While most people pursue postgraduate degrees to further their studies, they are not necessarily required for everyone. In fact, individuals who only want to acquire fundamental knowledge and a specific skill set for a field may benefit more with a diploma qualification. Below are some reasons why certain working professionals prefer to be diploma graduates than postgraduate holders.
Why Some Working Adults Choose Diplomas Over Postgraduate Degrees
1. Type of Job Position
Unless you are planning to work at universities and research institutions, most jobs do not require candidates to have high academic qualifications like masters and PhD degrees. For individuals who want to pursue a career in tertiary education, they need postgraduate qualifications as a prerequisite to conduct and publish research, teach or both. Meanwhile, diplomas are popular among working professionals because they enhance their existing bachelor’s degrees to bridge the knowledge gap in their current corporate jobs. In other words, undergoing a diploma course helps them to stay industry-relevant. Also, most diploma programmes include hands-on tasks that expose students to real-world problems which require them to come up with creative and innovative solutions.
2. More Affordable
Diploma programmes are much more affordable than postgraduate degrees. Nonetheless, you can apply for a government scholarship and education loan if you cannot afford a particular diploma programme. Alternatively, students can also seek financial assistance offered by their universities. INTI International University & Colleges provides financial support for students who want to pursue a diploma or other academic degree levels, which you can view here.
3. Shorter Course Study Duration
Most diploma programmes take one year or less to complete as compared to masters degrees. At most, it may take two years to complete a diploma course. This saves a lot of time for working professionals to resume their work life after graduating. Postgraduate courses, on the other hand, may take years to complete depending on the course structure. For example, a coursework-based postgraduate programme has a shorter duration due to its focus on theory-based curriculum. Meanwhile, a research-based postgraduate programme takes years for students to complete because of its emphasis on research publication. If you want a formal tertiary qualification that is mainly vocational and establishes a solid overview of an industry, a diploma programme may be what you are looking for.
4. Lower Entry Requirements
Some universities set high entry requirements for postgraduate courses. For working adults who did not score well in their undergraduate studies or even in the SPM (Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia) examination, diploma courses provide a second chance for such individuals to obtain a tertiary academic qualification. Also, there are some diploma programmes that have APEL (Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning) — an admission entry requirement that allows working adults to convert their work experience into academic credits! This means you can enrol for a diploma course without retaking the SPM examination.
Every industry requires at least a fundamental understanding of business. INTI’s Diploma in Business Management – Flexible Learning is designed to equip working professionals like you with cutting-edge skills that are fundamental to the business arena. Click here for more information on this programme while getting to know other programmes for working professionals that offer both full time and part time courses.