Learn How Ethan Wong Became a Creative Strategist With a Bachelor of Science Degree

You may be of the belief that having a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree limits you to a lifetime of lab work or a specific list of science-related jobs, but little do you know, this notion has been debunked. Monash University Malaysia’s BSc programme offers you a new take on the world of science and opens up numerous pathways to a dynamic career.

The programme serves as a springboard to your desired career, one that values your ability in investigative and analytical skills, evidence-based decision making, and critical thinking.

Transferable Skills for the Working World

As you pursue a BSc with Monash, you will be gaining a firm foundation of broad but helpful skills through your course assignments, lessons, and practical work. This set of skills includes problem solving, teamwork, critical thinking, quantitative literacy, information literacy, communication skills, data analysis and presentation skills – all transferable skills that will be useful in any position you hold in the future.

Ethan Wong Hsien Aun is one such Monash University Malaysia BSc graduate who has plied his trade in a non-lab related occupation. He shares with us the skills he acquired during his time at the prestigious institute and what his experience means to him.

“Monash has become a safe space for me to try many things beyond academics. For the first time, it opened my eyes to the countless experiences and opportunities that holistically prepared me for the working world. I had the chance to head the Science Faculty of 700 students. This honed my leadership skills and time management capabilities as I juggled between academics and external initiatives.

“I was also a curator, helping to organise our very own TEDxMonashUniversityMalaysia. This led to my steep growth in interpersonal communication and project management. The faculty members of Monash were supportive, and they did their very best in encouraging us to embrace new challenges beyond the classroom,” says Ethan.

Redefining the Notion

With career outcomes that range from working in fields such as intellectual property management, biomedical product marketing, quality control, risk analysis, data analysis, financial analysis, and science journalism, you as a Monash University science graduate will be able to pursue a career that encloses the best of both worlds – science and the arts.

Ethan’s story redefines the decade-old notion of science graduates solely entering into laboratory-based positions, by striving as a successful creative strategist.

Ethan says “As a creative strategist in a digital marketing agency, I work with heads of various businesses to strategise their marketing efforts. From the pitching process to the bi-monthly calls, I plan advertising campaigns, write taglines, and generate creative ads that you see on Facebook and Instagram for some of the biggest brands in Malaysia.”

That is not all, Ethan still has greater plans for the future, setting his sights on the world of entrepreneurship. “I have always been fond of entrepreneurship and solving real world problems. One avenue I am keen on exploring would be to dive into business ventures that solve everyday struggles and problems. With a BSc as my foundation, I am better equipped with knowledge towards chemical formulations and Research & Development in products.  

When asked about his unusual career choice after a BSc, he says, “The beauty of a Science degree at Monash is the depth of analytical thinking that every graduate would have to go through. Graduating with a degree from Monash is testament to an individual’s capability to think critically and to challenge assumptions. Monash sharpened my empirical thinking skills, which facilitated my transition to the working world.”

Uniquely Flexible

It is common for students to be uncertain when it comes to selecting a particular career path.

At Monash, you are given the chance to test the waters by trying a little bit of everything before selecting an area of speciality in your second year.

These area of studies include:

• Applied microbiology
• Biotechnology
• Genomics and bioinformatics
• Medicinal chemistry
• Psychology
• Tropical environmental biology
• Chemistry (minor only)
• Genetics and genomics (minor only)

Ethan too, found this flexibility to be of benefit to him as he believes committing to a predetermined degree as early as Year 1 is a difficult decision. “By delaying my choice of specialisation, I had the chance to slow down and try different electives in my first year. I had an early insight into the Fundamentals of Food Science module, which I came to learn was not for me. I ended up venturing into modules such as Marketing which was something I enjoyed and helped me set the pace towards my career” says Ethan.

He continues, “The flexibility allowed me to properly consider the modules I would enrol in, adjust my course map and partake in extracurricular activities.”

An Educational Escapade

Monash Malaysia’s BSc programme is also specifically developed to expose students to an international experience via its ‘course or campus transfer’ programme. The programme is designed in consultation with international universities along with its main campus in Australia. This means that you not only graduate with an Australian degree right here in Malaysia but have the opportunity to transfer to the main campus or partner universities.

Apart from academics, you can find an array of extracurricular activities to partake in that will help brush up on non-academic skills. “The most significant personal and professional development I experienced outside of the classroom was my year-long semester exchange to Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, and the University of Warwick in the UK. Traveling to these two different countries and residing there was a massive step beyond my comfort zone. I met new faces, been to new places, and experienced money-can't-buy memories with friends worldwide” says Ethan.

Ethan’s story is just one of the many successful outcomes of pursuing a Bachelor of Science at Monash University Malaysia. The world is your oyster with Monash’s BSc programme as it leads you on an exciting journey to your desired career.

CLICK HERE to learn more about Monash University Malaysia’s Bachelor of Science programme and be ready for a world of possibilities.