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BA (Hons) in Language Studies for the Professions (BALSP)

  • Programme Code:

    		 03001 (JUPAS Code: 3818)

    Mode:

    		 UGC-funded full time mode

    Duration:

    		 Normally 3 years, Maximum 6 years

    No. of Credits Required:

    		 90 (plus 3 training credits)

    Student Intake:

    		 109

  • Programme Aims:

    The programme aims to produce graduates with a high level of competence in English and Chinese, a sound understanding of the theoretical disciplines underlying language studies and the integrated use of the languages concerned, and the ability to apply their knowledge and generic linguistic skills in a variety of professional communication contexts.

  • Programme Outcomes:

    On successful completion of the programme, graduating students:

    Category A - Professional/academic knowledge and skills

    1. should be highly valued for their biliteracy and trilingualism in English and Chinese;
    2. will have a firm grounding in language studies which can be critically and creatively applied in a variety of professional contexts;
    3. will have an awareness and understanding of intercultural communication in multilingual settings that enhance their global outlook and cultural appreciation;
    4. will have developed further understanding of professional communication in the modern workplace through work-integrated education.

    Category B - Attributes for all-roundedness

    1. will be capable of exercising judgment and developing the intellectual curiosity necessary to work both independently and as part of a team;
    2. will be committed to lifelong learning;
    3. will have enhanced their sense of social and national responsibility through a fuller understanding of the language situation in Hong Kong and the rest of China;
    4. will be aware of the benefits afforded by information technology both to their studies and their future careers; and
    5. will have the potential to become future leaders and entrepreneurs excelling in communication for professional purposes.

  • Minimum Entrance Requirements:

    In addition to PolyU General/Minimum Entrance Requirements, the following are required:
    • HKALE Grade D in Chinese Literature or HKALE (AS-level) Grade D in Chinese Language & Culture; and
    • HKALE (AS-level) Grade D in Use of English.

    Applicants who possess a Higher Diploma/Associate Degree in a language-related discipline may be considered for entry to Year 2 of the programme.

  • Admission Information:

    The programme will be phrasing out from 2007/08. Application is no longer invited.

  • Programme Officers:

    Programme Leader Dr Bruce Morrison (ELC) ecbruce@polyu.edu.hk 2766-7542
    Programme Coordinators Dr Doreen D. Wu (CBS) ctdwu@inet.polyu.edu.hk 2766-7441
    Dr Cathy Wong (ENGL) egcathyw@polyu.edu.hk 2766-7644
    Admission Officers Patrick Ng (CBS) ctpat@polyu.edu.hk 2766-7437
    Dr Lan Li (ENGL) eglilan@polyu.edu.hk 2766-7978
    WIE Officers Dr Doreen Wu (CBS) ctdwu@polyu.edu.hk 2766-7441
    Dr David Qian (ENGL) egdavid@polyu.edu.hk 2766-4382
    Student Exchange Programme Officers Dr Doreen Wu (CBS) ctdwu@polyu.edu.hk 2766-7441
    Dr Lan Li (ENGL) eglilan@polyu.edu.hk 2766-7978
    Dissertation Coordinators Dr Kexing Li (CBS) ctkli@polyu.edu.hk 2766-7451
    Dr Christopher Green (ENGL) egchrisg@polyu.edu.hk 2766-7512

  • Curriculum:

    Students will take 60 compulsory credits and then select 30 credits from the wide list of electives that provide them with the opportunity to specialize in different areas of interest.

    Compulsory Subjects

    Subject Code Subject Nature/Title No of Credits
    Advanced Language Proficiency
    ENGL202 English for Professional Communication 3
    CBS221 Putonghua in the Workplace 3
    CBS380 Advanced Chinese Writing 3
    ENGL304 English for Administration 3
    CBS420 Advanced Putonghua 3
    ENGL404 English for Management 3
    The Nature of Language
    CBS222 Structure of Chinese I: Sounds and Script 3
    CBS223 Structure of Chinese II: Lexis and Grammar 3
    ENGL203 Structure of English I: Phonology and Lexis 3
    ENGL205 Structure of English II: Grammar 3
    Comparative Language Studies
    CBS224 Bilingual Proficiency through Translation 3
    CBS393 Bilingualism, Globalization & Corporate Communication 3
    ENGL303 Corpus-driven Language Learning 3
    CBS421 Contrastive Analysis of Chinese and English 3
    Language in Context
    ENGL204 Languages in Contemporary Societies 3
    CBS382 Chinese Discourse in the Professions 3
    ENGL305 English Discourse in the Professions 3
    ENGL405 English as a Global Lingua Franca 3
    Others
    COM201 Introduction to Academic Inquiry(supporting subject) 2
    COM202 Work-integrated Education 3 (training credits)
    GEC2xx Two General Education Subjects 2 + 2


    Elective Subjects (According to Areas of Specialization (AoS) and Others)

    Subject Code AoS/Subject Title No of Credits
    Bilingual Corporate Communication
    CBS394 Bilingual Workshop for Corporate Communication I 3
    CBS395 Bilingual Workshop for Corporate Communication II 3
    CBS396 Bilingual Workshop for Parallel Text Drafting 3
    CBS397 Bilingual Workshop for Verbal & Non-verbal Interaction 3
    CBS422 Biculturalism & Corporate Communication 3
    CBS423 Communications in Greater China 3
    Corporate Communication (English)
    ENGL306 English for Public Relations and Marketing 3
    ENGL307 Fundamentals of Organizational Communication 3
    ENGL308 Understanding English Legal Texts 3
    ENGL309 Understanding English Scientific and Technical Texts 3
    ENGL407 Intercultural Communicative Competence 3
    ENGL406 Case Studies in Professional Contexts 3
    ENGL408 Meaning in Professional Interaction 3
    Media Communication (English)
    ENGL316 Computer-mediated Communication 3
    ENGL317 English for Technical and Web-based Writing 3
    ENGL318 English for the Media 3
    ENGL319 Fundamentals of Media Communication 3
    ENGL401 English Texts and Image 3
    ENGL406 Case Studies in Professional Contexts 3
    ENGL408 Meaning in Professional Interaction 3
    Translation
    CBS383 Interpreting for the Professions 3
    CBS384 Principles of Translation 3
    CBS385 Translation for Business and Commerce 3
    CBS386 Translation for the Media 3
    CBS426 Simultaneous Interpreting 3
    CBS424 Translation for Legal Work 3
    Others
    ENGL206 Comprehensive Japanese for Business Interaction I 3
    ENGL207 Office Communication in Japanese I 3
    CBS388 Chinese for Business and Administration 3
    CBS389 Chinese Media in the Bilingual Context 3
    ENGL323 Comprehensive Japanese for Business Interaction II 3
    ENGL324 Office Communication in Japanese II 3
    CBS390 Interface between Chinese and Information Technology 3
    CBS425 Styles and Varieties of Chinese 3
    COM401 Final Year Project 6

  • Work-Integrated Education (WIE):

    An important objective of the programme is to allow students to be exposed to language (English or Chinese) in the modern workplace. Opportunities for work-integrated education (WIE), in the form of a period of at least four weeks spent as an intern in an organization in Hong Kong, elsewhere in China or overseas, will therefore be provided in the summer term.

    Further information on WIE

  • Student Exchange:

    During the summer between Years 2 and 3, students are expected to participate in a language immersion experience. Currently the programme organised by the University of Warwick in England is an eight-week long programme with four weeks of work placement in a range of local organizations. Such work experience could, where appropriate, be counted as the Work-Integrated Education component of the programme. Likewise, a 4-week long summer programme in Putonghua has been developed in collaboration with the People’s University of China. Students can also join the PolyU Students in China programme (PUSIC) jointly organized by AS and FCOM to learn Putonghua in a university in Beijing, currently Tsinghua University. 　

    Students will have to meet the cost of the summer abroad programme (i.e. traveling expenses to and from the study destination, course fees and living expenses). For the past few years, support has been available from the Local Student Finance Scheme via the Student Financial Assistance Agency. Currently, travel scholarships and subsidies for Chinese Mainland & Overseas Activities are available from the Student Affairs Office of the University. However, should financial assistance from any of the sources described be unavailable, students must be prepared to make the financial commitment of funding the summer abroad courses.

    Further information on Student Exchange

  • Scholarship and Financial Assistance:

    Some of the scholarships that our students have been awarded are list below:
    • W. C. Chau Memorial Scholarship
    • Hong Kong Chiu Chow Chamber of Commerce Scholarship
    • SkyLeaders Scholarship Award
    • Zonta Club of Kowloon Scholarship
    • The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Mainland Students Scholarship
    • Department of English Scholarship
    • Department of English Scholarship for Hall Residents
    • Hang Seng Bank Scholarship
    • Kai Chong Tong Scholarship
    • The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Local Students Scholarship (Non-Academic)

  • Graduate Profile:

    The programme will have its first batch of graduates in the summer of 2008. It is expected that our graduates will find employment in managerial or administrative positions in the private and public sectors, for example:
    • sales and marketing
    • trading
    • wholesale
    • manufacturing
    • journalism and the media
    • business services
    • education
    • personnel
    • customer services
    • public relations, etc.