Post-BLS (Hons.) UiTM Plans

Education is a companion which no misfortune can depress,no crime can destroy, no enemy can alienate, no despot can enslave. At home a friend, abroad an introduction, in solitude a solace, and in society an ornament. It chastens vice, it guides virtue, it gives, at once, grace and government to genius. Without it, what is man? A splendid slave, a reasoning savage.

~ Joseph Addison, 1672-1719, English Essayist [The Spectator 1711]

For your information, this coming week will be the final week for my 4th Semester. Meaning, I’m concluding my second year and will soon begin my final year of undergraduate studies. But should this be the end of my formal education? Where will I be going to after this?

Certainly I have made up my mind that I must proceed with a Master’s Degree. The question is in what field? Should I continue with a Master’s Degree in Law? Would it be wise to duplicate the road that my seniors have taken before me? Which is to do the professional programme LL.B. (Hons). Quo vadis, Aldric?

UiTM’s LL.B. (Hons.)

Prejudices, it is well known, are most difficult to eradicate from the heart whose soil has never been loosened or fertilized by education; they grow ther, firm as weed among stones.

~ Charlotte Bronte, 1816-55, English Novelist [Jane Eyre 1847]

One thing about the UiTM Bachelor of Legal Studies (Hons.) programme is that this programme is meant to prepare the undergrads with the necessary legal skills. Simply, you learn how to think, talk and research like a lawyer. However you may not be a lawyer with this BLS (Hons.). To do so, you must also do the LL.B. (Hons.) programme - which is UiTM’s 1 year professional programme - or sit for the Certificate of Legal Practice. The Bachelor of Laws (Hons) aka LL.B. (Hons.) in UiTM is simulation-based. Students in a class would be subdivided into smaller ‘firms’ of 4 partners. They will be taught by hands-on approach. From filing to accounts to legal counseling. After graduating, the usual 9 months chambering and calling to the Bar procedures apply. UiTM’s LL.B. (Hons) prepares you for the lawyer’s life. But is this the road that I will choose?

Master of Business Administration

Did you know: I have not heard of any of my seniors embarking a course in the MBA direction immediately after graduation with the BLS (Hons). If you did this: UiTM’s BLS (Hons) graduate who continues in an MBA immediately, please contact me.

My perception of MBA is the education process to obtaining an MBA exposes you with the necessary thinking skills to keep a business alive. Some institutions offer a hands-on structure with case studies and reviews. Others focus on a more theoretical approach. It much depends on who you’re talking to. Personally, I like Universiti Teknologi Malaysia’s (UTM). Their approach and conduct is admirable. How do I know? I went to their booth at the Post Graduate Fair at Mid Valley Exhibition Centre on Saturday (5 April 2008). You still have a chance on Sunday (6 April 200 . The executive who spoke to me was not only resourceful; she was interesting as well! A big shout out to Ms. Radiatul Hadaviyah binti Ramlan. Her presentation is inspiring. If it wasn’t for the limitations - i.e. graduating in a year’s time - I would have signed up there and then. Worth mentioning, one of th executive at the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) booth was repulsive. Typical civil servant, I guess. Fortunately her partner was helpful. Otherwise I would have had the same impression on anything freshly out or currently in UKM. Perfect disgrace!

Back to MBA. Ever since Form 2, my passion is business - apart from politics. An MBA would, on the face of it, be relevant. Then again, my mentality is why do it when you can hire smarter and better people to do it for you? Also, I believe in creating the corporate ladder rather than climbing it. UTM’s MBA is appealing to me. It has three directions: Techno-Entrepreneurship, Strategic Management and Venture Capital Management. Each specialization, as you can guess, have different pros and cons. Techno-Entrepreneurs are for those waiting to forge their way through the unknown with their own business. Strategic Management revolves more to your promotion from middle level to top or senior level. Last but not least, bankers and employees of financial institutions benefit more from VC Management. For further information, feel free to contact UTM’s International Business School.

An MBA is among my must have list. The question is when?

Master of Communication, Master of Art of Communication, Master of Arts in Communication Management

An expert is one who knows more and more about less and less.

~ Nicholas Murray Butler, 1862-1947, American Philosopher [Address, Columbia University, New York]

Communication. Communication. Communication. Why communication? Simple: what am I embarking on to support my studies? Hehehe… Corporate writing @ copywriting. Writing the words for brochures, adverts and other promotional/sales materials. Like many writers in the market, copywriters capture your imagination, incites emotions and evokes memories with the ultimate reason: selling. Other than short courses such as that being offered by the Australian School of Copywriting, the American Writers and Advertisers’ Institute (AWAI) and many other professional groups, one would like a designation of some sorts behind one’s name. An intelligent person like you would know, in this case ‘one’ refers to me.

What do I have on the table? KDU College’s Master of Arts (Communication Management) - collaboration with University of South Australia, MA of Communication from Limkokwing University of Creative Technology and the Master of Communication from RMIT University. Not to be left out, Johns Hopkins University - either Master of Arts in Communication or Master of Arts in Communication/MBA. At the Post Grad Exhibition, only KDU College and Limkokwing University had their booths. The last two were found by Google.

My reasoning is this, whatever it is, I need a Master of Communication or equiv. immediately after my B.L.S. Hons. Why? My corporate writing services is charged by fees. At the moment, I’m charging a novice’s price. By graduation, a higher price. Most definitely a middle to top level fee-rate would be charged after obtaining my Master’s. Only in this way can I concurrently generate cash flow and pursue any academic endeavors. At the end of the day, each Master’s programme will take 1 year to 1-and-a-half year. It’s not that I’m taking 3 undergraduate courses. Good god, 3 courses times 3 years = O.o … I have better things to do - like creating job opportunities!

Is it me or this entry is freaking long… I am writing at 2.28 a.m.

LL.M. aka Master of Laws

Learning does not consist only of what we must or we can do, but also of knowing what we could do and perhaps should not do.

~ Umberto Eco, 1932- , Italian Novelist and semiotician [The Name of the Rose 1980]

While being a lawyer is put on hold, I definitely want to do my LL.M. At the moment, I’m taking Cyber Law as an elective. I will be doing Intellectual Property Law as my elective in final year - provided that the subject is offered. It’s that or the eye on Constitutional Law.

As a writer cum entrepreneur, fruits of my ideas means money. As a political scientist - for now self-proclaimed - I am looking at the political and constitutional developments in this country. The question now lies: where?

Questions, oh questions. I ask a lot, don’t you think? You must be wondering: “Why can’t I accept things as it is?” lol. That’s me.

Another motivation for an LL.M. is the fact that I’m doing my Bachelor of Legal Studies. Obviously I do not want my legal knowledge and skills to go to waste, right? And yet I am not doing my LL.B. (Hons)… Hahaha… I like stress, but not that much of a stress… Let me be the one giving the lawyer a headache, not the one receiving it.

*Typical Manglish* Why la wei… Why liddat one? Why your LLM soo short? Haiya… You like law or not? Better you do business now… Go… Go… Change course… (Proper English translation: Why is your LL.M. section so short? Are you sure you’re still interested in Law? Or would a business degree be more suitable.)

Master of …???

It is important that students bring a certain ragamuffin barefoot irreverence to their studies; they are not here to worship what is known, but to question it.

~ Jacob Bronowski, 1908-74, Polish-born British Scientist [The Ascent of Man]

What else do you have, Aldric? When are you actually going to have a job?

Urm… In case you have not been tuning in, I’m not interested in safe, secure jobs. Then how are you supporting you and your family???? Remember I said ‘cash flow’? Cash flow does not mean salary, fees etc. Business baby… Creating the corporate ladder. Venturing into the unknown. Taking the road not taken - which will make all the difference, for better or for worse.

Returning to the topic. I’ve mentioned in my entry that I wanted to do a Master’s in Political Science. I better forewarn you that I like theology and divinity as well. Hehehe… I guess, these will have to wait and be put on hold. I need to concentrate on my BLS (Hons) for now, then Communications, followed by MBA and LL.M (I think I can do double/joint degrees. Will do more research.). After I have done all these, then we’ll see whether I want to do the rest, alright?

What do you think? What would you do?