WMU

About WMU

True Twinning

Why Overseas

 

WHY OVERSEAS?

The best university degrees have always featured studies abroad. Studying abroad gives students access to ‘world-class’ academic programs. Students frequently enroll for subjects or degree programs not offered at home. Students may gain access to degree programs when too few seats are available in degree programs at home.

 Study abroad has cross-cultural advantages. Students learn outside the classroom about the culture(s), economics, politics, and worldview of their host country. Upon returning home, they are "specialists" not only in their chosen field but also in intercultural matters. Graduates may be hired partly because of their foreign experience as well as their specific training. A foreign degree also has prestige value at home.

 Why Experience the United States? The United States is the world’s leading economy and global superpower and the world’s leading democracy. The United States is Malaysia’s largest export trade partner. The ties of the two countries will be strong throughout the 21^st century.

 Why Study in the United States? The United States offer the world’s most outstanding universities. These are the world’s most ‘open’ universities, where curriculum and standards change quickly to reflect evolving societal and market needs. United States universities are more affordable than those in other countries require less time to do the same degree, and usually they are less expensive. (For instance, none require matriculation studies.) United States universities are accessible to Malaysians; they all teach in English. By air, the United States is one day’s travel from Malaysia.

United States University curricula have distinct goals and they offer distinct modes of learning. Besides offering specialized education, they stress critical-thinking and problem solving. They encourage clear, effective communication. They expect students to become lifelong learners. They also instill in students’ value of responsible citizenship, originality and excellence in work, appreciation of cultural diversity, and freedom of expression. Classrooms are interactive. Marking is continuous throughout the term and is entirely internal. Professorial TQM makes this system work outstandingly.

Over 450000 international students come to study in the United States each year — more than to any other country. American university lecturers and professors also come from all over the world because of these advantages!

 Why study in the U.S.? You get the best educational experience, at savings in time & cost, with interesting and important events occurring daily outside the classroom around you, while you prepare for challenges of the 21^st century – the Trans-Pacific Century.

 American University Education

 American universities operate differently than those in Malaysia, those in Malaysia, the United Kingdom, and Australia.

 First, in the American system of education there are several terms that are not used in the same way as in the Malaysian or British system of education. In the American System of Education the word course is used to mean a subject (for example, MATH116 Finite Math, SOC200 Principles of Sociology) and not a whole program of study. The term curriculum is used to describe a degree program (for example, Bachelor of Business Administration Curriculum, Arts, and Sciences Curriculum). The term major is used to describe a program or specialization (for example, Computer science Major, Marketing Major, Broadcast and Cable Production Major). The term minor is used to describe a smaller specialization (for example, major in Organizational Communication and a minor in Advertising). A minor as well as a major is required in most curricular except Business Administration and Engineering.

 Second, the American system uses modular units known as ‘credits’ (or credit hours). A minimum of 122 credits is required for most Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, and the Bachelor of Business Administration degrees. These are calculated by the number of hours that students spend in class for a subject during a normal 15-week semester. For example, if Microeconomics meets for 3 hours per week throughout the term and a student receives a passing mark, then the student has earned 3 credit hours in Economics.

Students normally take five 3-credit subjects per semester. If they receive passing marks in all five, they have earned 15 credits at the end of the term. In one year (3 semesters), students may earn 45 credit hours if they take 15 credits per term. (Students usually begin at Sunway by taking 10-14 credits, and increase their study load in later semesters to 5 subjects). Since 122 credits are required for most degrees, students may actually complete a degree in 3 years – although it is recommended that students proceed through their studies at their own speed in order to gain the most benefit from studies.

 Third, all American University degrees are ‘honours’ degrees in the terminology of Malaysia, the United Kingdom, and Australia. American universities do not award ‘higher diploma’ or other certificates. Students may earn an ‘honours’ degree from an American university based on their marks. A U.S. honors degree means the student has received very high marks through all semesters. An American Honours Degree is similar to a ‘1^st Class Honours’ from the U.K.

 Forth, American universities provide broad educational perspectives as well as specialized studies. Subjects that provide students with better understanding of the world, or that help them to solve problems or to think more clearly, are required to complete their degree. Usually ’perspective subjects’ are studied mainly in the first half of the degree program, and specialized subjects mainly in the last half of the degree program. All students take some fine arts and humanities, social and behavioral sciences, U.S. culture, non-Western cultures, mathematics and computing, natural sciences, and science and technology. Perspective studies expose students to a wide variety of disciplines and ideas, and develop a broad background, which is the mark of an educated person.

 Fifth, American universities do not require matriculation studies. Students enter directly after leaving secondary school. Compulsory foundation courses are fully integrated into each degree program so that students complete their degree studies in efficient and timely manner. (At Sunway College, matriculation studies are recommended only for those who are very young or for those to strengthen their secondary school record before they can be considered for admission.) By the time students go to the United States, they will have completed most of their broad perspectives subjects as well as the necessary foundation subjects required for specialization in their major field of study in the United States.

 Sixth, all American universities use continuous, internal assessment of student progress. The teachers set the syllabi for their subjects as well as all examinations, including the final examination, and assignments. They give several examinations and / or quizzes each semester, as well and other assignments that are all taken into consideration in determining the final grade. Students are expected to attend all classes.

 Seventh, general accreditation boards audit American universities every 5 years. Some degree fields usually outside the traditional academic disciplines, have special accreditation boards also.