The University has set up the Steering Committee on the 4-Year Undergraduate Curriculum to lead the curriculum reform process. Extensive consultations are conducted with all stakeholders, including academics, administrators, students, alumni, professional organizations and employers. Recommendations are presented to University Senate for approval. Key features of the 2012 curriculum approved by Senate are outlined below.
The reform of undergraduate education under the “334” academic structure is a once-in-a-lifetime exercise for the University and for Hong Kong’s higher education sector. The University is using this unprecedented opportunity to:
- Revisit and critically reflect on the University curriculum
- Renew our commitment to providing an outstanding student-centred learning experience
- Promote a university education distinguished by its international outreach and outlook
HKU Educational Aims
The new undergraduate curriculum at HKU is designed to enable our students to develop their capabilities in:
- Pursuit of academic/professional excellence, critical intellectual enquiry and life-long learning
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- Develop in-depth knowledge of specialist disciplines and professions
- Maintain highest standards of intellectual rigor and academic integrity
- Critique received knowledge from multiple perspectives
- Sustain intellectual curiosity and enthusiasm for learning
- Tackling novel situations and ill-defined problems
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- Respond positively to unanticipated situations and problems
- Identify and define problems in unfamiliar situations
- Generate and evaluate innovative solutions to problem
- Critical self-reflection, greater understanding of others, and upholding personal and professional ethics
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- Maintain highest standards of personal integrity and ethical practice in academic, social and professional settings
- Heighten awareness of personal strengths and weaknesses
- Respect individual differences and preferences
- Intercultural understanding and global citizenship
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- Heighten awareness of own culture and other cultures
- Develop cultural sensitivity and interpersonal skills for engagement with people of diverse cultures
- Perform social responsibilities as a member of the global community
- Communication and collaboration
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- Communicate effectively in academic, professional and social settings
- Work with others and make constructive contributions
- Leadership and advocacy for the improvement of the human condition
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- Play a leading role in improving the well-being of fellow citizens and humankind
- Uphold the core values of a democratic society: human rights, justice, equality and freedom of speech
- Participate actively in promoting the local and global social, economic and environmental sustainability
New 3-Year Curriculum in 2010
To smooth out the transition to the full launch of the new 4-year curriculum (to be implemented in 2012) and to enable students to benefit from as early as possible from the key features of the new 4-year curriculum, University Senate has approved the partial implementation of the new 4-year curriculum from the 2010-11 academic year.
The new 3-year curriculum (to be implemented in 2010) will model closely the new 4-year curriculum and will feature three years of full-time study (for a standard 3-year curriculum) leading to the completion of 180 credits (with ‘standard’ undergraduate course being 6 credits).
| Component | Courses | No. of Credits* | % of Total No. of Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compulsory Courses | Common Core | 12 credits | 11.7% |
| English | 6 credits | ||
| Chinese | 3 credits | ||
| Specialization | Major | 60-96 credits (including all intra-Faculty courses that may be required of a major of up to a quarter of the maximum credits for a major, i.e. 24 credits or 4 courses) |
33.3% – 53.3% |
| Minor | 36-48 credits | 20% – 26.7% | |
| Electives | Electives for all students | Remainder to complete 180 credits | 8.3% – 35% |
| Total no. of required credits | 180 credits | 100% | |
| *6 credits = 120 –180 student workload hours | |||
New 4-Year Curriculum in 2012
The new 4-year curriculum will be implemented in 2012, under which students will be required to complete 240 credits. Details are indicated in the following chart.
| Component | Courses | No. of Credits* | % of Total No. of Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compulsory Courses | Common Core | 36 credits | 22.5% |
| English | 12 credits | ||
| Chinese | 6 credits | ||
| Specialization | Major | 72-96 credits | 30% – 40% |
| Minor | 36-48 credits | 15% – 20% | |
| Electives | Electives for all students | Remainder to complete 240 credits | 17.5% – 32.5% |
| Total no. of required credits** | 240 credits | 100% | |
| *6 credits = 120 –180 student workload hours ** Students are allowed to take additional credits up to 6 credits per semester and graduate with a total of 288 credits |
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Experiential Learning
The incorporation of experiential and “out of classroom” learning into the formal curriculum is standard practice in professional programmes and is increasingly being formalized in non-professional programmes at HKU. In the context of HKU’s undergraduate curriculum reform, “experiential learning” refers to the development of knowledge and skills through direct encounter with the phenomena being studied. The scope of experiential learning embodies but is broader than internship in professional training. It is a very powerful form of learning and it will be one of the fundamental elements of the new curriculum. It takes learning outside the traditional boundary of the classroom, and facilitates the development of an integrated and holistic understanding of issues.
A number of Faculties at HKU have already incorporated experiential learning in their programmes, some have not only made it credit-bearing but also gone farther to make it a graduation requirement. For example, the Faculty of Science now requires its students to engage in at least one form of experiential learning activity in order to graduate. Similarly, the Faculty of Social Sciences requires all its B.Soc.Sc. students to complete credits off-campus before graduation.
Click here to learn more about Experiential Learning
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