Cyberjaya, 29th August 2022 – There are plenty of pathways that SPM leavers can take upon receiving their SPM or STPM results. However, this is also heavily reliant on their grades.
Director of the Centre for Foundation Languages and General Studies, Asst. Professor Eric Tang Cher Hing says, “Students need not worry about the entry requirements for Foundation in Art programmes at University of Cyberjaya (UoC). They will only need to have a credit in any 5 subjects to fulfil its entry requirements.”
“Even if students do not meet those criteria, students can also enter into the tertiary education system through the University’s Certificate programmes. The low barrier to entry of only one credit in any SPM subject ensures that anyone who has the desire to learn is able to do so at the University, and eventually enter into the University’s Diploma and later the Undergraduate programmes offered by the University,” he adds.
At the University of Cyberjaya, students are entitled to 100% scholarships for Certificate or Foundation programmes should they continue their studies with the university’s degree programmes.
Though there are plenty of options available for students to study after completing their Foundation in Arts or Certificate in Business Studies, the dynamic and growing field of Business and Accounting remains to be a top choice for students.
“Business and Accounting are the backbone to almost any industry, as it is needed in order to ensure sustainability of economies that will create jobs and ensure that societies can thrive. In any environment or economic climate, both Business and Accounting graduates are needed. The only difference with time is that the technology around it changes, requiring adaptation and flexibility,” said Professor Dr. Mudiarasan Kuppusamy, Dean of the Faculty of Business & Technology at University of Cyberjaya.
At business school, students are taught academic theories and are expected to apply them in real-world situations. Studying business administration or management moulds students into razor-sharp decision makers and professionals who are able to face uncertainty, risk and change on-the-go because that’s going to be the future of work for everybody.
Some of the subjects taught in business include the principles of management, microeconomics, brand management, investment, problem solving skills and more. Accounting courses on the other hand have subjects such as business mathematics, financial reporting, business statistics, corporate finance, auditing and more.
Venturing into business school can benefit students in many ways. This is particularly true for students who would like to learn how to be their own boss. A Business degree can also help to close the problem-solving skills gap which is a deeply valuable know-how in the field especially for entrepreneurs.
Khalid Kabiru Inuwa, Year 2, Bachelor’s in Business Administration student says, “A qualification in this field can open up many opportunities within the business arena. Studying a program in business administration can equip you with a wide range of skills. You’ll learn the basics of business including operations, finance, marketing, human resources, and management. Just as importantly, you’ll learn how to communicate successfully, think critically, and lead and motivate people.”
Studying business also creates networking opportunities for students be it within their curriculum or in extracurricular activities. Needless to say, students who have good communication skills and thrive in working as a team will fair with ease in a business programme.
“University of Cyberjaya’s Foundation in Arts programme can lead to a number of degree programmes including Bachelor in Business Administration (Hons) and Bachelor in International Business Management (Hons). As such, we actively involve students in events where they are polished in their presentation and public speaking skills. This is demonstrated in events that are organised which include students who will need to communicate or liaise with other prospective students, parents, students, staff and external parties,” Asst. Professor Eric adds.
“An accounting degree equips graduates with commercial law, financial statement preparation, internal controls and audit, cost management and more. These hard skills make accounting and finance graduates highly competent to employers seeking for account managers, financial advisors and auditors among others.
“One of the reasons I chose to study accounting is because this is a field that is always high in demand in the job market. I can work anywhere around the country or the world with my qualifications. I also truly believe that the skills that I’ve learnt in accounting will help me in any career path I choose to pursue in the future,” said Jeremy Ng Pey Yuan, Year 2 Bachelor in Accounting and Finance (Hons) student.
Students who are sure about their chosen field and prefer a more in-depth knowledge on accounting are encouraged to study Diploma in Accounting. “Students should look out for programmes accredited by ACCA and CIMA. With these accreditations, our Diploma in Accounting programme exempts students from sitting for certain ACCA exams which means the level of knowledge gained during the programme is equivalent to students who have completed the exams by ACCA. The same applies to our Diploma in Business Administration programme which is accredited by CIMA,” said programme coordinator for Diploma programmes at University of Cyberjaya, Noor Adila binti Abdul Raub.
Another big factor for the programme’s popularity is its ability to give graduates a high earning potential. According to CareerCompass.my, an accountant with 3 to 6 years of experience would make approximately RM5,000 per month and with 8 to 10 years can make between RM12,000 to RM20,000 monthly.
Accounting and finance is also an industry which offers plenty of room for growth. Graduates who have enough experience under their belt and are eyeing for a higher role can progress up the ladder throughout their career which can lead them into becoming a finance director or a chief financial officer.
In any case, students should be prepared to put in the hard work and time intos building their career in these competitive fields. If there’s a love for numbers, teamwork, and strong attention to detail, that’s truly all it takes to get the ball rolling.