THE STAR, TUESDAY 26 SEPTEMBER 2017
WORK & STUDY
Learning while earning
THE ongoing and voluntary pursuit of
knowledge while also building a career is a
journey that requires self-motivation.
An increasing number of people in the
workforce are opting to further their
studies while working full time or part
time, leading to more tertiary education
institutions offering work-study options.
Skills learnt in the workplace lend depth
and perspective to theoretical studies in
the classroom while theory learnt in the
classroom allows one to perform
professional duties with more
understanding and consistency.
Some fresh university graduates may
choose to pursue further studies soon after
getting a job while others who have been
in the workforce for a number of years
may choose to further their studies to
qualify for a promotion or new
opportunities in their career.
As a student pursuing your postgraduate
studies while working, your classes will
most probably be made up of people of
various ages from many different
professional backgrounds while your
professional life may not contain a lot of
people sharing the same experience.
If your education institution of choice
offers counselling services, be aware of
where you may obtain help from when
facing challenges in handling both aspects.
People considering pursuing further
studies should consider a few issues before
taking the leap, including financial and
emotional costs, type of commitment (part
time or full time), options of distance
learning, how much time you are able to
allocate to studying in a week, whether
your job allows you to take time off when
you need to study and how much free time
you can give yourself.
Working and studying at the same time
requires one to focus on the end goal.
Perfecting your time management skills
and recognising what to sacrifice to
accommodate both study and work should
be included in your preparations before
going down this path.
Lastly, keep in mind that both studies
and work are of equal priority, and
readjusting your commitment in both
aspects to suit your abilities is perfectly
acceptable.
Undoubtedly, it will be challenging to
work and study at the same time, but it can
be done. Using your time strategically and
being fully dedicated to your goals will
help give you the best chance in achieving
them.
2 Work & Study THE STAR, TUESDAY 26 SEPTEMBER 2017

ADVANCE Tertiary College (ATC)

offers the opportunity to study
Bachelor of Business
Administration (BBA) (Hons) and
Bachelor of Accountancy (BACC)
(Hons) in collaboration with
Gaining business knowledge
Infrastructure University Kuala Management Accountants (CIMA), and various local employers.
Lumpur (IUKL). The BBA CPA Australia and the Malaysian These programmes are

It also offers the Bachelor of
Science (BSc) in Business and
Management programme
by the prestigious University of
London (UOL) at its campuses
programme
Institute of Certified Public
Accountants (MICPA).
focuses on the The business degrees offered
at ATC will help equip students
professional with holistic knowledge in the
approved by the Malaysian
Qualifications Agency and
the Higher Education
Ministry. Students are eligible
to apply for the National

in Kuala Lumpur and Penang.
The BBA programme
focuses on the professional
employment skills that a student
needs in a rapidly changing
business environment with
emphasis on communication,
presentation and problem-solving
skills.
Meanwhile, the BSc Business
and Management programme
entails subject-specific knowledge
and important transferable skills
such as critical thinking, problem-
solving, ability to think creatively
and assimilate new ideas as well
as strategic thinking and analysis.
The BACC programme provides
students with knowledge
employment skills.
about financial accounting,
management accounting, taxation
and finance. Through industrial
placements at established
corporations, students will
be able to have valuable
experience in working
environments.
The BACC programme is
recognised by professional bodies
such as the Association of
Chartered Certified Accountants
(ACCA), Chartered Institute of
current corporate arena. In
addition, the leadership skills
acquired as part of the curriculum
prepare graduates for their
challenging careers, says ATC's
School of Business and
Management programmes
coordinator Anna Matthew.
Studying under the University
of London International
Programme will give you a
competitive edge in the global
job market. Graduates from UOL
have obtained jobs in many
areas such as banking and
financial services, major
technology companies,
international agencies,
multinational companies
Higher Education Fund
Corporation (PTPTN) loan.
Students who have
completed their diplomas
are eligible for exemptions
and are welcome to
register for any of these
programmes.
In light of ATCs 30th
anniversary, applicants are
entitled to apply for the Tan
Sri P. Alagendra scholarship.
ATC is also offering 15% to
25% rebates for the diploma
and degree programmes.
n For more information,
call 1800 889 292 or visit
www.atc2u.edu.my.

Anna
Matthews.

Professional
stepping stone
WORKING professionals need
to upgrade their academic
credentials and embrace lifelong
learning if they want to remain
relevant in todays constantly
evolving work environment.
Wawasan Open University
(WOU) provides the right
platform for adult learners to
gain industry-related knowledge
and skills at an affordable cost
while working. WOUs part-time,
open distance learning (ODL)
mode of study allows learners to
have online access to course
materials from anywhere and
any time.
According to WOUs
vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Ho
Sinn Chye, WOU takes advantage
of the technological affordances
for higher education to produce
graduates with skills and traits
such as analytical thinking,
creative thinking, effective
communication, collaboration
with partners, problem-solving,
personalised learning, ethics,
accountability as well as subject,
technological and social media
fluency.
WOU has taken on the
challenge to transform and
position itself to become an
Prof
Datuk
Ho Sinn
Chye.
WOU currently
offers more than
50 undergraduate
and postgraduate
programmes.
industrial-age university to
cater emerging job demands
in a fast-changing, technology-
driven work environment.
We are engaging and partnering
with the private sector to keep
up with the emerging market
needs for new knowledge and
skill sets, says Prof Ho.
WOU currently offers more
than 50 undergraduate and
postgraduate programmes in
areas such as management,
accounting, psychology,
electronics, banking and finance,
early childhood education,
logistics and supply chain
management, construction
management, manufacturing,
administration and English
studies.
Today's learners are seeking
programmes with shorter
completion periods and added
values such as academic
relevance and recognition, low
fees, full-/part-time switch
options, and online learning,
says Prof Ho.
WOU has been collaborating
with local corporate clients in
customising and delivering
accredited academic
programmes to meet their
needs. Several overseas ODL
universities are now using the
quality courseware developed by
WOU.

> SEE NEXT PAGE

THE STAR, TUESDAY 26 SEPTEMBER 2017
IN the age of fake news and
independently produced
content online, higher education
plays a vital role in helping us
understand what responsible
and ethical modern-day
journalism can and should be.
Journalism is a valid and
necessary area of study that is
relevant today and in the future.
Yet, journalism study remains
a little under the radar for
prospective students and
parents as a higher education
option in Malaysia.
Sarah Anne Lee Cui Ying (pic),
a Bachelor of Arts and Social
Sciences graduate from the
School of Arts and Social
Sciences at Monash University
Malaysia, shares some insights:
As a person who took the
path less travelled and majored
in journalism and writing, I
have learnt that the way people
receive and understand
important news items largely
depends on how they are
produced, written and
published.
In the first year of study,
I was exposed to the practical
aspects of journalism and learnt
how to write and publish news
using different media platforms
such as radio, television and
the Internet. To do this, I also
had to learn how to use various
recording equipment and
editing software.
The School of Arts and
Social Sciences provided me
with these resources, which
allowed me to acquire insight
into key broadcasting industries,
and I learnt to work in distinct
reporting scenarios that
included studio set-ups and live
updating of news online.
My second year of study
New opportunities
> FROM PREVIOUS PAGE
WOU has gained local and
international recognition for
higher education. It is rated Tier
5: Excellent by the Discipline-
Based Rating System (D-Setara)
from the Higher Education
Ministry for the quality of its
undergraduate teaching and
learning.
In addition, students are
assured of quality education at
WOU as all its programmes are
accredited by the Malaysian
Qualifications Agency and
approved by the Higher
Education Ministry.
WOU offers RM1,000 fee
rebates to all new undergraduate
students and special rebates of
up to RM1,530 to those who
enrol in its postgraduate
programmes.To date, more than
20,000 students have seized the
ODL opportunities provided by
WOU.
Interested individuals can
visit WOU Info Day at the main
Work & Study 3
Down the road less travelled
how those events linked in and media production skills. Now
different ways and impacted one that I have graduated, those skills
another. have proven to be relevant.
One of the more memorable Within a year of being a
assignment tasks required me full-time working adult, I found
to create audio stories using myself writing freelance, delving
audio blocks and sound clips into travel writing and taking
found on the Internet. Through up projects requiring videography
this simple audio editing task, work.
I managed to produce a corny The critical research skills
western horror audio piece that I have acquired in my
consisting of stampedes, cowboy degree have taught me to
whoops, beastly growls and appreciate the intricacies of
screams. news production in fast-evolving
Being creative 24/7 can be media landscapes.
mentally exhausting, but the I feel much more prepared to
opportunities before me have differentiate fake and real news.
gave me an awareness and producing stories returned to the kept me busy. Out of my writing More importantly, I know how to
understanding of global spotlight. I was tasked with keeping portfolio, I managed to get a produce the latter in a responsible
news production that included up with different news standards short story published in a local and ethical fashion.
business news, a unique form around the world. Understanding anthology titled Champion Fellas.
of journalism that I personally those nuances proved to be Having had the ambition of n For more information
found difficult due to lack of challenging. becoming a creative writer, about the School of Arts and
interest but later enjoyed. In addition, world events occur I made the decision to undertake Social Sciences at Monash
Unlike hard news, these at great speeds and all at the same journalism studies at Monash University Malaysia, visit
areas have fewer demands for time. It was fascinating to learn Malaysia to develop my writing www.sass.monash.edu.my.
immediacy and require ongoing
research of global and local
businesses.
I also learnt to interpret
company and stakeholder
reports. Checking facts and
confirming them through
external news sources proved
to be important and part of
the research process, which
took a lot of patience and
practice.
When year three came
around, the topics focused
more on world events and
assignments became
increasingly fun. Key journalism
skills such as editing and
WOU offers
RM1,000 fee
rebates to all new
undergraduate
students and
special rebates of
up to RM1,530 to
those who enrol for
its postgraduate
programmes.
campus, regional centres and
support centres nationwide
every weekend of this and next
month.
n For more information,
call 1300 888 968 or
visit wou.edu.my.
4 Work & Study THE STAR, TUESDAY 26 SEPTEMBER 2017

Champions of
AS global interactions and performances
grow increasingly efficient, the demands on
society have also risen in recent years.
The need to do more and to do it faster

peoples well-being
and better has left many people unable to
cope with expectations and reeling from
emotional and psychological difficulties.
The fabric of society is changing and a lot
of people face difficulties in their
professional and social lives, says Assoc Prof
Shamsul Haque, head of discipline
(psychology) at the Jeffrey Cheah School of
Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash
University Malaysia.
We can see that the demand for
psychological services is increasing because
as people face more difficulties, they are
unable to cope and need professional help. Through Monash
The Master of Professional Counselling is Malaysias Master
offered at Monash Malaysia. Areas of study of Professional
include human growth and lifespan Counselling
development, mental health issues programme,
surrounding grief, trauma and substance individuals become
abuse, counselling of children, adolescents,
competent in
individuals and couples, cognitive behaviour
the areas of
therapy, group psychotherapy, career
organisational,
development counselling, and counselling
mental health
research design.
and relationship
In this broad-based course, students are
taught to counsel across various areas, be
counselling as well
they organisational, mental health or as research.
relationship counselling.
One unique feature of this course is that
it also equips students to understand and The course incorporates 504 hours of counselling to help the community by relationships between co-workers,
conduct research in the field of counselling, clinical placements in government agencies addressing the various mental illnesses and contribute to crisis management and
says Dr Tam Cai Lian, course coordinator for and private organisations, of which 192 family problems she saw around her. manage work stress, thus playing a major
the masters programme. hours would involve direct, face-to-face At Monash Malaysia, students benefit role in reducing job dissatisfaction and
These skills may be used to pursue client contact. greatly from a diverse team of highly improving performance, he says.
further academic research and enable Dr Tam says that the course is open to experienced and accredited academics At the community level, counsellors can
evidence-based counselling practice. anyone with a bachelors degree in any field, and psychologists. deal with relationship problems through
She adds that the course is accredited including recent graduates or working They also have access to world-class marriage or couple counselling as well as
by the Australian Counselling Association professionals seeking to know more about laboratories and facilities. These include manage personal grief, trauma and various
and the Psychotherapy and Counselling counselling. group and individual counselling rooms types of mental health issues.
Federation of Australia. It has also been Students need to have a passion and equipped with two-way mirrors, observation At schools, they can help modify students
submitted for approval by the Malaysian desire to know more about human beings side rooms and recording devices. academic behaviour and address peer-
Board of Counsellors (Lembaga Kaunselor and the problems they face, and be According to Assoc Prof Shamsul, relation problems.
Malaysia). interested in helping themselves and the counsellors can promote mental health
These accreditations give graduates ample people around them, says Dr Tam. both at the organisational and community n For more information on the Master
opportunities to practise in Malaysia as well Although she graduated with a degree levels. of Professional Counselling,
as Australia. in mathematics, Dr Tam chose to pursue In an organisation, they can help improve visit www.monash.edu.my.