Postgraduate Courses
MASS
Social Science (MA Program)
Courses marked with a [C] in the course description are not taught in Chinese but may require students to read materials in Chinese. Students who have difficulty reading materials in Chinese should consult the instructor concerned prior to enrolling in these courses.
- MASS 5010Research Methods in Social Science[3-0-0:3]Previous Course Code(s)SSMA 5010Exclusion(s)SOSC 5110DescriptionThis is an introduction to research methodology in the social science. It is intended to provide foundational training in the major approaches in the social sciences to the collection and analysis of quantitative and qualitative data, and the specification and testing of theories. The course overs the logic of scientific inquiry and various research techniques such as experimentation, scientific sampling, survey research, field methods, archival data, and quantitative analysis that are commonly used by researchers in economics, education, political science, psychology, and sociology.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Describe the relationship between theory, hypothesis, data collection, and analysis in social science research.
- 2.Plan a research study, including specification of hypothesis and selection of data and methods.
- 3.Assess whether evidence is indicative of a cause and effect relationship.
- 4.Suggest approaches for assessing causal relationships when it is not possible to conduct a traditional experiment.
- 5.Describe the most important sources of data used in social science research.
- 6.Develop a sampling strategy according to the needs of a research study.
- MASS 5020Social Statistics I[2-1-0:3]Previous Course Code(s)SSMA 5020Co-list withMGCS 5010Exclusion(s)MGCS 5010, SOSC 4610, SOSC 5090DescriptionThis course teaches basic concepts and skills required to conduct quantitative research in social science. Students will learn to design and conduct statistical analyses to test hypotheses. They will acquire experience in the use of statistical software to carry out analysis of social data.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Identify the fundamental concepts and practices in statistics for social science.
- 2.Recognize graphic and numerical summary of data with respect to distribution of variables and association between them; data-generating processes and study design; probability theory; probability distributions of continuous variables with a special emphasis on the normal distribution; sampling distributions; principles of statistical inference, including confidence intervals and hypothesis testing; inference for population means and proportions; statistical tests of relationship between two categorical variables; and simple linear regression (OLS).
- 3.Operate a popular statistical package for data management and statistical analysis.
- 4.Conduct more advanced statistical analysis which is useful in the academic career, financial industries, marketing and consulting.
- MASS 5030Social Stratification and Mobility[3-0-0:3]Previous Course Code(s)SSMA 5030Exclusion(s)MGCS 5020 (prior to 2024-25)DescriptionThis course introduces the concepts and theories in analyzing the pattern of social and economic inequalities in the distribution of resources/rewards/opportunities which are scarce but widely desired, and the process of status attainment or social mobility.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Illustrate major concepts and analytical perspectives sociologists employ to study social inequality and stratification.
- 2.Recognize the major empirical findings on social inequality and mobility in mainland China and Hong Kong.
- 3.Apply the knowledge to analyze new issues related to social inequality in both mainland China and Hong Kong.
- MASS 5050Economic Transformations in Post-Mao China[3-0-0:3]Previous Course Code(s)SSMA 5050DescriptionThis course offers a comprehensive account of the transformations in the economic institution of China since the late 1970s.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Critique major works on China’s political economy.
- 2.Develop theoretically informed and empirically grounded research papers on important issues in China’s economic transformation.
- MASS 5060Political Changes and Political Participation[3-0-0:3]Previous Course Code(s)SSMA 5060Exclusion(s)MGCS 5021, SOSC 5480 (prior to 2024-25)DescriptionThis course introduces to students basic theories about political changes, such as democratization and reform, or their absence. It also discusses the dynamics of such political changes by examining the interactions among different social forces and political actors, including citizens.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Explain the theories on social changes, including reform.
- 2.Analyze the dynamics of social and political changes in different political systems.
- 3.Identify the problems faced by authoritarian regimes, like China, in managing social changes.
- MASS 5110Social Statistics II[2-1-0:3]Previous Course Code(s)SSMA 5110Prerequisite(s)MGCS 5010 OR MASS 5020Exclusion(s)MGCS 5011 (Prior to 2019-20)DescriptionThis course provides students with hands-on training on how to use statistical software to analyze non-experimental quantitative data from the real world, to draw sensible conclusions, to convey results, and write a research report.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Explain theoretical foundations of modern regression analysis.
- 2.Conduct applied regression analysis using statistical software.
- 3.Write academic research paper with a quantitative orientation.
- 4.Develop a broader scope for regression analysis in light of further study.
- MASS 5170Economic Change in Rural China[3-0-0:3]Previous Course Code(s)SSMA 5170DescriptionThis course is designed to study the development processes of rural China from around the mid-eighteenth century onwards until the present time from primarily (but not exclusively) an economics perspective. In addition to serving the purpose of a survey course, special efforts are made to provide intelligible answers to a number of important issues and puzzles - some of epic proportions - using analytical frameworks in economics.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Explain China’s rural development process, including the difficulties it faced, from the late Qing to the present.
- 2.Develop the analytical skills with which to make intelligible sense of this development process, and in understanding the relationship between “variables” in the specific context of rural China, which consists of a number of episodes of salient historical importance.
- MASS 5180Migration and Globalization[3-0-0:3]Previous Course Code(s)SSMA 5180Exclusion(s)SOSC 5660 (prior to 2023-24)DescriptionThis course aims to explore the interrelationship between population changes/ migration and economic development in the era of globalization. Special attention is given to labor migration in China and international migration in China/HKSAR.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Conduct simple demographic analyses, such as population forecast, as well as tempo and international comparison of levels of fertility or mortality.
- 2.Apply models and theories of migration to labor migration in and from developing countries, as well as transnational human capital transfer.
- 3.Conduct PowerPoint presentation of research of social science topics.
- MASS 5200Comparative Politics[3-0-0:3]Previous Course Code(s)SSMA 5200Exclusion(s)MGCS 5520DescriptionThis is a comparative politics course targeting toward advanced postgraduate students. With its long history, comparative politics has covered many different topics. The course will focus on important substantive questions to understand political phenomena around the world. The course consists of five broad and complex topics related to politics: i) basic logic and methodologies in comparative politics; ii) state formation and regime types; iii) election and government system; iv) policy-related issues including economic development and redistribution; and v) challenges in comparative political economy including poverty, foreign aid, natural resources, civil war and political connection/corruption.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Apply key theories and concepts in comparative politics.
- 2.Write critical evaluation reports of research papers in comparative politics.
- 3.Apply adequate scientific methodologies to individual’s research.
- 4.Design and develop an analytic research paper.
- MASS 5210Economic Development[3-0-0:3]Previous Course Code(s)SSMA 5210Exclusion(s)SOSC 6030IDescriptionThis course examines the economic situations of low and middle-income economies, considering many important topics in the field of development economics. It addresses questions such as what factors help explain why some countries are rich and others poor and whether economic policies can affect these factors. We will study key aspects of life for poor households in the developing world, such as inequality, gender and the intra-household division of resources, education, health, savings and credit, institutions and globalization. Students will also study recent research in the field and examine empirical evidence on these topics.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Identify critical issues in the developing world.
- 2.Apply core concepts of economics to critically analyze significant social phenomena and interpret important events related to the developing world.
- 3.Analyze the core issues in economic development strategies.
- 4.Use simple statistical methods to study some issues related to development.
- MASS 5230Chinese Politics[3-0-0:3]DescriptionThis course examines Chinese political system and its impact in people's everyday activities. As one of the most influential countries in the world, the Chinese political system carries distinctive characteristics that differ significantly from Western liberal democracies. This course will compare the similarities and differences between China and liberal democracy. Students will learn the classical theories and concepts developed in Western political science and explore how they can and cannot be applied to China.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Understand the functioning of Chinese political system and how it shapes social & economic life.
- 2.Learn how to support findings with empirical evidence.
- 3.Develop analytical thinking skills by understanding diverse views and theories.
- 4.Improve English writing through weekly reports and the final research paper.
- MASS 5240Topics in Gender and Society[3-0-0:3]DescriptionA sociologically informed discussion about the role that gender plays in the organization of social life, including education, work and employment, the global economy, technology and innovation, media, family life and international relations.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Develop a sociological mindfulness toward gender.
- 2.Understand differential performance of boys and girls in schools.
- 3.Understand the gender wage gap, diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
- 4.Understand the gendered division of labour in the home.
- 5.Understand gendered violence.
- 6.Understand how the global economy is gendered.
- 7.Understand how international politics and international conflict is gendered.
- MASS 5250The Rise and Fall of Democracy[3-0-0:3]DescriptionThis course examines various approaches to study the rise and fall of democracy in disciplines of political economy, political science, political sociology, and historical sociology. It pays special attention to specific historical or political context in which democratization or collapse of democracy occurred. This course also encourages the students to integrate normative understanding of democracy with positivist studies of democracy.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Have an overview of the scholarship of democratization from past to present.
- 2.Understand the key concepts and methods in studying the rise and fall of democracy.
- 3.Learn how to place social science theoretical research in concrete political and historical contexts.
- 4.Understand why the normative knowledge of democracy is important to empirical study of democracy.
- 5.Critically review existing literature and learn to come up with new research questions.
- MASS 5980Understanding Personality[3-0-0:3]Previous Course Code(s)MASS 5090, SSMA 5090DescriptionThis course provides an overview of theories of personality and examines how personality develops through different perspectives.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Recognize the key classical and contemporary studies pertinent to personality theories and assessment.
- 2.Identify, relate, and apply the key concepts in everyday life.
- 3.Identify a research question, devise an action plan to conduct a study, gather and analyze the pertinent information, and present the findings in a written report.
- 4.Conceptualize, structure, and articulate original ideas about personality-related topics.
- MASS 5981Environment and Human Behavior[3-0-0:3]Previous Course Code(s)MASS 5220, SSMA 5220DescriptionThis course examines the interactions between humans and physical environments from a psychological perspective. It discusses how human behavior is affected by, and affects, their natural and built surroundings. It also explores the human dimension of environmental issues.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Recognize the interactions between humans and physical environments and explain them with reference to theories in psychology and other social sciences.
- 2.Analyze the human dimension of environmental issues from psychological and behavioral perspectives.
- 3.Analyze their own experience and everyday encounters regarding the physical environments.
- 4.Understand, explain, and evaluate research studies that examine human-environment relationships.
- MASS 5982Social Cognition[3-0-0:3]Previous Course Code(s)MASS 5040, SSMA 5040DescriptionThis course introduces a psychological perspective in understanding human behavior. It evaluates how psychological research is conducted, and covers major psychological concepts and theories.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Identify key theories and concepts in understanding human behavior from a psychological perspective.
- 2.Apply the theories and concepts to their own experiences and daily lives.
- 3.Explain how psychological research is conducted and how psychologists investigate human behavior scientifically.
- 4.Recognize the scientific basis of psychology.
- MASS 5983Psychology of Well-being[3-0-0:3]DescriptionThis course examines the psychology of well-being in the Chinese context. Students will be engaged in a series of challenges designed to enhance their understanding of well-being, to increase their happiness, and to bring about positive changes in their lives.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Recognize the various dimensions of well-being and explain them with reference to theories in psychology and other social sciences.
- 2.Gain insight into how research on well-being is conducted through a global and comparative perspective.
- 3.Explain, evaluate, and conduct research on well-being.
- 4.Analyze their own experience and everyday encounters regarding well-being.
- MASS 6000Developing a Career in Social Science[0 credit]Reading Material[C] Require Chinese readingDescriptionThis is a portfolio-based course. Upon completion of this course, students are required to submit a written reflection about their own career plans, in relation to the content of the PGD/MA(SOSC) program. The reflection is carried out by means of collating a portfolio and will include specific reference to the content of seminars and events that have taken place during their program. For PGD/MA(SOSC) students only. Graded P or F.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Relate the curriculum and in particular the extra-curricular content and program learning outcomes of the PGD/MA(SOSC) program to their career trajectory.
- 2.Formulate a plan of action for their future career based on the reflective activity undertaken in the course.
