The Research Options enable motivated students to use their free elective credits to develop a focus of interest in the GCS program with enhanced research training on an optional basis.
A total of seven Research Options are offered to cater for students’ diverse interests:
This option teaches students to apply economic theories, frameworks, and quantitative research methods to understand real-world economic problems with a focus on challenges facing China and other emerging markets.
This option provides grounding in the theory and practice of sustainable development, the relationship among environment, technology, innovation and society, as well as their application in Hong Kong and China. Students learn about issues such as climate change mitigation and adaptation, biodiversity conservation, energy and technology policy, and how they are dealt with on local, regional, national and international scales.
This option focuses on cultural heritage in art, architecture, everyday life, popular religions and communal events to explore issues of diversity and sustainability of Chinese culture in local, national and global contexts vital for cultural policy planning and cultural development. Courses include anthropology, art history, philosophy/ religion, Hong Kong culture and cross-cultural studies.
This option focuses on Chinese history and covers various topics relating to China’s politics, economy, society, culture and foreign relations in different historical periods. It also includes courses in world history relevant for a global and comparative perspective.
This option consists of courses in the integrated area of Chinese language and literature, as well as topics in world literature and cultural studies. It covers a variety of topics including structural properties, historical development, and contemporary use of the Chinese language; classical, modern, and contemporary literary works, as well as film and drama; modern and contemporary theories and representations of different national, regional and global cultures.
This option teaches students to analyze contemporary societies with sociological perspectives, theories, concepts and methods. It covers issues relating to social structure, institutions, inequality, power, social change, demography, social relations and everyday culture with a focus on the Chinese and Hong Kong contexts.
This option consists primarily of courses in political science and also includes courses from related disciplines such as the sociology of politics and political history. It covers various topics relating to law, democracy, human rights, comparative politics and political economy, and in relation to Hong Kong politics, Chinese politics, Chinese foreign policy and China’s global relations.
Course Lists
Requirements
A Research Option requires an Honors Thesis (or Capstone Project + Honors Research) and three courses from an approved course list in a specific area, including two at or above the 3000-level.
The Honors Thesis (or Capstone Project + Honors Research) may be used to double count toward both the GCS major and the Research Option.
The three courses for the Research Option, however, cannot be used to double count toward the GCS major.
Eligibility and Enrollment
GCS students with a CGA of 3.3 or above (or subject to approval) may enroll for the Research Option. They must fill out a form and declare their intention to enroll at the Program Service Centre of the School during the course registration or add/ drop period in the last regular semester of their final year of study.