BBA – Then and Now
From: A/P Lau Geok Theng
Assistant Dean, Undergraduate Studies
I was a BBA graduate from NUS – two times.
I got my BBA from the then University of Singapore. Those times, we just do seven subjects in year one, eight in year two and eight in year three. No choices, you just take the subjects offered. We attend classes the whole year, then take final examinations which usually fall around Chinese New Year period (it was a real pain). Final examinations are usually 80% to 90% of course grade. If you fail more than two subjects, you repeat the whole year. If you fail one or two subjects, you take the supplementary examinations which are held in May (back to the books). Out on holidays? You may have to cut short and come back to study if you get your examination results and you have failed in one subject. So what do you think of the current BBA structure? Better? I would rather be a student now. The plus during my time is we had a small cohort of 170 students and we take the same courses, so we know everyone well, especially those in my tutorial groups: all the Kohs, Lees and Lims (since they are not terribly creative at that time and broke us up into groups by alphabetical order).
Doesn't this place look very familiar?
Now on to my second BBA degree. Those days, you are offered BBA (Honours) only at the end of Year 3. You can reject and go out to work. Or you can accept and stay behind and do one more year. It is considered a second degree. So whatever your decision, you will still receive your BBA and attend the convocation ceremony first. I decided to stay and do the Honours year. It was the year University of Singapore was merged with Nanyang University to form NUS. There were only 18 of us, almost half from the previous University of Singapore and half from the previous Nanyang University. We took five compulsory subjects and had three options (a luxury at that time). We had our own classroom and attend classes in the same room throughout. I took a risk and did my academic exercise or thesis under a Nanyang professor. I really don’t know him well but just did it. I attended the second convocation ceremony and received my degree scroll, which had no crest because they could not get it designed and approved in time for the ceremony. It is really not cool to receive a degree scroll with all words and some signatures but with no university crest.
Nope, neither of these are my girlfriends
Now for the juicy part. I found my girlfriend in Year One and she accompanied me in the library through my BBA years. We got married during my Honours year before I graduated. I know some of you BBAs are also in the hurry and have done the same thing. Join the club!
Class photo
From Chelsey: It's contest time again! Guess who the yellow arrow is pointing to and the first person to leave the correct answer here in the "Comments" section wins a $20 voucher! Hint: He's our Marketing prof and his surname starts with "L" too! (Thus same class!)