NTU Philosophy or Engineering?

[bryantlee]

hi guys!

I got offered NTU's Philosophy as well as NTU's IEM.
I am in a dilemma.
Philosophy has no maths so i have more confidence in achieving better results plus it helps to train my thinking, writing skills etc.
I'm afraid I won't do well if i choose Engineering because of all the Physics and Maths.
However, i'm worried about the prospects for the Philosophy...
What do u guys think? Any advices?

Anyone studied Philosophy as a major?

Thank you!

 

[Havok_ex]

hi guys!

I got offered NTU's Philosophy as well as NTU's IEM.
I am in a dilemma.
Philosophy has no maths so i have more confidence in achieving better results plus it helps to train my thinking, writing skills etc.
I'm afraid I won't do well if i choose Engineering because of all the Physics and Maths.
However, i'm worried about the prospects for the Philosophy...
What do u guys think? Any advices?

Anyone studied Philosophy as a major?

Thank you!

I would advise NTU IEM. Reason being NTU Philosophy is very new. You will be the very first batch. The first batch of Sports Science students suffered quite a lot due to lack of core modules available although they advertised that they were available. Not only that, they had quite abysmal graduate employment ratings, since it was something new and there wasn't really an industry need yet.

Philosophy might be good in the coming years, but as the first batch, prepare to suffer. Don't expect a good job prospect. Just an FYI, NTU Year 3 psych students, out of 120 students only 48 got internship positions for this coming semester break. If psych, a well-established faculty got less than half of their students internship positions, expect philosophy to do much much worse.

NTU IEM is not as math and physics heavy as EEE(its 'sister' course). IEM is kind of like a hybrid between arts and engineering. In a sense, it also teaches more to apply than just math and science like the usual engineering courses. So IEM would actually have less math and physics than the regular engineering course.

Anyways, even if you have an interest in philosophy, you can still take it as a minor or a second major. But you can't do a minor in engineering. Choose IEM, take up philosophy modules as electives, get the best of both worlds.

 

[SecretWish]

how come u are offered 2 courses from the same uni?

anw IEM for sure

 

[bugmenot45]

You will be the very first batch. The first batch of Sports Science students suffered quite a lot due to lack of core modules available although they advertised that they were available.

Quote for truth. I believe it was the same situation for the first batch of NTU HSS Econs students too. NTU ended up allocating them comm studies modules instead. Damn messed up if you ask me.

If you're really interested in doing philosophy, go NUS FASS.

 

[bryantlee]

hmm wow guys thanks for the input! I was actually the first batch for my poly course too haha!

Well i got offered 2 courses from the same uni because IEM was offered to me 2 years ago, whilst Philosophy was applied this year, so i have 2 choices.

Pardon me for being ignorant but what do u guys mean by 'lack of core modules available'? Why would there be a lack of core module available?

 

[Havok_ex]

hmm wow guys thanks for the input! I was actually the first batch for my poly course too haha!

Well i got offered 2 courses from the same uni because IEM was offered to me 2 years ago, whilst Philosophy was applied this year, so i have 2 choices.

Pardon me for being ignorant but what do u guys mean by 'lack of core modules available'? Why would there be a lack of core module available?

For example, now they tell you that they have these philosophy modules that you can take:

Our Programme 

But it may not be entirely true. Because the faculty is still very small, they may not have enough professors to teach. Furthermore, in 2-3 years time, who knows if the professor might leave the university and then there won't be anyone to teach you the module. one professor can't teach every single module, they usually only teach what they specialise in. so you'd need many different profs with different specialisations to teach a wide range of philosophy modules.

So for now, they can say that they plan to have all these modules available for you. But in reality, its just what they HOPE they can teach you. And here comes the bad news, if you have not enough core modules, they will probably tell you to replace it with electives. This is bad since you will be learning things unrelated to your major. You will be a philosophy grad with little knowledge of your own major. As of now, if you see the curriculum, 38% of what you learn is actually OUTSIDE your major. Imagine if they increased this to 45 or even 50%, because they didnt have enough philosophy profs to teach. Would you be confident in calling yourself a philosophy major then?

Sure, learning different things across different fields is also good. But then you would hold a very very general degree. Jack of all trades, master of none. Which is not what a degree is about at all.

My advice, its unlucky that you are the first batch, if you were the 3rd or 4th, I would say go for it. But as the first batch, I would say dont risk it.

Its happened before with NTU. Econs and Sports Science for example. When they lack professors, they can't just hire instant profs. Then when not enough professors to teach that major, the students suffer because they don't learn enough of their own major.

 

[Kyoji83]

My understanding is when you apply for Philosophy course, you will auto give up your seat for IEM. This mean that you only left Philosophy. So take it or leave it.

hmm wow guys thanks for the input! I was actually the first batch for my poly course too haha!

Well i got offered 2 courses from the same uni because IEM was offered to me 2 years ago, whilst Philosophy was applied this year, so i have 2 choices.

Pardon me for being ignorant but what do u guys mean by 'lack of core modules available'? Why would there be a lack of core module available?

 

[bryantlee]

My understanding is when you apply for Philosophy course, you will auto give up your seat for IEM. This mean that you only left Philosophy. So take it or leave it.

Why is that so and what made you thought of it that way?
I'm sorry but you are wrong. I'm given 2 choices right now at the Joint Acceptance Portal. I have to make a choice before 2 June.

I even emailed NTU to double check that my place for IEM will still be reserved before i applied for a new course.


@Havok_ex ohhh that's interesting to note! Thanks for your advice! Appreciate it!

 

[Geforce3]

want to do philo go to FASS #nuffsaid

 

[Number_Theory123]

ignore him. he goes around to various thread giving advise on thing he doesn't know about.

10 char......

 

[Kyoji83]

Cause my brother is offer both NUS & NTU 2 year ago before his NS. He selected NUS & if he wish to chose NTU, he have to give up his place at NUS.

During this 2 years if he wish to apply another course, he have to give up his NUS BEng(EE) place before can apply for it as per his instruction guild.

Why is that so and what made you thought of it that way?
I'm sorry but you are wrong. I'm given 2 choices right now at the Joint Acceptance Portal. I have to make a choice before 2 June.

I even emailed NTU to double check that my place for IEM will still be reserved before i applied for a new course.


@Havok_ex ohhh that's interesting to note! Thanks for your advice! Appreciate it!

 

[Kyoji83]

That one from instruction guild leh!

ignore him. he goes around to various threads giving advice on things he doesn't know about.

 

[Geforce3]

Cause my brother is offer both NUS & NTU 2 year ago before his NS. He selected NUS & if he wish to chose NTU, he have to give up his place at NUS.

During this 2 years if he wish to apply another course, he have to give up his NUS BEng(EE) place before can apply for it as per his instruction guild.

that for different uni, same uni different course is another thing imo

 

[duhduhduh]

go with what u like

prospects is impt, but is it wroth suffering for next 4 years?!

 

[nyvrem]

Anyone studied Philosophy as a major?

I majored in Philosophy (and politics and econs) !
But I didn't do it at some half **** 3rd world local Uni.



Go for Engineering la. It's more practical in this country. If you're not R&D, least you can find sales job. You can move onto an MBA and into business field later on. With Philosophy, you can't really do alot of concrete stuff here.

When people talked about critical thinking skills blah blah blah, the whole rubbish load. That only works well if the person (who studied Philosophy) is actually applying whatever was taught. In all honestly, critical thinking, arguing, and all the very 'philosophical skills' are stuff that you either have it or don't have it in you. Everyone can learn how to play football - but you need to have that 'thing' in you to make it at the top like Messi or Ronaldo.

Talking about running away from maths, in philosophy - there's a concentration in logic. Let's you eventually go into data analytics. Pretty damn good for the higher end specialized jobs. But doing a 'general' philosophy degree - you might as well sign up for UoL and study yourself and take the yearly exams. Pass 10 exam papers and you get a Philosophy degree (it's cheap too! like 9k for all the exams). You can't really do that with an engineering degree.

But do what you please and what feels right to you. No point entering a course and feeling unhappy throughout, but please don't go into any course with the mindset of 'having a degree for the sake of having a degree' If you're going to do that, maybe it's best to save your parents money and take some time to think what you want (explore). I did philosophy because my end goal was to get a PHD in philosophy to become a lecturer. A basic degree was just a stepping stone.

I love to teach.

 

[patryn33]

That one from instruction guild leh!

Instruction guild? No wonder wrong info

 

[bryantlee]

but please don't go into any course with the mindset of 'having a degree for the sake of having a degree' If you're going to do that, maybe it's best to save your parents money and take some time to think what you want (explore).

haha thanks for your reply! Sigh but the courses offered in local unis are so limited. I wanted to go overseas but no money.. what to do?? Just get a degree for the sake of getting one lor! But i do have interest in media la..

 

[nyvrem]

But i do have interest in media la..

That's a tough one.



If that option for philosophy is still there, I'd say take it, and do some freelance writing gigs on the side to build a portfolio and hope you can intern at some media company here.

Unless you want to consider doing a Masters in Comms later on. But that's another financial time sink.

 

[MoxLotus]

IEM is multi-disciplinary course. but definitely more versatile than a bachelor in philosophy when it comes to job prospect.

 

[billthegeek]

I majored in Philosophy (and politics and econs) !
But I didn't do it at some half **** 3rd world local Uni.



Go for Engineering la. It's more practical in this country. If you're not R&D, least you can find sales job. You can move onto an MBA and into business field later on. With Philosophy, you can't really do alot of concrete stuff here.

When people talked about critical thinking skills blah blah blah, the whole rubbish load. That only works well if the person (who studied Philosophy) is actually applying whatever was taught. In all honestly, critical thinking, arguing, and all the very 'philosophical skills' are stuff that you either have it or don't have it in you. Everyone can learn how to play football - but you need to have that 'thing' in you to make it at the top like Messi or Ronaldo.

Talking about running away from maths, in philosophy - there's a concentration in logic. Let's you eventually go into data analytics. Pretty damn good for the higher end specialized jobs. But doing a 'general' philosophy degree - you might as well sign up for UoL and study yourself and take the yearly exams. Pass 10 exam papers and you get a Philosophy degree (it's cheap too! like 9k for all the exams). You can't really do that with an engineering degree.

But do what you please and what feels right to you. No point entering a course and feeling unhappy throughout, but please don't go into any course with the mindset of 'having a degree for the sake of having a degree' If you're going to do that, maybe it's best to save your parents money and take some time to think what you want (explore). I did philosophy because my end goal was to get a PHD in philosophy to become a lecturer. A basic degree was just a stepping stone.

I love to teach.

So where are you now? Are you in grad school now? Curious to know.