Women face more challenges as they rise through the ranks in their careers, including getting promoted to leadership positions, according to the McKinsey report and the Leanln study.
The Women's Professional Development (CFG1500) course is designed to provide year 2, 3 and 4 female undergraduate students with knowledge and skills to succeed as a female in the workplace.
Through understanding the challenges women uniquely face, especially in advancing their careers and balancing work-life, students will learn how to navigate these uncertain times, honing their self-awareness and mental resilience life skills. Students will also be mentored by senior female leaders and engage in peer learning through experiential activities, building their interpersonal skills whether in collaboration, communication, or networking.
Receive exclusive mentorship
by a female leader
Develop a 5-year career plan to navigate challenges with clarity and direction
Acquire skills to accelerate your professional advancement
Course Details & Registration
Course Units: 2 Units, Unrestricted Elective (UE) Course
Assessment and Grading Basis: CS/CU
Pre-requisites: Year 2, 3 and 4 female undergraduate students
Schedule: Semester 2 of AY2024/2025
Mode of Enrolment: You may register for this course by filling your details in the registration form (sign up by 3 January 2025).
For any questions on this course, please e-mail lndcfg@nus.edu.sg and attention it to Megan.
Session 1: Develop Awareness of Oneself and the World Around You
This e-learning is tailored for early career women, helping students understand self-awareness, its importance in mental resilience, and how to cultivate it. It will also cover skills crucial for professional development such as strengths identification and effective communication skills.
Session 2: Set Goals, Challenges, and Solutions through a Five-Year Framework
In this first in-person session, students will be guided in planning their career journeys by setting realistic goals, challenges, and solutions through a five-year framework. Students will learn networking strategies and craft their elevator pitches to enhance their communication skills and professional readiness.
Session 3: SWOT Analysis and Career Planning with Mentors
Students will be introduced to their mentors in-person and learn about their professional journeys. They will share their five-year career plans with their mentors for feedback and integrate SWOT insights. There will also be a networking activity where students will be able to practice their elevator pitches.
Session 4: Increase Awareness and Understanding of Internal and External Challenges
This e-learning explores the business case for gender diversity, highlighting its impact on performance and innovation. It addresses external and internal challenges in a woman’s career progression, such as workplace biases, imposter experience, and work-life balance. Students will learn strategies for resilience, build support networks, and set achievable career goals.
Session 5: Can You Have It All?
This session features a panel discussion on achieving balance as a working woman, exploring career, family, and work-life priorities. Students will be able to engage with the speakers, followed by speed networking with mentors in rotating groups. Students will be required to submit reflections after the panel.
Session 6: Recap, Reflect, and Action
This final session will include students engaging in a prioritisation exercise and reviewing their revised five-year career plans. The session also focuses on developing a three-month action plan for immediate goals, identifying accountability partners, and submitting reflections.
Workload
CFG1500 is structured around six lessons and delivered in an e-learning and face to face workshops format.
To secure a CS for this course, you will need to complete the following:
- All assessment components
- 100% classroom attendance (comprises 4 in-person sessions)
There is no examination for this course.
Assessment Instructions for Students
Grading Components:
| Assessment Task |
Assessment Weightage |
Submission of Career Plan
- Submission of 3-month plan (10%)
- Submission of final 5-year plan (20%)
|
30% |
| Completion of e-learning 1 & 2 |
10% |
| In class participation for all 4 in-person sessions |
40% |
| Submission of self-reflection | 20% |
| Total Course Score |
100% |
What our students and mentors say
"The course broadened my perspective on topics such as understanding our unique journeys, personal branding, and empowerment. It was very interactive and engaging through various panels, group discussions and more. It was inspiring to converse, learn from and make connections with the mentors who were eager to share their experiences and advice. The final pitch component also allowed us to explore design thinking in an area we cared about. Through the mentors, the course material and the meaningful projects, I was able to delve deeper into what it meant for me to ‘climb the ladder’, understand my career and personal goals better, and make genuine connections.”
— Karishma Thirumaran, Multi Disciplinary Programme, Year 2 Student
“I am deeply grateful for WPD for connecting me not just to like-minded peers, but also to wonderful mentors whose every action and careful sharing of their lives and stories have taught me many life skills. WPD has shown me how I can think about navigating the working world as a young woman and not be afraid of the challenges that will come my way. One day, I too hope to give back to young women and men when I have navigated my way through life."
— Loh An Lin, Arts & Social Sciences, Year 2 Student
“I enjoyed the dialogue in understanding how the younger generation of females think and what drives them. The participants were all dedicated to learning, eager to receiving and sharing knowledge. The course made me realise the difference NUS Centre for Future-ready Graduates (CFG) makes in the lives of future female graduates, with the amazing tools they provide to mentees. As a personal plus, interacting with the other mentors was also eye-opening and inspiring.”
— Amrita Toor, Director of People Infrastructure & Operations, Klook
"It was great to be invited back to my alma mater to facilitate a Design Thinking workshop for the Women’s Professional Development course. It was a wonderful session seeing over 30 students solve a real world problem they can relate to. The students were equipped with design thinking tool kits and the critical thinking skills that they could bring to their new organisations when they graduated. It was a practical session that went beyond the academic curriculum.”
— Adeline Tiah, Leadership & REINVENT Coach at Soar Global, Author
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