1. COURSE

How would you describe your course to someone who doesn’t know about it?

Think of yourself as a sort of a cross between a detective and an artist. It will not be like secondary school history lessons with pure memorisation; it’s a course where you read a lot and widen your worldview. The academic rigour is strong in the sense that you are expected to translate that reading into writing—not just summarising but weaving in your own analysis, argument and evaluation of the topic.

 

2. DECISION MAKING

Did you go to JC/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 Ngee Ann Poly and did a Diploma in Mass Communication.
I think hard skills wise, it was definitely not related. However, I think what is transferable is the quest for knowledge and the curiosity for uncovering new stories. In poly, I learnt how to communicate through various mediums like print, TV and web. But how do I even craft a compelling story to begin with? How do I tell objective truth while making it relatable to the masses? These are the questions I sought to answer as I began my journey in NTU.
At this halfway mark of my degree course now, I can safely say it’s beautiful to see how having knowledge from these two fields will serve me well in future. Not only do I have the freedom of choice to pursue a wide variety of careers, I am also able to appreciate how creativity and critical thinking work hand in hand in many areas of life.

What courses were you considering, and what were the factors that personally shaped your decision (from more important to not as important)?

I was also considering other humanities and social sciences majors like Sociology and English.
I did not want to waste the university application chance that I had. So, I think one factor was me being a bit more confident of getting into this course. And of course, another factor is interest as well. I didn’t really pursue History in Upper Secondary because I only did it until Secondary 1 and 2. So, since I figured it’s probably the last chance for me to explore this area of interest academically, I decided to give it a shot.

 

3. SCHOOL

How did you decide on your school (over other schools that offered your course) eventually?

I also applied to NUS and SMU. Only NTU accepted me.

 

4. TEACHING CURRICULUM

What’s your course structure like?

• How many modules / seminars/tutorials/lectures per week? By semester / term / month?

• Is it based on mostly individual exams or group assignments?

• Are there reading weeks / sabbatical terms?

The number of modules we take depends on which year we are in. On average, there are about 5-7 modules per semester. Our modules are semester-based.
The last exam that I took was in Year 1 Semester 1. This is because of the COVID-19 situation, but also mainly because my course is more assignment-heavy. So, the major component will be the major essay at the end of the semester which is also a takeaway assignment.
To my knowledge, we do not have sabbatical terms but we have reading weeks, usually lasting about 2 weeks before the due dates of our papers.

How is a day in the life of a student in your course & school like (describe the activities/people that you meet or have throughout a day, and how long a day you spend in school/studying/awake)?

For me, personally, I made it a point to wake up at 6 am last semester to get more work done. Then, I will have my breakfast at the food court alone (because no one else is going to wake up so early with me haha). If it’s a gym day, I’ll go to the gym. If not, I’ll stay in my room to work on more assignments or catch up on readings. All my classes were in the afternoon last semester.
A pro tip to avoid being late for your classes is to meet your friends for lunch before. After lunch, I’d go to class which could be seminar style and last 3 hours. But if not, it’ll be a lecture and tutorial. The lecture lasts 2 hours before perhaps a 1 hour break, followed by the 1 hour tutorial. Now that there’s COVID-19, most lectures are pre-recorded online.
We have 1-2 modules per day on average. After classes are over, I’d have dinner with friends again and go back to my hall room to do more work and have my shower. My friends may ring me up for supper at 9 pm, so we’ll drive out to a nearby coffee shop. I really enjoy these times because nothing really beats relaxing after a long day with my best friends. We’ll try to come back by 11 pm so we’ll have enough rest for the next day.

What is the format of your assessments/exams like (practical / MCQ / essay; online/offline; mostly individual or group assignments)?

It depends on the teaching style of the professors teaching the module. Some modules don’t have group work at all. But some professors love debates so every week, there can be one group facilitating a debate for the whole class. Essays might be primary source analysis or annotated bibliographies that you have to do before the major essay, to make sure that you’re on the right track. There can also be presentations on the readings.

How heavy would you say the workload for your course is compared to an average student in your university?

If you want to be technical about it, it’ll probably be less because if you look at the number of Academic Units (AUs), my course usually has 14-18 AUs. 1 AU is about 1 hour of teaching time per week. Science courses, for instance, can go up to 22 AUs. But if you really think about it, all courses are challenging in their own way. Engineering and science courses may spend more time at the lab, but we spend more time at libraries or researching online to find quality sources.

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 this knowledge/skills independently versus in university? What knowledge/skills would you say can only be learnt from your course?

I think you can definitely go and read up on any topic. For example, you can go to the library and take a book and read it. But I feel that without the professors and classmates, you won’t push yourself further and deeper into the topic. You probably would take your own worldviews because the sources that you pick up may just be echoing your own beliefs, so you might end up staying in that bubble the whole way. Tutorials and seminars discuss different ways of interpreting the source. You’ll be more open minded and humble, as you listen to how others interpret the reading.
Having discussions is definitely one thing. I can’t think of another place where I can learn, for example, different kinds of historiographical methods. For object history, my professor once brought a football boot and made us brainstorm questions about the boot. So, what we did was we brainstormed all the random questions we had, and then we narrowed down to a few key questions and generated a thesis.
Again, you can do this at home by yourself, but you won’t have a shared experience with the whole class. I’m quite a sentimental person, so it actually holds some kind of memory for me. You can look back and say “when I was in university, I did this”. I’ll remember how I felt; not just the content but doing it together with fellow like-minded people and creating that shared memory in the process. I think it’s a priceless experience.

Are there specialisations within your degree? If yes, when do you have to choose your specialisation, and what specialisation have you chosen?

There are no specialisations.

What are the faculty / professors of your course like? Any favourite professors!

I believe they’re generally nice and friendly. That being said, there are professors whose teaching style may not suit your learning style. So, it’s really either trial and error or listening to advice from seniors and making your decision on which courses to take. But if you are really passionate about that particular aspect of history, I’d say go for it and don’t let difficult assignments or long readings stop you.
I do have favourite professors. One of them would be Assistant Professor Scott Michael Anthony for the module “The Cultural, Social & Economic History of Football”. Whenever he delivers his seminars, you can tell he’s genuinely passionate about whatever he’s talking about. He allows us to be more hands-on; in fact, he was the professor who brought the soccer boot to class. It already was an interesting module, but he made it even more interesting. Long story short, his infectious passion rubs off his students.

Are there any final year projects / capstones / thesis to do?

There is a Final Year Project (FYP) to do in Year 4. If you wish to graduate earlier, you have the option to start earlier.

 

5. PERSONAL EXPERIENCE / PREFERENCES

What were your most and least favourite/interesting classes/part of your course?

I would say my favourite part is hanging out with friends before and after class. We talk about a lot of things, like what we learnt that day, or the progress of our essays, or we’ll share some hacks or tips to get better sources. We also talk about other random stuff that normal young people talk about and have fun over our meal times. That’s the beauty of university life. We get to meet so many people from all walks of life such as people who came from JC or poly, just finished NS or have a background in ITE. Back in Year 1, we were taught that we are all products of our time, and it’s so amazing how we see it play out as we see how our own personal experiences can shape our interpretation of academic courses.
My least favourite part is when the readings we get become really heavy, especially at the tail end of the semesters. But I have great friends who help one another by summarising the readings on Google Docs.

What are some thing(s) you didn’t know/expect about the course before starting, and what are some things that surpassed your expectations?

I thought that we will be doing a lot of memory work. You’d think history is about memorising content, but it’s only true to a small extent. We are not really tested on the content; there are barely any exams. Professors often expect us to grasp the content before classes so that we can take the class time to talk about questions to challenge our perspectives. But it also means that we have to read up more before class. For example, for the module ‘WWII and Southeast Asia’, there’ll be lectures on the topic, but it’s not as in-depth as compared to if you were to take it in secondary school or JC. If you diligently read the readings before, it’ll be much faster and easier for you to understand what is going on in seminars.

I thought that once I don’t like a module and I find it dry, it means I’ll dread it for the rest of the semester. But even in those cases, I can look forward to class because I’ll go with the mindset of giving it a chance as I may actually learn something I never expected. In most cases, a good discussion with my peers is also more than enough. So, during those times, I’m still happy that I showed up.

Are there any common misconceptions/stereotypes about your course that you would like to debunk?

I think a lot of people assume we are going to become teachers after we finish our degree. But the truth is there are so many paths that we can take after we leave NTU. And if you want to talk about statistics, I believe more than half of our graduates are employed in the government sector. I think the bottom line is that there’s not only teaching. Even in industries like IT and finance, there are graduates going in there. Of course, graduates go into research, the arts and entertainment and others. The list goes on. A History education equips us with analytical skills, persuasion skills and creativity— all which are needed in just about every job out there.

Were there times when you regretted your decision? / Is there anything that you didn’t particularly enjoy about your course?

I don’t regret it. It’s just that sometimes I look at other social sciences modules and I’d wish that I had an opportunity to try those out too. I mean, of course, I could have taken a double major or minor if I really wanted to. But to really maximise my experience, I’m currently taking a Minor in Youth Work and Guidance to explore my interest in working with young people.

I didn’t particularly enjoy it when I really didn’t understand the material. Sometimes, as part of the course, the materials covered are from thousands of years ago. It’s undeniably dry, and can get a bit unrelatable. I laugh when I recall how my friends were also finding ways to stay awake. But it will pass and the classes will get more interesting in the weeks to come as we get more familiar with the teaching style and the content.

Are there many people who switch out of your course? Is the student retention rate for your course high?

I don’t know anyone personally who has done that.

I guess we don’t use the word retain. If you fail one module and if it’s a compulsory core module, you have to repeat it. You can still go on to the next academic year. Other than that, there are still a few causes for late graduation. Let’s say you wish to take a Leave Of Absence (LOA) to pursue an internship, or you just really need time off from school.

What sort of student do you think would excel in / be suited for your course? Or what should one like (e.g. working with numbers, presentations) in order to enjoy your course?

I guess somebody who is naturally curious and is willing to have their opinions and ideas challenged. They should love to read, and would dare to question the things around them.

 

6. CAREER PROSPECTS

What are the career prospects like for your course?

I mentioned the career prospects earlier, but I think that ultimately, the future is yours to create. I don’t think any type of major should limit what you want to do in future. It’s a stepping stone and a key to open the doors. But after you pass through the doors, there are so many more things to be explored. Any career that requires you to craft a compelling narrative or use your persuasion skills would be suitable for History graduates.

What are your plans after university?

I think the possibilities are endless so far. It’s not that I don’t want to have a goal, but I rather wait and see because I like to have this sense of adventure; I don’t want to fix what I’m doing for the next 10-20 years. When I entered university, I knew that I just wanted to enjoy the experience and the last few years of formal education, because these are four years that I am never going to get back.

Would you say you went into your course already making the decision to pursue a career related to your course?

I did not go into History already making that decision. I think a good half of my friends did not either. We came in to try something new out of interest. Of course, there are people who know they want to work in the archives or go into research, or do a Masters. There are also people who are open to other things. This is also the beauty of a humanities degree. It’s not a fixed path that is prescribed to you.

Did you have any internships/work experience related to your career (elaborate if yes) and did your school give you sufficient training & resources? Otherwise, where else did you find them?

I did not have internships related to History.

We have the career office so we have career coaches who look after our faculty. They do offer things like career workshops and resume critiques. But for this incoming batch, there’ll be compulsory internships. I feel it’s very good to gain valuable experience and have a taste of what working is like, be it history related or not.

 

7. STUDENT LIFE

Did you stay in campus accommodation? Do many of your friends stay on campus?

I do stay in campus accommodation, as well as a good number of my friends. From this coming August onwards, most of my friends will stay in the hall if their hall application is successful. I’m really excited to have more of my friends on campus.

What is the school culture like and how would you describe the people? What should students entering your school take note of?

I think even if we don’t know everyone’s names, we know the faces. I think people are generally quite friendly. I didn’t really talk to people in the other courses in my faculty apart from during orientation. Regardless, it’s interesting to meet people who have really different personalities; it’s what makes life here vibrant. My group of friends are extremely genuine, thoughtful and empathetic towards one another. Here’s a huge shout out to the seven of you; I’m very blessed to have you guys.

Prospective students should remember to have fun! You don’t have to try and fit in, because people with similar vibe will naturally just be attracted to you in a sense. Don’t stress about anything at all. Just extend empathy to everyone around you. When you are a good friend and lend a helping hand to everyone around you, it makes us all happier and more fulfilled.

What were your CCAs?

I’m in the History Sub-Club, which is under the School of Humanities (SOH) Club. Each major in SOH has their own sub-club. As the Vice-Chairperson, I look over the Outreach, Publicity and Events portfolios, and assist the Chairperson to ensure the smooth running of the sub-club. For this whole year, it has been quite hard to really organise events because of the COVID-19 situation. So, some events have to be postponed and handed over to the next batch.

The work we do varies; for instance, we have to source for sponsors for events or welfare packs. We also liaise with the Ministry of Education and National Heritage Board, connecting with them for events like the Singapore Heritage Festival (SHF). Most recently, our students did a photo essay project which was published on their SHF website. We also have to take charge of a segment of orientation. For orientation, there’s a Subject Area Day where all the freshmen will be split into their majors, and seniors from their majors will take over to give them tips and go through how the curriculum is like. Otherwise, our publicity side will maintain our social media accounts. We have things such as Figure Fridays where on Fridays, we post educational content about historical and notable figures based on monthly themes.

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 probably won’t be able to go on an overseas exchange because of the COVID-19 situation. But other than that, I guess I was a bit more active in CCAs in Year 1 because for Year 2, the History Sub-Club took up most of my spare time. But for Year 1, I tried to join more activities. I joined my hall’s acoustic band where we performed for our hall’s birthday party. I was also in the NTU Student Union’s open house committee. The open house sadly became a virtual one, but it was still nice being part of it and watching it come to life. I also joined the faculty’s Transition & Orientation Program as a Creative Director. But due to COVID-19, plans got shifted and in the end, I became a Group Leader of an online orientation group instead.

I cherish every single opportunity to serve the school community and to grow as a person. From the moments I spend rushing to classes with my friends to taking charge of faculty-wide projects, every turn holds so much joy and fulfilment that makes me look forward to every single day of school.

Any parting words or advice for juniors? :,)

Come prepared to step out of your comfort zone, especially if you don’t like to voice out your opinions or if you are not used to even having an opinion. You would most need to be prepared to think critically. But at the same time, don’t stress too much about it because it’s a gradual learning process. Nobody expects you to know everything in the first year. Be willing to try and fail. Don’t be afraid of failure and if you see an opportunity that you want to try, go for it. Do what excites, and you won’t have any regrets but instead many stories to tell for years to come.