On the fast lane to her business dream

Curtin University’s campuses give Ms Felicia Cheonh a cross-border education and a quick route to an accountancy career

By Rachel Genevieve Chia

Jan 14, 2022

After Ms Felicia Cheonh completed her O levels as a private candidate, she faced a big dilemma: choosing between two very different careers.

“I was interested in both accounting and culinary arts, and uncertain about the right choice,” she said. Her mother is an accountant, while her family runs a food stall.

It was through her sister, a Curtin University alumna, that Ms Cheonh discovered a way to explore both options. 

She enrolled in Curtin Singapore and obtained a Diploma in Commerce in just 16 months, achieved through a trimester academic calendar.

“With the fast-track programme, I could find my passion without being afraid of wasting my time and my parents’ money, as I still had a chance to pursue other courses like culinary arts afterwards,” she said.

As it turned out, the 19-year-old fell in love with accounting on the first try. After attending cooking and baking classes in her spare time, she realised they were “more of a hobby”.

Having completed her commerce diploma, Ms Cheonh embarked on a Curtin University degree programme in Singapore last year, opting for a Bachelor of Commerce double major degree in accounting and finance. The Singaporean is hoping to study at Curtin’s Malaysia campus over the next few years, as her family is temporarily based there.

After that, she’s looking to return to work in Singapore before embarking on a master’s degree in entrepreneurship at Curtin University in Australia, to boost her accounting career and give her the option of starting her own company.

A cross-border education

Curtin University achieved a 5-star rating for student demand, teaching quality and learning resources in the Good Universities Guide 2022.

The school is also globally recognised for its strong connections with the industry and is ranked in the top 1 per cent of universities worldwide in the highly regarded Academic Ranking of World Universities in 2021.

Curtin University has campuses in Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, Dubai and Mauritius, allowing students to transfer between campuses.

This flexibility is a boon amid Covid-19, when travel restrictions prevented many Singaporeans from embarking on degrees overseas.

As Curtin University students can start their studies locally before transferring to another campus when borders reopen, Ms Cheonh opted for online lessons while waiting for travel to Malaysia to resume.

“There is a misconception when it comes to fast-track programmes. Many think they are stressful and hectic,” said Ms Cheonh, who added that such programmes are designed to be completed within a reasonable timeframe.

“Personally, the only difference I experienced compared with a normal semester was that the holidays were shorter.”

For now, she’s looking forward to travel resuming so she can make full use of the school’s cross-campus transfer and exchange programmes.

“I always wanted to study abroad but my family did not have the finances,” she said. “The school’s many campuses give me the chance to learn in a new setting and experience different teaching styles.”

Find out more about Curtin Singapore's Diploma in Commerce at curtin.edu.sg/courses/diploma/diploma-of-commerce/