Master of Arts in Global Society

Programme Director: Prof LI, Si Ming

The Master of Arts in Global Society is a one year full-time programme jointly offered by the Faculty of Social Sciences and the David C. Lam Institute for East-West Studies, Hong Kong Baptist University. It aims to equip graduates to understand how the challenges and opportunities of connected society are multi-dimensional – social, cultural, economic, political, and environmental. By specializing in one of five professional concentrations, graduates will be able to pursue and enhance their careers in such fields as: urban, housing, land-use, and transport planning; cultural and leisure industries; environmental health research, consulting, and management; social, educational, community, and international development; politics, government, and leadership in civil society. The five concentrations are: Global Urban Systems, Global Cultures, Global Environmental Health, Global Social Development and Global Political Economy.

The curriculum is designed to accomplish the following objectives:

1. To introduce students to key concepts, debates, and perspectives on global studies and global society, with critical and reflective appraisal of those from different canons and western and non-western perspectives;
2. To equip students with a broad range of research methods including quantitative, qualitative, ethnographic, and interpretive, and the ability to discern between these methods;
3. To empower students with the competencies for appreciating the ethical and value issues associated with global society, and for translating their own perspectives into professional practice;

The structure of the curriculum is as follows:

Requirements

The programme has a “4+3+2” structure: 4 required courses for all students; 3 concentration required courses (one of which is a capstone course that can either be fulfilled with Independent Project or Professional Placement); and 2 elective courses. A total of 9 by 3 unit courses equals 27 units for graduation.