Project management
In terms of content, this subject was my favorite lecture. The aim of the event was to get to know different tools that support you in the implementation of a project. During the lectures we learned the theoretical basics. In the tutorial, each group worked on its own project. My group had the task of planning the establishment of a café. As part of this examination, a short presentation had to be given and a complete report had to be submitted. At the end of the trimester there was a final exam, which largely consisted of arithmetic problems.
Psychometrics, Assessments and Ethics
This subject is about test theories and diagnostics. Each lecture had a new topic, which made it easy to separate the individual course contents from one another. The lecture consisted exclusively of frontal teaching. What was learned was put into practice in the tutorial. We had to develop test questions ourselves and try out different test formats. The midterm test consisted of 100 multiple choice questions. In contrast to the economic subjects, the second examination was to be submitted as an individual work. We had to choose a psychological test, evaluate it based on various criteria, and then come to a judgment as to whether this test fulfilled its intended purpose. The third exam was the final exam, which consisted of 60 MCQ and 4 open questions.
Statement of costs and financing options
Singapore is the country with the highest cost of living. Above all, the rents for living spaces make up a considerable part of this. With 600 SGD (around 400 euros) I paid comparatively little. Compared to others, my ‘room’ was accordingly small and sparsely furnished.
- Learn more information about the country of Singapore and continent of Asia on smartercomputing.
The tuition fees are also quite high at just under SGD 8,000 for a trimester.
The metro is relatively cheap. However, you pay per trip, which adds up to a lot at the end of the month. Groceries in the supermarket, such as dairy and meat products, are very expensive. But since hardly anyone cooks anyway, the food courts are ideal, where you can get very good food for less than 3 euros.
In addition to expensive shops, the many malls also have our usual H&M, Mango and Zara shops. The prices are to be compared with those in Germany. Other expenses depend largely on one’s lifestyle. Most of all, I’ve spent quite a bit on travel.
If you are entitled to BAföG, some costs can be covered with it. You get a certificate from the university about the tuition fees so that these are included in the calculation.
Skills acquired abroad that make the job market more attractive
During the semester abroad I applied for the internship in the sixth semester. When I later received an acceptance for a company, it was emphasized, among other things, that the experience abroad was very appealing to them. Living in a different culture, leaving the familiar environment at home and the experience gained from it, are skills that I think are in great demand on the job market nowadays.
Satisfaction with supervision at the foreign university
Since JCUS is not a partner university of my university, I did most of the organization on my own. Sabine from MicroEDU was always ready to help me through the entire application process.
The on-site support couldn’t have been better. In the first few days there was a reporting day and an orientation day. The former was intended more for getting to know each other and for organizational purposes. The choice of course has been finally confirmed and all formalities for the visa have been clarified (on arrival you get a normal tourist visa, the student visa is then issued on site). On Orientation Day there were various games, lots of food and finally a film was shown. During the trimester, both the contacts at the university and MicroEDU were always ready to listen.
Professional and personal experience
From a technical point of view, I don’t have the feeling that the semester abroad was very different from my home university. The only difference was how the teaching content was conveyed to the students. While the lectures consisted of pure frontal teaching, the tutorials worked in groups. And instead of a final exam at the end of the semester, which counts as the only grade, the grade at the university in Singapore consisted of various partial performances with different weightings in each subject.
In terms of personal experience, it looks very different. The group work should definitely be mentioned here. I struggled with the slightly different way of working some Asian group members. Be it out of ignorance, polite reluctance or simple disinterest, it was relatively difficult to set a discussion in motion in order to come to a result in the end. But somehow you also learn to deal with it.
I had already been abroad for several months. Every stay abroad brings different hurdles, opportunities and experiences. However, I see a semester abroad during my studies as a special opportunity to expand one’s personal experience. You start out together with other students, grow together and try to make the most beautiful months out of everyday life alongside your studies.
I would definitely choose Singapore again at any time. The city, the people I met there and the whole lifestyle fascinated and inspired me.
