Social Sciences: A Foundation Course

Office for Advancement of Learning and Teaching Social Sciences: A Foundation Course
SOSC A101

Social Sciences: A Foundation Course

This course may be included in the list of reimbursable courses under the Continuing Education Fund. Click HERE for details of eligibility.

Course Start Date

Course Level

Length in Terms

Credits

Language

Fees ($) (including lab fees)

Future Terms

Course Start Date:

Aut 2021

Course Level:

Foundation

Length in Terms:

2 terms

Credits:

20

Language:

English

Fees ($) (including lab fees):

21,600

Future Terms:

Course Coordinator: Dr Lam Wai Man, PhD (HKU)

Course Developers: Lawrence Wong Cheuk-yin, Waseda University, Japan; Joel Lau, Consultant

SOSC A101 is designed for new entrants to the HKMU and is recommended as a starting point for pursuing a degree in Social Sciences. The course covers, at an introductory level, four subject areas: politics, economics, sociology and psychology.

Aims
This course aims to enable students to understand the ways in which social scientists view a society in a broad sense, as well as how these areas of study apply to Hong Kong.

Contents
The course covers the following topics:

  • The impact that the behaviour of individuals has on society, as well as the ways that the structure and function of society influence the actions of individuals
  • The insights that politics, economics, sociology and psychology bring to the understanding of the growth and development of society in general, and of Hong Kong in particular

Learning support
There will be regular two-hour tutorials and four supplementary lectures.

Assessment
There will be nine assignments. Students are required to submit assignments via the Online Learning Environment (OLE).

Set book(s)
There are no set books for this course.

This Course Guide has been taken from the most recent presentation of the course. It would be useful for reference purposes but please note that there may be updates for the following presentation.

SOSC A101
Social Sciences: A Foundation Course

Welcome to the foundation course in social sciences. This course provides an introduction to the major branches, or disciplines, of the social sciences. It also shows how they can help us to make more sense of Hong Kong society. Finally, it provides an opportunity for you to develop your skills as a learner, both within HKMU and more generally.

The purpose of this Course Guide

You may be impatient to begin what you may see as the main part of the course immediately. However, it is important that you first work systematically through this Course Guide. Doing so will help you to make the most efficient use of the very precious time you have available for studying. You will also find this Course Guide a useful document to refer to later. It tells you how the course as a whole works, and how to get the most from it.

Course aims

More specifically, it deals with:

  • how the course fits into the programme of courses offered by HKMU;
  • what you need to know before you start the course;
  • what the course covers;
  • the aims and objectives of the course, and how to use the study materials effectively;
  • how the tutorial system works;
  • what you need to do to pass the course; and
  • how to work through the course.

The course aims to help you to develop your abilities to study at the university level, while introducing you to some of the major concepts, theories and techniques of the social sciences, especially as they can be applied to a changing Hong Kong.

Course learning outcomes

Upon completion of this course, you should be able to:

  • Describe the major concerns and central concepts of four of the social science disciplines: political science, economics, sociology, and psychology.
  • Examine the major features of key political, economic, and social structures and processes in contemporary Hong Kong, and significant features in the psychological make-up of Hong Kong's population.
  • Apply key concepts, classifications and explanatory frameworks from the social sciences to analyse the society of contemporary Hong Kong and selected societies elsewhere.
  • Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of differing theoretical positions in explaining key features of society and human behaviours.
  • Apply some of the simple methods commonly used in the social sciences for organizing and interpreting data to selected phenomena in society.

For many students, SOSC A101 Social Sciences: A Foundation Course will be the basis for a degree within the social sciences degree programme. It provides a general background to the major concerns of the social sciences and an opportunity to develop some general study skills which will be very important to your success as an HKMU student. By working through each of the major disciplines, you will have a taste of each before making a final choice about the areas in which you would like to specialize during later years.

 

In addition, the course is of general interest to students whose specialism is outside the social sciences, but who have an interest in Hong Kong society and how to explain its distinctive features.

 

There are no prerequisites to this course. However, you need to be reasonably competent in English if you are to succeed in it. If your English is weak, you may need to spend more time on the course. You need to be able to:

  • read textbooks and articles written for native speakers of English at the undergraduate level;
  • write assignments in clear and grammatically correct English;
  • participate orally in English in tutorial sessions; and
  • converse with your tutor in English.

The course contains 17 study units about social sciences and Hong Kong society.

When you pass this course, you will earn 20 credit points towards your HKMU degree.

The course overview below suggests the amount of time you should allow for completing the units. The course takes two semesters to complete, and you will need to set aside an average of around 15–20 hours a week to complete the course satisfactorily. This estimate includes time for reading the study units and supplementary readings, completing activities, completing your assignments, and attending tutorials. These stated times are intended as a guide only. The time needed to complete the study units, work on the activities and assignments and complete the rest of the work involved in this course will vary from learner to learner. The time needed can be adjusted to fit your personal needs more closely. You will need to carefully plan your own work and study schedule.

 

Course overview

 

The course includes a number of tutorials. You need to be up to date with your study in order to gain the full advantage from the tutorials. They are not lectures, but are designed to allow group discussion and input. You will only get the most out of a tutorial session if you contribute your ideas and opinions. You can find more information on tutorials in a later section of this Course Guide.

The study units normally contain most of what you need to study this course. Occasionally, you may need to use this Course Guide as a general source of information about the course, and about how to study effectively. Your Assignment File will also be useful in giving you the details of your assignments and advice on how to complete them. You will also find your daily newspaper useful as a source of examples to illustrate and bring up to date the general points made in the units about Hong Kong society. However, most of your studying will be devoted to reading the study units actively. Reading actively involves reading the material very carefully, completing the tasks which are described in the text, and making notes on what you read.

Course Guide

Because this is your guide to the overall organization of the course, and how the course fits into the HKMU programme, it is a useful document for you to refer to — particularly early in the course.

Study units

The study units in this course contain all the essential elements needed for an introductory course in an undergraduate degree. They provide the equivalent of lectures and much of the library work done in other universities. Because they have been specially written for you, you should find the language relatively easy to follow and the key points set out clearly. More importantly, you can work through this material in the ways which are most suitable for you. In addition, the units also provide activities which encourage you to think about the material, and often to relate it to your own experience. One of the great advantages of studying the social sciences is that your awareness of Hong Kong society would provide you with lots of examples to illustrate relatively abstract ideas.

There are 17 units in this course. Each study unit follows a similar format. It begins with an overview of the material to be covered and an outline of what you should be able to do by the time you have completed the unit. They provide a 'map' of the key points being made. For many learners, they are also useful when work on the unit is completed, as they provide a useful check that nothing important has been missed.

The main part of the unit contains most of the reading and the activities. There are also occasional readings outside the units. Within the text you will find places where you should carry out some activity. This may involve, for example, writing down answers to a question or looking through newspaper or at a website for an example of what the unit is describing. The beginning and end of these activities are clearly marked.

Towards the end of each unit you will find a summary of the main points. This final section will often review the material in a slightly different way to help you consolidate your understanding.

Each unit ends with a list of the references used in compiling the unit. You do not have to find and read these. They are included because it is normal in academic writing for authors to give the sources of any ideas or passages of text which they are borrowing directly from another author.

Assignment File

This file provides details of what is required for your assignments, when they have to be handed in, how many marks each is awarded, and some brief advice on how to complete the assignment satisfactorily.

Presentation schedule

The presentation schedule is available on the Online Learning Environment (OLE). It shows the approximate times for your tutor's receipt of the assignments. Remember, you are required to submit all of your assignments by the actual dates shown in the Assignment File. You should guard against falling behind in your work.

There will be no examination in this course. A total of nine assignments form the continuous assignments. A pass in the continuous assessment will qualify as a pass of this course. In addition to one assignment relating to the social sciences in general, each of the four main social science subjects (politics, economics, sociology and psychology) has two related assignments.

The first assignment (Assignment 1) accounts for 4.8% of the overall course score, which allows you to practice your writing skills, understand the subject matters, and get familiar with the marking criteria. The remaining eight assignments (Assignment 2–9) are weighted equally, each of them represents 11.9% of the subject total.

Assignments

Your Assignment File gives details of each assignment and of how it will be assessed. This file also explains the HKMU marking scale, which may be quite different from what you are used to. Do not just assume you know how it all works. Please read the file carefully and ask your tutor about anything you do not fully understand. Have a quick look now to note the cut-off dates, but leave your detailed reading until closer to the time your first assignment is due.

How to submit your assignments

The Assignment File gives you details on how to present and submit your assignments. Please read the Student Handbook for HKMU's policy on late assignments. Assignments must reach your tutor by the cut-off date.

You will be assigned a tutor for this course. Before the starting date for the course you will be advised by the HKMU Registry of the name, address and phone number of your tutor. Your tutor will:

  • conduct the tutorials for your group;
  • assess your assignments; and
  • be available at certain times to help you by phone. (You will be advised of these times separately.)

Your tutor is your first point of contact with HKMU. Please consult your tutor first about any problem you might have or advice you may need. Your tutor will advise you if you need to contact a senior tutor or the Course Coordinator.

Please note that it is not your tutor's role to give lectures on the course material. Your tutor is a helper (or facilitator) who can provide you with considerable assistance when you run into difficulties and to help you to see how well you understand the course material by encouraging you to express your ideas both verbally and in writing. HKMU urges you to make use of this assistance.

Tutorials and supplementary lectures

Regular tutorials will be held by your tutor. There are 18 tutorials spread throughout the course. In addition, there will be a total of four supplementary lectures to help your study. The time, dates and locations of these sessions will be sent to you separately.

We strongly recommend that you attend these sessions. Their purpose is not only to help with problems but also to give you the opportunity to practise communication skills. However, they are not compulsory and, if your work or domestic situation prevents you from attending, you can still complete the course satisfactorily. Let your tutor know if you are in this situation so that some mutually convenient tutoring by telephone can be arranged.

The tutorials for this course will be conducted in English. All the tutors have excellent English and will provide you with a good opportunity to communicate in English. If you are nervous about speaking in English, do not worry. Many other students feel the same way. Your tutor understands the problem and will help. Take advantage of this opportunity to improve your communication in English.

Please note that the function of these tutorials is to complement your distance learning material and not to replace it in the form of lectures. In this course, your primary means of learning is through your HKMU study materials.

Preparation for tutorials

To benefit fully from a tutorial, you must have completed the reading and various practice activities for the relevant units before you go to the tutorial.

Electronic support

Electronic mail

You may submit any study problems to your assigned tutor through email. This channel provides flexibility to both tutors and students in overcoming the limitations of telephone tutoring in solving more technical issues.

Online Learning Environment

This course is supported by HKMU's Online Learning Environment (OLE). You can find course materials and the latest course information from the OLE and use the discussion board to communicate with your tutor, the Course Coordinator and fellow students. You are encouraged to participate actively in the online conferencing relating to the course content and problems that you encounter in your study.

The following is a recommended strategy for working through the course. If you run into any trouble, phone your tutor at once. Remember that your tutor's job is to help you. When you need help, don't hesitate to call and ask for it.

  1. Read this Course Guide thoroughly.
  2. Organize a study schedule. Refer to the suggested study schedule on the OLE. Note the minimum time you are expected to spend on each unit and how the assignments relate to the units. You need to gather together all this information in one place, such as your diary or a wall calendar. Whatever method you choose to use, you should decide on and write in your own dates for working on each unit.
    Once you have created your own study schedule, do all you can to stick to it. The major reason for students not doing as well as they could is getting behind with course work. If you get into difficulties with your schedule, please let your tutor know before it is too late for help.
  3. Turn to Unit 1 and read the Introduction to the unit.
  4. Work through the unit. The contents of the unit itself have been arranged to provide a clear order of material for you to follow.
  5. Review the objectives for the unit to confirm you have achieved them. For any objectives about which you feel unsure, review the study material and/or consult your tutor.
  6. While you wait for your assignment to be returned to you, begin your work on the next units. Proceed unit by unit through the course and try to pace your study so that you keep yourself on schedule.
  7. When the assignment is returned, pay particular attention to your tutor's comments written both on the Assignment Form and throughout your assignment. Phone your tutor as soon as possible if you have any questions or problems.
  8. In the final few weeks of the course, check that you have achieved the unit objectives (listed at the beginning of each unit) and the course objectives (listed in this Course Guide).

We hope that you find your study of the social sciences and Hong Kong society interesting and useful. The subject matter of this course may be of practical relevance to your work, or it may help you to make more sense of the fascinating society of Hong Kong. In either case, the course team wishes you good luck with your studies.

Mr Lawrence Wong Cheuk-yin

Lawrence Wong Cheuk-yin is a doctoral candidate in international studies at the Graduate School of Asia-Pacific Studies at Waseda University, Japan. His ongoing doctoral dissertation is a comparative analysis of the Japanese military occupations in Hong Kong and Singapore in 1941–1945. His M. Phil. thesis adopted a multi-actors approach to analyse the politics of the Chinese communist movement in Hong Kong during the Cultural Revolution. He has been teaching in the School of Arts and Social Sciences of Hong Kong Metropolitan University since 2001 and the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities of Macau University since 2006.

Introduction

Welcome to the foundation course in social sciences. This course provides an introduction to the major branches, or disciplines, of the social sciences. It also shows how they can help us to make more sense of Hong Kong society. Finally, it provides an opportunity for you to develop your skills as a learner, both within HKMU and more generally.

The purpose of this Course Guide

You may be impatient to begin what you may see as the main part of the course immediately. However, it is important that you first work systematically through this Course Guide. Doing so will help you to make the most efficient use of the very precious time you have available for studying. You will also find this Course Guide a useful document to refer to later. It tells you how the course as a whole works, and how to get the most from it.

Course aims

More specifically, it deals with:

  • how the course fits into the programme of courses offered by HKMU;
  • what you need to know before you start the course;
  • what the course covers;
  • the aims and objectives of the course, and how to use the study materials effectively;
  • how the tutorial system works;
  • what you need to do to pass the course; and
  • how to work through the course.

The course aims to help you to develop your abilities to study at the university level, while introducing you to some of the major concepts, theories and techniques of the social sciences, especially as they can be applied to a changing Hong Kong.

Course learning outcomes

Upon completion of this course, you should be able to:

  • Describe the major concerns and central concepts of four of the social science disciplines: political science, economics, sociology, and psychology.
  • Examine the major features of key political, economic, and social structures and processes in contemporary Hong Kong, and significant features in the psychological make-up of Hong Kong's population.
  • Apply key concepts, classifications and explanatory frameworks from the social sciences to analyse the society of contemporary Hong Kong and selected societies elsewhere.
  • Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of differing theoretical positions in explaining key features of society and human behaviours.
  • Apply some of the simple methods commonly used in the social sciences for organizing and interpreting data to selected phenomena in society.

Course description

For many students, SOSC A101 Social Sciences: A Foundation Course will be the basis for a degree within the social sciences degree programme. It provides a general background to the major concerns of the social sciences and an opportunity to develop some general study skills which will be very important to your success as an HKMU student. By working through each of the major disciplines, you will have a taste of each before making a final choice about the areas in which you would like to specialize during later years.

In addition, the course is of general interest to students whose specialism is outside the social sciences, but who have an interest in Hong Kong society and how to explain its distinctive features.

There are no prerequisites to this course. However, you need to be reasonably competent in English if you are to succeed in it. If your English is weak, you may need to spend more time on the course. You need to be able to:

  • read textbooks and articles written for native speakers of English at the undergraduate level;
  • write assignments in clear and grammatically correct English;
  • participate orally in English in tutorial sessions; and
  • converse with your tutor in English.

The course contains 17 study units about social sciences and Hong Kong society.

When you pass this course, you will earn 20 credit points towards your HKMU degree.

The course overview below suggests the amount of time you should allow for completing the units. The course takes two semesters to complete, and you will need to set aside an average of around 15–20 hours a week to complete the course satisfactorily. This estimate includes time for reading the study units and supplementary readings, completing activities, completing your assignments, and attending tutorials. These stated times are intended as a guide only. The time needed to complete the study units, work on the activities and assignments and complete the rest of the work involved in this course will vary from learner to learner. The time needed can be adjusted to fit your personal needs more closely. You will need to carefully plan your own work and study schedule.

 

Course overview

Unit

Weeks

Assessment

Unit:

1. Introduction: Housing in Hong Kong

Weeks:

2

Assessment:

Unit:

2. Introduction: Social sciences

Weeks:

2

Assessment:

Assignment 1

Unit:

3. Politics: Introducing political science

Weeks:

2

Assessment:

Unit:

4. Politics: Explaining authority

Weeks:

2

Assessment:

Assignment 2

Unit:

5. Politics: The political development of Hong Kong

Weeks:

2

Assessment:

Unit:

6. Politics: Political power in Hong Kong and the PRC

Weeks:

2

Assessment:

Assignment 3

Unit:

7. Economics: Introducing economics

Weeks:

2

Assessment:

Unit:

8. Economics: Market and national income

Weeks:

2

Assessment:

Assignment 4

Unit:

9. Economics: Economic goals

Weeks:

2

Assessment:

Unit:

10. Economics: Fiscal, monetary, exchange rate and growth policies

Weeks:

2

Assessment:

Assignment 5

Unit:

11. Sociology: Introducing sociology and society

Weeks:

2

Assessment:

Assignment 6

Unit:

12. Sociology: Social structure, social practices and institutions

Weeks:

2

Assessment:

Unit:

13. Sociology: The unequal world

Weeks:

2

Assessment:

Assignment 7

Unit:

14. Psychology: Introducing psychology, cognition and learning

Weeks:

2

Assessment:

Unit:

15. Psychology: Language and development

Weeks:

2

Assessment:

Assignment 8

Unit:

16. Psychology: Personality and social behavior

Weeks:

2

Assessment:

Unit:

17. Psychology: Work and images of humanity

Weeks:

2

Assessment:

Assignment 9

Total study weeks

Weeks:

36

Assessment:

The course includes a number of tutorials. You need to be up to date with your study in order to gain the full advantage from the tutorials. They are not lectures, but are designed to allow group discussion and input. You will only get the most out of a tutorial session if you contribute your ideas and opinions. You can find more information on tutorials in a later section of this Course Guide.

Course materials

The study units normally contain most of what you need to study this course. Occasionally, you may need to use this Course Guide as a general source of information about the course, and about how to study effectively. Your Assignment File will also be useful in giving you the details of your assignments and advice on how to complete them. You will also find your daily newspaper useful as a source of examples to illustrate and bring up to date the general points made in the units about Hong Kong society. However, most of your studying will be devoted to reading the study units actively. Reading actively involves reading the material very carefully, completing the tasks which are described in the text, and making notes on what you read.

Course Guide

Because this is your guide to the overall organization of the course, and how the course fits into the HKMU programme, it is a useful document for you to refer to — particularly early in the course.

Study units

The study units in this course contain all the essential elements needed for an introductory course in an undergraduate degree. They provide the equivalent of lectures and much of the library work done in other universities. Because they have been specially written for you, you should find the language relatively easy to follow and the key points set out clearly. More importantly, you can work through this material in the ways which are most suitable for you. In addition, the units also provide activities which encourage you to think about the material, and often to relate it to your own experience. One of the great advantages of studying the social sciences is that your awareness of Hong Kong society would provide you with lots of examples to illustrate relatively abstract ideas.

There are 17 units in this course. Each study unit follows a similar format. It begins with an overview of the material to be covered and an outline of what you should be able to do by the time you have completed the unit. They provide a 'map' of the key points being made. For many learners, they are also useful when work on the unit is completed, as they provide a useful check that nothing important has been missed.

The main part of the unit contains most of the reading and the activities. There are also occasional readings outside the units. Within the text you will find places where you should carry out some activity. This may involve, for example, writing down answers to a question or looking through newspaper or at a website for an example of what the unit is describing. The beginning and end of these activities are clearly marked.

Towards the end of each unit you will find a summary of the main points. This final section will often review the material in a slightly different way to help you consolidate your understanding.

Each unit ends with a list of the references used in compiling the unit. You do not have to find and read these. They are included because it is normal in academic writing for authors to give the sources of any ideas or passages of text which they are borrowing directly from another author.

Assignment File

This file provides details of what is required for your assignments, when they have to be handed in, how many marks each is awarded, and some brief advice on how to complete the assignment satisfactorily.

Presentation schedule

The presentation schedule is available on the Online Learning Environment (OLE). It shows the approximate times for your tutor's receipt of the assignments. Remember, you are required to submit all of your assignments by the actual dates shown in the Assignment File. You should guard against falling behind in your work.

Course assessment

There will be no examination in this course. A total of nine assignments form the continuous assignments. A pass in the continuous assessment will qualify as a pass of this course. In addition to one assignment relating to the social sciences in general, each of the four main social science subjects (politics, economics, sociology and psychology) has two related assignments.

The first assignment (Assignment 1) accounts for 4.8% of the overall course score, which allows you to practice your writing skills, understand the subject matters, and get familiar with the marking criteria. The remaining eight assignments (Assignment 2–9) are weighted equally, each of them represents 11.9% of the subject total.

Assignments

Your Assignment File gives details of each assignment and of how it will be assessed. This file also explains the HKMU marking scale, which may be quite different from what you are used to. Do not just assume you know how it all works. Please read the file carefully and ask your tutor about anything you do not fully understand. Have a quick look now to note the cut-off dates, but leave your detailed reading until closer to the time your first assignment is due.

How to submit your assignments

The Assignment File gives you details on how to present and submit your assignments. Please read the Student Handbook for HKMU's policy on late assignments. Assignments must reach your tutor by the cut-off date.

Teaching and learning support

You will be assigned a tutor for this course. Before the starting date for the course you will be advised by the HKMU Registry of the name, address and phone number of your tutor. Your tutor will:

  • conduct the tutorials for your group;
  • assess your assignments; and
  • be available at certain times to help you by phone. (You will be advised of these times separately.)

Your tutor is your first point of contact with HKMU. Please consult your tutor first about any problem you might have or advice you may need. Your tutor will advise you if you need to contact a senior tutor or the Course Coordinator.

Please note that it is not your tutor's role to give lectures on the course material. Your tutor is a helper (or facilitator) who can provide you with considerable assistance when you run into difficulties and to help you to see how well you understand the course material by encouraging you to express your ideas both verbally and in writing. HKMU urges you to make use of this assistance.

Tutorials and supplementary lectures

Regular tutorials will be held by your tutor. There are 18 tutorials spread throughout the course. In addition, there will be a total of four supplementary lectures to help your study. The time, dates and locations of these sessions will be sent to you separately.

We strongly recommend that you attend these sessions. Their purpose is not only to help with problems but also to give you the opportunity to practise communication skills. However, they are not compulsory and, if your work or domestic situation prevents you from attending, you can still complete the course satisfactorily. Let your tutor know if you are in this situation so that some mutually convenient tutoring by telephone can be arranged.

The tutorials for this course will be conducted in English. All the tutors have excellent English and will provide you with a good opportunity to communicate in English. If you are nervous about speaking in English, do not worry. Many other students feel the same way. Your tutor understands the problem and will help. Take advantage of this opportunity to improve your communication in English.

Please note that the function of these tutorials is to complement your distance learning material and not to replace it in the form of lectures. In this course, your primary means of learning is through your HKMU study materials.

Preparation for tutorials

To benefit fully from a tutorial, you must have completed the reading and various practice activities for the relevant units before you go to the tutorial.

Electronic support

Electronic mail

You may submit any study problems to your assigned tutor through email. This channel provides flexibility to both tutors and students in overcoming the limitations of telephone tutoring in solving more technical issues.

Online Learning Environment

This course is supported by HKMU's Online Learning Environment (OLE). You can find course materials and the latest course information from the OLE and use the discussion board to communicate with your tutor, the Course Coordinator and fellow students. You are encouraged to participate actively in the online conferencing relating to the course content and problems that you encounter in your study.

How to work through the course

The following is a recommended strategy for working through the course. If you run into any trouble, phone your tutor at once. Remember that your tutor's job is to help you. When you need help, don't hesitate to call and ask for it.

  1. Read this Course Guide thoroughly.
  2. Organize a study schedule. Refer to the suggested study schedule on the OLE. Note the minimum time you are expected to spend on each unit and how the assignments relate to the units. You need to gather together all this information in one place, such as your diary or a wall calendar. Whatever method you choose to use, you should decide on and write in your own dates for working on each unit.
    Once you have created your own study schedule, do all you can to stick to it. The major reason for students not doing as well as they could is getting behind with course work. If you get into difficulties with your schedule, please let your tutor know before it is too late for help.
  3. Turn to Unit 1 and read the Introduction to the unit.
  4. Work through the unit. The contents of the unit itself have been arranged to provide a clear order of material for you to follow.
  5. Review the objectives for the unit to confirm you have achieved them. For any objectives about which you feel unsure, review the study material and/or consult your tutor.
  6. While you wait for your assignment to be returned to you, begin your work on the next units. Proceed unit by unit through the course and try to pace your study so that you keep yourself on schedule.
  7. When the assignment is returned, pay particular attention to your tutor's comments written both on the Assignment Form and throughout your assignment. Phone your tutor as soon as possible if you have any questions or problems.
  8. In the final few weeks of the course, check that you have achieved the unit objectives (listed at the beginning of each unit) and the course objectives (listed in this Course Guide).

Summary

We hope that you find your study of the social sciences and Hong Kong society interesting and useful. The subject matter of this course may be of practical relevance to your work, or it may help you to make more sense of the fascinating society of Hong Kong. In either case, the course team wishes you good luck with your studies.

A note about the developer of this course

Mr Lawrence Wong Cheuk-yin

Lawrence Wong Cheuk-yin is a doctoral candidate in international studies at the Graduate School of Asia-Pacific Studies at Waseda University, Japan. His ongoing doctoral dissertation is a comparative analysis of the Japanese military occupations in Hong Kong and Singapore in 1941–1945. His M. Phil. thesis adopted a multi-actors approach to analyse the politics of the Chinese communist movement in Hong Kong during the Cultural Revolution. He has been teaching in the School of Arts and Social Sciences of Hong Kong Metropolitan University since 2001 and the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities of Macau University since 2006.