Bachelor of Arts (BA) - The University of Hong Kong

further with a regional context, and examples are drawn from the Pearl River Delta as well as other
mega-city regions.
Assessment: 40% coursework, 60% examination.
This course will be offered in the first semester.
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GEOG2082.
Economic development in rural China (6 credits)
(This course is also offered to second and third year non-BA students for inter-Faculty broadening
purposes.)
China is still largely an agricultural country with an overwhelmingly rural population. This course
examines China’s rural and agricultural development issues from both developmental and
geographical perspectives. It provides an in-depth insight into Chinese transformation in
agricultural and rural sectors over the past five decades. It focuses on three parts of knowledge:
basic theories in rural and agricultural development, existing condition and situation of Chinese
agricultural production and the rural economy, and hot topics of debates on contemporary reform
and development in Chinese countryside. Agricultural and rural problems, government policies
and the associated impacts will be analyzed along with natural environment and condition. The
course emphasizes the training of critical thinking and comprehensive analytical skills, as well as
practical problem-solving ability. The course is primarily organized into three parts: lectures,
seminars and a fieldtrip. Part I is lectured by the instructor of the course, Part II are seminars
presented by students, by topics and in groups, and Part III is a field excursion to China.
Assessment: 40% coursework; 60% examination.
This course will be offered in the first semester.
GEOG2083.
Sustainable cities: theory and praxis # (6 credits)
(This course is also offered to second and third year non-BA students for inter-Faculty broadening
purposes.)
There has been a rapidly increasing literature, since the latter half of the 1990s, on how cities and
urban development in general could be made compatible with sustainable development goals. This
course will examine key issues, both theoretical and practical, pertaining to this topic-such as the
relationship between cities and environmental justice, health, transport, industry, agriculture,
planning, designing with nature and waste management. Discussion will also extend to the
problem of how best to assess, measure, and monitor progress towards the achievement of
sustainable development goals at the city and national levels. Comparing and contrasting various
policy and planning approaches exemplified by a range of urban projects introduced and
implemented in both developed and developing countries, an overall emphasis will be placed on
how ‘sustainable cities’ need to be considered within a regional and global context.
Assessment: 40% coursework; 60% examination.
This course will be offered in the first semester.
EASC1000.
Earth's dynamic systems (6 credits)
Based on the idea that the Earth operates as a number of dynamic systems, this course will introduce
students to how our planet works, from the basic building blocks of rocks and minerals, to the
unifying concept of plate tectonics. Topics include: rocks and minerals; the rock cycle; the history
of life on Earth; geologic time and stratigraphy; plate tectonics; and environmental geology.
The course consists of 2 hours lectures per week for 12 weeks; Practicals: 2 hours per week for 12
weeks; 1 full day field trip.
Assessment: One two-hour written examination (50% weighting) and coursework assessment
including a practical test (50% weighting).
# Courses to be offered on alternate odd-year basis, i.e. in 2003-04, 2005-06.