Name: Audrey Loo Wan Yi
Course + Year: SMU BSocSc in Politics, Law & Economics (PLE) + Y3
The Politics, Law and Economics programme offers students an interdisciplinary study across the different fields (Politics, Law and Economics respectively). Through the study, the programme aims to prepare students into fielding the positions of future leaders and thinkers developing a deeper understanding of global political and economic transformations and the legal frameworks within which such changes take place. To simplify, you can look forward to studying relevant modules of Politics, Law and Economics in this programme that is aimed to provide a broad-based education and broaden your horizon to global issues. However, do note that as the course grapples to equip students with a broad-based education, this also means that the programme lacks in giving one a more “niche” study.
Prior to University, I was in St Andrews’ Junior College. My subject area of study includes H2 Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics and H1 Economics. Unlike my peers, I did not come from an arts background with the majority of my subject studies being unrelated to my university course. Perhaps, the only relevant one would be Economics. However, the study of Economics in a University setting deviates a little from our College’s theoretical studies and is more focussed on Mathematics.
I was considering going abroad to pursue a legal education or attending any of the following: NUS FASS, SMU Economics or SMU PLE. It was a tough decision to make. As an avid debater, I enjoyed reading up about current affairs and arguing, of course! I knew since young that I have always wanted to pursue a legal career in the future. However, I was afraid of venturing out of my comfort zone (aka Singapore) to pursue one. Left with only local Universities and its array of courses, I ultimately had to narrow and decide based on my interest and long-term goals/aspirations.
As for why I didn’t consider pursuing law in an undergraduate level at NUS or SMU – I guess then I was pretty certain that the NUS law program mainly looked into students’ academic performance. Thus I knew there was no way I could get an interview since it’s pretty competitive to land a spot. As to enrolling in the SMU law programme, I pretty much messed up my choices due to a lack of research and a lot of uncertainty and insecurity I was facing. I think prior to selecting a University, I was constantly avoiding the topic and did not want to face the reality that I would have to make such a major decision.
Fortunately, I was offered a spot to my top choices in all the schools that I applied to. Initially, I was offered a double major in NTU for some Sciences course (I think), FASS in NUS and Economics in SMU. You may notice that my course offerings did not include my present course – this was due to the fact that I did not include the SMU PLE programme in my choices. As admitted earlier, I did not take University admissions seriously and failed to conduct proper and comprehensive research, rather I was just going with the flow. However, once I was accepted via an early admission exercise to SMU (it removed the entire interview process), I started to read up on the courses SMU offer. That was when I discovered the SMU PLE programme, I jumped at the chance especially since I was fascinated by both law and economics and had difficulty deciding between both. Law in itself was something I’ve grown up liking – perhaps due to my interest in criminal law and forensic science. On the other hand, I enjoyed studying about microeconomics and its theory in Junior College. As such, I decided to write in to the school to enquire more about the course even after applications were closed. Luckily, they gave me an interview, which I eventually successfully passed.
I knew I didn’t want to do Sciences anymore. Knowing this help me to narrow down my course selection quite quickly to NUS FASS and PLE in SMU. I was determined to pursue either Economics or Psychology in NUS but internally, I still have a strong desire to be equipped with legal knowledge. As such, the SMU PLE programme fits all of my requirements perfectly.
The admission process was really chill for me. The Personal Statement requirement did not require much from its applicants; it felt like I was just writing my thoughts and tons of rambles. As for the interview, I was really fortunate. The scheduled interview, being in a group setting, allowed me to make friends with the other candidates prior to entering the session. Going into the interview with new friends made me more relaxed and comfortable with sharing.
Prior to the interview, we were given about 10 to 20 mins to read an article about a Nobel Prize winner. Thereafter, we discussed the article with 2 other School of Social Sciences (SOSS) Professors. The Professors were really nice and gave various guiding questions to lead the conversation. As many of the other candidates were vocal and expressive, it was easy to engage in discourse with them and share meaningful conversations.
When it comes to admissions, I think candidates should enter with an open mind. While reading up on current affairs can be useful, it may sometimes narrow your thoughts or views. My best piece of advice is to know yourself – be aware of the stance you are committed to when it comes to various global issues and understand why so. This will help you to differentiate yourself from other candidates.
Modules in SMU are flexible. We go through a bidding process where students typically bid for 4 to 5 modules per term. Based on the number of modules you bid for, you have to attend the same number of 3h15mins seminars per week.
For PLE majors specifically, students enrolled in the programme will have to decide between 1 out of the 4 themes. The themes include: Choice and Behaviour, Global Studies, Public Policy and Governance as well as Distribution and Justice. While no declaration is required, the onus is on you to ensure that you clear the modules within your chosen theme before graduating.
Reading week or project week is scheduled for mid-term. Generally, students use the time to catch up on their readings – but again, projects take up the bulk of the week’s time and many of us end up scrambling our readings at the end during the allocated revision week (a week prior to commencement of finals).
For students enrolled into the PLE programme, capstone is a must. As for senior thesis, students are given the flexibility to decide for themselves.
Format of examinations differ between professors and modules. For most modules under the PLE programme, examinations would include essay questions or problem sets (for economics modules) or case studies. Thus far, most of my final examinations have been held online (even before Covid-19, we took our exams through an online portal in a physical seminar room).
I have decided to pursue a track in Distribution and Justice mainly because of my genuine interest in the basket of modules this track offers. Generally, I would say when choosing a specialisation – check out the modules, understand the course outline and choose what interests you best.
I really enjoy law modules. The PLE structure really gives you a good balance between Politics, Law and Economics. In fact, I would say that the juniors are in luck! The programme is constantly changing to equip students with a greater interdisciplinary understanding especially through tailored PLE-specific modules which can help students to understand how the 3 disciplines will overlap one another.
I would say… probably the competitiveness of this course. My course mates are a select group of high-calibre students possessing a good understanding on global and local issues that really helps them to contribute in class discussions.
Yes, definitely! I think it’s easy to get caught up in the rat race. After receiving my results, I was in that so-called race as well. I didn’t sit down to really think through what I wanted. Rather, I narrowed myself right away to local options. If given an opportunity again, I would look into overseas universities and explore their courses as well. I am committed to the view that an overseas education can provide you with more novel life experiences and groom you to become a better person. Additionally, I think going overseas may have helped me to reach my long-term goal (which to practice law in Singapore) in a more efficient manner.
If you enjoy learning and debating about global issues, challenging yourself and an interactive education (as SMU offers a more interactive learning approach compared to other universities), the PLE programme is the one for you.
Many of my friends are looking to venture into Politics/Economics/Law specifically. I think the bulk of us are intending to specialise in 1 of the 3 elements. PLE is a course that offers you limitless opportunities – you can look into a career as an economist, venture into governmental affairs or even pursue a career within the legal industry.
Personally, I’m still keen on developing my knowledge in legal studies. I intend to pursue a Juris Doctor in SMU after graduating from PLE. Upon graduation then, I hope to practice law.
Yes, I was more or less certain of the industry I was heading towards. However, I did not want to assume that I knew the demands and rigours of the legal industry before even attaining any legal knowledge. I wanted to minimally have a good grasp of law and its practice before deciding to commit to it.
Of course! SMU has a mandatory workshop revolving around professional grooming, understanding one’s career progression, developing one LinkedIn’s profile and more. I think the comprehensive and well-developed resources provided by SMU are more than what an undergraduate could ask for. I was lucky enough to secure internships constantly during my University studies.
In my first year, I did an internship with Brain Juice Collective. Brain Juice Collective is a youth-led marketing consultancy agency. I first got to know about this opportunity when attending a Career Fair hosted by my faculty club. In my second year, I took up a Research Intern position with Tetra Consultants. There, I assisted with the research on relevant jurisdictions and its company law. I was lucky enough to chance upon this internship on InternSG. Concurrently, I also took up the role as a Legal Intern with T C Siva and Partners. Besides attending Career Fairs and sourcing online, I also look for opportunities on the school portal.
No, I did not. Campus accommodation is particularly expensive. I leveraged SMU’s city campus location and stay at home instead. Many of my friends don’t stay on campus either.
My best description is probably a competitive arena.
To all prospective students, I advise you to put yourself out there and be aware of the opportunities you have and the opportunities you can gather. Do not be afraid to venture out of your comfort zone and enjoy each moment.
I was part of my faculty student committee, SMU Social Sciences Society (SOSCIETY). Specifically, we plan and manage events for the entire School of Social Sciences student body. Otherwise, we also function as the main line of communication between the School and the students.
I secured some internship opportunities through networking events. These events are especially important, in my opinion, since it allows one to engage in more in-depth and personal conversations with employers or recruiters.
I recall in my first year, many of my peers were not focussed on career development yet but were more intrigued to experience the full university life (which I definitely encourage). Thus, I had to rely a lot on networking events. Besides attending Career Fairs hosted by SMU, I also attended networking events with alumni to represent my club. Speaking to alumni gave me many insights into different companies and their cultures. You can expect conversations to be intriguing and enriching. In one of the many alumni networking events I attended, I spoke to a graduate from the pioneering batch of my course. It was really enjoyable to hear from his experiences. At the same time, it was a form of reassurance to hear about his life progression and the number of job offers he was given upon graduating from the PLE programme.
Be alive in every moment of your University education!
The views and opinions expressed here are solely those of the interviewees and do not reflect the official policy or position of any institution. They are also not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, class, individual or organisation.
The information contained in this website is intended to provide general guidance only. It should not be relied upon as professional advice and does not 100% guarantee admission into any course.
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