Calendar 2007–08

The University Part 1 Academic Structure and Policy The Chinese University of Hong Kong is a growing university offering a wide range of full-time and part-time programmes which lead to bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees, and doctorates. There are seven Faculties (Arts, Business Administration, Education, Engineering, Medicine, Science, and Social Science), a School of Law, and 62 departments offering 54 major programmes and 62 minor programmes for full- time undergraduate students, and two part-time undergraduate programmes for part-time students. Postgraduate programmes including 26 MPhil–PhD programmes, 41 doctoral programmes, 156 master’s programmes, and 28 postgraduate diploma programmes are offered by the Graduate School through its 62 graduate divisions. The Senate has control over instruction and research. The faculties advise the Senate through the faculty boards on the programmes of study recommended by the departments, who are responsible for subject-orientated teaching. The Colleges, in turn, are responsible for student-orientated teaching and the provision of residential accommodation. All teaching staff and full-time undergraduate students are assigned to different constituent Colleges. Undergraduate Studies At its inception the University’s undergraduate curriculum was based on a combination of the credit unit system and the degree examination system. After a comprehensive review in the mid-80s, the University decided to adopt a pure credit-unit-based curriculum structure. From 1991–92 onwards, greater flexibility was introduced into students’ selection of courses and pace of study. Full-time Undergraduate Studies Throughout the years the University has endeavoured to provide a wide variety of major and minor programmes to meet the changing needs of society. In 2007–08, five minor programmes are introduced, namely Spanish studies under the Faculty of Arts; mechanical and automation engineering under the Faculty of Engineering; public health under the Faculty of Medicine; and social policy and social welfare under the Faculty of Social Science. Part-time Undergraduate Studies The Part-time Degree Programmes were first launched in 1981–82 with classes conducted in the evening. Two part-time degree programmes in music and early childhood education are currently offered. Postgraduate Studies Master’s programmes were first offered in 1966–67, and the number of programmes in 2007–08 is 156. Doctoral programmes were first introduced in 1980–81 and the number of programmes is 41 in 2007–08. MPhil–PhD programmes were first introduced in 2004–05, and the number of programmes is 26 in 2007–08. n n