Consortium of 11 Public Universities that set up
OUM  UNIVERSITI TERBUKA MALAYSIA

With so many course options to choose from coupled with the long list of higher learning institutions, it is no wonder some would just give up even before they start.

It is the importance of guiding the students in making the right choice that prompted the Ministry of Education (MoE) to organize the Higher Learning Institutions Carnival 2014 and this year marks its 10th successful edition.

http://www.theborneopost.com/2014/04/13/jom-masuk-u-what-the-students-say/

-----

Postgraduate Education in Malaysia is fast growing as can be seen from the introduction of many varieties of master's degree programmes and research Ph.D studies by public universities, private universities and also foreign university branch campuses. The main providers of postgraduate courses in Malaysia are public universities. Postgraduate students study part-time, full-time or by distance learning for a taught or research-based course. Their main purpose of study is for career advancement needs, training and employment. This chapter emphasizes on Master's and Doctoral Degrees. We shall focus on what postgraduate study is all about, why it is important and what you should do when selecting a course to pursue.

Selecting a University in Malaysia.

Most students often make the following 3 main mistakes when selecting a university :

1) Selecting a non-accredited university;

2) Doing "crash-course" degrees;

3) Selected a wrong programme not recognized by professional organizations. 

SABAH LEARNING CENTER
Block A, Lot 1-10,
Lintas Jaya Uptownship,
Jalan Lintas, Kepayan Highway,
88200 Kota Kinabalu, SABAH

IPG Learning Centre,
C/O Institut Perguruan Gaya,
Petisurat 10491,
88805 Kota Kinabalu, SABAH

Research-based Courses

In a research-based course, there are no formal classes, just scheduled meetings with a supervisor. Most research degrees are purely academic with little or no formal teaching. The learning on a research-based programme is through a self-directed project.

The qualifications obtained are either a Master's degree or Doctoral degrees. Research programmes at the Master's level might be called a Master's in Research (MRes) or, regardless of the actual subject studied, o Master's in Philosophy (MPhil) which usually lake two years. The highest research degree is the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) which will take a minimum of three years to complete. PhD and MPhil qualifications are obtained through research, a thesis and a viva voce (oral) examination.

Apart from some training in research skills, there will be very little taught content on research programmes. The dissertation will be longer, about 70,000 to 100,000 words for a PhD. It should also be original and, in theory, publishable. Essentially, possessing a PhD should mean that you are one of the leading experts in your field of specialization in the world.

Doctoral programmes, namely the PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) are the most common research-based postgraduate degrees and it usually takes three or four years of full-time studies. Intake is normally from those with a Master's degree and occasionally by transfer from a Master's course, although those with very good first degrees would also be considered. Doctorate research work is intensive and requires strong commitment from the student, especially in terms of dedication, finance and time.

For example, if your career goal is in an academic area, possibly teaching at o university or conducting a research, then the Master's choice for you will be a Master's of Arts or a Master's of Science, depending on the field. Either of these will have a research focus and may be a transitional degree to the Doctorate.

Programme Structure for Doctorate Degrees

An Example of a PhD Programme Structure

The first two or three years of most Doctoral progrommes involve a heavy dose of course work. In the third or fourth year, students must prepare for a series of grueling tests known as orals, qualifying exams, comprehensive exams, candidacy exams, or doctoral exams. Every department structures these differently, but generally, the intent is to test your expertise in your area of specialization, along with your more general knowledge of a broader field. Passing the exams demonstrates that you are both prepared to begin independent research on your dissertation and are able to teach undergraduate courses in your field.

Concurrent with the preparation for exams or shortly after, you will also work on formulating your dissertation project. Your advisor and committee will discuss the project with you and help you put together a prospectus, which will include a short description of your topic, a plan for research, and a bibliography. You will use your prospectus as a road map for your own work and perhaps more importantly as the basis for grant applications.

For example. If your career goal is in an academic area, possibly teaching at a university or conducting researches, then the Master's choice for you will be a Master's of Arts or a Master's of Science, depending on the field. Either of these will hove a research focus and may be a transitional degree to the Doctorate.

Taught-courses

Taught-programmes are those in which a large portion of the learning is facilitated through classroom lectures, tutorials, seminars, individual project work, industrial or business placement, problem-solving classes, or discussion groups which are at least partially assessed by examination or course work. Some 'Taught-courses' include group projects or research dissertation. Taught-courses are usually offered at the Master's degree level. They are usually terminal degrees and there will be no need to continue to the PhD Level. However, for those who wish to continue to the doctoral level, the opportunity is plentiful.

The main objective of these programmes is to widen your knowledge which you have gained from your first degree or for you to convert your expertise to another field of study. Programmes of a taught-course normally lost one to two years, depending on whether it is done full-time or part-time. In Malaysia, Master's programmes normally involve classes and seminars plus dissertation.

Types of Taught Master's Degrees
• Specialist or Professional Master's Degrees

In Malaysia, the most popular taught Master's degree programme Is the post-experience business-related programme which is the Master's in Business Administration (MBA). This particular programme teaches finance, statistics, managerial economics and knowledge of how companies compete and operate in different global environments and situations. MBA degrees are frequently sought by individuals with little or no educational background in the field of business but with some work experience.

In many cases, MBA programmes are sought by many engineers to strengthen their interpersonal and management skills so as to enhance their technical background. Another example could be the specialist postgraduate programme such as the Master's in Computer Science which is almost exclusively for those who have already earned Bachelor's degrees in related subjects and who are actively working in that field.

• Conversion Course
Some taught-programmes classify themselves as 'conversion courses'. They aim at students who are not from the study discipline but who wish to change the direction of their careers. Conversion courses are characterized by an intense and in-depth introduction to the subject. A classic conversion course is one that moves a student from, for example, any undergraduate degree into a position where he or she could embark on a career in IT.

Qualification Levels for Taught-Postgraduate Programmes
Generally, there are four qualification levels of taught-courses, namely:
• Postgraduate Certificate (PG Cert)
• Postgraduate Diploma (PG Dip)
• Master's degree programme
• Doctorates (PhD)

Postgraduate Certificate and  Postgraduate Diploma
The postgraduate certificate (Postgraduate Certificate) and postgraduate diploma (Postgraduate Diploma) are normally short, that is, one year or less. They can also be part of o continuing professional development (CPD). Most PG Dip programmes also consist of a series of assignments and a short dissertation. A taught-Master's degree programme can involve one year of full-time or two years of part-time studies. Students of such programmes who do not complete the final dissertation (which can be up to 20,000 words) have been known to be awarded postgraduate diploma qualifications. Postgraduate diplomas which can be taken as a stand-alone qualification, or used to proceed to a full Master's degree, may require a shorter dissertation.

Master's Degree
A Master's degree programme normally consists of several compulsory subjects and a choice of optional modules. It could also involve a number of extended essays and / or a lengthy dissertation (up to 20,000 words). A specialist or professional Master's degree generally takes one to two years to complete.
Doctorates (PhD)
Taught business-related doctorate programmes ore on the increase. Some business schools offer a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) programme. This is aimed at high-level executives who may have completed an MBA already.
Some schools offer a Professional or Practitioner Doctorate, mainly on subjects with a vocational orientation such as education, engineering, clinical physiology and business studies. In subjects such as education and business studies, essays, projects and dissertations can be structured around work experience as well as academic content. In technology subjects, group projects are conducted in relation to industrial placements, highlighting the vocational orientation of the degree.

Programme Structure (or 'Taught' Master's Degrees)
An Example of a 'Taught' Master's Degree Business Programme Structure
It is normally a one-year programme with three semesters.

First semester - two to five core modules will be delivered
(these core modules are the educational foundation for the programme covering essential basic knowledge the students require)

Second semester - postgraduate students select some subjects from a choice of electives (optional modules) [the aim is to allow students to shape their study to suit their own interests and intended career path)

Third semester - there will be a dissertation (around 15,000 words) or individual project
[the dissertation is important if the student is thinking of taking a PhD)
 

2) Private universities

3) Private colleges (IPTS)

The quality of the programmes conducted is assured by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA).

MQA is a unified quality assurance agency which is established as a result of the merger of National Accreditation Board (or Lembaga Akreditisi Negara, LAN) and the Quality Assurance Division (QAD) of the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Higher Education. Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) is responsible in implementing the Malaysian Qualifications Framework (MQF) for all higher educational institutions in Malaysia (both public and private providers).

Postgraduate courses using English as a medium of instruction are made available in a wide range of options by the following education providers, such as:
• Public universities internal qualification programmes
• Private universities' internal qualification programmes
• Foreign universities' (Australia and UK) programmes offered by their branch campuses in Malaysia
• Private colleges' collaboration with foreign universities' postgraduate programmes (for example from the USA, UK, Australia, Canada and New Zealand)

A wide range of courses are offered by these institutions, ranging from Life Sciences, Library & Information Science Dissertation to Environmental Engineering.

Four of these universities have been categorized as research universities by the government.

The four research universities in Malaysia are:
• University of Malaya (UM)
• Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM)
• Universiti Putro Malaysia (UPM)
• Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM)