Core Curriculum

Media Writing in Chinese (中文媒體寫作)

Course Description:
This course introduces students to writing for the mass media.   It helps students develop knowledge of different styles for various genres, and the ability to effectively and creatively express themselves using those styles.

Course Description:
This course aims at assisting students to adapt to the demands of university education and careers in the 21st century by allowing them to become familiar with the concepts and practices of creative thinking. Through reading, discussion, group work, community involvement, and other creative works, students will learn how to identify underlying assumptions of a viewpoint, formulate critical questions on a range of issues, examine issues from multiple perspectives, and offer critical and creative feedback. Students will be asked to develop these skills with an awareness of the social, cultural, interpersonal, institutional, and technological settings, in order to understand creative thinking as it is practised in context.

Course Description:
Performance arts are an important site for understanding human creativity and artistic expressions in modern urban life. This course leads students to learn how to understand performance arts as creative activity and how to appreciate different performance forms, styles, aesthetics, artists and interactive experiences from around the world. Using a global approach and embracing that performance arts are superb extensions of human sensibilities and ultimate expressive means of creativity, the course introduces students to three major areas of live performance arts: music, theatre and dance, plus the performance practice called digital performance (where computer technologies and techniques have been integrated into live productions). While focusing on today’s performance productions as signifying practices, the syllabus addresses issues of traditional performance forms and intangible cultural heritage in relation to modernity, and distinguishes between the art of performance and popular culture in terms of the aesthetics of structure and form. This course will ideally be offered in the second semester to make use of the Hong Kong Arts Festival’s distinguished programmes (opening in February every year) as dynamic examples of contemporary live performance arts.

Course Description:
This course examines the mechanism of humour production and reception, and the social functions and culture specificity of humour. Psychoanalytical, linguistic and social theories of humour will be sampled, and Chinese and English works of humour will be selected from producers with different cultural, poetological and ideological backgrounds. These texts will serve as models for the formulation of strategies for the writing and inter-lingual adaptation of works of humour.

Course Description:
This course examines subtitling from English to Chinese and Chinese to English. It discusses how translation in audiovisual media deals with the problems of taboo, gender and sexuality, race and nationality, politically ‘sensitive’ materials, humour, and culturally specific references. It also investigates the translation of different film and television genres, and explores subtitling issues, comparing, contrasting and evaluating ways in which comedy, tragedy, action, horror, documentary and/or historical films and television programmes are treated. In addition to analyzing how subtitles are created, structured and presented in various genres of audiovisual products, students will practise editing and writing their own subtitles based on excerpts of films or television programmes from Hong Kong or mainland China.

Course Description:
The art created in Hong Kong, an international hub characterised by its dynamism and connection with Mainland China, is both unique and diverse. Hong Kong art, in fact, is multilayered due to its local and international context. This course provides an introduction to the current Hong Kong Art scene, with particular emphasis on the concepts and styles in contemporary art, contemporary issues in local art and research on several local artists. Taking advantage of the convenient access to various local art activities, events and exhibitions, the academic learning on campus will be tightly connected to students’ off-campus art experience. More specifically, the course consists of three kinds of activities: (1) lectures and students’ presentations in class; (2) local art trips organised by student teams (3) work on an art journal aimed at integrating historical and conceptual learning with innovative art expression.

Course Description:
This course explores online social networking as a creative medium as well as its innovative use in various personal, professional and organisational settings.  It covers the different forms, applications and business models of online social networking.  Students will examine cases of creative use of online services and learn to be ethical and socially responsible users of social networking.  They will also put their innovative social networking ideas into practice through goal-oriented projects in some business/professional settings.

Course Description:
People in every nation have enormous entrepreneurial qualities and aspirations, and that spirit is finding its way into nearly all world markets. The adoption of the entrepreneurial mindset grows exponentially in countries like India, China, Korea, Mexico, South Africa, and those in the former Soviet bloc. To prepare the next generation of entrepreneurial leaders, this subject focuses on understanding the entrepreneurial process, the establishment as well as the management of a new business venture. Both conceptual issues (understanding entrepreneurship, the entrepreneur, and entrepreneurial environment), and practical issues (financing, growing and managing a venture) will be covered. There are five major component parts in this course:

• Part one defines entrepreneurship and explores the entrepreneurial mind – habits, attitudes, behaviors and strategies that work for entrepreneurs.
• Part two addresses the entrepreneurial process by which real business opportunities – not just ideas – can be discovered and selected.
• Part three concerns entrepreneurial leadership, team creation, and personal ethics in an entrepreneurial career.
• Part four addresses entrepreneurial finance and fund-raising issues.
• Part five deals with entrepreneurial management and strategies for managing rapid growth.

Course Description:
The purpose of the course is to provide students with a broader understanding of innovation within the context of new product development and management framework. This course focuses on how to create value and growth through innovation in new and existing markets. Students will learn the skills of creativity and innovation and how to apply those skills across the entire innovation management continuum including opportunity identification and selection, concept generation and evaluation, development and launch. The course will be taught using interactive methods and techniques throughout. Students will first experience these facilitation techniques while learning innovation. They will then learn and practice these techniques so that they can apply them routinely throughout their graduate experience and beyond.

Course Description:
This course applies basic economic theories to study arts and culture. It introduces to the students the economic and institutional environment in which arts organizations and cultural industries function. The topics covered by this course include the supply, demand and pricing of the performing and creative arts and cultural heritage, the financing of the arts and cultural activities, and why economic incentives and institutions such as intellectual property right protection are needed in order to promote creative activities.

Course Description:
This course introduces students to social problem solving models to help them find ways to deal with problems effectively in their day-to-day lives. Life is a dynamic process, filled with many flourishing experiences which make life meaningful. However, when some experiences become troublesome or involve problems, people may face uncertainty and be unable to cope effectively. Hence, the study of social problem solving deals innovatively with different types of problems including intrapersonal problems (such as emotional, or personal health), interpersonal problems (such as marital conflict, domestic violence), and impersonal problems (such as insufficient finances). Topics of interest include conflict management, suicide risk, decision-making, and financial investment.

Course Description:
Imagine a psychologist who has creative insights about the human mind, or a businessman with a creative way of marketing his products, or a writer with a creative idea for a bestseller. Do they have something in common? The question of whether creativity is a general ability or whether it is domain specific is an important one that has remained baffled in creativity research. Before tackling these questions, this course will begin by exploring the nature of creativity, creative thinking, and creative problem solving process. The course arranges the topics in light with the 4 P’s of creativity: the creative persons, the creative process, the creative product and the creative place (or environment). The course examines the psychological components of creative process, leadership, problem solving and general characteristics of creative people. From a cultural perspective, this course will explore the social context under which creativity is socially constructed. The students will examine how cognitive developmental factors are tied to differences in the definition of creativity. On the practical level, the course will give emphasis on: (1) creativity as a problem solving process, (2) learning how to use six-step cognitive problem solving model, and (3) the use of individual and group techniques. A proportion of the course will be devoted to practicing creative and lateral thinking. The course is open to all students and to appeal to students who have a broad interest in the creative process, invention and entrepreneurship.

Course Description:
The aim of this course is to help students to identify the core competencies that are needed for personal and career success and teach them the skills and strategies to build up those core competencies. There are a number of core competencies and personal qualities expected from fresh graduates by employers. These competencies include creativity, practical intelligence, analytical reasoning, learning competence, social competence and interpersonal sensitivity, emotional intelligence, interpersonal communication competence, self control, self-presentation skills and leadership. These skills and personal qualities are important for personal and long term career success. The course is designed to cover the above-mentioned topics and provide a general orientation of self-improvement by (i) helping students to assess themselves in these areas that are essential for personal and career success; and (ii) nurturing students’ creative potential by exposing them in various practical problem-based scenarios, as well as engaging them in various activities that train up their innovative and creative thinking; (iii) helping students to develop and enhance their ability and competence so as to increase their chance of success both personally and in career. Basically, this course embraces both theoretical and practical elements equipping students to be the creative and competent leaders in society. The course highlights the importance of acquiring knowledge of various forms of novelty and innovation in various domains, through workshops and tutorial activities.

Course Description:
This course introduces students to the study of selected major works of modern and contemporary Chinese-language literature by situating them in global contexts of the twentieth century and examining the influence of foreign literature in Chinese-language literature, Chinese-language translations of important works of foreign literature, bilingual writings, Chinese-language literature by immigrant, diasporic or overseas writers of Chinese descent.

Course Description:
This course offers an introduction to both classical and modern Chinese language, with emphasis on the characteristics and evolution of Chinese characters, phonology, lexicon and grammar. It aims at cultivating in the students a deeper knowledge of Chinese language.

Course Description:
The course consists of lectures on traditional as well as modern literary master works. The course aims at cultivating students’ interests of students in the study of Chinese literature. The skills of reading and writing the major genres of Chinese literature will be introduced to students. Sample work representing the characteristic of masterpieces from Pre-Qin (先秦) to 20th century are required readings. This course aims at imbuing students with a life-long interest in the study of Chinese literature.

Course Description:
This course provides students with the opportunity to develop an overall understanding of the complexity of mass media messages and their meanings in our everyday lives. Media literacy concerns both production and consumption of messages – writing, reading, speaking, listening. Emphasis is thus on developing critical skills to ‘read’ media messages, and to reflect on the media industries which are responsible for producing these messages. It is expected that students, after taking this course, will develop basic skills to critically analyze the process of media making from different perspectives, including gender, cultural, and ethical ones. Through discussion, reading, group projects, role playing and other work, students will be expected to gain an understanding into the complex role of mass media in our culture’s development, and most importantly, our lives.

Course Description:
Western classical music is an integral part of daily life across many cultural and national boundaries. Understanding the art of classical music and its use in diversified and synergic social life will greatly enrich and enhance students’ life-long, whole person development. The aim of this course is to initiate students with little or no experience of classical music into the world of this cultural treasure. Students will be led through well-known examples of classical music to appreciate the great value of this art in its own terms. In addition, students will also be introduced to the practical use of music in the careers marketplace. The syllabus covers major musical styles, forms, composers, virtuoso players, the technology of music, and the representation of classical music in films, TV and advertisements. Students will discover how classical music has been an important creative source to these media that they are familiar with. No knowledge of music theory and history is required.

Course Description:
Analysing and comparing texts from two independent cultural traditions, this course introduces students to the principles of cross-cultural research. Readings will be selected from poetry, narrative, and drama in the Western and Chinese canon around a thematic of generic ‘constant’ to facilitate meaningful comparison. Comparisons will be explored around set themes - whether romantic love, friendship, war - or specific literary kinds - satire, allegory fantasy.

Course Description:
This course introduces students to the rich and expanding area of children’s fantasy literature both in Chinese and in English. As well as reviewing the various definitions of children’s fantasy literature and surveying the key texts and movements that have shaped this literature genre, the course will focus on the reception of these fantasies. Different renditions of the classic children’s fantasy literature will be studied. How Chinese and English fantasies are received and perceived cross-culturally will also be explored in terms of a broader understanding of translation. The key thematic focus will be on ‘cross-cultural imagination’.

Course Description:
This course offers an introduction to classic works in Chinese and Western literature based on a theme with timeless relevance—the search for an ideal world. Attention will be paid to formal features, aesthetic features and cultural-historical contexts. The thematic unity will foster a comparison of cross-cultural perspectives.

Course Description:
The course aims to introduce students to the origin and functions of art in human history. It intends to arouse student interest in using an interdisciplinary approach to investigate the meaning of art to man and society. It begins with the question of where art comes from. By studying the artefacts of Neolithic times and primitive cultures, it investigates the behaviour and theory of human creativity from a bio-behavioural perspective. It then proceeds to see how ‘art’ began and has become an important component in different civilizations. By scrutinizing a large spectrum of artefacts and art works of different times and places, it will examine the social and cultural contexts of art.

Course Description:
Chinese theatre has had a far-reaching influence on shaping Chinese language and culture. Among all 360 traditional Chinese Operas and theatre performing arts, Kunqu Opera and Peking Opera have taken the leading positions in the domain. Kunqu Opera was recently awarded ‘non-material World Cultural Heritage in China’ by UNESCO, and Peking Opera is the form which has become the national Opera of China. This latter form has surpassed all other types since the 19th century. Influenced primarily by Kunqu Opera, Peking Opera has been able to integrate various kinds of Chinese Opera and performing arts. This course introduces a basic knowledge of Kunqu Opera and Peking Opera. Through multimedia materials, students will have the opportunity to appreciate, analyze and practice basic singing in Peking Opera and Kunqu Opera. Students will be required to discuss and present their selected topics during the class. Professionals will be also invited to deliver seminars and demonstrations of various styles of Opera Arts.

In addition to lectures, arrangements will be made to attend theater performances to appreciate Peking Opera and Kunqu Opera performances. Students will also be given opportunities to practice with performers. At the end of term, the students will be required to submit a paper to demonstrate what they have gained.

Course Description:
This course, which is open to all students, focuses on a limited number of representative musical works in the Western Classical Tradition. Bi-weekly musical case studies will spotlight such significant historical and cultural issues as the development of a written tradition, the relationship between music and Christianity, the shifting role of performance, the dominance of piano culture, and the rise of Nationalism. The introduction to the main elements of music as theorized in the West: melody, rhythm, harmony, texture, timbre and articulation, also represents an integral part of the course.

The primary focus will be on the works themselves and ancillary materials will be used to give a greater depth of knowledge. For example, the class will take a trip to a live classical concert, opera videos will be used to augment the listening experience, etc. Students will discuss each work in historical and cultural perspectives, allowing them to put music within the larger context of their university education. Topics are chosen to give a good historical grounding, which will then enable cross-period discussion of the development of a genre, i.e., piano music in the 19th century versus the 20th century, the development of opera as indicating societal change, musical interpretation and performance changes, etc. In addition, the course will give students a better understanding of the roles served by classical music and how this can help them in their own real-world functioning.

Course Description:
The course introduces to students the salient features of the legal system in the PRC, constitutional doctrines and state structure, sources of law and the law-making system, courts and procuratorates, lawyers, civil and criminal procedure, mediation and arbitration. Whenever appropriate, comparison will be made with the legal system in the HKSAR. The PRC legal system was established in 1949 upon the founding of the PRC. It is a socialist legal system which follows the continental legal tradition. Unlike most Western countries, the PRC does not practise a state system in which legislative, executive and judicial functions are separated.

Course Description:
This course studies taxation issues from taxpayers’ perspectives.  It deals with the questions of “Why should people pay taxes?” and “Why do people pay taxes?”  Thus, we examine the rationale for different kinds of tax (i.e. why should people pay different kinds of tax?) and the incentives or disincentives for tax law compliance (i.e. why do some people pay taxes and some don’t?).  The course also discusses the decision-making process that accompanies taxpayers’ commitment to tax law compliance.  The study of tax laws and practice is further developed in the context of current events and ethical considerations.

Course Description:
The course is designed to provide students with general knowledge that would enable them to manage their own finance in a smart way. Topics include personal risks, personal financial planning, personal insurance products and strategies, cash and debt management skills, investment strategies and main products, and tax basics. This is a self-contained and non-technical introductory course to all students interested in having a better control over their financial life.

Course Description:
This course is specially designed to help students understand the basics of investments and the functions of capital markets. In this course we will emphasize both the academic and practical aspects of fundamental investment and portfolio management. Students will learn concepts that are applicable in the field of investments. The course integrates an understanding of basic market fundamentals, determinants of stock prices, basic chart analysis, importance of corporate governance, trading services, disciplined investing approach, practical investment skills and use of free web tools and financial reports to improve students’ financial knowledge. Moreover, the course covers the characteristics of popular products such as exchange traded funds and real estate investment trusts traded on the Hong Kong Stock Exchanges. The course also indicates how these investment products may meet the needs of investors. The active and growing IPO activities in Hong Kong will also be discussed. The course is unique in that it gives students the practical tools and knowledge they will not find in other courses. This is a self-contained and non-technical introductory course to all students interested in having a better control over their financial life.

Course Description:
This course introduces ethical issues and dilemmas concerning various aspects of business and management, and provides a foundation of ethical concepts and a wide range of perspectives that are relevant to resolving and preventing such problems. Topics include ethics in business, using ethical principles in business, causes of ethical problems, establishing ethical safeguards, ethics in the marketplace, ethical issues related to investors and stockholders, ethics of consumer protection and marketing, and ethical issues related to employment.

Course Description:
A range of perspectives on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), such as ownership theory and stewardship theory, will be introduced and debated in the course. The concept of stakeholders will be discussed, and the process of stakeholder analysis will be illustrated. The course will examine stakeholder perspectives on selected issues in the areas of environment such as pollution, global warming, biodiversity, and genetically modified foods; and technology such as privacy, intellectual property, health, biotechnology, etc. Actual and potential governmental policies concerning selected public and social issues involving business will be debated. Examples of the CSR policies and practices of various local and international companies, e.g., strategic philanthropy, will be examined, and the course will envisage possible directions for CSR.

Course Description:
As stated by the University, two of the ideal Lingnan Graduates Attributes are: 1) Be imaginative and possess problem solving capabilities and 2) excellent cooperative skills, based on tolerance, integrity, civility, and a sense of personal responsibility. This course addresses both of these attribute requirements through the focal topic of negotiation. Negotiation is the art and science of securing agreements between two or more interdependent parties. Whether you know it or not, you negotiate every day. You have to negotiate with your boss, your subordinates, your clients, your families, your friends, your fellow students and many others. It is essential to be equipped with the knowledge and skills to improve the outcomes of your negotiations. The course is an introductory course on negotiation. It introduces students to the theory and practice of negotiation.

This seminar-style course examines the wide variety of approaches to the analysis of and practice of negotiation and related issues. Students will learn frameworks for analyzing negotiation, and roles of specific factors, including: affect, culture, relationship, alternatives, time pressures, third parties (mediators), and power. This course explores negotiations in many contexts: simple personal transactions, public and private sector collective bargaining, resolving conflicting interests within an organization and across organizations. This course will also explore ethical issues in negotiation.

Course Description:
This course prepares students with an understanding of the relationship between traditional Chinese thought and Chinese management in contemporary contexts at the introductory, broad-based and general level. It not only aims at providing students with the concepts, principles of traditional Chinese thought that influence management practices, but also tries to help students to understand the implications of various aspects of traditional Chinese thought for cross-cultural management issues. Through the course, students are expected to improve their understanding of the impact of traditional Chinese thought on management practices, both within Chinese culture and in cross-cultural contexts, and thus will be equipped with relevant competence and understanding to handle such cultural issues in their future career.

Course Description:
This course takes a cross-disciplinary approach to the understanding of business institutions and consumer culture in the post-reform mainland China. It reviews how social institutions and shifting policies affect organisational behaviour in terms of governance and business practices. Further, it explores how social institutions, and cultural factors have transformed the Chinese society and more specifically affected consumer values and lifestyles and consumption patterns in mainland China. It provides a solid foundation for understanding the business environment, characteristics of Chinese business organisations, and emerging consumer classes and the related socio-cultural issues in a rapidly changing society.

Course Description:
Given the trend of globalization and consumerism around the world, consumers are increasing their concerns about corporate ethics and social performance. While marketing has been recognized as the business function that focuses on profit making and designs appropriate products and services to serve target markets, marketing can be a useful tool to promote individual and collective well-being.

This course is designed to promote the use of social marketing in both for-profit businesses and nonprofit organizations. It is offered in the spirit of taking responsibility for ourselves as well as caring for those around us. Students can be equipped with marketing concepts and skills that help non-profit organizations to enhance their awareness and fundraising. Students also learn promotion and communication related theories that help business organizations to develop cause and mission marketing that links a company’s mission and core values with a socially important cause (such as crime prevention, child abuse, mental illness, and the environment) that connects with the company’s and its customers’ interests. Students will be involved in field studies in forms of cause/mission marketing (CMM) projects for businesses, or service learning projects (SVL) for non-government organizations. By creating awareness of a social need, businesses and nonprofit organizations can motivate consumers and businesses to give money, volunteer time or adopt certain policies (e.g. anti-smoking movements, anti-drug campaigns, environmental clean-up, community health education, etc.).

Course Description:
This course examines the major economic and social systems of the world, in both theory and practice. Emphasis will be placed on the theoretical basis, institutional differences, and historical development of different economic and social systems. The approach will focus on a general understanding of how economic and social policy interacts with history, legal system, political system and culture to explain economic institutions and economic performance.

Course Description:
This course provides an introduction to contemporary socio-economic issues using socio-economics as an analytical tool. Socio-economics is an emerging inter-disciplinary field of social sciences that combines economics-based and sociological research methods. From street crime to global climate change, we are surrounded by problems that can be analyzed with socio-economic principles and practices. In this course, we mainly focus on examples that are relevant to our everyday life. Each lecture presents socio-economic concepts within the context of current issues facing our society. With further discussion of socio-economic theories and policy applications, students will gain more insights into the real world.

Course Description:
This course introduces students to the nature of financial institutions, corporate ownership structure and corporate governance through case studies, anecdotal evidence and academic papers. Students will be expected to develop practical perspectives on financial policies and government regulations, and be able to articulate implications for future financial development and practices in both Hong Kong and worldwide.

Course Description:
The course analyses the civil service system of the Hong Kong SAR, and the societal and political impacts on civil service management structures. It examines the institutions, management processes, and major issues confronting the civil service system. A brief introduction to the civil service systems of mainland China, the United Kingdom and the United States will also be provided in the later stage of lectures to further enhance students’ understanding of important international public personnel systems. If possible, guest talks by former Hong Kong senior civil servants will be arranged to provide students with insights into the current operation and practices of the system in post-handover Hong Kong. This course will benefit students who are planning to pursue their career in the government or other public sectors after graduation.

Course Description:
This course attempts to cultivate students’ understanding of the core issues and debates about government, law, society, and their inter-relationship, particularly in the context of Hong Kong. At the same time, this course helps students to apply theories to analyze practical issues, think laterally, engage in community and public affairs, and present arguments intelligently and persuasively. These skills are essential to students in their future careers, particularly in the public sector.

Course Description:
This course emphasises the understanding and development of effective interpersonal skills and strategies in verbal and non-verbal communication in organisations. Personal, situational, and cultural influence on human interaction will be addressed. Key topics in this course include interpersonal dynamics, listening skills, conflict management, effective negotiation, communication in work team, and business communication styles, etc.  Video clips will be used to demonstrate effective and ineffective communication. Group discussion will be facilitated to discuss factors which may influence the interpersonal communication process.

Course Description:
Rapid changes in this century will see enormous transformations in global and local economic, social and cultural development. These changes may present challenges to young university students, particularly in managing stress. This course will acquaint our first year students with knowledge about stress management to help cope with stress and burnout in university and wider social life.

Course Description:
This course introduces basic frameworks to enhance students’ understanding of the complex relation between technology and cultural change. Emphasizing both socio-cultural perspectives on technology and the cultural impacts of technological development, the course will focus on such questions as: how does technology shape our cultural life, and what meanings do technological artifacts acquire in the process? How are these meanings produced and circulated in particular historical and social contexts? Do cultural factors affect the development of technology and, if so, how?

Course Description:
This course introduces a scientific approach to understanding colors as well as the current digital technology for mastering colours. Apart from the theoretical and instrumental bases for analyzing colours, emphasis is placed on practical applications of digital colour technology in areas such as photography and publishing. Students will also acquire skills in relevant software and equipment.

Course Description:
Hermann Weyl (1885-1955) said: ‘Mathematics sets the standard of objective truth for all intellectual endeavours, science and technology bear witness to its practical usefulness. Besides language and music, it is one of the primary manifestations of the free creative power of the human mind, and it is the universal organ for world-understanding through theoretical construction. Mathematics must therefore remain an essential element of the knowledge and abilities which we have to teach, of the culture we have to transmit, to the next generation.’

This course stresses the prevalence, relevance, and practicality of mathematics in modern society. Numerous real world examples, such as traveling plans for a postman and a salesman, voting methods and strategies, social choice, elections and the time value of money, will expose the non specialist to contemporary mathematical thinking. The mathematical techniques involved are taught via hands-on applications. This subject is specifically designed for non-mathematics majors.

Course Description:
This course examines the misunderstanding of security from user behaviour perspectives. Many users believe their connections in cyberspace are safe and they do not realise the serious consequences of possible security breaches. This course shows the various threats in cyberspace. Consequences of security breaches will be discussed. It will also cover countermeasures which can protect cyberspace users. It provides a foundation for students to understand the technology which they use every day. Students will be able to protect themselves in cyberspace on completion of this course.

Course Description:
Wells, H.G., the celebrated English author and historian, noted more than 100 years ago that ‘statistical thinking will one day be as necessary for efficient citizenship as the ability to read.’ Modern society is becoming so complex that there is an ever increasing need for citizens to possess an array of analytical skills. This course will help students develop skills in statistical thinking and reasoning through the use of real world examples from the fields of economics, business, psychology, sociology, and political science. For example, does daycare breed bullies? Is your lifestyle healthy? Who benefits from a tax cut? Are the rich getting richer? Are we smarter than our parents? This course will address such issues as these in order to illustrate ‘user friendly’ approaches to statistical studies. The course is specifically designed for non-statistical majors.

Course Description:
The course starts with providing students with the knowledge about the nature, meanings, measurement, and limitations as well as major social and economic indicators which have widely been used internationally for measuring and comparing the socioeconomic development of societies. It is followed by applying these indicators in assessing the social and economic development of Hong Kong.

Course Description:
In general, this course examines relationships between the environment and us as human beings. In particular, it introduces students to (1) the basic science of environmental issues, (2) the personal, political and societal behaviours contributing to those issues, and (3) some of the ways in which we all can contribute to environmentally-sustainable development.

Course Description:
This course gives a brief introduction to the Origin of Life and provides an understanding of the physical conditions that enable planet Earth to create and sustain life.  A practical approach will be adopted to arouse the curiosity and interest of the students in the subject in order to stimulate critical scientific thinking. The course addresses the basic chemistry and biochemistry of vital components for the living cell. The course explains the role and functions of the various organs and organelles in plants and animals. It engages students in open discussion on the socio-cultural-religious impact of the theories of evolution, reproduction and bio-engineering. This course selects certain important topics which have a great impact locally and with possible global consequences. The course instils literacy in bio-science by broadening the scope of the students’ knowledge in biology and will enable students to address issues on life competently and with confidence.

Course Description:
The course explains from a scientific perspective the causes leading to overweight and the diseases associated with obesity. A practical approach will be adopted to arouse the interest of the students in the subject in order to stimulate critical scientific thinking. The course addresses the chemistry and biochemistry of macro and micro nutrients in food, and explains how such nutrients (carbohydrates, protein and fat) are digested, absorbed and metabolised in the human body.  From the acquired knowledge of nutritional science, the course examines the different metabolic rates in the human body, explains how excess energy from food intake is converted into fat deposits as reserved energy. It engages students in open discussion on the social and global problems associated with obesity and provides methods to prevent obesity from a scientific perspective. The consequences of diseases associated with obesity will be discussed and ways and means to reduce their risks (cardiovascular, pancreatic and others diseases) by drug-free methods and medical intervention will be evaluated.  The course also looks at the causes and detection of anorexia and bulimia, and the health problems associated with such eating disorders. The aim of the course is to raise students’ understanding of food stuff, nutrition, obesity and anorexia in order to enable students to discuss and assess issues that are related to eating disorders and their prevention in a scientific and intelligent way.

Course Description:
The course introduces the basic chemical and physical principles underlying the properties and application of materials encountered in our daily lives. A practical approach will be adopted to arouse the curiosity and interest of the students in the subject. The scope of the course includes topics ranging from the chemistry in the home, the market place, the super stores (viz. apparels and electronics). The course provides students with an insight of science at the molecular level and enables a greater appreciation of the development and usage of materials encountered in everyday life.

Course Description:
The course intends to facilitate comparative studies of societies and cultures, and to enhance general knowledge of urban life with a focus on activities and events in (selected) modern cities that may give rise to cross-cultural interchange. The cultural conditions and environments of urban centres and their integral ways of life of both developed and developing countries of different sizes are concerned. The course discusses culture in a larger context exploring human discovery of the contingent nature of beliefs and cultural practices in the age of globalization. It looks at the interaction of human beings with the urban and natural environments; the creation of attractive urban spaces of the world; and the unique circumstances, the specific historical backgrounds and the multiculturality of the places. Students are required to understand their own cultures in relation to other cultures through critical enquiries into the marking of ‘urban creativity’ by gender, class, ethnicity, race, and religion.

Course Description:
This course invites students to explore the relationship between morality and commodity culture in their lives. Examining the process of commodification, the emergence of consumerism, and the impact of these on changing moral values in contemporary societies, the course will consider how our moral principles are shaped by consumption practices and consumerism in affluent societies, as well as how these moral values are mobilized to promote consumption. It will also examine the value issues involved in various consumption practices and discourses, as well as the alternative ethics of consumption advocated by environmentalists and other social and cultural movements.

Course Description:
This course intends to give students an understanding of how Western views of China have changed through history, and how many of the same views still resonate today. One key theme is that often the West has viewed China in terms of its own needs, desires and fears, rather than through making any genuine attempt to ‘understand’ China as it really is. The history of contacts between China and the West will be largely focused on contemporary texts, ranging through travellers’ and missionaries’ accounts, novels, poems, periodicals, newspapers, films, etc.

Course Description:
This course enables students of various backgrounds (in arts, social sciences and beyond) to appreciate the role of translation in cyber culture.

If language is power, then those who command more than one language also command particular privileges – especially in an age of information and globalization. Students of this course will learn about the increasingly prominent existence of bilingual web publishing and blogging in the cyberspace. Specifically, they will understand how bilingual presentations in Chinese and English facilitate individuals and communities to create social impact. Those engaged in bilingual cyber publication are regarded as “cultural translators” who purposefully appropriate and re-contextualize information, news and opinions across linguistic and cultural borders.

By examining exemplary bilingual websites and blogs (written by Chinese or otherwise), students become usefully aware of the complex dynamics between language use and identity (race, gender, class etc.), social networking, (trans-)nationalism, activism, transcultural fusion and global economy in the 21st century. The practicum element of taking part in bilingual blogging will add an extra aspect of learning.

Course Description:
This course is designed to provide a thorough understanding of the ways in which popular fiction is read, enjoyed and interpreted by readers. In particular, attention will be focused on the characteristics that make some works bestsellers, not just in their place of origin but also, through translation, elsewhere in the world. Besides studying how works of popular fiction appeal to the reader as an individual and as member of a community, this course will examine the external, institutional factors (like publishers, libraries and educational establishments) that lie behind their success. Selected works in several genres—romance, crime/detective fiction, thriller and fantasy—will be analyzed, some in the original, some in translation.

Course Description:
This course considers China’s interactions with other cultures in the world through visual and material culture. While early encounters and the contemporary context will be addressed, the focus of the course will be on the period from the sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries when a global economy emerged. The primary regions covered in the course are Asia, the Middle East and Europe. We will examine the production, design and consumption of Chinese export wares, particularly ceramics, and their impact on wider tastes and practices. Furthermore, we will consider the development of chinoiserie and the practice of collecting foreign objects at the imperial court. Other topics include the cross-cultural effects of the presence of European painters and paintings in China as well as visual and material culture along the country’s frontiers. This course may include one museum visit.

Course Description:
This course provides a wide-ranging exploration of the visual cultures of Hong Kong with special emphasis on art (film, photography, opera, and theatre), urban space and architecture, and fashion. The aim is to encourage students to think critically and deeply about the visual cultures that they inhabit. This course is designed to enhance basic reasoning, appreciative, and expressive skills as well as to promote an ability to think analytically and critically about the visual cultures of Hong Kong.

Course Description:
This course introduces students to the role of professionals in modern society, professional responsibilities, and ethical issues that arise in various professional contexts. It provides an overview of sociological theories of professions, and reviews cases that call into question the extent to which professions are meeting their obligations to serve the public interest. Significant ethical issues, such as the need for professional objectivity and conflicts of interest that potentially impair objectivity, are analyzed in a variety of professional contexts. The course also covers strategies for enhancing professional education and the conduct of professionals, as well as inspirational cases of exemplary professional conduct.

Course Description:
This course studies taxation issues from taxpayers’ perspectives.  It deals with the questions of “Why should people pay taxes?” and “Why do people pay taxes?”  Thus, we examine (i) the values of taxation and the rationale for different kinds of tax (i.e. why should people pay different kinds of tax?) and (ii) how personal values, cultures, and tax morale affect tax compliance (i.e. why do some people pay taxes and some don’t?).  The course also discusses the decision-making process that accompanies taxpayers’ commitment to tax law compliance.  The study of tax laws and tax systems is further developed in the context of current events to find out the values behind different kinds of taxes or tax systems.

Course Description:
This course is an introduction to the contributions of financial markets and institutions to our society. The course will discuss how financial markets have helped foster innovation, entrepreneurial business, and economic growth. It will examine the role of financial institutions, the costs and benefits of financial regulations, and the causes and consequences of financial crises. The course will also cover the important topic of microfinance and its benefits to economic development and social stabilization. Through this course, students are expected to understand the impacts of financial markets on our society and develop the ability to think critically about financial issues. This is a self-contained and non-technical introductory course.

Course Description:
This course aims to analyze the rise of consumer society that reflects the saturation of the modern ideals of progress, well-being and individualism as well as the emerging values and lifestyle self-responsibility of individuals within a free market. It provides the necessary theoretical and practical knowledge for the economic and moral education of consumers in today’s society by exploring the economic fundamentals of consumption and the management of personal spending and consumption decisions through a consumer’s lifecycle. More importantly, it emphasizes the moral and ethical education of consumers by exploring the emerging issues such as excessive spending, irresponsible consumption, and ‘green consumption’ and the social, political and environmental ramifications of their consumption decisions. It fosters a well-rounded understanding of consumer decisions and responsibilities among the students and helps them develop the skills, attitudes, knowledge and understanding necessary to become effective, educated and responsible citizens in a consumer society.

Course Description:
A central goal of liberal arts education is to enable students to acquire international awareness and become a citizen of the world community, and political, social and cultural movements rooted in conceptions of ethnicity or nationhood have undeniably shaped, and are continuously shaping, the modern world that we live in. This course focuses on the role of ethnic communities and nations within the domestic politics of sovereign states. It will introduce students to concepts and definitions of ethnicity and nationalism, and explore the historical and contemporary basis for their development and significance. It will also examine some exemplar research that will guide us to understand these phenomena better. Conflicts generated by nationalist demands for political recognition, and how states deal with them, will be discussed. This course will conclude with an investigation into the controversial issue of intervention by other states and international organizations in civil wars within sovereign states.

Course Description:
This course compares the economic, societal and political development of the four regions of Greater China – Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau. Although the forces of globalization have drawn these different parts of Greater China ever closer together, they remain separate and distinctive. Their differences are reflected in culture, society, values and norms, and political systems. This course examines the causal factors that have shaped the different destinies of Greater China as well as the forces that are pulling them together.

The concept of Greater China will be analyzed and the other three regions’ relationships with the Mainland China will be examined. The focus will be put on the period of the last sixty years. During this period, the four regions have had their different paths of modernization, yet at the same time we witness increasingly significant interactions among the four regions. Based on the concept of Greater China, theoretical issues such as the explanatory powers of culture and ethnicity versus economic development and modernization are also considered.

Course Description:
This course aims at promotion two central goals of liberal education: critical thinking and global citizenship. The course is designed around a series of questions about important international issues, with inter-disciplinary approaches. Students are expected to see not only the complex nature of these issues but also how they impact on us in Hong Kong from various perspectives. Rather than emphasizing traditional lectures and factual information, the course is centred around discussions, debates, and outside-classroom activities, which enhance students’ ability to critically evaluate world events.

Course Description:
The ability to read and digest writings from great classic and contemporary thinkers is an invaluable asset for any university career, but reading academic writing can be a daunting and often frustrating task for many university students. It is not uncommon for students to say that they know all the words in a reading but fail to grasp its central meaning. In this course, students will be introduced to a selection of writings from great social thinkers, including economists, philosophers, and social theorists. Using a ‘guided reading’ approach, students will be familiarized with the styles and conventions of classic and contemporary academic writing of great social thinkers, learn to overcome their fear of long sentences and jargons, and in the process learn how to appreciate and to produce good writing themselves.

Course Description:
Religion is an important part of human civilisation. People from all cultural traditions engage in some form of religious practices with variations in the beliefs and values tied to different religious systems. Social scientists have long been interested in the explanations and implications of religion to people’s thinking and behaving as an individual or a member of a group. This course aims to provide students a systematic introduction of the concepts and theories about religious behaviours, beliefs, and experiences. The major focus will be on the understanding of religious practices and the scientific study of religion. Key contents include definition of religion and religious worldviews and experiences, psychosocial impact of religion, religion-related social behaviours and associated controversial issues, and relationship between religion and humanism.

Course Description:
Sex and sexuality are arguably the most as well as the least “natural” aspect of modern human life.  While sexual reproduction and sexual desire are widely agreed to be “natural” in humans, their manifestations are subject to a wide range of social norms and formal regulations that vary greatly according to time and space. Sex and sexuality are highly sensitive and politicised issues in today’s world. How are we to make sense of our own, and other people’s sexual desires, behaviours, values and attitudes? How do we make sense of different society’s stances on the issues of sexuality? This course introduces students to ways of understanding human sexuality in societies past and present by referring to historical records, empirical data and conceptual perspectives.

Course Description:
Sport has become a global phenomenon, but it is also an integral part of society and history at a national and local level. This course introduces students to different disciplinary approaches to understand the development and dynamics of this particular aspect of globalization. Despite evidence of emerging sports monocultures across the globe, this course demonstrate the diffusion of sports has stimulated or reinforced cosmopolitan and ethnic consciousness. In addition, sport embodies and transmits important values that are integral to human societies. Examples will be drawn from Hong Kong and the region, and case studies of some well-known sporting personalities and of particular sports will be used to illustrate the debates.