Q I CHANCED on an advertisement placed in the newspapers by a local polytechnic that is offering one-year specialist diploma courses.

I have two questions that I hope you can answer.

(1) What is the difference between these specialist diploma courses and normal ones that last three years?

(2) If I'm doing an honours degree course and I already have a diploma in one field, will getting a specialist diploma in another field make me more employable?

A The obvious difference between the two types of courses is that a normal diploma course takes three years to complete, whereas a special diploma course takes about a year.

With a normal diploma course, you need to attend classes full-time. With a specialist diploma course, you have the flexibility of doing it on a part-time basis.

There is also a difference in the entry requirements.

For a normal diploma course, you need (1) GCE O levels, (2) relevant Institute of Technical Education Higher Nitec (ITC/CBS) qualifications or (3) relevant Nitec (NTC2) qualifications with at least GCE N levels.

In contrast, specialist diploma courses are usually designed with working professionals in mind.

Hence, applicants should already have a relevant diploma and a few years of relevant working experience, and they should be keen to upgrade their technological expertise.

The fees for a full-time diploma course vary depending on whether you are a Singaporean, a permanent resident or an international student.

For those fortunate enough to be awarded tuition grants, the fees come to about $2,000 to $3,000 a year over the three years.

For specialist diploma courses, the fees vary depending on the type of course and they could range from $2,000 to $4,000.

For further details, you can visit the websites of any of the polytechnics. They are quite comprehensive and will be able to provide most of the information that you require.

As to your other question, I would assume that the honours degree course you are taking is related to the diploma you already have and is intended to enhance your existing qualifications.

It would be easier to answer your question if you could give more details of the degree that you are pursuing or the diploma that you already have.

Getting a second, specialist diploma in another field might or might not help you. It depends on whether you can put it to good use in future.

Also, as mentioned earlier, to apply for a specialist diploma course in a particular field, you need to have a few years of relevant working experience in that field as well as a relevant diploma.

Christine Loh
Assistant Manager
Achieve Group of Companies

Advice provided in this column is not meant as a substitute for comprehensive professional advice. E-mail questions to a1admin@sph.com.sg.

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