Rigid NUS system
On the Homepage of our leading tertiary educational institution in
As a Singaporean, I should feel proud of the academic achievement our young nation achieves. But unfortunately, the policy of NUS does not, in any way, justify why I should join my fellow country mates and take pride in the system in NUS.
Well, I am a Singaporean student who was offered an overseas scholarship after A Levels in 2002 to study in
Unfortunately, my scholarship does not cover the Honours year, hence leaving me with 2 options if I am to further my education.
My first option would be to stay in Monash and do an Honours in Psychology. However, I would have to wait for 6 - 8 months before the course starts as the academic year in
With that, I thought I was left with my second and final option, which was to apply for the fourth year (Honours year) in Psychology in NUS. I enquired with both the Psychology department and the Office of Admissions, and someone actually directed me to apply when the online application starts in February 2005.
I was elated. To be able to study in my home country, not only lightens my family's financial burden, but also allows me to constantly stay in close contact with my family and friends here.
So, imagine my horror when I called the admissions office in NUS to double check the validity of the reply I received much earlier on, I was informed that there is practically no way that I can just do one Honours year in NUS.
Well, the 2 reasons being (as told by one admissions officer):
1) The minimum number of years of studies in NUS is two. This has been achieved consensually by all the faculties in NUS. No faculty offers any course that lasts only a year.
2) (This is the most ridiculous one) There is no such thing as credits transfer in NUS. I was flabbergasted when I heard this. The lady told me that, irregardless of any qualifications I attain in any foreign university, everyone, and anyone, HAS to start from scratch, meaning
first year in NUS.
I was dumbfounded and the whole policy makes no sense to me. NUS is indeed the first ever University I have heard of in my life that offers no credits transfers to students.
Does NUS feel that the courses it offers are so fantastic that they are in no way comparable to foreign Universities? Is NUS practicing discrimination in a society which calls for equality in education? Why is it not at all possible that the respective department and the office of admissions do a case-to-case review? How about assessing the subjects I have done and then decide from there if I qualify for the Honours year? Where is the flexibility in one of the top twenty universities in the world? Does a 'leading global university' (words of NUS President Professor Shih Choon Fong on NUS Website) work with such a rigid system?
No flexibility, no creativity. What exactly has NUS produced in its thousands and possible millions of graduates when its system is one that discriminates against foreign universities?
And mind you, Monash's Psychology degree is as prestigious, if not more reputable than the one at NUS.
And one may ask, why not go straight into Masters in Psychology if Honours is not a feasible thing to do for now. But well, the answer is, in order to become a professional in the field of Psychology, one must possess a degree with Honours before one is allowed to enrol in Masters. Well, this is at least what I was informed in
If you do come across this article and able to provide any solutions, please advise.
Yours truly,
Janelle Woo
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