Literature for All

Many of us believe that the best of writers hold a bachelor’s degree in literature. Only they are able to transform the alphabets into a fantastical prose that takes us into the depths of our imagination. As such, many of us aspire to produce a literary piece yet have decided to place this dream on a shelf letting it collect dust. Yet, not all famous literary figures graduate with a phD in literature. Some come from as diverse as an education background as architecture and medicine. Nonetheless, they have been able to create a name for themselves in the Singapore and global literary world.

The Malay Author

An example of a Singaporean literary figure that has won accolades at home and abroad for his writing is Abdul Samad Bin Salimin or better known as Asmin. Asmin who also goes by the name of Biduan Malam is an acclaimed figure in the Singaporean Malay literary world. Since 1979, he has won several awards for his poems and prose. His work, Nyamuk, or Mosquito in English was even selected by the National Arts Council of Singapore to be showcased in MRT trains in Singapore in 1996.

The Business of Writing

Looking at his achievements, one could only assume that he has had extensive training in honing his skills as a writer. Yet, his educational background refutes this. Asmin graduated with a degree in business from the La Trobe University in Bendigo, Melbourne. The university offers 73 different courses in business and management. The list includes accounting, economics, finance, information technology and even agricultural science! Other than Bendigo, the university also has 6 other campuses in Victoria including Albury-Wodonga, Beechworth and Shepparton. However, Asmin proved to be a versatile businessman and writer as can be seen from the next step that he took.

A Master in Business & Literature

After completing his degree at La Trobe University, Asmin headed to Sydney where applied for an MBA course. His choice of university was Charles Sturt University. The university has 12 MBA courses on offer. The reason why Asmin chose CSU over other universities could be because of the flexibility of the course. This might have allowed him to continue working on his literary works. The university also allows students taking up the MBA course to choose to concentrate on one specialization. Students can either specialize in Business Research, Educational Leadership, Economic Analysis, Finance, Human Resource Management, Information Technology, Marketing and Public Sector Management. The MBA is also designed in order to provide graduates with a plethora of career opportunities in both the public and private sectors, within Australia and overseas.

Thus, you can excel in literature without ever having to take a course in it. However, if you are still interested in taking up a course in that subject, look through our website. Once you know what course you want to take, learn how to write a good personal statement.