Courses

Course Coding System

Each course is identified by its own course code with letters and numbers. The course code indicates the course area, the level, and whether it is a year or a semester course.

Letter Code

This is the first half of the course code consisting of two to four letters that represent a course area. Please click on below hyperlinks for the list of letter codes with their corresponding course areas.

Number Code

This is the second half of the course code which consists of a number with four digits.

The first digit of the number code signifies the level for which the course is intended. Level 1 (i.e. 1000-series) courses are introductory, foundation, basic skill type courses. Level 2 (i.e. 2000-series) courses are intermediate level courses. Level 3 (i.e. 3000-series) and Level 4 (i.e. 4000-series) courses are those courses which involve more advanced study skills often requiring Level 1 and Level 2 prerequisites. Level 6 (i.e. 6000-series) courses are University-wide common core postgraduate courses. Level 7 (i.e. 7000-series) courses are subject or discipline-specific postgraduate courses.

The fourth digit signifies whether the course is a year or a semester course. 5, 6 or 7 signify a semester course; 8 and 9 signify the first part and the second part of a year course respectively. The first part of a year course is usually offered in the first semester, and the second part is usually offered in the second semester. For some postgraduate courses, 0 signifies a semester course; 1 and 2 signify the first part and the second part of a year course respectively.

Units and Hours

In the course description, the number of units assigned to a course is indicative of the total time spent by an average learner in all modes of learning, including lectures, self-study, and other teaching, learning and assessment components to achieve the learning outcomes of the course, normally over a period of one semester. In general, a single unit corresponds to 45 notional learning hours. An asterisk (*) indicates that the number of units will be decided by the department each year.

Illustrative examples:

ENGL1118 (3 units): First part of a Level 1 year course that is 3 units.
ENGL1119 (3 units): Second part of the same year course that is 3 units.
BIOL2125 (3 units): a 3-unit Level 2 semester course.
SOCI3998 (*): First part of a Level 3 year course. The units may vary from time to time, usually between 1–3 units.
SOCI3999 (*): Second part of the same year course. The units may vary from time to time, usually between 1–3 units.

Prerequisites and Co-requisites

The prerequisite of a given course as indicated in the course description must be successfully completed prior to enrolment in the course. A course listed as the co-requisite of a given course must be taken in the same semester or must have been successfully completed in a previous semester.

Medium of Instruction (MOI)

The medium of instruction for classroom teaching (in all forms) at HKBU is English, except for those courses that are granted exemption.

Exemptions to the language policy should adhere to the following general principles:

Materials, texts and courses related to Chinese language and culture, such as Chinese language and literature and journalism; Chinese philosophy and history; Chinese music; as well as Chinese medicine and other similar courses would be taught in Chinese (Cantonese or Putonghua).
For courses with a comparative or interdisciplinary element involving Chinese materials, text and culture, the use of Chinese would be considered as at least one of the languages of instruction.
For disciplines intended for training graduates to work in a Chinese language context, there would be a justification for some of the courses to be taught in Chinese.
Foreign language classes would be conducted as far as feasible in the appropriate languages.

Courses without indication of MOI are courses that are not on offer in the academic year 2024–2025.