancy is not simply about Mathematics. Although Accountancy involves a lot of numbers, the concepts that we learn are very different.  The concepts that we learn in Accountancy are all new and are completely unrelated to the stuff we learn in Junior College so it may be a little bit tough to cope at the start. 

For people who love Mathematics and are considering Business and Accountancy, I would recommend them to perhaps consider Finance as well because that really requires a solid Mathematics background to excel.

Why Accountancy over Business in the end?

My opinion is that Accountancy suits me better because there is a set of concepts to understand, apply, follow and practice. Business, on the other hand, is very open ended and flexible requiring a lot of creativity without a standard model answer and that intimidates me a little. I prefer to have a consistency and a certain level of control over things in that I rather be given a collection of things to master and learn then well with results or grades that reflect or are proportional to the amount of effort I put in. This makes Accountancy really different from some Business specialisations.

Talking about Business specialisations, what are they?

Okay, specialisation only applies to business students. In the first year, all business and accountancy students will take the same modules but business students must decide on which aspect of business that they want to major in. There are 6 specialisations – Actuarial Science, Banking & Finance, Human Resource Consulting, Information Technology, Marketing and Tourism & Hospitality Management – because Business itself is very generic, hence the need for these specialisations. The different specialisations will have their own set of modules to take, kind of like the different majors in the Sciences.

Are there any things that you disliked while pursuing a degree in Business and Accountancy?

The competitive environment here in business school is quite appalling. For example, class participation constitutes around 10 -15% of the final grade which causes some people to talk solely for the sake of talking to court favour with the teachers. This is annoying at times and some of the comments do not even make any sense. 

However, I think that such competition is inevitable and you will find them rampant in any business school. But to put it into perspective, this competition extends beyond school and also exists in the working world so everyone has to learn to get used to it. 

Despite all the negativity, I must add that most of the people here in the school are nice and I have made quite a number of good friends here who are very helpful.

Are there any coping mechanisms for all these problems?

You will have to learn to work with different types of people because the business school is rather project heavy so we interested with quite a lot of people for projects. Different people have different working styles and different methods – some stubborn and want things done their way – and it may be quite a hassle and a waste of time to reason out with the person until he/she finally gives way but I say this provides good training for working conditions in the workplace.

What do you learn in business school so far after completing your first year?

In my first year so far, nine out of my ten modules are Business modules and the remaining one is an Accountancy modules. Some examples of the things that we learn include the basics of Human Resource, Leadership, and Conflicts & how to handle them. For statistics, it delves deeper into statistics than what we learn in H2 Mathematics in Junior College. Some other things that we also learn includes Basics of Marketing – how to target consumers effectively, Valued Base Pricing, Financial Management – we learn about the time value of money concepts, how to calculate percentage yield of a particular investment to determine its feasibility.

That’s good to hear. You mentioned that business school is quite project-heavy earlier. Do you want to elaborate a little about how classes are like?

It is quite interesting because we predominantly have our lessons in the form of seminars – a mash-up of lecture and tutorial – with only 50 students in a seminar room to a tutor that allows for better interaction. The better tutor to student ratio as compared to a conventional lecture offers less barriers for students to ask questions freely to clarify concepts. 

So we have lessons in seminar rooms which may be followed by tutorials and we also usually have presentations by a group every week.As expected of a university education, the Professors will upload additional readings and we have to do quite a bit of self study on our own.

What is a typical school week like in business school?

We have a moderately demanding timetable that can be fitted into a 3-day work week. It is usually very flexible because the timetable can be arranged by us. We spend roughly 15 hours a week in school but we had to spend quite a bit of time outside of school preparing for tutorials and doing self-study.

Is the workload very heavy in school? Is it easy to juggle school with other commitments?

I do not feel that the workload is very heavy because I know people who excel and can have many other commitments with good time management. For myself, I am quite involved in Hall activities and I still find the workload manageable with proper discipline.

How are students graded in your business school?

Our grading scheme places less emphasis on the final examinations compared to the other courses of study. For a typical module, the breakdown of the component for the overall grade is something like 10% Class Participation, 20% CAs/Quizzes, 20% Project and 50% Finals.

Was Business & Accountancy your first choice? What were the other choices that you have considered?

Yup, Business and Accountancy was my first choice. I considered Dentistry before but later decided that it did not really suit me. Back in Junior College, I also considered studying Pharmacy but when I got to know more about what Pharmacy is about, I came to the realisation that it might not be the best fit for me as I cannot stand working with drugs for my life. I see myself better as a people person and that Business and Accountancy would be more aligned with my personality.

What do you plan to do with your Accountancy degree? What are the career prospects with the degree?

Most accountancy graduates advance into careers as accountants, auditors although some venture into the Finance sector as well.I am not exactly sure about the specifics of what an accountant does but I would say that accountants generally gauge a company’s performance using several factors to determine the financial situation of the company.  Of course most people will try to go into the Big 4.

What is the Big 4?

According to Wikipedia, The Big 4 is “a prestigious group of the four largest international professional services networks in accountancy and professional services offering audit, assurance, tax, consulting, advisory, actuarial, corporate finance and legal services. They handle the vast majority of audits for publicly traded companies as well as many private companies, creating an oligopoly in auditing large companies.” So accountancy graduates have good career prospects if they managed to land themselves in the Big 4.

What do you think are things that someone should know before starting a degree in Business/Accountancy?

Most people can do Business and/or Accountancy because it is quite generic and not too difficult. It is fun to study and quite broad to begin with. 

However, if you are someone who does not like to do presentation, then business and accountancy probably does not really suit you because we do plenty of presentation in business schools. It was a culture shock as it was a big change from Junior College where students just sit down and listen passively in class. In business school, students are expected to do many presentations, participate actively and voice your opinions so it may be difficult for students who do not really like to talk. 

I think that people who are more outgoing can better fit into Business/Accountancy but that is not saying that people who are less outgoing cannot take up Business/Accountancy 

There is a need to be examination-smart because there may not be time to cover all the content and the rest will have to be learned via self-study, so you will have to known what are tested. 

Self-control is important in that one must avoid the temptation of ignoring work in the midst of having fun throughout university life. So you must the discipline to set aside time for studying. 

Last but not least, do not neglect your friends. 

If you have any questions regarding Mag's sharing, feel free to ask your questions at the Contact Us tab and we'll contact Mag to answer those questions for you! :) 

PHY001 - Griffiths in Physics, NUS

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I’m an NUS graduate in Physics (2012). I enjoy solving puzzles and problems, and I think an inquisitive mind necessarily supports my choice of course.

What were your favourite subjects/modules back in Junior College/Polytechnic?

Physics and Maths. I studied in the era when there was Further Mathematics. It was great.

 What inspired you to study Physics?

A book by Michio Kaku. Reading one of these fascinating pieces, even if it is popular science, can spark a passion that will last years.

What are the challenges in pursuing a degree in Physics? Despite all these challenges, why did you choose to study it anyway?

There are concepts in physics that leaves most people baffled. While the mathematics are challenging, the grasp of key ideas and how they are utilised are more crucial and difficult. Yet, the fun also lies in the dynamics of these theories, and how they turn to experiments and phenomena that can be observed. It’s like an extreme sport, exhausting at first, but fulfilling in the process.

What is a typical day in Physics like?

You go for a lecture, all ready to take in what the professor throws on the whiteboard. Beyond the first year, there are rarely PowerPoint slides. They don’t work anymore. The concepts are in the lines of equations that the professors will scribble across the boards. You might have notes to help you but more importantly is to follow the steps and figure out what is being discussed. Each lecture could be a tool that will help solve future problems.You go for tutorials, all prepped with done or undone work. Do not expect to just copy the ‘model’ answers from the tutor, as there are none. The solution is very much useless compared to the journey to obtain it. Hence, tutors are more inclined to have students presenting their answers.You go for practical lab sessions, but only for a few modules. In there you learn the most practical skills in science – How the scientific method influences the design of the experiments, and where errors can appear. (Hint:  They’re everywhere.)And the rest of the day is just how you’d like to spend your day – socialising with fellow course mates over lunch or gaming (Physics majors do love some entertainment), arguing over interests in various fields, or just enjoying the fruit of labour as course mates cooperate to battle the Tutorials and Assignments, gaining the necessary experience in understanding the subject matter as a whole.

What is the nature of module/course/work? Content-heavy? Practical skills? Group work? Self-reading?

It is content heavy. There is no denying. You might have to learn new forms of mathematics right off the bat to start appreciating the module. Every student will, too, and the modules are structured to help you with it. This is where cooperation comes in. Students with different levels of knowledge can sit together to discuss the concepts and clarify any problems. Tutors and lecturers offer ample consultation time. Finding the most suitable way to study is thus a necessary skill.

Is this your first choice? If not, what were your other choices and why?

Yes, my first and only choice. I was not interested in any other choices.

What do you plan to do with your degree? What are the career prospects with the degree?

Well, I am a Research Engineer currently. As my passion is in research, I might end up doing a PhD in Electrical Engineering. Other career prospects of Physics include: Financial / Economical Modelling, Teaching, Specialists in High-tech equipment companies, Meteorological Modelling, and pretty much everything that require your expertise in either modelling or technical knowledge.

What you should know before embarking on a degree in Physics?

First, learning mathematics is essential. One must be prepared to take up the challenge of equations and models. It is the language in which Physics speak. If in doubt, practise and practise. It’s far more rewarding as discussed in the next point. 

Second, Physics is not all about the theories and concepts. While they are needed in the interpretation of phenomena, the take-home message of the modules are not these theories which non-Physics outsiders see as irrelevant. It is about modelling. Every module tells you what physicists had seen in nature, and how they reasoned might be the underlying rules that govern the phenomena. This skill is that practical skill much sought after in the various career prospects. And this skill needs the mathematics to function at its best. 

Thirdly, determine what you want to achieve from the degree. The chances of working in the research field are small. This applies to all fields of science. There are limited research positions around the world, and already far too many PhD holders. Many will end up not doing research and instead enter industry. One must be prepared for it. Those who do take up research positions are the most passionate ones, so be prepared to match their passion if you do choose the path.

If you have any questions regarding Griffiths' sharing, feel free to ask your questions at the Contact Us tab and we'll contact Griffiths to answer those questions for you! :) 

PHM001 - An in Pharmacy, NUS

[Help Me Help You]

For this article, we have a kind contribution by An from Pharmacy (2016) in NUS based on the contributor's first year experience in Pharmacy so far. So here it goes!

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Hmm, I am someone that finds joy in helping others, and I think being in a course in the healthcare sector is quite rewarding.

What were your favourite subjects/modules back in Junior College/Polytechnic? Were you good at them?

Biology and Chemistry. But I would say the Sciences in general. I was good in Biology but okay in Chemistry. And I think that being in Pharmacy, you might want to have an interest in both. However I’ll like to caution that someone would have to like Chemistry more than Biology because I think there will be very little Biology components after the first year. If they really like Biology more so than Chemistry, they should perhaps consider majoring in Life Science instead.

What are the Chemistry and the Biology aspects with regards to Pharmacy so far after you have completed your first year?

I like to say that people should take up Pharmacy only if they love Chemistry because all the things we learn about drugs such as Physical Pharmacy and Principles of Drug Action really fall under the category of Chemistry. As for the Biology aspect, we have medicine modules such as Anatomy and Physiology to learn about the human body so as to be equipped with some knowledge in the healthcare workforce. So I would say that in the first year, the ratio of Chemistry to Biology is roughly 1:1 but throughout the 4 years, in general, I do not think that we will be doing much Biology anymore. For example, in my next coming semester, Year 2 Semester 1, I have zero Biology modules.

What inspired you to study Pharmacy?

I feel that being a pharmacist, I can help others, and also it is a professional degree rather than just a general one. I am also interested in how drugs can affect the body and I guess it is what keeps me going.

Was Pharmacy your first choice? What were your other choices?

Yes, Pharmacy was my first choice. My other choices include Science because I like Biology and Life Science, haha!

What are the challenges in studying Pharmacy?

I feel that Pharmacy is quite a competitive course and the modules are quite demanding.There is no room to pursue a minor and the workload is heavy. On top of that, a pharmacy student also cannot go for exchange during the semester unless he/she does not mind delaying graduation, though he/she can still go for summer exchange.The core modules are pre-allocated, with some room for electives. Basically, most of the Pharmacy curriculum is planned.

What about the nature of the classes? Is it very content-heavy?

The content of the course is mostly delivered through lectures and laboratory sessions along with some tutorials. The content is heavy. As for the laboratory sessions, we got to make some pharmacy preparations like capsules and elixirswhich are quite fun! However for practical skills I don’t think (caution: personal opinion) it is as important as Medicine/Dentistry.

Given how content heavy Pharmacy is as you have described, what is a typical day in Pharmacy like?

It consist of mostly lectures (including 8 am slots) and lab on some days. The duration of classes in the first semester was from 8 am to 6 pm with breaks in between. But as year 2 begins for me, there are still some 8 am lectures and sometimes we start later but we still end at 6 pm. On top of lectures and labs, there will also be chances to work in a community pharmacy and hospital throughout the 4 years.

What are the career options or prospects for a Pharmacy graduate?

After graduation, we can undergo preregistration to become a registered pharmacist. We can also venture in academia or into the industry. There are like 3 broad tracks: becoming a clinical pharmacists, going into research and academia or go into industry but I am not entirely qualified to give advice regarding this aspect.

What should a prospective Pharmacy student expect or know before they decide to start their journey in Pharmacy?

I would tell them to be prepared for a content-heavy course and have an interest or else it would be really dry.I would also tell them to enjoy their holidays haha, because there is this thing called Preceptorship – like a compulsory internship of sorts where they work at community pharmacies and hospitals – that will occur during Year 2 and 3 summer breaks.
Time management is important for those in pharmacy, but there is still time to pick up some co-curricular activities to make our university days more fulfilling and interesting.

If you have any questions regarding An's sharing, feel free to ask your questions at the Contact Us tab and we'll contact An to answer those questions for you! :)