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WHY
STUDY HISTORY
"The study of History at NUS not only prepared me
professionally in my current work by equipping me with
the necessary critical thinking skills and research methods,
it also broadened my personal horizons with its wide array
of modules on offer. Above all, it taught me about the
lessons of life and gave me a bagful of tools to deal
with life's difficulties. As the saying goes 'we must
know where we came from before we can know where we are
heading'."
Ho Kai Min
Research Officer, MINDEF
"I was privileged to study under distinguished teachers
during my time in the History Department. Their diverse
life experiences and backgrounds provided the resources
to expand my mind and consider things I wouldn't have
before. Each brought a distinctive quality to my learning
- they challenged the way I learn things, but also how
I see life.
The teachers in the History Department gave me the space
to be who I am, allowed me to experiment with my ideas
and contributed to my personal growth and development
immensely. As a result, I took on very interesting paths
in life. My research skills provided me the opportunity
to be hired on as a programme researcher at the then Singapore
Broadcasting Corporation. The ability to appreciate diverse
point was a useful tool when I worked as TV producer later
at Television Corporation of Singapore. Today my proficiency
in other different cultures and historians allow me to
navigate myself successfully here in the US."
Angela Suen Oltmanns
Associate-The McNeill Group
ORA Consulting and Coaching
Dallas, Texas
"The History Department has given me the best four
years of my life. Throughout these years, I enjoyed every
history module taken and have gained tremendously from
the lecturers and tutors too. They have not only heightened
my passion for the subject but have also opened greater
avenues of knowledge. I have now a greater appreciation
of cultures and societies."
Liew Kai Khiun
Singapore International Foundation
"My four year stint with the History Department has
been both fruitful and satisfying. The lecturers in the
department put me through four years of rigorous training
and transformed me from a "D" grade student
in the subject at 'A' Levels into a Memorial Medal &
Book Prize Winner by the time I graduated from honours
year. Under the tutelage and constant encouragement of
the department, I was able to reach my full potential.
Few departments can claim to churn out such success stories.
History is a discipline that trained me to think systematically
and logically. It taught me research skills on how to
find, manage, interpret and analyse information, a core
competency for employment in a knowledge-based economy."
Toh Boon Kwan
Prime Minister's Office
Public Service Division
"Reading History at NUS has grounded me in the fundamentals
of information-gathering and analysis, vital skills I
can impart to my students. My tutors have widened my perspectives
to the understanding of historical events and serve as
a reminder for me to instruct in a manner that cultivates
the appreciation and understanding of the past and its
relevance and challenges to the present and future."
Ho Han Peng
History Teacher, Tanjong Katong Secondary School
"The four years of my life with the History Department
of NUS have been meaningful - viewed from pragmatic and
personal perspectives. It is pragmatic as I have made
the teaching of history my career! Yet it is even more
personal in life's lessons - successes, failures or simply
happenings - are somewhat reminiscent of humanity, human
nature and lives of dramatis personae in history. Alas,
instead of lamenting c'est la vie, the study of history
provides the very perspectives of making sense of life."
Christine Goh (History Graduate
1997)
History Teacher, Anglo-Chinese Junior College
"My studies in History at NUS have equipped me with
the skills of research, investigation and critical thinking
that are necessary for the comprehension and interpretation
of historical events, trends and evidences. Historical
writings also demand a high standard of order, coherence
and clarity in the presentation of findings and the making
of informed judgments. This training is invaluable to
me as a Curriculum Specialist."
Sarifah Noor Aini Bte Syed
Mahmood
Curriculum Specialist, Curriculum Planning and Development
Division
Ministry of Education
"My four years with the NUS History Department was
an adventure for me. Through history, I have experienced
the dreams of historic heroes and villains; the defeats
and victories of conquerors, emperors, army generals and
also the man on the street. A degree in history is not
just a certificate. It is an opportunity to discover for
yourself, the past, present, and what you want in your
future. Contrary to common perception, a history graduate's
destiny is not limited to the teaching profession, it
opens doors to any vocation that requires both strong
analytical and research skills, and most of all, imagination."
Jessica Tan
Journalist, The Straits Times
"History should be studied as an essential component
of our humanness. The study and discipline of history
is an existential exploration because it makes a direct
connection to our personal and societal memory. As such,
it is not merely about facts, happenings or personages,
but impacts our outlook on ourselves as human beings and
as part of the communities we live in and relate to. Rest
assured there are certainly pragmatic or even profitable
reasons for studying history, but there is so much more.
In taking it up, one should be prepared for some surprises
and to challenge their assumptions. It broadens ones horizons
in many senses, not least perceptually and perspicaciously.
Anthony Tan
Archives Officer
National Archives of Singapore
"I’m taking history because I “fell in love” with
it during my first year in NUS. It came as a surprise
even to me because I’ve dreaded history from secondary
school through junior college. But the year one foundational
history module (HY1101E) in NUS opened my mind to new
aspects of history and whetted my appetite for more intellectual
stimulation."
Kuang Zibing, Charis (2002)
"Initially I did not plan to major in history, but
... the introductory module to history (HY1101E) changed
my mind completely. I'm pleased that history helps me
understand who I am, and why I am the way I am, a lot
better."
Lee Mei-Ying, Nadine (2002)
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