Postgraduate Courses

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. For undergraduate courses, alternative English reading materials may be provided.

c) Some courses may use different medium of instruction/materials, either in Chinese or English, for different sections. They will be denoted by a combination of [CA], [PU], [C] and [EN]. Students will need to check the medium of instruction/materials to be used before course enrollment.

d) Undergraduate courses marked with [BLD] or [SPO] may be offered in the mode of blended learning or self-paced online delivery respectively, subject to different offerings. Students should check the delivery mode of the class section before registration.

• LANG 5000

  Foundation in Listening & Speaking for Postgraduate Students

  [0-3-0:1]
  Description

  For students whose level of spoken English is lower than ELPA Level 4 (Speaking) when they enter the University. The course addresses the immediate linguistic needs of research postgraduate students for oral communication on campus using English. To complete the course, students are required to attain at least ELPA Level 4 (Speaking). Graded P or F.

  Intended Learning Outcomes

  On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

  • 1.
    Use more accurate pronunciation and more appropriate features of connected speech for effective communication.
  • 2.
    Express views about academic and social topics with more appropriate topic development and coherence.
  • 3.
    Show progress in their skills in listening for features in English texts to improve their own development of speaking skills.
• LANG 5005

  Communicating Research in English

  [0-3-0:1]
  Exclusion(s)

  LANG 5001, LANG 5002, LANG 5010, LANG 5071, LANG 5080, LANG 5081

  Mode of Delivery

  [BLD] Blended learning

  Description

  This course aims to help research postgraduate students to develop skills they need to understand how to successfully communicate research in English to academic, cross-disciplinary and non-specialist audiences. Graded P or F.
• LANG 5030

  Professional Communication Skills for Engineers

  [0-3-0:1]
  Description

  This course helps students to develop and practice skills appropriate for participating and communicating in typical academic and professional engineering contexts. Students will learn how to construct informative and persuasive messages, lead engaging seminars, and appreciate the nuances of communicating successfully in intercultural settings. Graded P or F.

  Intended Learning Outcomes

  On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

  • 1.
    Understand and practice professional communication skills in Engineering contexts.
  • 2.
    Lead and participate effectively in presentations and seminars as a member of an engineering community.
  • 3.
    Apply conventions and characteristics of academic texts in Engineering communications.
  • 4.
    Demonstrate intercultural competence by appreciating diversity in cultural conventions in communications.
• LANG 5070

  Critical Writing for Global China Studies

  [0-3-0:3]
  Description

  The course develops students' ability to critically read and write and analyze issues in global China studies. Students are trained to respond critically to professional academic texts, supporting their views with appropriate academic evidence and arguments. The course will develop students' skills in managing appropriate styles and rhetorical features to ensure effective communication in different professional and academic contexts.

  Intended Learning Outcomes

  On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

  • 1.
    Understand and describe features of a range of academic research genres.
  • 2.
    Analyze and develop critical and analytical interpretations of data, sources and arguments in texts.
  • 3.
    Produce written arguments with integrated sources and appropriate linguistic and rhetorical conventions.
  • 4.
    Communicate their own research questions and findings to peers and scholars of global China studies.
• LANG 5072

  Writing about Chinese Culture

  [0-3-0:3]
  Description

  The course provides students with essential training in academic writing in fields of Chinese culture. It develops students' ability to critically read and write, explain issues in cultural studies and interact with audiences to further understanding of Chinese cultures. The course enables students to produce clear, coherent and supported arguments on culture-related issues.

  Intended Learning Outcomes

  On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

  • 1.
    Describe and analyze general conventions of a range of professional academic genres.
  • 2.
    Understand and produce linguistic, rhetorical and stylistic conventions of professional academic genres.
  • 3.
    Develop critical and analytical interpretations of argumentative texts.
  • 4.
    Communicate their own disciplinary focus to peers and scholars of Chinese culture.
• LANG 5101

  Basic Chinese for International Management

  [0-6-0:3]
  Description

  This is a course restricted to students in the MSc in International Management program with no previous knowledge of Chinese. It aims to offer them a foundation in language so that they can communicate effectively and appropriately in spoken Putonghua and written Chinese in undemanding contexts. Basic mastery of the Chinese phonological and syntactic systems by students is also expected.

  Intended Learning Outcomes

  On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

  • 1.
    Pronounce and produce words or sentences with a fair degree of accuracy.
  • 2.
    Achieve communicative tasks relevant to business contexts in relatively simple terms.
  • 3.
    Understand simple, familiar, brief and clear discourse related to personal or everyday life.
  • 4.
    Produce simple sentence structures, provide descriptions, and exchange some ideas on familiar and common topics.
  • 5.
    Develop confidence and interest in learning the Chinese language.
  • 6.
    Gain basic Chinese cultural knowledge and acquire a degree of cultural awareness.
  • 7.
    Understand and use familiar everyday expressions and basic phrases aimed at the satisfaction of concrete needs of business professionals.
  • 8.
    Introduce themselves and others and ask and answer questions about personal details such as where they live, people they know and things they have.
  • 9.
    Interact in a simple way provided the interlocutor talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help.
• LANG 5330

  Basic Spanish for International Management

  [0-5-0:2]
  Description

  This is a course restricted to students in the MSc in International Management program with no previous knowledge of Spanish. It aims to offer them a foundation in the language so that they can communicate appropriately in Spanish on a variety of relevant topics, and integrate more comfortably into a study environment in which knowledge of a European language other than English is assumed.

  Intended Learning Outcomes

  On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

  • 1.
    Understand, make, and respond appropriately to everyday conversational enquiries.
  • 2.
    Understand basic instructions, notices or information.
  • 3.
    Take part in a basic factual conversation.
  • 4.
    Understand short reports or descriptions.
  • 5.
    Take and pass on simple messages.
  • 6.
    Make factual summaries and requests based on notes taken, including times, dates and places.
  • 7.
    Understand and give straightforward opinions and explanations.
  • 8.
    Understand and produce short texts relating to people's lives and interests.
  • 9.
    Demonstrate sufficiently accurate pronunciation and grammatical structure to be understood by native speakers of Spanish.
  • 10.
    Show confidence when dealing with Spanish-speaking people and Spanish-language materials in their study and in business contexts.