Why Study Petroleum Engineering at Curtin University?

Did you know that in 2014, the petroleum and natural gas mining industry employed 17,350 people? This is versus 2013, which only saw 16,355 individuals employed in the sector, a total increase of 6.1% for all the statistic hungry readers. Another enticing statistic saw those bunched in the managerial and professional category receive the highest annual salary, at a scarcely believable RM378,064. To gain admission into their lucrative market, students settle on petroleum engineering. One of the universities that offer such a course is none other than Curtin University Sarawak. Read on as we explain why Curtin University Sarawak is the slickest place to take up petroleum engineering.

Location

One of the main reasons why Curtin University Sarawak is a smart option to study petroleum engineering at is due to its location in Miri, Sarawak. Why Sarawak, you ask? As of August 2017, there are 60 oil and gas producing fields in Sarawak. These fields produce, when tallied, an average of 850,000 barrels of oil per day. Placing a university in a state which is a huge player in the sector allows for Curtin University Sarawak students to see the inner workings and what goes on behind closed doors for themselves, an invaluable experience.

A Balanced Education

Curtin University Sarawak, armed with an exemplary teaching staff, ensure its students receive a well-rounded education. Lectures aren’t restricted to the four drab walls of a classroom, well not all the time. Instead, students are occasionally backed by field trips! Okay, so the boring term used is ‘practical study’, but this in no way detracts from the excitement Curtin University Sarawak students feel when they visit fluid and rock laboratories for the first time, or participate in geodynamic lab work.

An Opportunity to Study Overseas

Students will be able to opt to experience an overseas education and everything it encompasses if they choose to study at Curtin University Sarawak. While the university has branch campuses in Australia, Dubai and Singapore. However, only Curtin University’s main campus in Australia offers petroleum engineering. The importance of such an experience you ask? Besides the obvious life experience gained from having to go abroad and fend for yourself, you’ll be studying in Western Australia should you take up the offer, a region which is the largest contributor to Australia’s production of petroleum. This affords Curtin University students the chance to compare and contrast the effects different climates and regions have on  petroleum and the quality of its by-products.

Great Options for Employability

As mentioned previously, the oil and gas market is highly lucrative, and consistently hires, as is the case with many sub-disciplines in engineering. Curtin University Sarawak graduates, due to having undergone extensive and rigorous training, are instantly employable once they have concluded their programme, with some of the Curtin University students finding a job even prior to their graduation.

Dual Recognition

Students are concerned when it comes to accreditation, especially when it comes to private institutions. Unlike public universities, which have all their courses certified, it can be difficult to authenticate if a course if indeed rubber stamped by the Malaysian Qualifications Register (MQA). With Curtin University Sarawak however, students need not worry, as not only has the institution received professional recognition from the MQA and Board of Engineers Malaysia (BEM), Curtin University has received professional recognition from Engineers Australia (EA).

One University, Four Levels of Study

Many students these days choose to further their studies after completing a Bachelor’s degree, going on to obtain a Master’s, as well as a PhD (Doctor of Philosophy). Curtin University Sarawak permits a student to complete all three qualifications under one roof. Starting with their Foundation in Engineering and Science programme, students then move to their Bachelor’s Degree in petroleum Engineering, followed by a Master of Petroleum Engineering and finally, if one wishes, a Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering Science. Having the ability to enrol in courses at all every level of study in a specific field is rare, and allows students Curtin University Sarawak students to concentrate on their studies and nothing else.

Scholarships

Curtin University Sarawak imbues motivation in the hearts of their students by providing scholarships for students who are outstanding. For their Foundation studies, students who receive 7-8As (not inclusive of A-) receive RM3,000 off their tuition, whereas students who obtain 10As or more get RM10,000 off their Foundation programmes. The incentives do not stop there, as there are many more scholarships for students who are in their degree programmes. This is divided into two main categories, scholarships offered by Curtin University Sarawak themselves (internal scholarships), and those offered by external organisations (external scholarships). Below, you will find the list of aforementioned scholarships:

Internal Scholarships:

•Curtin Sarawak Merit Scholarship (offering up to RM10,000 off Foundation programmes)

•CSM Scholar (Degree)

•WA Premier Scholarship

•Dean’s Scholar

•Pro Vice Chancellor’s International Scholar

External Scholarships:

• Daiken & STA Scholarship

•The Tunku Abdul Rahman Scholarship

•PENERAJU Scholarship

•Yayasan Sarawak Bestari Scholarship

•Biasiswa Kerajaan Negeri Sabah Scholarship

•MREPC Scholarship Award

A Solid Foundation

Petroleum engineering is one of the toughest sub-disciplines there is to master, hence the handsome payoff once you graduate. Students may find it hard to cope, but Curtin University Sarawak has found a way to ensure this does not happen. They offer a universal foundation programme for all the engineering sub-disciplines, meaning that whether you opt for petroleum engineering, or perhaps chemical engineering, your foundation studies will be comprised of identical syllabus. The main reason for this is to ensure that students don’t jump ahead too rapidly, and learn the very basics of engineering with emphasis on subjects such as chemistry and math, albeit at a much higher level than SPM. This in turn, creates students with impeccable knowledge, something to fall back on if a student finds himself/herself confused.

Curtin University Intake Jan 2018