International Medical University (IMU) Psychology alumnus, Chung Kai Li, graduated with a First Class Honours degree in Psychology at a graduation ceremony at University of Strathclyde in July 2013. Kai Li joined IMU in July 2009 and studied the first two years of her psychology degree at the University. She then transferred to University of Strathclyde in September 2011 to complete her degree in psychology. She is currently pursuing her PhD in Psychology at Edinburgh Napier University in UK. “I made an application for this 3-year full-time PhD by research programme after graduating first class from Strathclyde, under the encouragement of my supervisor for my undergraduate Honours project. I was then shortlisted for an interview. After taking part in a Skype interview, I was offered the fee-waiver PhD studentship. This means that tuition fee for this research degree is university-funded, plus any appropriate research and training costs. Despite not providing stipend, the university also offers teaching and tutoring opportunities – I have also been involved in some marking and presentation assessments.”
“I had mixed feelings when I knew I got the fee-waiver PhD studentship. I was really looking forward to being offered the studentship – it was a research area that I am really interested in. For the one year I have been with Napier, I have been given the opportunity to explore areas of forensic and abnormal psychology – both are areas that fascinate me. My current research is on aversive personality traits.”
“At the same time, accepting the studentship would mean being apart from my then fiancé (now husband) and my family. My loved ones have been very supportive and I have met great and inspiring colleagues during work.”
“My PhD candidacy has finally been confirmed. I have just entered my second year as an official PhD student. Things have been going great so far – I am recruiting participants and collecting data for my project at the moment. There have been some hiccups here and there, but that is part and parcel of conducting research (actually part and parcel of life), and I am very grateful to have intelligent, supportive supervisors who have always been there to guide me, both in my professional and personal life.”
“I think that being in IMU and Strathclyde has exposed me to lecturers of diverse backgrounds – all of them from various academic disciplines and differing professional opinions – giving me a chance to experience various ways of teaching and learning. I think this has very much developed critical thinking and research skills that are essential for my PhD. I have met committed lecturers who I am still friends with and keep in touch with until this day.”
Kai Li is currently taking it one step at a time, first to complete this PhD. In the future, if the opportunity arises for her to work abroad, she would consider it, but she would be more than happy to return home to Malaysia and develop her career (or even build a family!). Related story: Malaysian Psychology Student Excels at University of Strathclyde
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