Calendar 2005–06

204 Part 5 • Department Profiles and Programmes of Studies A second-year entrant shall complete at least 66 units of courses which include: (a) General Education (seven units for entrants with associate degrees or nine units for entrants with higher diplomas); (b) Physical Education (one unit); (c) up to 64 units of major courses for entrants with associate degrees or up to 59 units for entrants with higher diplomas; (d) Language Requirement (three units for entrants with higher diplomas only); (e) remaining units in minor and/or elective courses of the student’s choice. Students need to take and pass any graduation thesis/project prescribed by their major programmes. Starting from 1997–98, all students in their first year of attendance are required to complete an Intensive Programme in Putonghua, Cantonese and English which is non-credit-bearing, but the examination results of which will be recorded on academic reports and transcripts. Starting from 1999–2000, all newly-admitted students are required to achieve a certain level of IT competence. They are expected to pass the IT proficiency test within their first year of attendance. A student who wishes to take a minor programme should formally register for his minor subject, preferably in the second year of attendance. A minor programme normally requires 15–30 units of courses. Programmes in the Faculty of Medicine The Faculty of Medicine offers a non-unit-based professional programme leading to the degrees of MB ChB. In the year 2000–01 and before, the medical curriculum was divided into pre-clinical studies (years 1–2) and clinical studies (years 3–5). From the year 2001–02 onwards, the Faculty of Medicine has adopted an integrated, system-based medical curriculum starting Medical Year 1. The new curriculum consists of 70 per cent core courses and 30 per cent electives, with emphases on early clinical contact, communication and life-long learning skills, attitude and ethics. At the end of Medical Year 3, students may apply for admission to the Intercalated Degree Programme in Medical Sciences. Medical students shall have continuous and end-of-year assessments on individual system panels and sit for the First, Second and Third (Part I & II) Professional Examinations before they graduate. Students are also required to serve one year’s internship at a recognized hospital before registering as a medical doctor. A four-year Nursing Programme is offered by the Nethersole School of Nursing to prepare graduates for registration as general nurses in accordance with the requirement of the Nursing Council of Hong Kong. A Pharmacy Programme is offered by the School of Pharmacy. The BPharm programme follows the credit-unit system. Graduates must complete one year of pre-registration training before registration by the Pharmacy and Poisons Board as a pharmacist in Hong Kong. Besides taking the professional courses required by the faculty, students have to complete General Education, Physical Education, IT and language courses in compliance with University requirements.