I'm still having mixed feelings about the course that I am posted to.

I am not concerned about going all the way to Woodlands for three years- I'm used to it already. I have been travelling to Broadrick Secondary for five years and Kong Hwa for six years already. Another three years at an even futher distance won't really matter.

Diploma in Communication and Information Design
I'm not so sure if it is really what I want in life. I can forget about S41 already. Also, you can ignore the 'Design' word, it is not a design school. Haha. And its under a label 'Culture & Communication'.

I went to take a look at the course module earlier. To have an even better understanding about it. As you can see I copied and pasted the whole thing here:

1) Core-General
Ten compulsory modules

G101 Cognitive Process and Problem Solving I
This module strengthens your understanding of how to build personal knowledge and develop cognitive skills, such as what is meant by receiving an education, learning, training, experience and practice. This module not only helps you to come to terms with and succeed in our educative process, but is also relevant to your future career, higher education and lifelong endeavours.

G102 Cognitive Process and Problem Solving II
This module strengthens your understanding of the nature of established forms of knowledge in particular subjects and in industry. Using a variety of disciplinary specific contexts, this module strengthens your ability to make sense of an established body of knowledge and develop skills associated with that knowledge. This module helps you to be successful not only in building professional competencies but also in developing a professional attitude, honing interpersonal and problem solving skills valued in your discipline and by the industry.

G103 Introduction to Communication Practice
Communication is a fact of everyday life, whether one is speaking to a friend or an audience of a hundred; or writing a letter to one or an article that will be read by many. This module aims to help you understand and apply the theories and principles of communication to ensure that the message you want to convey is communicated effectively and responsibly. In order to achieve the objective of this module, students will solve problems that will help them learn the following:
Fundamental Communication Skills, e.g. effective listening, oral presentation and writing skills
Theories and Principles of Communication
Responsible Communication, e.g. Plagiarism, Privacy and Codes of Professional Practice

G104 Contemporary Issues in Culture and Aesthetics
This module aims to help you understand what culture and aesthetics are about, and how they impact your life. You will understand how contemporary issues in culture and aesthetics continue to intrigue and engage us today as global citizens in a modern society.Students will explore problems that will engage them in discussions related to:
Cultural Awareness and Appreciation
Issues in Identity, Youth, and Gender Roles
Globalisation and Global Citizenship Skills

G105 Enterprise Skills I
This module provides students, who have no prior knowledge in management and organisational behaviour, with an understanding of the actual processes and structures that influence the way people behave in organisations. This includes the importance of understanding self, team, leadership and motivation, and the key factors in the organisation’s environment that impact on how managers and organisations work. In addition, this module also seeks to provide the basic personal financial skills for individuals in the society. All these are achieved through the examination of different approaches beginning with the individual (micro) level through to the organisational (macro) level.

B216 Marketing
Marketing is fundamental to the survival of every business. The marketing function will conceptualise, execute, price, promote and distribute their products. Students will be exposed to promotion and advertising, market research, consumer behaviour, distribution, branding, pricing and writing marketing proposals. Newer marketing techniques such as e-mail marketing, network marketing, and internet advertising will also be covered.

A101 Sciences
This foundation module is designed to develop scientific thinking and reasoning skills through an appreciation of some ideas that underpin much of what we know today about our natural world. The aim is to equip students with the ability to apply scientific principles of thinking and reasoning to almost any field of inquiry. Students will learn about key concepts and applications in a range of topics from energy to electricity, from atomic structure to bonding in compounds, from cells to genetic inheritance of organisms, and from Newtonian mechanics to special relativity.

C111 Web and New Media Communication
The Internet and new media (digital imaging, audio, augmented reality, video, web, etc) have become important means of communications. This module explores how to communicate effectively via the Internet and new media. Students will explore issues relating to aesthetics, usability, user-experience and human-computer interaction. They will learn about content creation, design techniques that will best support the desired communication objectives. Topics covered will include the impact of the world-wide web on human interaction and socialisation, basic web design, typography, colour, choice of media, interactivity and responsible use of new media.

A111 Computing and Mathematical Methods I
These two modules provide a strong grounding in computing and mathematical methods. Specific issues addressed are as follows: The number system; data types; operators; functions; set theory and logic; matrices and eigenvectors; permutations and combinations; probability and probability distributions; sampling; population parameters; significance testing; system of linear equations; power series; differential equations; numerical integration; complex numbers; program control structures, sorting, searching, recursion, and object-oriented programming.

T201 Creative Concepts
Creative Concepts works towards the goal of developing the students’ conscious understanding of the manner in which creativity is generated, developed and applied. While it aims to empower students to “think out of the box”, it will focus more on guiding them to understanding what this creative zone they call “the box” is; as well as to understand the processes in which creative thinking is carried out. The development of the creative personality and associated behaviour is a tandem goal of this module. A key concept to the module works on basis that creativity is the process in which the mundane or pedestrian is transformed into the unique. A broad description of the module’s thrust would be the understanding and putting into practice of the process of lateral thinking. This is best analogized by the manner in which a lateral thinker understands the need for a contrasting approach to linear thinking (analytical, precise data-gathering and logical problem-solving within defined methodologies) in order to derive a truly unique concept and associated content.

2) Core-Discipline
Seven compulsory modules

M201 Communication Theories
This module aims to give students an overview of major concepts of human and mass communication theories. Students will learn how these theories may apply to circumstances that they may face in their future careers. For example, when they learn about the agenda-setting theory, they will then have to analyse how this theory affects how they work as journalists, PR, marketing and technical communication practitioners.

Students will also explore the development of media in society; its social and economic impact; ownership and control of different media organisations; and the role of news in society. Students will also learn about the changing face of the media environment such as the Internet and consumer-generated products (Blogs, Wikis, YouTubes, etc).

M202 Media Writing
This module aims to develop the media writing competencies of students. Students will explore areas in researching, structuring and writing of news stories. They will build a portfolio of written work based on writing for print, broadcast, web, PR and advertising. In order to do so, they can be involved in projects such as producing publicity materials and collateral for school events.

M203 Effective Presentation Skills
Students will learn how to craft and deliver content using effective oral presentation skills. They will be required to prepare oral presentations involving a variety of scenarios. For example, preparing for and presenting the news as a TV and radio presenter, conducting press conferences and presenting proposals and reports to clients. Students will also be challenged to present to audiences of different cultures to ensure that they have a good understanding of the needs of these audiences.

M204 Cross Cultural Communication
In this module, students will learn about cultural norms, values, beliefs and practices, with a focus on oral communication and speech writing. They will learn about the characteristics of intercultural communication, their significance and sensitivities in order to communicate effectively in a cross-cultural context. In the process, they will also develop confidence and competence in oral communication. Regions of focus include Southeast Asia, East Asia and South Asia.

M205 Research Methods
Students will learn about research concepts and techniques that will be useful in their careers in the communication and media industry. For example, journalists need to conduct surveys to gather data for more credibility in their articles. On the other hand, PR and marketing practitioners need to know techniques on how to measure effectiveness of their campaigns.

M206 Ethics and IP in the Media
The module explores communication and the ethical decision making process within the media environment. A graduate of this module will have the ability to make quick and reasoned ethical decisions when selecting information and messages for the media audience. A key component of this module is to understand the way intellectual property considerations factor into the creative relationship between the content producer and the audience.

M342 Visual Communication
The module explores the relationship between the written word and imagery in communication. Students will learn how information is a tool that can be designed and manipulated to enhance the way it is received by the audience. A graduate of this module will see how selective use of visuals will impact the creative work’s ability to inform, persuade and entertain.


3) Core-Specialisation
Journalism and PR & Marketing Communication

Choose 4 out of 8 modules

M311 Fundamentals of Broadcast Journalism
This module will introduce students to the basics of broadcast journalism. It will cover writing, editing and presentation skills for delivering radio and television programmes. Specific broadcast techniques covered include conducting “live” interviews and reports; writing to pictures and with sound; and conducting an on-air panel discussion. A key component of the module will include providing students an understanding of news as it operates in a social and cultural environment. Students will also be exposed to non-newsroom related functions such as operations, scheduling and marketing.

M312 Introduction to Print
This module will go in-depth into writing for the print media with opportunities to practice writing for different beats. This includes local and foreign news, crime reporting, political news, corporate and finance news, lifestyle and entertainment. Students will acquire sub-editing skills like writing headlines and completing layout. They will also develop copy editing skills like vetting. In addition, students will be introduced to the fundamental differences between writing for print and online journalism.

M313 Development Journalism
Students will look beyond polished news releases and concentrate on action-oriented journalism which targets developing country specific issues like poverty reduction, disease, illiteracy, pollution and the environment. A major part of the study will be on education-focus writing. The module will equip students with the necessary skills and competence to operate in a cross-cultural environment.

M314 Editorial and Feature Writing
This module aims to develop skills in researching, organizing and writing human interest stories and opinion pieces for both print and broadcast. Students will learn news analysis and write critical pieces as well as develop competence in narrative writing. This module will provide students an understanding and knowledge of how pictures and layout techniques can add to the overall effect of the written piece.

M331 Research and Marketing Communication
Students will learn how to measure results for the campaigns they have developed. Students will be introduced to consumption-related behaviours (activities involved in the purchase and the use of products and services) and how to create advertising campaigns to influence these behaviours. To conduct studies for analysing consumer behaviour, students will learn how to design sound feedback collection mechanisms, such as questionnaires, focus group studies, interviews, mass surveys, etc. They will also learn to analyse the collected data meaningfully.

M332 Campaigns and Advertisement Design
Students will first understand the broadcast and print environment before launching into campaigns/advertisements conceptualization and copy-writing for the broadcast and print media. They will understand how the role and function of campaigns vary in the public and private sectors, the two most likely industry sectors they will be working in. An appreciation of the restrictions imposed by regulations and the production process will enable them to successfully execute campaigns and advertisements.

M333 Event Management
Marketing communication increasingly requires non-static strategies such as brand launches and sales promotion activities. This module aims to help students learn the fundamentals of planning, executing and managing such promotional activities. Students will learn how to conceptualise ideas for thematic events, write convincing proposals and identify suitable promotional strategies. They will also gain a working knowledge of managing client and vendor relationship to execute a successful event.

M334 Branding
Students will learn about the benefits of branding and look into branding successes and failures. They will learn about branding at various stages – branding for new products/services, energise existing brands, managing the brand as it takes off, and sustaining the brand in the long-term. This module will enable students to highlight product attributes, identify elements which differentiate the product from its competitors, and position branding strategies to shape market perception successfully.

4) Electives
Choose three from specified Electives and any of the other core specialization modules.

5) Freely Chosen Modules
Choose two modules from the entire range of freely chosen modules offered by Schools and Centres.

6) Industry Orientation Programme

G901 Creative Engagement
Creative Engagement is a component of the Industry Orientation Programme, which is compulsory for all Republic Polytechnic students. Through their participation in Creative Engagement activities, students will be able to develop their initiative, their innovative spirit and creative potential. This will enable them to acquire social and work life competencies which will equip them well for life’s challenges, given the many uncertainties of the new global economy. Generally, Creative Engagement activities include competitions at campus and national levels, talks on diploma and non-diploma related areas, community service programmes, workshops related to skills development. Students should participate in diverse and multi-disciplinary activities in diploma related or non-diploma related domains as they work towards the set target of 40 Creative Engagement points which are required for a pass in this module.

G903 Portfolio Development
The module aims to help students create a portfolio of their work across a range of texts (for example: writing of news releases and articles, to Radio and TV announcements and advertising copy), with an inclusion of visual texts (for example: information graphics, photographs, layouts and designs), special content (for example: student’s own CV, reports and articles) and other relevant documents and evidence (for example: official transcripts from RP, certificates of achievement, testimonials and commendations).

G301 Project I/G302 Project II
Students will be required to plan, design and execute projects that are directly relevant to their specialization tracks. They will work in teams and under the guidance of their supervisors. The projects may include developing a portfolio of technical publications, marketing collaterals, news releases and a range of written articles, depending on the specialisation track. The projects also aim to introduce students to the collaborative efforts such as peer reviews, critiques and editing, in preparing different forms of communication.

p.s: Oh I just checked. S41's CoP is 13. How awesome.
But really, instead of being upset with God, I'm going to rejoice in Him. 'Cause He knows what's best for me. Anyway, I feel quite thrilled that we'll be learning about Cross Culture in Asia! Because Asia is going to have a revival! =D =D =D & its not so bad being in the print media. I think.

Heading down to Republic Polytechnic this Monday for course couselling. (:

♥ 12:31:00 PM