文学院

历史

JUPAS No. JS7709

Year of Entry 一年级入学

Funding Type 教资会资助课程

可选专修:亚洲史/全球史

Overview

Overseen by the Department of History, the Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in History programme enables students to gain a better understanding of the forces affecting historical change and development, giving them the analytical skills to evaluate trends, understand current issues, and make reasoned decisions.  

Why History Matters?

To understand the world today, we must understand its past. The discipline of history investigates our collective past to make sense of the present and imagine possible futures. Working with textual, visual, and other material remains, historians imaginatively reconstruct meaningful pictures of the past to help us understand and rethink the state of today’s world. One of the oldest branches of knowledge, history constitutes an important, indispensable dimension of the human experience and provides an essential foundation for all disciplines in the humanities and the social sciences. 

History Programme at Lingnan

The Department of History offers a diverse and wide-ranging curriculum that covers the history of the world from antiquity to the present, with courses on the history of China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Europe, the Americas, as well as comparative and transnational histories. Undergraduate students begin their studies with foundational courses that introduce them to basic concepts and tools in historical research, and then move on to more specialised courses in areas of their own interest. Students may choose to declare a concentration in Asian or Global history, and/or pursue substantial research in their final year through a Senior History Directed Research Project. The department boasts a supportive, collegial environment for quality education, research supervision, and career development.

 

 

Key Research and Teaching Areas

While the Department of History boasts a diverse and global curriculum and research profile, it has particular strengths in the study of China, Hong Kong, the United States, and modern Europe. Historians of China in the department work on the entire span of Chinese history from prehistoric times to the present day. The department also has leading authorities in the media history of the United States and Britain. With a faculty that hails from all around the world, including the United States, Europe, China, and Hong Kong, the department offers a cosmopolitan education.

Selected Courses

  • Historian’s Craft
  • Ideas in Modern History 
  • History of Early China: From Prehistory to the Han Dynasty
  • Late Imperial and Modern China: Issues and Approaches
  • History of Hong Kong from 1841 to 1941
  • History of Hong Kong from 1941
  • History of Modern East Asia
  • Introduction to Japanese History
  • Introduction to Southeast Asian History
  • History of Central Asia: From the Silk Road to the Belt and Road 
  • Introduction to the History of the USA
  • Introduction to European History
  • History of Nineteenth Century Europe
  • The End of the British Empire 
  • East-West Value Clashes in Modern History
  • Human-Animal Relationship in History
  • The ‘Long 1970s’: Britain, Hong Kong, and the United States
  • History of U.S.-China Relations 
  • A Global History of Housing
  • The History of Capitalism
  • The History of Water in China
  • The Japanese Cities from Tokugawa Era to the 21st Century 

Knowledge in Real Demand

As Hong Kong continues to evolve as a service- and knowledge-based economy, individuals with a thorough understanding of history have come to play an increasingly important role. For instance, graduates of the program have found meaningful employment in wide-ranging fields such as government, business, media, and education. This is because Lingnan history graduates develop the ability to think critically, conduct in-depth research, analyse problems, organise materials, and communicate effectively. They are trained in a way that encourages flexibility, and this ability to adapt to the future with an eye on the past ensures they are well-positioned as prospective employees in the Hong Kong job market. Graduates can also opt to pursue further studies in history or other arts disciplines, including humanities and social sciences, as a prelude to a career in academia. 

Insights from History Professors

“Everday Architecture in Context: Public Markets in Hong Kong (1842-1981)”

“Housing the Nascent Middle Class: the First High-rise Planned Community in Post-War Hong Kong” 

Studies by Prof Carmen Tsui - learn more from this interview with Prof Tsui published in The Lingnan University Magazine (February 2024)

 

In The Politics of the Past in Early China, Prof Vincent Leung addresses the many different ways in which history became important to political debate in early China. Learn more from the Video below.

LEUNG Yat Tung Candice  

BA (Hons) in History, 2024 Graduate  

 

People often ask what I learned while majoring in history—was it the history of war, national development, or cultural history? In fact, during my four years pursuing a bachelor’s degree, I explored a diverse and fascinating array of historical subjects, including animation history, migration history, world history, and many other intriguing topics.

 

Thanks to the small class sizes, I formed close relationships with both professors and classmates. Whenever I had questions, I could always approach them and receive insightful answers. Our professors encouraged us to think critically rather than blindly accepting what we read in books. This approach helped me develop my own studies and projects and provided a clearer understanding of my future career paths.

 

Moreover, it was a fantastic environment for meeting new people. I cherished the time spent with friends, engaging in healthy competition and learning from each other. These experiences and relationships are among the most valuable treasures I gained from studying and living at Lingnan.