SMU welcomed more than 70 postgraduate students to its inaugural Master of Science in Accounting (MSA) with Data and Analytics specialisation programme and the 16th cohort of the Master of Professional Accounting (MPA) programme in August 2018.
More than 30 students are enrolled in the first cohort of the MSA programme, the first Master degree programme in Asia specialising in accounting data and analytics. The MSA programme, which was launched in January 2018, prepares our graduates for digital transformation in the accounting and finance industry. Through the programme, students are able to acquire practical digital skills that would give them an edge to thrive in the future workplace.
“We are delighted to welcome the first cohort of students to the MSA programme. In the era of technological advances, there is an increasing demand for talent who are able to understand the technicalities in accounting and utilise data analytics to optimise business resources. The programme is designed to develop our students’ data technology and critical thinking skills that are valuable to businesses across the world. This is what sets them apart and gives them the competitive edge in their career,” said Associate Professor Wang Jiwei, Programme Director of MSA and MPA programmes at SMU School of Accountancy.
The students from MSA hail from eight different countries and cultural backgrounds. 46% of the class are international students and almost half of the class are female. About two-thirds of the students are working professionals who bring an average of 7 years of working experience from a wide range of industries including accounting, finance & insurance, information technology & communications, manufacturing, retail et cetera. They come from a diverse range of educational backgrounds; while most of our students graduated from local universities like NTU, NUS and SMU, we also have students who graduated from top international universities such as Australian National University, National Taiwan University, Renmin University of China, University of California, and University of Mumbai.
“The world is shifting towards a digital era, where we can have virtually any information at our fingertips. I want to be in a position that allows me to make sense of it all. Therefore, the decision to do a postgraduate study in accounting (data & analytics) is a natural choice for me. From the stock markets to how businesses operate; the opportunities ahead are boundless! I have no doubt the school has the expertise and network to help me achieve my goals. Getting to know my peers also reaffirms my belief that data science can transform lives. Through this course of study, I hope to acquire the skills and knowledge to be a driver of change, and not merely being driven by it!” shared Jacob Yeo, an MSA student who is working at a Singapore statutory board.
At SMU, we believe in empowering our students with valuable real-world skills. Through our unique interactive pedagogy, our students can look forward to developing their critical thinking and analytical skills, teamwork, and communication skills. Besides classroom learning, there will be plenty of opportunities for our students to interact with industry partners and thought leaders through exciting school events and activities. We also actively encourage our students to apply for internships to boost their employability after their graduation.
“The MSA programme is what I am looking for at this stage of my career. The finance of tomorrow will be much different than today. The accountant of the future will need new skills in the field of data analytics to analyse the vast amount of data. I see the MSA programme at SMU as a course that will help current finance professionals to upskill and take on a more strategic role,” said David Djapri, an MSA student who is working at one of the Big 4 accounting firms in Singapore.
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