Because so many people asked ...

Why did transfer to UCSI University instead of UTAR or continue Advanced Diploma in TARC and subsequently to LJMU for a Degree.

I've decided to make this a post, to make things easy for me :)

Firstly, I never liked the study environment in TARC. They have very good campus facilities, very impressive on first sight when I was at their open day. However, only to realized that their classroom was worst than my secondary school classrooms, it was too late to regret. Then, it made me realize that the campus is overcrowded, therefore facilities are considered lacking. Student:Facilities ratio cannot balance lah! And of course, the main language used in campus is English, but majority of the students doesn't. I seriously felt and know that my English was dropping.

And most importantly, the reason I did not choose to remain under TAR's umbrella was because of internship opportunities.

If I were to remain at TARC, the only internship is during Diploma level where we had a 7 weeks attachment, and only to be posted once a week. Meaning 7weeks x once a week, with a total of 7 times/days. How much can we benefit from that? And I got feedbacks from my coursemates that during their posting, they did things that are not related to our field; cleaning up centre, data entry etc. Luckier ones get to do survey, which is indirectly preparing them for thesis writing to a certain extend. And I was the luckiest to think about it, I managed to get myself posted to the Psychiatry Ward of UKM Medical Centre and experienced many things first hand.

As for UTAR, internship is only done once, which is the last semester if I'm not mistaken.

Institutions that I shortlisted to top up for my Degree such as HELP University College and UCSI University, are compulsory to have 3 internships done before graduating. Although it's only 2 months per-internship, but the opportunity to have it done in 3 different places/companies strucked my mind, and this is one of the main reasons.

So now, you know why? :)

Tunku Abdul Rahman College UK Collaboratives

I can't help but to post this information up just in case if there is any TARC-ian who might be facing dilemma on their progression route after Diploma. This writeup would just serve as a very shallow information based on my limited resources.

Based on my batch's prospectus (2006/2007), students who are interested in studying at United Kingdom for a Honours Degree will have to complete TARC's Advance Diploma, then they are entitled to proceed for a 3 months summer programme with either Liverpool Johns Moores University or Sheffield Hallam University depending on the course they are studying.

BUT, that's not the only choice. There are certain route that wasn't mentioned in the prospectus. Something that I just found out last night while surfing for information about UK Universities that offers Post Graduate studies in Sport Psychology.



Sheffield Hallam University actually has 3 special tailored programmes for TARC students. Not only the mentioned 3 months summer programme, but also Two Years Progression Degree Programmes for Diploma graduates and Continuation Masters Programme for those who graduate with Sheffield Hallam University degrees on the Summer Semester Programme or Progression Degree programme.


On the other hand, to pursue a Liverpool Johns Moores University degree, only Summer Programme is offered. Postgraduate Masters Courses are also offered, but totally different to what Sheffield Hallam University has to offer. Sheffield Hallam University's Postgraduate programmes are said to be specially tailored for TAR College students only. While Liverpool John Moores University are chosen ones deemed to be most suitable to students on the Malaysian Summer Programme.

If you still need any information with regards to the issue mentioned above, wait for the periodic visits of academic staffs from the respective University to TAR College.