A comparison of the perceptions of Singapore’s 'holistic' university education amongst STEM and non-STEM undergraduates and its effect on their employability

• Main Authors: Cheo, Mei Lin, Choong, Jasmine Li Ting, Lim, Ching Peng
• Other Authors: Nurul Amillin Hussain
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2023
• Subjects: Social sciences::Sociology
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/168506
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

With growing concerns about the employability of university fresh graduates in Singapore’s public universities, we study what undergraduates think of the Ministry of Education’s (MOE’s) definition and implementation of ‘holistic’ education, and how that impacts their perceptions of employability in Singapore. Using theories of Bourdieu’s cultural and economic capital, and the sociology of expectations, we conducted an online survey and face-to-face interviews with students and Recruitment Industry Experts (RIEs) to identify gaps between undergraduates’ and RIEs’ understandings of employability, and if those gaps could be due to differences in perceptions held by STEM and non-STEM undergraduates. We found no significant gaps in perceptions held between the students and RIEs and STEM and non-STEM undergraduates as students are generally highly aware of the industrys’ requirements. However, their primary motivation to learn does not align with MOE’s goal of instilling a passion for learning, but out of obligation to fulfil their employability requirements.