Maximise your career opportunities with a psychology degree at the University of Reading Malaysia
For individuals who find themselves curious about human behaviour and thought, a degree in psychology could be the ideal path to fulfilling your interests. For undergraduate student Jiun Ting Tan, who is undertaking a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in Psychology at the University of Reading Malaysia (UoRM), studying psychology offers her the perfect chance to explore her fascination with the human mind.
Tan, who recently completed Part 2 of her degree at UoRM, was one of an exclusive pool of students selected from around the world to participate in York University’s CVR-VISTA Science Summer School in Toronto in June. The experience enabled her to learn about different techniques and tools. She says, “I have learnt a lot about different aspects of vision research and how the visual system works in the brain, including how key features of vision (e.g. colour, motion, form) are processed and integrated in different locations of the brain.”
According to Tan, who hails from Simpang Renggam in Johor, the greatest benefit of studying the psychology degree at UoRM is the opportunity to design and carry out her own research. “We are trained to become expert researchers and independent thinkers.”
The BSc Psychology programme at UoRM, which is an honours degree, is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS), the professional body that oversees the quality of psychology degree provision in the UK. This means the course has been judged under strict criteria to ensure the highest standard of psychology training is delivered to ensure students receive a top quality education. Another UoRM student who is experiencing first-hand the benefits of the psychology degree at UoRM is Nurulhuda Mohd Zaki, who is soon to graduate after recently completing her third and final year. Zaki, who hails from Puchong in Selangor, credits her degree for helping her to gain a job as a therapist for autistic children, immediately after her final exams. “I am working for the Early Autism Project Malaysia – an esteemed, programme which is accredited by BPS, which is recognised anywhere in the world.”
Learn from international experts
Zaki also attributes her success to her lecturers, of whom she describes as her top highlight of studying at UoRM. “My lecturers have been very helpful in every way possible. They have ensured that I made improvements in all aspects of my journey, including my writing, presentation and critical analysis skills. They have enabled me to aptly apply what I’ve learned in both in my student journey and working life.” With an impressive team of international staff, who are PhD holders from prestigious, global universities, psychology students benefit from different learning methods and are given ample opportunities to participate in research, including running their own project. “We’ve experienced different approaches because some of my lecturers are from outside of Malaysia, including Germany, Russia, Sri Lanka and the United Kingdom. Though the style of teaching has varied, they’ve all been effective and have made learning more fun,” proclaims Zaki.
Benefit from state-of-the-art facilities
The BSc psychology degree at UoRM is identical to that of the University of Reading’s parent campus, which enables students at the Malaysia campus to receive the same quality of teaching as those in the UK but with smaller class sizes, which enables them to work in smaller groups and have more time to interact with lecturers. “Because we teach the same material as the UK campus, students in Malaysia have the chance to study part of their degree in the UK. This enables them to gain exposure to new cultures, the opportunity to make friends from across the world and improve their spoken English,” cites Associate Professor Dr Rachel Pye, the Head of the School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences at UoRM.
She adds that the university’s state-of-the-art campus provides an environment conducive to teaching and learning. “We are proud to offer our students world-class research facilities including our Brain Behaviour and Research Unit, which is furnished with electroencephalography (EEG) equipment, an eye-tracking system, observation suites and research cubicles, which cater to a diverse range of studies.”
This is echoed by Zaki, who says the campus offers students a positive and healthy environment to develop. “Psychology students are given access to the EEG software to fulfil neuroscience modules, and observation rooms to conduct research. The location of UoRM is also the best place for students to focus on learning and avoid the hustle and bustle of the city.”
Dr Pye emphasises that students will benefit from a broad curriculum covering scientific aspects of psychology including neuroscience, and develop excellent numeracy, literacy and communication skills, as well as strong critical thinking ability, which is a key focus of the Malaysian Education Blueprint 2013-2025. This means graduates become versatile individuals. “Because of the unique mix of critical thinking, problem solving, data analysis and people skills, psychology graduates can work successfully in a variety of careers. For example, some graduates work in clinical settings, such as hospitals where they work with people with mental health needs, and others pursue jobs in education and counselling. Graduates are also successful in corporate-based industries, where they can interpret big data sets clearly. Some go into industries where an understanding of people is useful, such as marketing and advertising, human resources, and management,” says Dr Pye, who adds that many psychology graduates also conduct postgraduate training to become professional researchers or to pursue specialist careers.
Visit UoRM on Open Day
Prospective students and their families who wish to find out more about the University of Reading Malaysia, can visit during its Open Days which will be held on 11th and 18th August from 10am until 4pm. These are the perfect opportunity to get a campus tour, meet staff and students, ask questions, get a taste of the programmes on offer and make an application. Students can apply now for a foundation programme (starting 3rd September) or an undergraduate or postgraduate programme (starting 24th September). For more information, visit www.reading.edu.my or contact the university through WhatsApp: +60 16 772 5400, phone: +60 (7) 268 6200, or email: my.enquiry@reading.edu.my.
