Postgraduate Courses
SOSC
Social Science
a) Under a policy approved by the Senate, exceptions to the general University policy stating that English is the medium of instruction will be permitted when the courses are related to the area of Chinese studies and are approved by the School of Humanities and Social Science. Courses approved to be taught in Chinese carry a [PU] or [CA] notation in the course description, which indicates the spoken language used in teaching: [PU] stands for Putonghua; and [CA] for Cantonese.
b) 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.
- SOSC 5090Quantitative Methods for Social Science Research[3-0-0:3]Exclusion(s)MGCS 5010, MASS 5020BackgroundKnowledge in Social ScienceDescriptionAn introduction to econometric and statistical approaches to social science research. Necessary to understand much of social science literature and topics in research methods. Focuses on applications to students' own research and includes computer exercises. Enrollment by students from outside the Division of Social Science by instructor permission.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Explain basic statistical concepts and elementary econometric methods used in social science research.
- 2.Use basic functions of a popular statistical package to analyze real social and economic data.
- 3.Use relevant data to test hypotheses, conduct statistical inference, and interpret regression results of a research question.
- 4.Clearly present the research work in both oral and written formats.
- SOSC 5110Social Science Research Design and Methods[2-1-0:3]Exclusion(s)MASS 5010BackgroundKnowledge in Social ScienceDescriptionTo answer the question "how do we translate concepts and theories about human interactions and institutions into empirically testable propositions?" The primary objectives of the course are: (1) to familiarize students with canons of contemporary social research, and (2) to enable students to initiate and execute their own research projects. Enrollment by students from outside the Division of Social Science by instructor permission.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Recognize the relationship between theory, hypothesis, data collection, and analysis in the pursuit of social science knowledge.
- 2.Describe the basic features of an experimental design, and the distinction between an experiment and an observational study.
- 3.Define the criteria for claiming that an observed relationship is causal.
- 4.Describe the ethical issues that commonly arise in the course of conducting social science research.
- 5.Define commonly used techniques for assessing whether observed relationships reflect causal influences.
- 6.Identify basic techniques for approximating an experimental design with analysis of observational data, including natural experiments, instrumental variables, and the inclusion of control variables.
- SOSC 5170Qualitative Research Methods[3-0-0:3]Prerequisite(s)SOSC 5110BackgroundKnowledge in Social ScienceDescriptionThis course explores links between theory and practice in qualitative research. It combines learning about selected methods of qualitative inquiry (participant-observation, in-depth interview, oral history) and analysis (grounded theory, ethnography, and discourse analysis). Enrollment by students from outside the Division of Social Science by instructor permission.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Demonstrate capability to creative thinking by critically reviewing the progress in qualitative methodology and the up-to-date empirical studies of using these qualitative methods.
- 2.Identify the causal reasoning in qualitative studies which are similar to that in quantitative analysis in social science.
- 3.Develop the ability to come up with high-quality research proposal for their thesis work.
- SOSC 5250Chinese Capitalism: Historical and Comparative Perspectives[3-0-0:3]Previous Course Code(s)SOSC 6030GDescriptionThis course examines the development of capitalism in post-Mao China through the lens of comparisons with capitalist practices in pre-1949 China and non-PRC Chinese economies and with select capitalist systems elsewhere. Through reading and discussing scholarly works focusing on contractual governance, students will be guided to explore the forces that shape the evolution of internal organization, inter-firm interactions, and business-government relations in different historical and social contexts. The objective is to help students deepen their understanding of China's economic transformation and broaden their perspectives on capitalist economic organizations and institutions.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Describe basic knowledge about the building blocks and inner workings of a capitalist system.
- 2.Use historical and comparative analytic methods to critique different approaches to the study of modern economic activities.
- 3.Engage in empirically grounded and theoretically informed discussions about economic affairs in China.
- SOSC 5340Econometric Approaches to Social Science Research[3-0-0:3]Prerequisite(s)SOSC 5090Exclusion(s)MGCS 5011 (Prior to 2019-20)BackgroundKnowledge in Social ScienceDescriptionManagement and analysis of multivariate data sets, including simple and multiple regression analysis, and econometric approaches to causal inference. Enrollment by students from outside the Division of Social Science by instructor permission.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Explain the key elements of a causal argument.
- 2.Articulate the challenges to establishing causality in social sciences research and demonstrate some of the statistical and econometric methods used to address these challenges.
- 3.Critique and defend a high-quality research paper in the social sciences.
- 4.Gain hands-on experience of writing an presenting a research paper that aims to eventually be publishable in an academic journal.
- 5.Use a statistical package effectively for analyzing socioeconomic data and presenting outcomes in a reader friendly way.
- SOSC 5440Economics of Development[3-0-0:3]BackgroundECON 5110 OR ECON 5130, ECON 5280 OR ECON 5300 OR SOSC 5090DescriptionThis course covers the microeconomics of development, focusing on empirical applications. Topics include household models, human resource issues (health and education), intrahousehold economics, rural institutions in land, labor, and credit markets, technology adoption, risk-coping strategies, and evaluation of development projects. Lectures will concentrate on theoretical models and rigorous application of empirical methods, discussing important journal articles.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Master the concepts theories in the field.
- 2.Demonstrate capability to critically review the key literature in the field of developmental economics.
- 3.Demonstrate capability to conduct original research by identifying interesting topics and using first hand research materials.
- SOSC 5500Computational Social Science[3-1-0:3]Prerequisite(s)SOSC 5090BackgroundKnowledge of at least one programming language, such as Python or R.DescriptionThe increasing use of the Internet and online communities in the last decade has led to an explosion of social data capturing every aspect of our daily activities. The new digital data have in turn led to the rise of Computational Social Science, an emerging field that aims to empirically study social behavior by applying computational methods, algorithms, and models on "big data". This course introduces the methods and ideas of computational social sciences. The course consists of lectures, projects and tutorials. Students will learn and evaluate the new possibilities and challenges that digital data have created for studying social phenomena. Students will also learn and practice essential methods that are needed to analyze digital data, from data collection to techniques and methods to analyze big data.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Describe the opportunities and challenges of social research in the age of big data.
- 2.Evaluate research on social phenomena from different fields, including social sciences and computer science/data science.
- 3.Practice the essential techniques to analyze social big data.
- 4.Propose research questions that is suited to be examined by computational methods with big data.
- 5.(For PG students): write a research article that utilizes the techniques and methods of computational social sciences to address social science problems.
- SOSC 5620Sustainable Development[3-0-0:3]Exclusion(s)SOSC 301EDescriptionThis course is designed to give students an understanding of how government and business professionals formulate policies related to the foundations of sustainable development. The course begins with an exploration into the concept of prosperity and conventional view of development in the context of environmental limitations. From that basis we will consider the economic, political and social ramifications of sustainable development and investigate the need for rejuvenation and innovation.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Analyze agglomeration forces in the PRD from a sustainability perspective.
- 2.Evaluate whether stakeholders in different sector and community contexts are successfully integrating sustainability into development.
- 3.Generate practical solutions in sustainability for sectors and communities.
- 4.Develop teamwork and presentation skills.
- SOSC 5680Democracy and Democratization[3-0-0:3]DescriptionDrawing from single-country and cross-national research, this course covers the following: i) basic features of democracy: its definitions, causes of emergence, strengths and problems; ii) global expansion of democracies since the late twentieth century; iii) research on whether democracy can promote human rights, whether there is a basic conflict between Asian values and democracy, and whether democracy is favourable or unfavourable to economic development; iv) causes of global democratization.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Think critically of research in comparative democratization and comparative politics.
- 2.Analyse data and arguments in research of comparative democratization.
- 3.Apply knowledge in comparative democratization through a case study or comparative study.
- SOSC 5720Economic Development in China[3-0-0:3]Previous Course Code(s)SOSC 6030ADescriptionThis course focuses on economic reforms and development in China, especially since 1978. It will be a combination of institutional details and comprehensive empirical evidence. Basic knowledge in statistics or economics will benefit.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Enhance understandings of economic development with applications to Chinese economy and Chinese institutions.
- 2.Apply basic economic theory and empirical analysis to major Chinese economic development episodes and major Chinese institutions.
- 3.Explore frontier literature recently published on Chinese economic development in leading journals.
- 4.Translate interest in Chinese economy into a significant research question and write a good quality research paper.
- SOSC 5780Foundation in Public Policy[3-0-0:3]Co-list withPPOL 5110Exclusion(s)PPOL 5110DescriptionThe course will provide an advanced foundation in the study and practice of public policy at the level required for graduate study. The course will cover both the historic foundations of policy studies, as well as emerging approaches and directions. As the study of public policy is inherently interdisciplinary, it will include perspectives from political science, public policy, economics, business and other aspects of social science. It will take a broad view of public policy, including taking up some of the core literature on public management and public administration.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Demonstrate solid fundamental knowledge on how public policies are developed, approved and implemented.
- 2.Apply a public policy perspective to evaluate and compare core literature and current issues on public management and public administration.
- 3.Apply a range of qualitative and quantitative research methods to public research studies.
- 4.Develop holistic perspectives including political science, public policy, economics, business and other aspects of social science.
- SOSC 5790Research Methods in Public Policy[3-0-0:3]Co-list withPPOL 5120Exclusion(s)PPOL 5120DescriptionThe purposes of the course are to introduce to students the key concepts in research methods, and to help them develop skills in the design of empirical research used in the analysis of policy problems. We will compare and contrast key approaches to policy research, including qualitative, interpretive, and mixed method designs, among others. Within that frame, we will introduce students to the process of research, from problem identification, through research question development, application of analytical frameworks, methodological decision making, and data collection.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Identify the logic of policy research applied to the empirical analysis of social problems.
- 2.Demonstrate solid knowledge on key research designs for common quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method research approaches, and their potentials and limitations.
- 3.Design and develop a research proposal on a given research topic in their chosen fields.
- 4.Apply practical experiences and techniques in conducting empirical data analysis on a range of data types.
- SOSC 5800Causal Inference in Social Sciences[1.5-1.5-0-:3]Prerequisite(s)SOSC 5090 AND SOSC 5340BackgroundKnowledge in statistics, probability, and econometricsDescriptionThis course provides students with a set of causal inference tools for conducting high-quality empirical research in social sciences. It differs from regular econometrics/quantitative courses in that it is oriented towards applied practitioners and emphasizes research design and applications. Under the potential outcome framework, the course discusses the randomized control trials, difference in differences, instrumental variable, regression discontinuity design, and other models used to achieve credible causal inference. Applications are drawn from a variety of fields including economics, political science, sociology, public health, and public policy.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Explain the rationale of experimental designs for causal inference.
- 2.Explain the rationale of quasi-experimental designs for causal inference.
- 3.Address the vulnerabilities of different research designs.
- 4.Describe the research designs and key findings of classic papers, with a focus on China studies.
- 5.Use causal inference models in their research.
- SOSC 5810Introduction to Social Network Analysis[1.5-1.5-0:3]Previous Course Code(s)SOSC 6030KBackgroundSome familiarity with statistical analysis and a statistical programming language such as R or STATA.DescriptionThis course familiarizes students with the basic concepts of Social Network Analysis (the study of social relations among actors and their interdependence), their application in different Social Science fields, and teaches them how to analyze network data using open-source software. The course consists both of lectures and applied exercises, the latter culminating in a group project. Knowledge of basic statistics and a statistical programming language (R, STATA, etc.) is recommended.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Identify different types of connections and networks in real life and describe them using precise terminology.
- 2.Explain the most common concepts used in Social Network Analysis and how they apply to specific circumstances (e.g. the group of people that they are interested in).
- 3.Use network visualization programs to illustrate the network in a way that helps them and their audience better understand it.
- 4.Calculate basic summary statistics describing the network, the node-dyad (the pairs of individuals) and the nodes (individuals).
- 5.Identify different positions individuals hold in a network (network centrality, structural equivalency) and explain why those positions matter.
- 6.Explain how different tie-formation processes on the individual level lead to different network shapes (preferential attachment, homophily).
- 7.Create basic statistical models of tie-formation contagion processes.
- 8.Use visone and R to analyze and collect network data.
- SOSC 6000-6090Special Topics[1-3 credits]DescriptionCoherent collection of topics selected from the humanities/social science. A student may repeat the course for credit if the topics studied are different each time.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Recognize the major issues and updated development in the area of the course topic.
- SOSC 6100Independent Study[1-3 credits]DescriptionIndependent study in a designated subject under the supervision of a faculty member; may require readings, tutorial discussions, and submission of research paper(s); may be repeated for credit if different topics are studied. Regular students are required to enroll in 3-credit course. Enrollment in course below 3 credits require the Division's approval.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Conduct an independent study on a specific social sciences topic.
- 2.Apply an interdisciplinary approach in the studied topic.
- 3.Communicate key findings through the study report.
- SOSC 6400Research Postgraduate Students Seminar[0-1-0:1]DescriptionThis course is designed to provide basic professional training to research graduate students in the Division of Social Science. It covers topics related to career development, academic research, and job search in academic and non-academic fields. Topics covered in this course include methods of choosing research topics, research ethnics, skills of writing academic papers, and issues concerning job search in both academic and non-academic areas. This seminar course will be conducted at the divisional level by regular faculty members, visitors, and/or seminar speakers. Graded P or F.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Describe the new development in their field.
- 2.Explain their career choice in academic and non-academic fields.
- 3.Explain the production process and basic etiquette in academia
- SOSC 6880Seminar on Emotion[3-0-0:3]BackgroundThis is a graduate level course designed for advanced and motivated students with background in (a) upper-level (non-1000 level) psychology courses and (b) research methods in psychological science.DescriptionThis course covers major perspectives on emotion, with an emphasis on a psychological rather than a biological or a sociological level of analysis. It provides an in-depth examination of emotion theories and research to students with different research foci.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Recognize major theories of emotion.
- 2.Demonstrate the ability to read, summarize, interpret, and integrate information pertinent to emotion-related topics.
- 3.Conceptualize, structure, and articulate original ideas about emotion.
- 4.Demonstrate the skills of scientific reasoning.
- 5.Demonstrate how to bring different disciplines/subfields to analyze a topic.
- 6.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.
- SOSC 6990MPhil Thesis ResearchDescriptionMaster's thesis research supervised by a faculty member. A successful defense of the thesis leads to the grade Pass. No course credit is assigned.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Design, develop and conduct cross-disciplinary research in Scoial Science.
- 2.Communicate research findings effectively in written and oral presentations.
- SOSC 7990Doctoral Thesis ResearchDescriptionOriginal and independent doctoral thesis research. A successful defense of the thesis leads to the grade Pass. No course credit is assigned.Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- 1.Design, develop and conduct cross-disciplinary research in Scoial Science.
- 2.Communicate research findings effectively in written and oral presentations.
