Undergraduate Courses 2024-25

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.

e) Undergraduate courses marked with [EXP] may adopt the approach of experiential learning subject to different offerings. Students should check the delivery mode of the class section before registration.

• HUMA 1000

  Cultures and Values

  3 Credit(s)
  Mode of Delivery

  [BLD] Blended learning

  Description

  The objectives of the course are for communicative capacity building through humanities knowledge and for enrichment of values and perspectives corresponding to the mission and vision of UST, rather than for enhancement of knowledge in specific branch of humanities. Values explored in this course will be drawn from those closely related to the mission and vision of UST like humanistic concerns of others and the environment, respect of differences and justice, communicative sensitivity, complexity of humanity, potential bias and fallacy in popular perceptions, values, and stereotyping, among others. The humanities disciplinary approaches will be drawn from history, philosophy, literature, anthropology, linguistics and art. The course is offered in separate sections, each has its specific values and approach identified by the teacher.
• HUMA 1001

  Foundational Texts in the Humanities

  3 Credit(s)
  Medium of Instruction

  [CA] Cantonese
  [EN] Taught in Eng/Chin subject to diff. offerings
  [PU] Putonghua

  Reading Material

  [C] Require Chinese reading

  Description

  This course introduces students to foundational texts in the Chinese and Western humanities. In the process, it builds students' skills at close reading, explication and analytical writing, while expanding their understanding of Chinese and Western cultures and civilizations. The course is offered in separate sections, each has its specific values and approach identified by the teacher. Each section may use different texts, either in Chinese or English. Students should review the texts to be used in each section before registration.
• HUMA 1009

  Special Topics

  3 Credit(s)
  Description

  Focuses on a coherent collection of topics selected from the humanities. May be repeated for credit, if topics are different.
• HUMA 1010

  Introduction to Language

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 1501

  Description

  An examination of fundamental concepts and principles in the scientific analysis of human language, especially concerning speech sounds, syntax, meaning, language acquisition, language processing, sociolinguistics and history of languages. Students who have taken an introductory course in linguistics in universities should not enroll in this course.
• HUMA 1020

  Chinese Writing and Culture

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  HUMA 099H

  Reading Material

  [C] Require Chinese reading

  Description

  This introductory course to the ancient Chinese writing system covers its origin, nature, classification and development. Students will learn a newly-developed framework, i.e., the three-principle theory of Chinese scripts, by which thousands of characters coming from archeological materials such as jiaguwen (oracle bone inscriptions), jinwen (bronze inscriptions) and jianbowenzi (bamboo and silk scripts) can be appropriately analyzed and classified. Other important components include general theories about language and script, and the historical and cultural aspects of Chinese characters.
• HUMA 1030

  Structure of the Chinese Language

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 1503

  Reading Material

  [C] Require Chinese reading

  Description

  The course introduces basic concepts in linguistics and how these concepts are used to describe and analyze the structure of the Chinese language, with emphasis on sounds and grammar. Moreover, similarities and differences among major Chinese dialects, especially those between Cantonese and Mandarin, will be highlighted. Characteristics of the non-Han languages spoken in the neighboring areas will also be compared with those of the Chinese dialects in order to highlight the bi-directional influences between the two groups.
• HUMA 1060

  Introduction to Mandarin Chinese Grammar

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 1504

  Medium of Instruction

  [PU] Putonghua

  Reading Material

  [C] Require Chinese reading

  Description

  The course introduces students to basic concepts in Mandarin Chinese grammar and fundamental techniques of grammatical analysis. Differences between Chinese and English as well as between Mandarin and Cantonese will also be highlighted. Topics include word structure and sentence structure of Mandarin Chinese, and characteristics of Chinese grammar, etc.
• HUMA 1100

  Music of the World

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 1631

  Description

  This course surveys various folk and traditional musics of the non-Western world using an ethnomusicological perspective which involves studying how people make, perform and consume music in their respective cultural contexts. Music cultures will be discussed individually in turn, while maintaining a cross-cultural or cross-regional perspective so as to discern underlying themes and processes common to many of them as well as differences and points of divergence that make each one unique.
• HUMA 1102

  Enjoyment of Classical Music

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 1632

  Description

  From the power and beauty of the orchestra to masterpieces of the church and concert hall, students will gain an in-depth appreciation for the history and fundamentals of Western classical music. The listening and analytical skills demonstrated will bring about a deeper understanding of music as an art form. Previous musical training, albeit helpful, is not required.
• HUMA 1107

  Music and Film

  3 Credit(s)
  Description

  This course explores the relationship between music and film, delving into the historical development of production and the dramatic function of film scores from mainstream to independent cinema. Focusing on the work of a variety of composers and film directors, the course will examine the collaborative process between these artists to achieve these goals. Prior knowledge of music and film, albeit helpful, is not required.
• HUMA 1150

  Exploration of Drawing

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 1660

  Description

  Drawing is a foundational form of communication extending from prehistoric times to the work of modern-day artists and designers. The creative use of lines, shapes, and textures is both a form of expression and a tool to sharpen one’s thinking and message. In this course, students will explore various types of techniques, mediums, styles, and materials, and learn concepts and history relevant to the fine arts and related industry.
• HUMA 1154

  Photography

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 1666

  Description

  This course provides an overview of the various forms of Photography, explores the relationship between visual communication and art. The course will examine the collaborative process between light and graphic, concepts and skills. The increasing influences of images and trends from visual media will also be discussed.
• HUMA 1155

  Video Art

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 1667

  Description

  Video Art is an art form combined varies medium, moving images, sound, and multimedia elements. This special art form involves experimentation, concept implementation and editing. In the course, we will explore varies camera skills, and explore styles and concept. Through explorations and practices to achieve certain features and concepts of video art.
• HUMA 1156

  Exploration of Chinese Calligraphy

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 1669

  Description

  Chinese Calligraphy is one of the most unique traditional art forms in Asia. This course will develop students' appreciation of various types of Chinese Calligraphy. The course provides practical writing workshops which can encourage students’ interest and experience the progress; deepen students’ understanding basic calligraphic skill and generate visual creativity. It prepares students having a better overview of Chinese culture.
• HUMA 1160

  Weiqi and Chinese Culture

  1 Credit(s)
  Medium of Instruction

  [PU] Putonghua

  Reading Material

  [C] Require Chinese reading

  Description

  Weiqi has a long and profound history. In the four art forms of ancient China – Guqin, chess, calligraphy and Chinese painting, chess refers to Weiqi. As the world’s oldest chess game, Weiqi is speculated to start around the 23rd century BC and be created by Emperor Yao. This course will cover the fundamental techniques of capturing stones, common life-and-death shapes, basic joseki, and opening theory in Weiqi, as well as how to complete a full game against an opponent. By participating in this Weiqi course, students can gain insights into the origin and development trajectory of Weiqi culture, stories of prominent figures, and its implications on artificial intelligence (AI), one of the hottest topics today. Weiqi is more than a game and a cultural carrier. It is hoped that Weiqi will become one of students’ lifelong hobbies.
• HUMA 1210

  Chinese Women on Screen

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 1601

  Description

  This course approaches Chinese women as both historical and fictional figures to unravel the complicated relationship between history and visual representation. Each week revolves around a special topic and a film about Chinese women located in a specific socio-historical period. This course is in chronological order, beginning from Republican women to contemporary female immigrants in the age of globalization. The changing images of women on screen went hand in hand with major cinematic movements in history, including the left turn in the 1930s, the rise of animation, socialist filmmaking, model opera film, underground/independent filmmaking, and the cinematic globalization. The purpose of this course is to build a foundation for students from different academic backgrounds who may have little or no knowledge of Chinese culture and history. Proficiency in Chinese is a plus but not required because all reading materials and class discussion are in English.
• HUMA 1231

  Popular Culture of East Asia

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 1602

  Description

  This course provides an overview of the various forms of popular culture in East Asia and focuses on the question of how the rise of East Asian popular culture reflects the desire for "modernity" and "modernization" in each East Asian country and affects the interactions among them. Numerous popular cultural forms - music, film, TV drama, manga/anime, novels, entertainment, food, fashion and design - in Japan, Korea, China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan will be examined. The increasing global fascination of or craze for East Asian popular culture and how such East Asian "soft power" has inspired and transformed the global aesthetics and popular imagination or understanding of East Asia will also be discussed.
• HUMA 1301

  World Literature and Film

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 1603

  Description

  This course explores the complex interplay between literature and cinema. Selected novels, short stories and plays are analyzed in relation to their cinematic adaptations to gain an understanding of the masterpieces of world literature, and the possibilities and challenges involved in their cinematic manifestations.
• HUMA 1420

  Late Imperial China from Yuan to Qing

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 2521, HUMA 2420

  Description

  This course will cover the history of China from the Yuan to the Qing dynasties. It will introduce students to the political, social, economic, and cultural changes that took place during this period, and also places China firmly in context of world history. Students will engage both primary and secondary sources and are encouraged to ask pertinent questions with regards to how changes and continuities took place. The course will also look beyond the strict temporal confines of the late imperial period and examine how history has informed the contours of China today.
• HUMA 1430

  History of P. R. China's Diplomacy, 1949-1989

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 1522

  Medium of Instruction

  [PU] Putonghua

  Reading Material

  [C] Require Chinese reading

  Description

  This course will introduce to students the diplomatic history of the People's Republic of China (PRC) from 1949 to 1989, focusing on Sino-USSR and Sino-U.S. relations in the context of the Cold War. Key events and leading figures will be covered, newly declassified archival materials will be presented, and critical examination and rethinking of PRC history will be introduced for discussion.
• HUMA 1440

  Modern China

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  MGCS 5001

  Reading Material

  [C] Require Chinese reading

  Description

  This general history course introduces students to China’s political, economic, social, and cultural life during the 19th and 20th centuries. A survey of major political, social, and cultural events and changes in China from the late-imperial period to the founding of the People's Republic of China. The course focuses on dramatic changes in China in order to review how these changes have radically reshaped Chinese society, economy, politics, and culture.
• HUMA 1520

  Modern East Asia

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 1523, MGCS 5004

  Description

  This course is a survey of the history of political, social, economic, and cultural changes in East Asia (mainly China and Japan, and to some extent, Korea) from the 1800s to the 1950s. In the past two centuries, the classical civilizations of East Asia met new challenges: the disintegration of old political systems, the growth of social tensions, and the arrival of an aggressive and expanding West. This course will study the internal and external tensions that undermined the traditional orders, compelling China, Japan, and Korea to seek new political and social reforms. Special attention will be given to the revolutionary changes in society, thought, culture, and the rise of a new political order in twentieth-century China, Japan, and Korea.
• HUMA 1622

  Science, Technology and Society: Historical and Cultural Approaches

  3 Credit(s)
  Description

  How science, technology, and medicine work in the present can be illuminated by a study of their recent pasts. This course is an introduction to those modern histories, presented as a series of case studies. Students will come to understand how science, technology, and medicine are entangled with society and culture. The course will discuss topics such as the invention and innovation of the telephone; the attempt to predict earthquakes; how citizen science saved birds and humans from chemical poisoning; the modern survival of ‘traditional’ Chinese medicine; shifting ideas about robots; and how and why young people invented the personal computer, among others. By the end of the course, students will have a much clearer picture of how science, technology, and medicine are co-produced socially and culturally, and be able to apply those lessons to the world we live in now.
• HUMA 1630

  Popular Religion in South China

  3 Credit(s)
  Medium of Instruction

  [CA] Cantonese

  Reading Material

  [C] Require Chinese reading

  Description

  This course adopts an anthropological approach to the study of popular religion in South China. The relationships among popular religion and other socio-cultural institutions and the interactions between local societies and the state will be explored. The structure of temples, the processes of festivals and pilgrimages, meanings of religious activities, and concepts of the religious values and system will be examined.
• HUMA 1639

  Marriage, Family and Kinship in Cross-cultural Perspectives

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 1554

  Description

  This course examines the diverse cultural meanings and structures of kinship relations and organizations. Different anthropological approaches in analyzing the structures and practices of marriage, family and kinship will be examined.
• HUMA 1650

  Appreciation of Western Art

  3 Credit(s)
  Description

  The course is an introduction to the appreciation of art through selected works of painting and sculpture from the West, from ancient periods to the present. Students will learn to use different approaches to understand the language of art and the complexity of artistic creation in Western culture.
• HUMA 1660

  Introduction to Chinese Art

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 1651

  Medium of Instruction

  [PU] Putonghua

  Reading Material

  [C] Require Chinese reading

  Description

  This course is a chronological and thematic survey of Chinese visual art from the Neolithic period to modern times. Topics introduced include ancient Chinese bronze and jade, pottery and ceramics, Buddhist art and sculpture, calligraphy and seal carving, garden and architecture.
• HUMA 1671

  Cantonese Opera in Hong Kong Culture

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 1661

  Medium of Instruction

  [CA] Cantonese
  [EN] Taught in Eng/Chin subject to diff. offerings

  Reading Material

  [C] Require Chinese reading

  Description

  The “culture” of a community encompasses the social and personal behaviour, language and dialects, visual and performing arts, economic activities and the ideas, beliefs, and customs of its people. As a traditional genre of performing arts unique to Hong Kong, Cantonese opera has a long history of development and is entwined to arguably all such aspects of Hong Kong culture. Set within the socio‐cultural context of Hong Kong, this course explores the genre in terms of its course of development, repertory, plots, script structure, performing techniques such as singing, acting, reciting and fencing, troupe organisation, training of artists, performing venues including theatre and the bamboo stage, and its marketing strategies, aiming at unfolding to the students how an art form is appreciated through both the aesthetical and functional perspectives. The course will be offered either in Cantonese or English subject to different offerings. Students are advised to check the medium of instruction/materials before class enrollment.
• HUMA 1672

  Studio Arts Workshops: Cantonese Opera

  1 Credit(s)
  Corequisite(s)

  CORE 1661, HUMA 1671

  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 1662

  Medium of Instruction

  [CA] Cantonese
  [PU] Putonghua

  Reading Material

  [C] Require Chinese reading

  Description

  This course will allow students enrolled to CORE 1661 Cantonese Opera in Hong Kong Culture to have hands-on experience of Cantonese Opera. Students will learn the four basic performance skills of Cantonese opera, namely, singing, reciting, acting and fencing. Graded DI/PA/F.
• HUMA 1673

  Art and Digital Culture

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 1668

  Description

  This course will explore how digital technologies are transforming art production and presentation. From early photography to virtual reality, it will examine art forms at the turn of the mechanical age (e.g. photography, film) as well as artistic practices in the digital age such as virtual reality, data visualization, artificial intelligence, and NFT (Non-fungible token). Situating art and digital culture within a cross-disciplinary context, the course also considers the following key issues: how do digital technologies change our art, culture, and contemporary life? How does art in the digital age define key issues in the digital world such as privacy, copyright, and identity? How can we create art through interdisciplinary practice? Students will learn to analyze new forms of art and related technologies, and to discuss the key issues of the body, identity, and surveillance in the digital age.
• HUMA 1674

  China in Historical Maps

  3 Credit(s)
  Description

  Using historical maps of China drawn by both Chinese and Western mapmakers from 1200 to 1800, the course will show students how maps can serve as windows into the past and introduce us to the worldviews of the mapmakers and their society. Through looking at the history, art and science of map making, the course will guide students to reflect on and find answers to these questions: how to look at ancient maps? How to identify and interpret place names, objects, peoples and animals depicted in the maps, and how to distinguish the real from the imaginary? Who made these maps, for whom, and for what purposes? How were the images of China produced by Chinese different from those by European cartographers?
• HUMA 1710

  The Art of Thinking in the Hong Kong Context

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 1571, CORE 1572, HUMA 1720

  Medium of Instruction

  [CA] Cantonese

  Reading Material

  [C] Require Chinese reading

  Description

  This course aims to provide a basic introduction to the art of thinking. The focus of this course is on methodology. Students will be equipped with critical tools for the analysis of arguments. Moreover, special attention will be given to the application of such tools to the practical affairs of everyday life.
• HUMA 1720

  Logic

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 1571, CORE 1572, HUMA 1710

  Description

  This course is designed to provide the students with the basic knowledge of logic, so that they can apply logical techniques to analyze various problems of reasoning in ordinary language and to examine the fallacies of thinking in daily life. The course includes topics such as the basic concepts of logic, logic and language, fallacies and definitions, sentential logic, and syllogism.
• HUMA 1810

  Introduction to Chinese Philosophy

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 1574, HUMA 1811

  Medium of Instruction

  [CA] Cantonese

  Reading Material

  [C] Require Chinese reading

  Description

  This course is designed to familiarize students with the developments of Chinese philosophy in the traditional period. It will focus specifically on Confucianism, Taoism, Mohism, Legalism, neo-Taoism, Buddhism and neo-Confucianism for the simple reason that these schools, having had exerted tremendous and lasting impacts on the formation of the Chinese mind in the past, will continue to shape the Chinese outlook on life in the future.
• HUMA 1811

  History of Chinese Philosophy

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 1574, HUMA 1810

  Medium of Instruction

  [CA] Cantonese

  Reading Material

  [C] Require Chinese reading

  Description

  This course aims at a historical survey of the developments of Chinese philosophy. Through an introduction to the great Chinese thinkers (like Confucius and Mo Zi), the main schools of thought to which they belong (like Confucianism and Mohism), their central theories (like humanity and universal love), and some other important philosophical concepts and issues, students will be guided to explore the evolution of these philosophies against the background of Chinese history and civilization.
• HUMA 1920

  Introduction to Moral Philosophy

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 1576

  Description

  This introductory course examines various beliefs and questions underlying our moral lives. These include the relation between morality and religion, subjectivism, relativism, self-interest, the rights and wrongs of euthanasia, etc. Also, certain ethical theories claim to help us make the right moral decisions, e.g. utilitarianism. This course is a systematic exploration of such beliefs and theories, emphasizing critical thinking and reasonable justification.
• HUMA 1921

  Philosophy of Science

  3 Credit(s)
  Description

  This is an introductory course in the philosophy of science. It will cover some classical works of the 20th century philosophy of science, including Logical Empiricism (e.g. Carnap, Hempel, and Nagel), Popper’s Falsificationism, Kuhn’s Structures of Scientific Revolution, Lakatos’ research programme, and Feyerabend’s “anything goes”. It will also examine some fundamental concepts in science. What is scientific explanation? What counts as scientific evidence? What does “probability” in science mean? Moreover, it will assess some central debates in the philosophy of science such as the scientific realism/anti-realism debate and the recent debate over scientific progress.
• HUMA 1922

  Introduction to Analytic Philosophy

  3 Credit(s)
  Description

  This is an introductory course in analytic philosophy. It covers some central issues in the history of analytic philosophy, including scepticism, naturalism, personal identity, free will, and the mind-body problem. It also examines some key concepts in contemporary analytical philosophy, such as knowledge, truth, meaning, and causation. It provides students with the opportunity to read some classical works by leading analytic philosophers (e.g. Russell, Quine, Austin, Lewis, Parfit, Jackson, and van Inwagen).
• HUMA 1930

  Introduction to the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence and Data Science

  3 Credit(s)
  Description

  This course introduces the ethical considerations surrounding the development and application of artificial intelligence (AI) and data science. Topics include AI’s impact on privacy, bias, transparency, and accountability. Students will learn the ethical principles and frameworks used to guide decision-making in the field and apply them to real-world scenarios. The course takes a comparative perspective to examine how different cultures and societies approach the ethical issues. It also explores the societal implications of AI and data science, including issues related to power, inequality, the global governance of AI and its role in shaping social policy. No prior technical and philosophical knowledge or background is required.
• HUMA 2000-2001

  Special Topics in Humanities

  3 Credit(s)
  Description

  Focuses on a coherent collection of topics selected from the humanities. May be repeated for credit, if topics are different.
• HUMA 2010

  Metaphors in English and Chinese

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 2501

  Reading Material

  [C] Require Chinese reading

  Description

  A comprehensive study of metaphors in English and Chinese, not only as a rhetorical device, but also as an essential tool of our ordinary language and thought. The course encompasses a wide range of diverse topics such as literary metaphors, metaphors in everyday language (about time, life, change, quantity, love, anger, etc.), and metaphors in politics, mathematics, physics, artificial intelligence, and cyberspace. The approach is interdisciplinary and comparative, and most topics are to be discussed from a cross-linguistic and cross-cultural perspective. An ordinary reading knowledge of Chinese is required for enrollment.
• HUMA 2031

  The Cantonese Language

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 2502

  Medium of Instruction

  [CA] Cantonese

  Reading Material

  [C] Require Chinese reading

  Description

  Study of the Cantonese language, from the perspective of linguistics which emphasizes the scientific study of language. The course focuses on the sound and the grammatical systems of Cantonese. It also examines historical and socio-linguistic issues pertinent to the development of Cantonese in the context of Hong Kong. Students enrolling in this course are expected to have basic knowledge of Chinese.
• HUMA 2032

  Language, Power and Identity

  3 Credit(s)
  Description

  This course aims to stimulate students’ thinking around the complex notion of ‘identity’, challenging classic sociolinguistic and sociological approaches and introducing poststructuralist approaches. The language of individuals and/or institutions will be analysed in depth, with reference to critical theories of society, ideology and discourse. The course also aims to raise awareness of how language is used to create and maintain power through narratives of identity. Case studies will be presented, with a view to deconstructionist analysis on the role of language in producing and reproducing ostensibly stable ‘identities’ along binary lines such as masculine/feminine, Western/Asian and straight/queer. The course also investigates how humans perform other types of social difference and belonging such as ethnicity and social class.
• HUMA 2050

  Classical Chinese

  3 Credit(s)
  Medium of Instruction

  [PU] Putonghua

  Reading Material

  [C] Require Chinese reading

  Description

  An introduction to the fundamental aspects of Classical Chinese grammar and a linguistic study of Classical Chinese texts selected from the classics in the pre-Qin era and the Han period, including Shijing (Book of Songs), Zuozhuan (Zuo’s Commentaries), Lunyu (Analects), Mengzi (Mencius) and Shiji (Records of the Historian). This course also teaches students to translate classical Chinese into modern Chinese and to improve Chinese communication skills, with emphasis on academic writing.
• HUMA 2101

  Enjoyment of Western Opera

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 2631

  Description

  An examination of the historical development of western opera, and selected western operas with their related literary texts. This course will also put some emphasis on works that are related to Asian cultures, and operas that will be performed in Hong Kong. No previous knowledge of opera is required.
• HUMA 2103

  Introduction to Music Composition

  3 Credit(s)
  Description

  (1) Course Content: Through a progressive series of composition projects, students learn the organizational skill of musical composition and performances, focusing on the basics of unity and variety; promoting students' understanding of humanistic experiences, creativities and emotions. Weekly listening, reading, and composition assignments draw on a broad range of musical styles and intellectual traditions, from various cultures and historical periods. (2) Advice on the background of Students: Students are required to have the ability to sing or to play one or more musical instruments (e.g. Grade 3 in Royal Schools Music Exam or equivalent). The ability to read music and the knowledge to music notation are preferable, but not required.
• HUMA 2104

  Music Theory I: Introduction to Tonal Music

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 2632, SISP 1709

  Description

  This course is an introduction to the fundamentals of Western music theory with an emphasis on reading and writing musical notation, ear training, and analytical listening. Students will develop an understanding of how texture, harmony, rhythm, dynamics, melodic development, and other parameters interact to create music. Examples used in the class will be drawn mostly, but not exclusively, from classical repertoire. Although prior musical training will be helpful, there are no prerequisites for the course.
• HUMA 2105

  Music, Drama, and Theatre

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 2633

  Description

  This course will guide the students to create, produce, and perform their own musical theatre work. As musical theatre is a multi-artwork, this course would be suitable for students who are interested in language art, music, theatre, dance, and visual art. At the discretion of the instructor, an in-class or public performance would be offered during the term. No prior knowledge or experience of performing arts is required.
• HUMA 2107

  Introduction to Electronic Music Composition

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 2634

  Description

  This course will develop students' appreciation of various types of electronic music via an open, creative environment for its composition. We will explore the nature of sound and approaches to its organization -- listening deeply to music and the world around us -- and cover theory and practice in digital audio signal processing. Since we will be working with 'concrete sound', students need not have any prior experience in music notation or composition to participate in the course. The course will culminate in an open concert-presentation of final works that students will have developed over the semester.
• HUMA 2108

  Music of China

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 2635

  Cross-Campus Equivalent Course

  UCUG 2500

  Description

  This course will look at various forms of Chinese music, focusing in particular on instrumental genres. Although the aim is not to present the history of Chinese music per se, the topical organization of the course will follow a more or less chronological framework as attention is drawn to certain issues and prominent characteristics of music and musical life in China from ancient times to the present. The ability to read music or knowledge of musical notation would be helpful, but not required.
• HUMA 2109

  East Asian Popular Music

  3 Credit(s)
  Description

  This course will look at various popular music genres in East Asia, namely, in China, Japan and Korea, and explore different popular music styles in each culture and issues related to the emergence of each one and their localized meanings. It will seek to understand how meanings are produced, mediated, negotiated, subverted, and celebrated in popular music. Through discussions based on a combination of selected readings, films/videos, and music recordings, students will not only get acquainted with popular music well beyond their own or what they normally listen to; they will also gain alternative perspectives on what constitutes "popular music" in different East Asian contexts and their significance.
• HUMA 2202

  The Modern Japanese Novel

  3 Credit(s)
  Description

  This course surveys the literary and cultural history of Japan from the Meiji period (1868-1912) up to the Second World War (1941-1945), paying a particular attention to the origins and subsequent development of the narrative form of the novel. Topics of discussion will include: the relationship between the narrative form of the novel and the imagination of the nation-state, gender and literary genre, the fragmentation of narrative in modernist writings, the demarcation between “pure” and “mass” literature, and the role of translation in constructing conceptions of Japanese literature.
• HUMA 2203

  Japanese Cinema

  3 Credit(s)
  Description

  This course takes as its object of analysis the themes, stylistics, and genres of Japanese cinema through work of classic directors (Kurosawa, Mizoguchi, and Ozu) and more recent filmmakers. Discussions will cover such issues as the rise of the “pure film” movement in the early twentieth century, the impact of the postwar relationship between Hollywood and the Japanese film industry on the development of the discipline of film studies, the functions of film genre, and the globalization of Japanese cinema.
• HUMA 2240

  Reading Chinese Literature: Dreams of the Red Chamber

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 2601

  Medium of Instruction

  [PU] Putonghua

  Reading Material

  [C] Require Chinese reading

  Mode of Delivery

  [BLD] Blended learning

  Description

  This course is a study of one of the most famous Chinese novels, Dreams of the Red Chamber. A close reading of the novel will benefit our students in terms of their literary appreciation and writing skills.
• HUMA 2250

  Modern Chinese Fiction (1917-1949)

  3 Credit(s)
  Medium of Instruction

  [PU] Putonghua

  Reading Material

  [C] Require Chinese reading

  Description

  A historical and critical survey of modern Chinese fiction from 1917 to 1949, with emphasis on the forms of novella and short story. Several famous fictions by LU Xun, MAO Dun, SHEN Congwen, LAO She, ZHANG Ailing ,etc. will be done close-reading in the class. The course aims to enable students to analyze and appreciate the authors’ literary skills, artistic achievement, literary thought, and historical background.
• HUMA 2260

  Contemporary Chinese Fiction (1949-present)

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 2603

  Medium of Instruction

  [PU] Putonghua

  Reading Material

  [C] Require Chinese reading

  Description

  The course will describe modern Chinese fiction from 1949 to the present, a historical background of Modern Chinese thought will be explained. Some literary theory will be discussed when explaining the stories.
• HUMA 2300

  Traditional Chinese Poetry: Early Chinese Poetry

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 2604

  Medium of Instruction

  [PU] Putonghua

  Reading Material

  [C] Require Chinese reading

  Description

  The course will describe the origins and early development of classical Chinese poetry, e.g, Shijing, Chuci, folk songs, and major poets of the Han Dynasties. The meaning of these poetry will be examined. The distinguishing aesthetic feature will be discussed.
• HUMA 2310

  Traditional Chinese Fiction

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 2605

  Medium of Instruction

  [EN] Taught in Eng/Chin subject to diff. offerings
  [PU] Putonghua

  Reading Material

  [C] Require Chinese reading

  Description

  A survey of traditional Chinese fiction from its formative period to the Qing through the reading of selected texts, with emphasis on the evolution of the forms and themes and their cultural implications. In this class, we study full-length fiction as well as short stories written in both vernacular and classical Chinese. Some questions we ask include: Who are the authors and the audience? What are the forms and aesthetic conventions of traditional Chinese fiction? What are the historical, political, and moral concerns of traditional Chinese fiction? The class will address these questions through historical contextualization and close reading of representative works.
• HUMA 2320

  Chinese Drama

  3 Credit(s)
  Medium of Instruction

  [PU] Putonghua

  Reading Material

  [C] Require Chinese reading

  Description

  An introduction to the fundamentals of Chinese drama in both modern and pre-modern periods, with the emphasis on how to appreciate Chinese drama tradition.
• HUMA 2330

  Anime

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 2606

  Description

  With the rise of digital culture since the late 1980s, Japanese animation, widely known as anime, has become a global phenomenon. Given its sweeping impact worldwide, we can no longer dismiss it as mere pop culture and entertainment. Indeed, anime has gradually emerged as a new field of research, dominating film histories and theories in the academia. This course offers an overview of anime by examining its histories, techniques and technologies, medium, genres, and conceptual issues. It will track anime’s early years, development, industrialization, globalization, and explosive boom in the digital age. Focusing on cinema features and TV series, this course will explore a variety of overlapping (sub)genres, such as Robot, Mecha, Cyberpunk, Apocalypse, Adventure, Supernatural, Shōjo, and Tragedy. Conceptual issues like cuteness, gender, sexuality, race, nation, environment, human-machine interaction, AI and posthumanism will be examined closely. Japanese language and knowledge are welcome but not required for this course.
• HUMA 2331

  Media Theories of Japanese Animation

  3 Credit(s)
  Description

  This course takes up the technologies and practices of spectatorship surrounding Japanese animation. By examining the works of important directors, this course will cover not only the major genres and recurrent themes of anime, but also, new media theories and other related writings on media history and fan culture.
• HUMA 2340

  Between Old and New: Chinese Stories and Their Reinventions

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 2607

  Description

  This course traces the transmutation and reinvention of classical Chinese stories from ancient times to present era. What are the stories told once and again in Chinese culture? Is it true that each retelling is different? Or do things stay more or less the same despite changes of time? Are there perennial themes that thread through Chinese civilization? Is this a valid question? In this course, we engage these questions by putting examples in Chinese literature and culture from the past and the present into dialogue. Taking a transmedia approach, this course brings in both textual and visual materials from history, literature, and cinema. By juxtaposing materials of relevance from different times and carried by various media, we explore continuities and discontinuities in Chinese culture as well as the possibilities and limits each historical moment offers for cultural transformation.
• HUMA 2400

  Approaches to Humanities in China Studies

  3 Credit(s)
  Reading Material

  [C] Require Chinese reading

  Description

  This course is designed to train students with the skills of academic research and writing in the field of humanities in general, but with special reference to arts, literature, linguistics, religion, philosophy, history, and anthropology, of China, in particular. Students’ attention will also be drawn to the inherent problems of sources and materials as textual or visual ‘evidence’, and they will be taught how to identify and to tackle with the problem of fallacy of ‘evidence’.
• HUMA 2420

  Late Imperial China

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 2521

  Reading Material

  [C] Require Chinese reading

  Description

  A comprehensive survey of Chinese history from the ninth down to the eighteenth century, with emphasis on developments in the economy and society, empire-building, and intellectual pursuits.
• HUMA 2430

  China in the 20th Century

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 2522

  Medium of Instruction

  [CA] Cantonese

  Reading Material

  [C] Require Chinese reading

  Description

  A study of modern Chinese history from the Revolution of 1911 to the reforms in the 1980s, examining the interplay of imperialism, democracy, nationalism, and socialism, which shaped China's struggle for survival in the 20th century and its emergence as a strong modern nation.
• HUMA 2440

  20th-Century China in Documentary Films

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 2523

  Description

  This course presents the turbulent history of twentieth century China through documentary films. In addition to reading historical texts, students will study various films made by journalists and filmmakers of the time and in recent years. In the first half of the term, the course will cover major historical events from the 1911 revolution to 1989. In the second half, through closely studying documentary films the course will focus on several themes, including China's role in WWII, the Anti-Rightist Campaign, the Great Leap Forward, the Cultural Revolution, and the Tiananmen Incident in 1989. Some of the films are in English and some in Chinese with subtitles.
• HUMA 2470

  From Fung Shui to Mao's Villages: City Plans, Urban Politics & the Unseen World of Chinese Villages

  3 Credit(s)
  Reading Material

  [C] Require Chinese reading

  Description

  A historical survey of the socio-cultural transformation in Chinese cities and villages from the late-Imperial to the modern periods. The process of “modernization” as well as the persistence of tradition is studied to redress some of the stereotyped pictures of Chinese society, both rural and urban. Important topics include: continuity and change in China’s city plans and their cultural meanings, the cultural meanings and importance of cities in Imperial China, the socio-economic-politico-cultural significances of treaty port cities as beachhead of Western expansion in China, urban modernization and its socio-economic-cultural impacts on China during the warlord period and under the Nationalist regime, the salient characteristics and the reality of Chinese rural society and politic in the pre-modern and modern periods, the social and economic development and devastation of the Chinese countryside between 1800 and 1940, and how the Chinese Communist Party made revolution in the countryside before 1937.
• HUMA 2520

  History of Tea in East Asia

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 2525

  Description

  This course explores the history of tea in East Asia from its origins to the present day using an interdisciplinary approach. Topics covered include the development of tea culture throughout history, tea's role as a trade commodity, the dissemination and innovation in tea production technologies, and its recent re-imagining as a traditional product. The course will be a mix of lectures and discussions.
• HUMA 2588

  Nazism and German Society, 1914-1945

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 2526

  Description

  This course surveys German history from 1914 to 1945, with a focus on the rise, rule, and destruction of National Socialism. Topics to be covered include the First World War, the Weimar Republic, the emergence of the National Socialist movement, consent and coercion in the Third Reich, the racial state, Hitler's leadership, the Second World War, and the Holocaust. In addition to mastering historical concepts and narratives, students will sharpen their abilities to read sources and write analytical essays.
• HUMA 2590

  The Making of the Modern World: Renaissance to the Present

  3 Credit(s)
  Description

  This course surveys the major ideas, political developments and cultural movements in European societies from the renaissance to the present, providing students with foundational and thematic knowledge of European history, as well as an understanding of the ways that European politics, culture and economy have shaped through encounters with non-European societies -- through cultural and commercial exchange, imperialism and de-colonization, Cold War rivalries and globalization.
• HUMA 2596

  History of Biology and Medicine

  3 Credit(s)
  Description

  This course explores the past 200 years of history of biology and medicine. It is designed as an introductory course for students who have no background in the subject. Topics will include case studies from both the 19th Century and the 20th Century, with an emphasis on how the past has influenced the present. Classes will mix lectures with discussions, and students will prepare an in-depth final research presentation as well as an extended review essay of a book in the history of biology or medicine of their choosing.
• HUMA 2597

  Environmental History

  3 Credit(s)
  Description

  This course provides students with an introduction to the field of environmental history focusing on the past one hundred years of environmental change around the globe. The course will explore different themes in environmental history, including the environmental impact of humans, the history of sustainable development, environmental justice movements and national programs of nature conservation.
• HUMA 2621

  Culture and Environment

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 2551

  Description

  This introductory course aims to study the relationship between "culture" and the "environment" and the impacts of cultural mechanisms on resource management, population and health practices in different cultural settings. Some topics about human adaptive strategies, such as types of production and consumption in different societies related to horticulture, maritime, pastoralism and labor intensive agriculture will be discussed.
• HUMA 2623

  Cultural Sustainability in South China

  3 Credit(s)
  Medium of Instruction

  [PU] Putonghua
  [CA] Cantonese

  Description

  In the past decades, local societies in South China experienced significant changes and many local customs and traditions are disappearing as a result of China’s rapid urbanization and economic growth. The sustainability of local cultures has become a major concern. Culture is an important component of sustainable development, as it refers to how we understand and appreciate natural resources and each other. Cultural sustainability requires the recognition of indigenous cultural values and standards, as well as equal rights of the respective communities in policy planning and decision-making, and the engagement of the local community and members of the public. This course adopts an interdisciplinary approach to explore the concept, possibilities, and limits of cultural sustainability. Students are required to conduct field research projects in the Pearl River Delta region, in which they will meet the local residents and have personal fieldwork experience through interviewing and participant observation.
• HUMA 2632

  Chinese Culture and Society in Anthropological Perspectives

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 2553, MGCS 5031

  Medium of Instruction

  [CA] Cantonese

  Reading Material

  [C] Require Chinese reading

  Description

  This course is a survey of traditional and contemporary Chinese cultural practices in local communities based on anthropologists’ long-term first-hand fieldwork studies in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Mainland China. Basic anthropological concepts and theories about Chinese socio-cultural institutions will be examined. Major anthropological contributions to the understanding of the diversity and unity of Chinese cultures and societies will be explored.
• HUMA 2635

  Cultural Diversity in China

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 2554, MGCS 5032

  Description

  This course examines diverse ethnic cultures and identities in China, and the ethnic relations between the state power and ethnic groups in historical contexts as well as the contemporary situation of the social institutions of ethnic minorities in China. The course lectures and tutorials are designed to introduce the topics to the students and to accelerate students’ intellectual development.
• HUMA 2638

  Peoples and Cultures in Southeast Asia

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 2555

  Description

  This course aims to study the cultural diversity in Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, and the complex historical development of majority/minority relations and the formulation of cultural identities among different peoples, as well as the dynamic relations among religion, ethnicity, tourism and modernity in this region.
• HUMA 2640

  Unofficial China: Social History 1800s-1930s

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 2529

  Reading Material

  [C] Require Chinese reading

  Description

  A study of the key issues in the social history of late-Imperial and Modern China. Different aspects of ordinary people's life are highlighted in order to critically analyze the process of social change from an unofficial perspective. Topics include: violence in Chinese culture and society, conditions and situation of women, the problems of prostitution, opium smoking and gambling, workers and peasants in face of economic exploitation.
• HUMA 2660

  Introduction to Chinese Painting

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 2651

  Medium of Instruction

  [PU] Putonghua

  Reading Material

  [C] Require Chinese reading

  Description

  A survey of major monuments, schools and theories from earliest times to the twentieth century, with an introduction to the problems of connoisseurship in Chinese painting.
• HUMA 2661

  Chinese Oil Painting

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 2652

  Description

  This course gives students knowledge of the development of oil painting in China. Focusing on the history of China in the 20th and 21st centuries, the course explores the social, cultural and political circumstances that favored, oppressed and directed the path of the development of Chinese oil painting in different periods of time.
• HUMA 2670

  Understanding Western Painting

  3 Credit(s)
  Description

  This course introduces students to the masterpieces of Western painting through an outline of chronology, painting techniques, painting genres by themes and the lives of the most renowned Western painters from ancient Greece to the mid-20th century.
• HUMA 2680

  Understanding Western Architecture

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 2654

  Description

  This course gives students fundamental knowledge of the masterpieces of Western architecture and the variation in styles in different epochs and cultures, from ancient Greece to the 21st century.
• HUMA 2840

  Buddhism and the Chinese Intellectual Tradition

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 2571

  Medium of Instruction

  [PU] Putonghua

  Reading Material

  [C] Require Chinese reading

  Description

  This course will introduce the basic ideas of Buddhism, the main schools of Buddhism in China and their historical development. A number of Chinese Buddhist philosophical terms and some works written by Chinese monks and scholars will be selected for explanation and discussion. This course examines the dynamics of cultural interaction and choice-making with an emphasis on Buddhism as an Indian religion and its encounters with indigenous Chinese traditions and the outcomes of their interactions.
• HUMA 2911

  Buddhism: Origin and Growth

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 2572

  Description

  An examination of the historical, religious and philosophical foundation of the Buddhist tradition in India and exploration of the history of Buddhism as a world religion with an emphasis on the basic doctrines and philosophy of Buddhism.
• HUMA 2921

  Ethical Theories and Contemporary Issues

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 2573, HUMA 200N

  Description

  This course introduces students to the ethical theories of deontology (or the ethics of duty), utilitarianism (or the ethics of consequences), and virtue ethics (or the ethics of character). This is followed by an examination of their application to selected contemporary moral issues. In general, issues relating to the following areas may be considered: the environment, business, information technology, and bioethics. The precise issues discussed may vary from year to year.
• HUMA 2930

  What am I? Personal Identity and the Self from a Philosophical Perspective

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 2574

  Description

  Most of us have a special interest in what will happen to ourselves. If you learn that someone will win a one-million lottery tomorrow, you feel happy for them. If you are then told that the someone is you, a new set of emotions arises. What am I? The course discusses the possibility of life after death, the existence of a soul, the possibility and desirability of immortality, abortion, and euthanasia. These discussions greatly affect how one chooses one's religion and perceives the value of life. We will read classical and contemporary theories of the self, personal identity, afterlife, death, and will explore the relation between the self and its environment, the basis of (non)egoistic future concerns and responsibilities. By looking at different approaches and various (Eastern and Western) philosophical and religious traditions to answering fundamental questions, we learn to develop the habit to think in a critical way.
• HUMA 3000

  Special Topics

  2-3 Credit(s)
  Description

  Focuses on a coherent collection of topics selected from the humanities. May be repeated for credit, if topics are different.
• HUMA 3030

  Language, Communication and Culture

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 3501

  Description

  This course explores human language in relation to the communicative functions which it serves and the cultural context in which it is used. Issues such as how human language is distinct from other communication systems, how language is used to convey different meanings and how culture affects the use of language will be examined in order to highlight the uniqueness of human language.
• HUMA 3050

  Psychology of Language

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 3502

  Description

  This course will focus on the psychological processes of language use. It includes an introduction to basic linguistic and psychological models and examines the biological foundations of language. Psycholinguistic issues in language comprehension and language production will be discussed. Over the course of the semester, it covers research areas such as speech perception and production, word recognition, sentence processing, and language in the brain.
• HUMA 3060

  Language and Migration

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 3503

  Description

  This course aims to stimulate students' thinking and broaden their knowledge about language in relation to migration in the contemporary multilingual world. This is a world which is a product of mobility of people, information and products across physical and virtual boundaries. Languages themselves are changed through migration. Within a context of linguistic diversity, language is central to the organization of institutions, access to information, the exchange of goods and the ability to communicate. Students will investigate how language is used by migrants in areas including health, education, the law and employment. They will explore how language practices are shaped by face-to-face and mediated encounters and by the constraints of political and institutional contexts. Key questions are: What languages and forms of communication get used, when, why and where? What linguistic factors enable and limit access for migrants to services and resources? What are the consequences?
• HUMA 3102

  Making Chamber Music A

  2 Credit(s)
  Description

  Through weekly coaching sessions and public performances, students will learn all facets of chamber music making at a high level. Students will also learn team-building skills and develop attentiveness to partners in an ensemble. This is a course for students who are highly motivated, and sufficiently trained and experienced in classical music performance. Enrollment in the course requires instructor's approval based on audition outcome.
• HUMA 3103

  Making Chamber Music B

  2 Credit(s)
  Description

  Through weekly coaching sessions and public performances, students will learn all facets of chamber music making at a high level and expand their repertoire on their instrument. Students will also learn team-building skills and develop attentiveness to partners in an ensemble. This is a course for students who are highly motivated, and sufficiently trained and experienced in classical music performance. Enrollment in the course requires instructor's approval based on audition outcome.
• HUMA 3104

  Music Theory II: Fundamentals of Harmony and Counterpoint

  3 Credit(s)
  Description

  This course will cover the technical and analytical tools of harmony and counterpoint, concentrating on functional tonality which forms the basic grammar of European art music, roughly from the late seventeenth to the late nineteenth century. Students without prerequisite but with prior background in music theory may seek instructor's approval for enrollment in the course.
• HUMA 3105

  Making Choral Music

  3 Credit(s)
  Description

  By studying and performing pieces from the historical spectrum of classical choral masterpieces, students will gain an in-depth and hands on appreciation for the history and artistry of Western music. The performance practicum and analytical skills demonstrated will bring about a deeper understanding of music as an art form. Students will both research and perform these works to gain a unique appreciation for the music. Previous musical training, albeit helpful, is not required.
• HUMA 3107

  Electronic Music Composition II

  3 Credit(s)
  Description

  This course develops students’ craft, creativity and technical skills in working with live electronics in the production of sound. Using significant repertoire as points of reference, the course explores techniques for using software to manipulate and create sound in contexts such as live instrumental performance (including combinations of acoustic instrument plus electronics), sound installation, and sound sculpture. The course will culminate in an open concert presentation of final works that students will have developed over the semester in consultation with the instructor. Approval of the course instructor is needed for students to enroll in this course. Students should have prior experience with electronic music. Prior experience with instrumental composition will also be beneficial.
• HUMA 3150

  Independent Study in Creative Arts

  1-2 Credit(s)
  Description

  This course will allow students the opportunity for focused study and practice in music, creative writing, and video/visual arts on an individual basis. The course may be repeated for credit if covered topics are different each term. Enrollment in the course requires approval from the course instructor.
• HUMA 3201

  Animation: A Global Perspective

  3 Credit(s)
  Description

  This course examines the history and development of animation as both an art form and an industry around the world. It covers early experiments with animation, the transition to sound and feature film, and the rise of the classical Hollywood studios such as Disney, Warner Bros, the Fleischers, UPA, and MGM. This course will extend to other countries or regions, such as Canada, Russia, Germany, Czech, Japan, China, and Hong Kong. In addition, this course will track the development of technology and techniques of animation, such as rotoscoping, pixilation, cel animation, stop‐motion animation, puppet animation, silhouette animation, limited animation on TV, direct animation, and computer animation. This course aims to establish a foundation for students from different academic backgrounds who might be unfamiliar with animation studies.
• HUMA 3202

  Chinese Creative Writing: Reading Literary Classics and Writing Essays

  3 Credit(s)
  Medium of Instruction

  [PU] Putonghua

  Reading Material

  [C] Require Chinese reading

  Mode of Delivery

  [BLD] Blended learning

  Description

  This course introduces selective Western and Chinese literary classics and basic literary theories, and provides students with a forum for extended practice in the art of creative writing. It is designed for students who have little or no previous experience writing literary texts in a particular genre. Introductory workshops introduce students to a variety of technical and imaginative concerns through exercises, readings, and discussions. In addition to weekly reading literary classics, this course will especially focus on writing literary essays in Chinese.
• HUMA 3203

  Chinese Creative Writing: Reading Literary Classics and Writing Novels

  3 Credit(s)
  Medium of Instruction

  [PU] Putonghua

  Reading Material

  [C] Require Chinese reading

  Mode of Delivery

  [BLD] Blended learning

  Description

  This course introduces selective Western and Chinese literary novels, and provides students with a forum for extended practice in the art of creative writing. It is designed for students who have little or no previous experience writing literary texts in a particular genre. Introductory workshops introduce students to a variety of technical and imaginative concerns through exercises, readings, and discussions. In addition to weekly reading literary classics, this course will especially focus on writing literary novels in Chinese or cross the boundaries of the genre.
• HUMA 3204

  Chinese Creative Writing-Reading Literary Classics and Writing

  3 Credit(s)
  Medium of Instruction

  [PU] Putonghua

  Reading Material

  [C] Require Chinese reading

  Description

  This course will introduce selective Western and Chinese literary classics and basic literary theories. Through discussing literature's relationships with nature, religion, politics, morality, self, culture, arts, philosophy, and history, this course not only ushers students into the fundamental literary world, but also aims at cultivating students' inner poetics ("beautiful soul"), aesthetic judgment ("bright eyes") and integrity of personality, and enhancing student's creative writing ability.
• HUMA 3205

  Technologies of Passion: Self and Love in Chinese Literature

  3 Credit(s)
  Reading Material

  [C] Require Chinese reading

  Description

  Embracing Foucault's notion of "technologies of the self", this course studies how passion, as mediated through and formed by our sense of self and what we love, constitutes itself through collections of practices in Chinese literature during premodern period. In the context of this course, "technologies" should be understood as the operations and cooperation of politics, ethics, and religions through which passions for the self and other is formed and expressed. Together, the class investigate the literary transformations and ramifications of two perennial themes - love and the self - in Chinese literature across temporal and generic boundaries. How is "selfhood" philosophized, lyricized, and narrated? How is "love" represented, assessed, and contested? We examine how one's understanding of subjectivity, imagination of gender and sexuality, and knowledge of historical changes are mediated through diverse "technologies" in which explorations of the self and articulations of romantic engagement intertwine.
• HUMA 3210

  Traditional Chinese Poetry: Tang and Song Poetry

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 3602

  Medium of Instruction

  [PU] Putonghua

  Reading Material

  [C] Require Chinese reading

  Description

  A guided critical study of the representative works of the major shi and ci poets in the Tang and Song periods, with emphasis on the development of the various poetic styles.
• HUMA 3220

  Modern Chinese Poetry

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 3603

  Medium of Instruction

  [PU] Putonghua

  Reading Material

  [C] Require Chinese reading

  Description

  The course will introduce students to the history of modern Chinese poetry from the early twentieth century to the contemporary era. Major poets and aesthetic styles will be the focus of the class. In addition to developing their abilities in aesthetic appreciation, students will have opportunities to have hands-on experience in writing poems in Chinese, translation, and engaging in creative multi-media poetry projects.
• HUMA 3250

  Independent Cinema in Contemporary China

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 3604

  Description

  Since the June Fourth Movement in 1989, underground/independent cinema has emerged as an alternative film culture in contemporary China. Distanced from the state-controlled film industry and often regarded as a counter culture against mainstream ideologies, independent cinema is frequently banned in China and screened abroad at international film festivals. As a symbol of both media democracy and secrecy, it provides us with a unique window to understand the diversified culture and society full of clamorous voices in post-1989 China. This course explores the histories, aesthetics, styles, contents, techniques, and technologies of independent cinema in contemporary China. It will be students-oriented and conducted through forms of seminars and discussions. Unlike traditional courses that are based on uni-directional lectures, readings, exams, and papers in a fixed classroom, this experimental course encourages students to venture outside and engage more with our society. It is a non-conventional, open, and democratic course that puts students in direct contact with our rapidly changing world.
• HUMA 3410

  Special Topics in Pre-Imperial to Middle Imperial China

  3 Credit(s)
  Description

  An examination of specific social, political, economic or cultural issues of various periods from pre-imperial times to the middle period of Chinese history. Topics may vary. May be repeated for credits, if topics are different.
• HUMA 3430

  Reading Modern Chinese History Historically

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 3521

  Reading Material

  [C] Require Chinese reading

  Description

  This course introduces students to a series of socio-political historical events in late-Qing and the Republican periods. More importantly, it introduces some of the essential skills in identifying the fundamental problems and narratives in modern Chinese history texts from the late Qing to the 1940s. Topics covered are traditional and modern Chinese historiographies, the Opium War, the Taiping Rebellion, Sun Yat-sen and the legend of the 1911 revolution, the impact of western imperialism on China, warlordism, the peasant revolutions of the 1920s and 1930s.
• HUMA 3610

  Special Topics in Cultural Anthropology

  3 Credit(s)
  Description

  An exploration of a sub-field or topic in cultural anthropology. Basic concepts and issues will be examined with a focus on current research and theory. Topics may vary. May be repeated for credits, if topics are different.
• HUMA 3630

  Community and Cultural Identity

  3 Credit(s)
  Description

  This course examines theories and case studies of cultural identities and the formation of human communities. Issues on kinship, locality, social stratification, ethnicity, multiculturalism, nationalism, and heritage in the expression of cultural identities and sense of belonging will be explored. Students are required to engage in community services for enhancing learning of related issues.
• HUMA 3660

  Tradition & Modernity: Chinese Ink Painting in 20th Century

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 3651

  Description

  This course surveys the major developments of Chinese ink painting from the late 19th century to the present, focusing on her interaction with foreign cultures, debate over continuity and reform, search for modernity, and adaptation to the political, social, and cultural transformations in different historical periods. Discussions will give equal attention to techniques, stylistic analysis, and interpretations in historical and cultural contexts. In content, this course complements what is not covered by CORE 2651/HUMA 2660 at a more advanced level.
• HUMA 3680

  Contemporary Architecture: The Pritzker Prize Winners

  3 Credit(s)
  Description

  The course introduces students to contemporary architecture through the study of the works of the winners of the Pritzker Architecture Prize. It will cover the foundation and awarding criteria of the Prize, and the monographic studies of its winners from its establishment in 1979 to the present. Architectural styles and works of the awardees and the most recent trends in architectural design and technology will be covered as well.
• HUMA 3800

  Guided Studies in Chinese Philosophical Classics

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 3571

  Medium of Instruction

  [CA] Cantonese

  Reading Material

  [C] Require Chinese reading

  Description

  The course is a guided study of selected Chinese philosophical classics, with emphasis on the hermeneutical issues associated with the texts. The related Chinese philosophers are introduced to the students, including Mencius, Xunzi, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Mozi, Gongsun Longzi and Wang Yang-ming. Topics include: “the basis of li (rites)”, “the rectification of names”, “the four beginnings”, “the four metaphors”, “evil nature”, “ineffable Dao”, “the butterfly’s dream”, “the fish’s happiness”, “white horse is not horse”, “the immutability of things”, “the impure nature of Buddhas”, “embracing the six qualities” and “the questions on Great Learning”.
• HUMA 3810

  Taoism and the Chinese Tradition

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 3572

  Medium of Instruction

  [PU] Putonghua

  Reading Material

  [C] Require Chinese reading

  Description

  This course is an introduction to Taoism as a living tradition in the context of Chinese history and culture. It is a living tradition since some of its important ideas like “the soft can conquer the hard” and “not to show one’s intelligence to the fullest extent” are still present in the attitude of life of the Chinese people. To enable students to learn and appreciate the insights of Taoism directly, some scholarly researches and especially the primary texts of the Laozi and Zhuangzi will be introduced.
• HUMA 3821

  Classical Chinese Philosophy (in English)

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 3573

  Description

  This course examines the intellectual development of early Chinese by focusing on four major schools: Confucianism, Mohism, Daoism, and Legalism. This course will introduce representative philosophers in ancient China, such as Confucius, Mozi, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Hanfeizi, and Mencius. We will explore their thoughts in ethics, human nature, metaphysics, and self-cultivation. We will read translations of major texts with commentaries and interpretations.
• HUMA 3900

  Philosophical Inquiry into the Modern World

  3 Credit(s)
  Exclusion(s)

  CORE 3574

  Description

  This intermediate course will introduce students to basic philosophical methods and concepts in order to help them to explore the nature of philosophical inquiry and survey various important fields, problems and issues in the discipline. The change from the Aristotelian world-view, to the Copernican Revolution, and the present Darwinian Revolution, i.e., from a religious and teleological (purposive) view to a non-teleological view, is outlined in the class.
• HUMA 4000

  Special Topics

  1-4 Credit(s)
  Description

  Focuses on a coherent collection of topics selected from the humanities. May be repeated for credits, if topics are different.
• HUMA 4020

  Language and Literature in Modern China

  3 Credit(s)
  Prerequisite(s)

  CORE 1501 OR CORE 3501 OR HUMA 1010 OR HUMA 1440 OR HUMA 3030 OR HUMA 3200

  Medium of Instruction

  [CA] Cantonese
  [PU] Putonghua

  Reading Material

  [C] Require Chinese reading

  Description

  This course aims at an analysis of how modern China's views on culture, conceptions of beauty, modes of thinking and world outlook were affected by both language and literature. Through an in-depth analysis of literary works, students will arrive at a better understanding of the relationship between classical and vernacular Chinese, the formation of Modern Chinese, and the influence of different varieties of Chinese on various genres.
• HUMA 4220

  Verbal and Visual Representation of China

  3 Credit(s)
  Prerequisite(s)

  CORE 2651 OR CORE 3501 OR HUMA 1440 OR HUMA 1660 OR HUMA 2660 OR HUMA 3030

  Description

  The West's cognizance of Chinese people and society has been informed by mixed sentiments of idealism, ignorance, and fear, giving rise to a fragmented vision of China as what it always was: exotic, fascinating, potentially dangerous, and practically misconceived. This course covers a wide range of critical and imaginative texts including language manuals, linguistic translations, intellectual treatises, missionary records, travelogues, creative writings, visual performance and entertainments to examine how verbal and audiovisual representations have shaped the Western conception of China through history.
• HUMA 4221

  Chinese Classics and Their Reworking in Various Media Around the Globe

  3 Credit(s)
  Description

  This course exposes students to excerpts from four Chinese prose classics arranged according to genre and chronology: the Zhuangzi, a Master text from the Warrring States Period; the Records of the Three Kingdoms (San guo zhi), a standard history from the early Six Dynasties; Xuanzang’s Great Tang Records on the Western Regions (Da Tang xiyu ji), a travel account from the Tang dynasty; and short stories from the Extensive Gleanings of the Reign of Great Tranquility (Taiping guangji), an anthology from the Song dynasty. The course also explores the ways these premodern Chinese texts had been translated, reworked, and transformed into new media such as novels, mangas, anime, computer games or horror movies around the globe. By familiarizing with these narrative complexes, students will learn about the global impact of premodern Chinese literature and some of the basic ideas and methods from media and translation studies.
• HUMA 4250

  Masterpieces of Modern Literature

  3 Credit(s)
  Description

  A close study of selected masterpieces of modern literature, mainly fiction and poetry, by Chinese and Western authors of the twentieth century.
• HUMA 4520

  History of US-China Relations

  3 Credit(s)
  Description

  An examination of the formation and development of political, economic, and cultural relations between China and the United States from the late 18th century to the mid-20th century.
• HUMA 4530

  History and the Future

  3 Credit(s)
  Description

  Can knowledge of the past help to predict the future? What kinds of lessons can be learned from history? What is the value of history for life, anyway? This course investigates both the philosophical and practical issues associated with studying the past in order to make judgments about the future. The course adopts an interdisciplinary perspective that draws from history, philosophy, political science, sociology, grand strategy, psychology, and physics. Readings include Thucydides, Han Fei, Hegel, Clausewitz, Weber, Arendt, and Nietzsche, as well as contemporary literature on chaos theory, comparative politics, historical sociology, and cliodynamics.
• HUMA 4531

  Eichmann and Evil

  3 Credit(s)
  Description

  The SS (Schutzstaffel) officer Adolf Eichmann played a central role in the logistical management of the Holocaust, the mass murder of European Jews during the Second World War. Arrested by the Mossad in Argentina in 1960, brought to Israel for trial, and ultimately sentenced to death, Eichmann’s name has become a byword for evil. This course examines how philosophers, historians, and film makers have used Eichmann’s case to try to understand totalitarianism and the nature of moral choice in modern times.
• HUMA 4610

  Heritage in Cross-cultural Perspective

  3 Credit(s)
  Prerequisite(s)

  HUMA 2590 OR SOSC 2290

  Description

  Heritage and traditions have always been the targets of preservation and negotiations. Cases from different cultures will be surveyed to examine the meaning, composition, and the socio-cultural significance of heritage.
• HUMA 4620

  Geopolitics

  3 Credit(s)
  Description

  This course surveys the history of modern geopolitical thinking and its relation to world politics over the past two centuries. What is the relationship between state power and the mastery of geographic space? How does geography both constrain and facilitate the ambition of states? Is geography destiny? Students will read some of the classics of modern Western geopolitical thought, alongside critical commentary and historical contextualization, and consider their relevance for understanding contemporary global affairs.
• HUMA 4650

  Western Painting: From Renaissance to Impressionism

  3 Credit(s)
  Description

  The course is an in-depth study of the styles and characteristics of Western painting from 1400 to 1900, running from Renaissance through Baroque, Rococo, Neoclassicism, Romanticism and Realism up to the dawn of Modern art, Impressionism. Students will be introduced to the methodological studies of the subject area, i.e. iconographical, technical, compositional and developmental analyses of the masterpieces from different countries and epochs, and will have the chance to apply their knowledge to a small scale research of a relevant topic.
• HUMA 4700

  Confucianism in a Global Context

  3 Credit(s)
  Prerequisite(s)

  CORE 2521 OR HUMA 2420 OR HUMA 1440 OR SOSC 2290

  Description

  As the key to some of the secrets that underlie the contemporary success of the East Asian region, Confucianism has now been recognized as a "living" tradition that has indeed moved into the Western world along with the East Asian Diaspora, making it very much an active participant in the larger global community. This course is designed to introduce the growth and developments of Confucianism as a major intellectual tradition not only in East Asia, but also in the global age of today.