Samantha Lau passes MSc Psychology viva

She recently had her viva voce examination and passed it after being examined by external supervisor, Associate Professor Dr Shukran Abdul Rahman, Dean of Kuliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences (KIRKHS), International Islamic University Malaysia, and internal examiner, Associate Professor Dr Zubeida Rossenkhan from Sunway University Business School (SUBS). Samantha was supervised by Associate Professor Dr Lin Mei-Hua and Dr Michelle Lee of the Department of Psychology.
 

Assoc Prof Dr Lin Mei-Hua and Samantha Lau, with the viva voce panel, Assoc Prof Dr Shukran Abdul Rahman, and Assoc Prof Dr Zubeida Rossenkhan, and viva chairperson, Assoc Prof Dr Alvin Ng Lai Oon.
Assoc Prof Dr Lin Mei-Hua and Samantha Lau, with the viva voce panel, Assoc Prof Dr Shukran Abdul Rahman, and Assoc Prof Dr Zubeida Rossenkhan, and viva chairperson, Assoc Prof Dr Alvin Ng Lai Oon.
 

Samantha’s research title is ‘Examining Graduates’ Career Exploration, Career Planning, and Career Decision Self-Efficacy: A Mediation Model Using Career Adaptability and Maximization’ and the objective of her study is to explore some of the influences of a graduate’s behaviours during school-to-work transition. There has been an alarmingly large percentage of graduate unemployment reported in the recent years, and her study intends to shed some light on how graduates may prepare better in such situation.

Using career adaptability model, she included maximization – a strategy in which individuals search for the best possible option, and compare it against adaptability – a learned skill to cope with work transitions, tasks, and traumas, and investigate how they may mediate adaptability traits such as big 5 personality and core self-evaluation, and responses which include career exploration, career decision making, and career decision self-efficacy.

Her findings showed that graduates who have high career adaptability would explore and plan their careers and are also better at making career decisions. However, graduates who are high maximizers would not be able to make effective career decisions as they may be overwhelmed by the vast career opportunities available. This would delay their school-to-work transition and put them at risk of failing the transition completely.
 
 

Samantha during her thesis proposal defense presentation early in her postgraduate programme.
Samantha during her thesis proposal defense presentation early in her postgraduate programme.

The study signifies that while graduates should explore jobs and careers before deciding, it would be beneficial for them to do so moderately so as to not be overwhelmed and delay making career decisions. Besides that, career adaptability is a good skill for students, graduates, and workers alike to learn so that they can cope with the ever-changing world of work.

Samantha’s work has important theoretical implications and practical applications. It informs us that besides looking for adaptability we should also focus on maladaptive strategies as they affect different career responses and outcomes. The findings of this study could be implemented in career training programmes to smoothen school-to-work transitions.  Her main supervisor, Associate Professor Dr Lin Mei-Hua commented, “I am proud to see the growth of Samantha since she joined our programme. From the start, she had identified a research problem close to her heart: how to help her peers adapt from academic life to work life. She experienced a tremendous transition of her own from an undergraduate student to a postgraduate student. I can witness the changes in expectations and responsibilities as she reflected on her role as a postgraduate student. With self-learning skills and determination, she worked through independently, the problems she encountered in her research. Her journey exemplifies what once my dad said to me ‘The knowledge and skills you learn is your own and no one can take that away’.”
 
 

Samantha flanked by her supervisors, Dr Michelle Lee (L), and Assoc Prof Dr Lin Mei-Hua (R).
Samantha flanked by her supervisors, Dr Michelle Lee (L), and Assoc Prof Dr Lin Mei-Hua (R).

Samantha’s co-supervisor, Dr Michelle Lee, commented “For this study, we acknowledge the importance of understanding and managing oneself prior joining the workforce, especially knowing how one’s individual characteristics are able to influence one’s self-regulation in making career decision. Samantha has progressed a lot for the past 2 years since she first enrolled in the MSc in Psychology Programme. Today, she has become a more matured individual (not only as a student) with confidence, determination, and certainty about things in her; and those are what I hope to see in every student upon the completion of their studies. I hope she may continue to retain her knowledge and skills as a researcher and begin her long journey in being a knowledge contributor in aspect of industrial/organizational psychology for the betterment of the society and country”.

Samantha feels happy and thankful about completing her study. She is looking forward to applying the knowledge and skills she has learned throughout her Master’s degree journey in future ventures. Head of Psychology, Assoc Prof Dr Alvin Ng Lai Oon remarked that it has been a pleasure having Samantha as a postgraduate student as she has contributed as significant study to the Department of Psychology. “I look forward to seeing Samantha’s research outputs in academic journals, as her study adds to the literature, with implications for helping the current generation of young adults making career choices.”, he adds.

The Department of Psychology is proud of Samantha Lau Shi Yea for completing her MSc in Psychology (by Research) and being a product of Sunway University. We wish her all the best in her future undertakings, and that her postgraduate degree opens new doors for her.