GETTING both the A levels and a diploma in three years - that option is proving popular with students at the Millennia Institute.

The centralised institute, the only one which offers a three-year A-level course, started giving its students the choice to do a diploma alongside the A levels in 2005.

The diploma track offers a choice of business administration (travel and tourism), business management, enterprise development and certified accounting technician programmes.

Over 30 students signed up for the pioneer dual-track programme. This year, there are a total 240 students on the scheme.

With over a fifth of the 600 first-year students on this dual-track programme now, principal Tan Chor Pang expects this number to go up further next year.

'Students see it as an alternative way to get into a university course, and in the process get a more practical and realistic view of the industry.'

The four diploma programmes are in collaboration with private education providers. The institute is looking into offering two new diplomas next year, in mass communication and psychology.

With the Millennia Institute being the only A-level institution with a commerce stream, students who take the related A-level courses are exempted from certain diploma modules.

The diploma classes are conducted during school holidays and some Saturdays and school fees are at a discounted rate of about $3,000 per diploma.

With their diplomas, students get direct entry as undergraduates to some universities, like James Cook University and Monash University in Australia, and the University of Wales in Britain.

These factors are drawing students like Siti Anisah Liaquath Ali, a first-year student who chose the school because of this programme.

The 18-year-old, who wants to be either a teacher or an accountant, feels she is getting the best of both worlds.

'If I go to a poly or JC, I end up with only one qualification. Now I will get two and it will give me a greater choice in choosing my career,' she said.

Among the first batch of students who took up the diploma in business administration offered by private school Newcastle School of Management, 19 have completed their course.

One of them, Alicia Choo, 19, did the business administration diploma specialising in travel and tourism.

The third-year student hopes it will boost her chances of getting into a university.

'The percentage of students in my school going to the three local universities is not very high, so hopefully this option will open more doors for me,' Alicia said.

Asked if those on the dual track might be doing so at the expense of the A-levels, Mr Tan said he did not think so.

'Sometimes we think we're taking away their time by giving them something extra to study. But, in fact, there are students who can cope well and are levelling up by doing the diploma.'

It is the second A-level institution to offer a dual-track programme, after Yishun Junior College (YJC), which has 22 students on its programme.

YJC's diploma in business management is offered in collaboration with the Asiainstitut of Management here.