1. COURSE
How would you describe your course (Info Sys) to someone who knows nothing about it?
SMU Information Systems is mainly about integrating business and technology; giving you a technical foundation along with business understanding! This allows you to have flexibility to pursue technical or business careers easily and have a good understanding of both.
2. DECISION MAKING
Did you go to JC or Poly? What subjects were you pursuing before university, and were they related to your university course? If you made a switch in your education path/choices along the way, share more about that!
I went to JC! Prior to university, my subject combination was BCME (Biology, Chemistry, Math, Economics), and I wouldn’t say that they are very related to my university course (slightly for Math and Econs). I was not sure what my career path might be, and I knew that I might be more limited in choices for a uni course if I had an arts/hybrid combination, so I took a more general path to keep my options open.
What courses were you considering, and what were the factors that personally shaped your decision (from more important to not as important)?
Right after JC, I had been considering architecture! I had the opportunity to shadow some architects and speak to people in the course, after which I decided that it might not be the path for me. As I had some interest in the urban planning aspect, I took on some basic programming courses in the months leading up to university and felt that Smart-city Management and Technology (SMT) would be a good fit to suit my earlier interests as well.
I had not considered a double degree until my interview with SMU, where they asked if I would consider taking on a second degree in Business Management. At the time, my main consideration would be the additional workload as a double degree (particularly with the combination of Information Systems and Business) is known to be quite strenuous. However, I eventually decided that a business degree could only value-add to my knowledge with my IS degree as well, and was worth the additional modules that I had to take.
How did you eventually decide on your desired majors, over other similar majors?
I decided to take on a major in marketing after taking some core modules for various majors such as introduction to Finance, Marketing, etc. Ultimately I felt that what I was learning in Marketing was really interesting and applicable! I enjoyed learning about consumers’ perceptions of a product or brand, and how Marketing Campaigns come in all shapes and forms, and tell a story. Many new forms of marketing have emerged, and this industry is an exciting and ever-changing one.
Since you’re a double degree student, did you enter SMU having already decided that you’ll be doing a double degree in these 2 particular fields?
I decided on my Information Systems (IS) major prior to entering SMU, as the different IS majors involve quite different core modules from the start. However, I only declared my business major at the end of my second year, which is the deadline to declare your major.
Which universities offered your desired majors, and how did you decide on SMU eventually?
When deciding which university to attend, it was between NUS and SMU. I had wanted the hall experience, and NUS School of Computing was also well-known as one of the top computing schools. Ultimately, I chose SMU as I was offered a really attractive scholarship opportunity that allowed me to gain numerous exciting experiences during my time in university. Furthermore, I felt that although SMU’s IS programme was less technical than NUS’ computing programmes, I wanted to have a grasp of business and tech fundamentals, but did not want to be restricted to technical computing in the future, so this programme was more suited to my needs as a whole.
As a whole, how do you think we can advise our juniors to make the decision that feels the most right to them?
Speak to seniors in the different industries/schools that you are considering, or people in the industry! Mentorship is a really important thing to have, and can influence your decisions and paths. I have had seniors and friends who gave me valuable advice and shared their experiences with me, and this shaped many of my choices.
Ultimately, the course you choose may not be the be-all and end-all, but a stepping stone to something else in the future! Don’t be too concerned that you are limited by the choice you make now, many people will change career paths, majors and courses. Unless you plan to pursue a very specific degree like medicine or dentistry, you will have the opportunity to pursue new interests and career paths during your time in university.
3. TEACHING CURRICULUM
What’s your course structure like?
Students take 4-5 modules on average, and have to complete a total of 36 modules (single degree, single major). However, based on your JC/Poly results, you can get exemptions, and the total number of mods that you must complete will vary from person to person.
For each module, there is typically 1 seminar a week that lasts 3 hours, with the maximum class size being less than 50. SMU’s learning pedagogy involves class participation and small class sizes to maximise interaction between peers, and with your professors. This sometimes makes classes more personal than with a lecture-style class.
How is a day in your life like?
I’m more of a morning person so I typically try to bid for morning classes, so I get to school by 8:15am where I grab coffee and rush to class. Typically, we also have quite a few group projects to complete, so after class, I might meet some of my friends for lunch before the group meeting, or I will head to the library to complete some work first.
Since I am part of a few CCAs, I also attend some club meetings or training sessions during the week. So most of these will probably be in the afternoon/evening since most of us have classes during the day.
Also, since SMU is in the heart of town, my friends and I will take a break and head to nearby places (like Plaza Sing, Funan Shopping Centre or Sunshine Plaza) to get food or watch a movie! It’s really convenient to have many places to relax nearby.
What is the format of your assessments/exams like?
Assessments vary from module to module, but likely there will be some form of individual assessment and group work for each module. Project work plays a large part in SMU, and each module usually has 1 project to complete, and involves writing reports, presenting your findings, conducting research, or for more technical modules, coming up with a model/prototype. Individual assessments may include individual projects, quizzes or exams as well. Class participation is also graded, and includes attendance, in-class participation (discussion) or post-class reflections too.
How heavy would you say the workload individually for each of your majors, and as a double degree student, is compared to an average student in your university?
Individually, I would say the workload is not too bad, but this also depends on what combination of majors and degrees you’re taking and how many exemptions you have. Personally for IS and business, there is not much overlap in terms of the modules required for each degree, so I end up taking quite a few more modules than the average student (in my case, 48 as compared to 36). The workload can be heavy at times, but on the whole, you’ll usually take around the same number of modules as everyone else, but will probably have to take 5 modules each semester quite regularly. I would say the difficulty is also planning your course progression; so planning when to take which modules to be able to fulfill the necessary prerequisites and requirements for both degrees. Quite often, we find ourselves having to juggle between IS and business modules which are super different, so it’s tough to swap over quickly sometimes.
I would say the workload is overall ok though! However, another consideration would be that you will have less flexibility to take on external (beyond school) opportunities, such as internships, projects or clubs. Many people take a Leave-of-Absence (LOA), which is taking one semester off from school to undertake an internship, or part-time internships during the semester. If you have to complete your programme within 4 years, this might be hard to accommodate.
There are often certain skills or content knowledge that you learn in university that can be learnt outside of school independently. Would you say there’s a difference between learning these knowledge/skills independently versus in university? What knowledge/skills would you say can only be learnt from your course(s)?
In terms of technical ability, I would say most, if not all can be learnt outside of school independently. Many people learn different programming languages on their own (even in SMU!), and there is not much difference in terms of this. I would say a big difference would be the experience of taking on projects in class, and also presenting it to your peers and professors. Undertaking a project with like-minded peers, and presenting it to people who are interested in or are experts in the subject can help you understand the content much better. Also, an integral part of SMU (not specific to my course per se), is also the professional development programmes in place. So attending networking sessions, learning how to present yourself, how to write a resume, etc., I thought these were beneficial skills that helped me a lot in my time in SMU.
Are there specialisations within your degree(s)? If yes, when do you have to choose your specialisation, and what specialisation have you chosen?
Within my IS degree there are different majors and tracks, so majors are declared at the start of university while tracks must be chosen by the end of your 2nd year. As majors are more broad (either IS major or Smart-city Management and Technology Major), the foundations for each major will be different, so it must be declared at the start of university. However, tracks are more about suiting each individual’s interest, so areas like analytics, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cybersecurity etc, you can declare that later on when you have had some time to explore the different tracks available.
For business, you declare your major by the end of your second year. These may include things like Finance, Human Resources (HR), strategy etc, all dealing with different aspects of the business.
Personally, I am a Smart-city Management and Technology major (IS) and Marketing Major (Business).
How are the faculty and professors of your course like?
The faculty in SMU are generally very welcoming, and experts in their field. Many of them had prior experience in the industry (and some are even still working, just teaching part-time), so they have a lot of experiences to share. I can’t say that all the professors are equally warm or helpful, but you will meet some who are willing to go the extra mile to help their students, whether it is academic or not. I have even become friends with some of my professors, and their guidance has helped me greatly so far.
Are there any final year projects or capstones to do?
There is a final year project for IS and a capstone project for Business. I personally have not undertaken them yet so I can’t speak for the experience, but for IS, you usually have to find a group as well as a project sponsor from a company in the tech industry, who will let you expand on the problems they’re facing or give them new insights based on data they provide.
4. PERSONAL EXPERIENCE / PREFERENCES
What were your most and least favourite/interesting classes/part of your course(s)?
The thing I found least interesting would be modules that were less on the technical/business side, or those that are core to all SMU students. Some modules are compulsory for all SMU students (e.g. Leadership and Team Building, Business, Government and Society, etc), some of which I found not too relevant to my course.
What are some thing(s) you didn’t know/expect about either of your degrees before starting, and what are some things that surpassed your expectations?
Not about the course itself per se, but about the various paths that a student in IS can take. So taking on an IS degree does not limit you to becoming a programmer or developer as many may think. There are numerous paths and jobs that one can take in many areas. Undertaking a degree in tech may not lead you to a “technical job”! Many IS students become entrepreneurs, Investment Bankers, Project Managers or Salespeople. Technical foundations are always useful in many other areas, as seen where tech permeates our lives and industries in so many ways.
Are there any common misconceptions/stereotypes about your degree(s) that you would like to debunk?
Marketing involves not just creative campaigns, or “fluff” as commonly perceived, but is also analytical and evidence-based. Much more goes into a marketing campaign than is commonly seen, in all parts of the customer journey. From when a customer sees an ad, to purchasing an item, it is carefully planned and analysed, from end-to-end.
Were there times when you regretted your decision? / Is there anything that you didn’t particularly enjoy about your course?
I would say I sometimes regret taking on a double-degree, especially when it gets tough to plan for my modules or the workload gets tough. Ultimately though, I still think that having both degrees can be quite useful!
I felt that my course could teach more on the technical aspect as well. I knew that SMU’s computing programme was not as technical compared to other schools, but there were some fundamentals that I feel are important that were missed! Most people end up learning these on their own.
Are there many people who switch out of your course(s)? Is the student retention rate for your course high?
Not many people that I’m aware of switched out! As far as I know, most people do not switch out, so the retention rate should be pretty high.
What sort of student do you think would excel in / be suited for your course(s)? Or what should one like (e.g. working with numbers, presentations) in order to enjoy your course(s)?
I don’t think there needs to be a specific skill set to excel in my course! Programming/Business skills aren’t really confined to any specific skills, it’s probably more of just a willingness to work hard and step out of your comfort zone.
5. CAREER PROSPECTS
What are the career prospects like for each of your courses?
There’s a wide range of career prospects for both degrees/courses, but many IS students become software engineers, data analysts, project managers etc. For business students, many people are interested in finance/investment banking roles, entrepreneurship, marketing etc, so career paths that may be aligned to the general majors offered in SMU. Of course these aren’t all of the career paths that SMU students might take, there are many more, less common paths taken by students from my courses.
What are your plans after university?
I’m not too sure yet actually! I still have at least 1½ more years to go before I graduate, so I’m still exploring what I want to pursue as a career in the future.
Would you say you went into your course having already made the decision to pursue a career related to your course?
Looking back, I think I didn’t know much of what I wanted when I went into my course. I don’t think I fully understood what career paths were out there as well, or what the industry was like. I had a more general interest in what my course was teaching rather than a clear idea of what career I’d want to pursue in the future.
Did you have any internships/work experience related to your career and did your school give you sufficient training & resources? Otherwise, where else did you find them?
I took on an internship in Tech Consulting at Ernst and Young in Summer this year, and I am about to start another internship in Marketing Technology at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Singapore. On the school’s in-house platform, you can find different internship opportunities available, although this is definitely not exhaustive. I personally found the applications for my internships when searching for them online on my own.
Attending various networking sessions also helped me to understand more about the companies I was applying for, by letting me speak directly to company representatives. In terms of training and resources, I would say the school’s professional development programme helped in presenting myself for the application process, but work-wise, nothing can really make up for the real-world experiences you get in the internship itself. So take on as many internships as you can and gain as much experience as you can!
6. STUDENT LIFE
Did you stay in campus accommodation? Do many of your friends stay on campus?
I did not stay in campus accommodation. Most SMU students do not, as there are very limited slots and it is quite expensive too. With SMU being in a central location easily accessible by MRT, bus or car, there is no real need to stay on campus.
How is the school culture like and how would you describe the people? What should students entering SMU take note of?
The people in SMU are generally really outgoing, driven and career-focused. This is probably just a part of being a management school; everyone is looking out for their next internship, or new opportunities. But I would say people are generally open to share, mentor and help if you’re willing to ask. Don’t be pressured to be as outspoken or outgoing as everyone around you seems to be.
What were your CCAs?
I am currently part of SMU Badminton and SMU Christian Fellowship. For the past 2 years, I was also part of my faculty’s student body (Information Systems); Ellipsis. Do join as many activities or clubs as you can! It really helps to make new friends and enrich your university life. Not all CCAs are open to all students/accept everyone, some may have a pretty selective criteria. Just prepare well, and show that you are open to learning, or ask around to talk to people who are in the club, and it shouldn’t be too difficult 🙂
What other opportunities have you made use of in university e.g. overseas exchange (can also include external commitments)? Which do you cherish most?
I think my most cherished experiences include my overseas trips; namely my summer exchange programme and overseas community service programmes. I took part in a summer exchange programme to Seoul at Korea University, where I spent 6 weeks attending classes at Korea University and travelling around Korea. It was a really great experience to spend my Summer there and meet new friends from around the world, and new friends from Singapore as well.
I also took part in some community service trips, to Manila and North India where I also made really close friends, and I found the work very enriching! I don’t think I would be able to experience similar trips elsewhere.
Lastly, my experience in my faculty’s student body has helped me hone my leadership, soft skills and professional skills as well! In both the public relations department in my first year, and vice-president in my second year, I experienced managing relations and liaising with external stakeholders, leading a committee of over 40 people and resolving conflicts between different parties; all of which are essential skills that I can bring to other jobs in the future. I was also able to learn to network, and take part in many company-hosted events!
Any parting words or advice for juniors? :,)
Don’t be afraid to take on commitments (internships, activities, clubs, etc) in university, ultimately I believe they teach you essential life skills and enrich your university life! Dare to step out of your comfort zone and meet new people and just enjoy your last few years of education. Essentially, just take a chance, pursue new interests and meet as many people as possible 🙂