Tough job market? Get ahead with a Double Major degree

Scroll to the end of this article to find out how you can enquire about Murdoch Postgraduate programmes and receive attractive perks when you enrol!

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Covid-19 hit, many jobs were made non-essential and cut, and graduates are entering a particularly tough job market — you know the narrative by now.

The bid to stay relevant in such a challenging climate has made "upskilling" the buzzword of the year, and for diploma holders, that means this is probably the best time to hit the books and pick up that degree.

But let's also be real, having a basic degree isn't all that special, at least not anymore, when statistics show that over 946,000 people above the age of 25 hold a university degree as their highest qualification. A far cry from the 237,900 degree holders in 1999.

Considering supply and demand, it's hard to appeal to prospective employers if any joe shmoe is capable of doing your job, regardless of your education.

So when getting a degree, why not make hay while the sun shines and go for a double major while you're at it?

Double Major vs Double Degree

What exactly's the difference?

A double degree gets you, well, two degrees. Whereas for double majors, students receive one degree in two different fields.

What this brings to the table is the ability to broaden and deepen your breadth of knowledge and insight from two different areas of study, which ultimately helps to retain that edge over your peers in a competitive workforce and prevents you from becoming overly specialised. This also opens you to more career options.

Depending on your choice of a second major, it would also serve to value-add to your first major, and in the same vein, your job too.

Introducing Murdoch University, an international university that offers programmes designed to develop future thinkers and nurture leading participants in the global workforce. The school is particularly known for its flexibility, reflected in the broad choice of double majors available to its students, that allows them to combine the skills required by the world's future workforce into one degree.

Kwan May Sian, a senior product specialist who graduated from Murdoch University with a Bachelor of Business in Management and Marketing, testified that her double major helped to deepen her understanding of consumer practices, which has aided her in her work.

Meanwhile, in preparation to open a cafe, Sherman Chong took up a double major in Finance and Management with the same school to equip him with not just the knowledge on how to analyse data to improve financial decisions, but also to offer better customer service to his future patrons.

How long does it take?

Considering that there's an additional workload that comes with a double major in comparison to a single major, it goes without saying that more time is needed to complete the course.

However, Murdoch University offers exemptions to polytechnic graduates, as well as those who hold Kaplan diplomas or other diplomas recognised by the university, allowing them to gain entry to Year 2 of the programme. This effectively shaves tons of time off as students can look forward to completing their degree in as little as 16 months, instead of 28 or even 36 months.

Polytechnic graduates are also granted an additional exemption from the school's otherwise-mandatory career learning unit.

Can I work at the same time?

Never mind if you've got a full-time day job, since Murdoch University gives students the flexibility to select their own study - both full-time and part-time students can tailor their programme according to their lifestyle and commitments by being able to choose up to four modules per semester.

It was this flexibility that Crystal Poh, a senior executive in a digital printing agency, sought when she applied for her double majors in International Business and Management.

"Its flexibility gives me control over my schedule, an advantage for working professionals like us," she shared.

Her sentiment is shared by Wana Htwe Thant, a patient relation officer, who is grateful that the school had allowed him to develop his career through a double major in Human Resources Management and Criminology without having to put a pause to it.

Will it really boost my career?

More than one in four students under Murdoch University have received promotions upon graduation, while close to one in two was reported to have gotten a pay raise.

More than four in five students were also reported to be successfully hired after completion of their course, while over 95 per cent of employed graduates were able to secure full-time employment.

Faith Zheng found herself quickly promoted from an executive officer at her company to an assistant manager following a double major in Banking and Management, while Goh Si Xing, who works at a foreign bank, swiftly rose through the ranks to become a senior operation officer after attaining her degree in Accounting and Banking.

Murdoch University offers over 300 degree programmes across 22 specialisations, so you're pretty much spoilt for choice.

To find out more, Murdoch University is holding a Murdoch Fair from March 1 to 6, where you'll get to hear firsthand about their majors, and also walk away with enrollment perks!

In the meantime, if you'd like to know more about Murdoch University and their programmes, check them out here.

Kaplan Murdoch Fair x AsiaOne Sign-Up

This article is brought to you in partnership with Kaplan Singapore.

rainercheung@asiaone.com