AS we head towards becoming a developed nation, we need to groom and equip a future generation to contribute and lead the country towards a brighter future.
Since its inception in 2002, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) has produced graduates capable of contributing to society and industry needs, in tandem with nation building and development.
Community outreach activities conducted by guidance and counselling students.
With this in mind, the Faculty of Arts and Social Science (FAS) offers:
Bachelor of Social Science (Hons) Guidance and Counselling
Guidance and counselling is a process of helping people to discover and develop their educational, career and psychological potentialities – ultimately attaining an optimal level of personal happiness and social usefulness.
“Our programme aims to equip students with comprehensive professional knowledge and skills for managing various psychological issues towards improving people’s psychological well-being and achieving their full potential, ” said FAS dean Dr Lee Lai Meng.
This four-year programme features practical exposure through the faculty’s own UTAR community counselling centre.
The curriculum is designed above and beyond the Malaysian Board of Counsellor's standards and requirements of training for counsellors and includes over 750 hours of supervised counselling practicum and internship training in Year 4 across two trimesters.
“Unlike many university degrees, a counselling degree will give you skills you can use in a personal capacity as well as a professional one, ” said Lee.
Dr Lee Lai Meng (left) and Department of Journalism head Edwin Michael at the launch of #MOJO 1.0 2019 – a workshop on how technology has changed journalism in the current era.
Bachelor of Communication (Hons) Journalism
Journalism is undergoing a transformative period with social media and user-generated content (citizen journalism), but ethics remain vital.
“Accountable journalism is important for the dissemination of accurate news as well as to maintain the reputation of media outlets in our country. Our students are given strong fundamentals in ethics and law, culture and communication, and political philosophy, ” Lee said.
To keep pace with the ever-changing demands of society and industry needs, the curriculum is constantly upgraded to meet the needs of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. This three-year programme will not only teach students to seek and report news ethically, but also to produce digital and print content using the latest technology.
Studying journalism also develops other important skills such as research skills, critical thinking skills, and interpersonal communication, negotiation and persuasion skills.
A group photo of Webforum 2020: Covid-19 in Malaysia: Fighting ‘Infodemic’ and Social Stigma through Media.
Master of Strategic Communication
“In this modern era, fact is undermined by fiction and audiences are refusing to listen and trust communications from established institutions such as the media and government, ” Lee said.
Strategic communication encompasses a variety of communication-related professions and uses message development with high levels of planning and research of audience behaviours and perceptions to fulfill the organisation’s mission.
The FAS Master of Strategic Communication programme focuses on higher-level concepts and strategies that cut across disciplines to meet the flexible thinking needed in today’s environment to achieve organisational communication goals.
“Studying strategic communication can address societal problems by generating solutions using targeted analytical and critical thinking, numeracy and digital skills in tandem with strategic communication solutions.
“Graduates may also contribute back to society by being advocates for NGOs, the Government, organisations and members of the public, ” said Lee.
Other programmes offered by FAS include Bachelor of Communication (Hons) Public Relations, Bachelor of Communication (Hons) Advertising, Bachelor of Arts (Hons) English Language, Bachelor of Arts (Hons) English Education, Bachelor of Social Science (Hons) Psychology, Master of Psychology (Industrial and Organisational Psychology), Master of Philosophy (Social Science) and Doctor of Philosophy (Social Science).
All programmes are accredited by the Malaysian Qualification Agency and Higher Education Ministry.
For more information on these programmes, visit https://fas.utar.edu.my/
