Sow Wan Jing, 20

People have been asking what the “teaching” and “study life” are like over at SIM. On top of that, before I was even an SIM blogger, I’ve already had prospective students (yup, people whom I don’t even know) from all over the world sending me personal messages on Facebook, asking me how I feel about UOL courses.

I assume the reason you are reading is that you’re seriously considering UOL-SIM (that is, to pursue a degree from University of London at Singapore Institute of Management). Hopefully, whatever I’m about to type would help make up your mind.
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This entry has 3 parts: UOL programmes, SIM and how they complement each other.

University of London- 3 things you should know:

1.       UOL programmes are examined by Goldsmiths and the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), two esteemed colleges. The UOL degree is internationally recognised and identical in standard, whether awarded to external students or students who attend one of the University's Colleges.

2.       The standard route requires students to complete 12 units (that includes sitting for the exam) for the entire programme, although exemptions might be given if you have a relevant diploma, attend bridging courses, etc. Note: For more information about specific requirements for different UOL bachelor programmes (majors), click here and select from the list.

3.       For MOST units/ modules, students are not required to do any coursework (project) and are assessed based on annual University examinations in May/June.  The exam accounts for 100% of the marks, unless otherwise indicated.

My personal opinion: Do expect the programme to be rigorous. After all, we are expected to earn the “internationally recognised” degree. I may be in no position to say this, but self-discipline is particularly important. This, to me, is the greatest challenge of this flexible route. With only one exam each year, a student needs to be focused on a clear direction. The “do it once, do it right” mentality definitely applies in this system. To be honest, my palms are getting all sweaty as I type this. Nevertheless, this is just my point of view. There are many students doing very well in this programme. For instance, you can take a look at my fellow blogger, Ivonne’s entry on her scholarship award!

(On a side note, you might be interested to know that at least six Nobel Prizes have been awarded to alumni of the University of London External System (ULEP), one of them being former President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela. You can find out more about other notable alumni of ULEP on Wikipedia, or even more of them from UOL.)
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Singapore Institute of Management

Taken from my student handbook:

Lecturers
Members of the teaching staff are drawn from experienced and qualified lecturers, including professors and lecturers from institutions of higher learning. They are also drawn from a pool of experienced and successful professionals currently working in the industry and SIM.

Learning Structure
Each course will utilise a number of teaching methods to facilitate and reinforce the learning process. These include lectures, tutorials, discussion, tests, written assignments and audio visual aids. Apart from these, students are required to do a large part of their studies in their own time.

Personal comments: For each unit, lesson is generally conducted once a week on a regular timeslot. Each lesson is 3 hours, with a break in between that is given at the lecturer’s discretion (about 10 to 30 minutes). I sincerely find lessons quite conducive, but nothing too heavy. These lessons incorporate lectures, tutorials, discussion and tests.

Usually, bulk notes are provided on the first day. Subsequently, ad-hoc hand outs are posted on online portals.
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How SIM and each UOL external programme complement each other:

1.       Subject Guides provided by UOL are quite specific about the knowledge and skills expected from students during exams.

2.       Knowing everything inside the Subject Guides would only be sufficient to help a student pass. Attending lectures in SIM encourage us to practise constantly and develop critical thinking habits.   

3.       Virtually, the SIM student portals provide useful links and studying materials.

4.       As students of UOL, we gain access to exclusive online resources such as E-books and journals i.e. online library. Past exam papers, Examiners’ Report and Preliminary Examinations will further reassure you that the teaching in SIM is in sync with UOL exams.

5.       On top of virtual resources, we also have 2 real libraries, among other things. The SIM campuses are well facilitated and conducive for studying:
“With 28,000 students, SIM is the largest and one of the most established private tertiary institutions in Singapore. We also have the largest and most comprehensive campus of its kind in Singapore's private education industry...” more here.

To end off, I just have to say that I am really proud to be an SIM-UOL student. I must say that I’m grateful that I’ve not been deprived of quality education despite areas where I fell short academically and financially.

“The External System of the UOL, initiated in 1858, provides an attractive option for those with financial constraints, commitments to work or family, or lack of local access to higher education.”
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P.S. Sorry to procrastinate on answering your questions, but I really didn’t know where to start. To make up for it, I’ve imagined myself in the shoes of a prospective student and written this detailed post on the issue. If you find this useful, please forgive my tardiness!

If you have more questions, leave a comment and I’ll try to dig out relevant information I have on hand or at least source for it. Please kindly be specific though.

Do watch out for the next SIM Open house too!