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

172GEOG1012.Economic and social development in an urbanizing world (6 credits)(This course is also offered to non-BA students for inter-Faculty broadening purposes.)This course introduces students to the processes and spatial patterns of economic development andsocial changes in an increasingly urbanizing world. Important subjects to be discussed include thegeographical dynamics of economic development, the trend of economic globalization versus localdevelopment, the location issue in various economic sectors, geopolitics and the new world order, aswell as social and environmental concerns in the urbanization process. Emphasis will be placed on thegeographical explanation of economic development and emerging urban issues in this fast changingworld. This course can be taken as an independent course or, for students intending to focus on thehuman dimensions of geographical matters in their second- and third-year studies, it can be taken as acomplement to another Level 100 course 'GEOG1011 Introduction to human geography' (offered by Dr.G.C.S. Lin).Assessment: 40% coursework, 60% examination.This course will be offered in the second semester.GEOG1015.Introduction to computer applications in geography (6 credits)(This course is also offered to non-BA students for inter-Faculty broadening purposes.)The course provides basic skills in geography related computer applications to those, who are not yetexperienced computer-users. The participants will engage in a project to analyse and visualisegeographical data on Hong Kong using software, such as MS Excel and ArcView of ESRI. They willalso create a website to present their project results. The seminar is not a systematic and comprehensivecourse on the programmes used, nor does it replace the Introduction to GIS. It aims at encouragingstudents of geography to make use of computer-based tools and to understand the related opportunitiesand problems. As there is no final examination, active participation during class and project relatedhomework is required from every participant.Assessment: 100% coursework.This course will be offered in the second semester.Curriculum Options in Second and Third YearsThe new Geography curriculum provides three options of subject specialization - 'Urban & Transport','China & the Pacific Rim', and 'Environment & Resources' - for second- and third-year studentsintending to major in Geography or otherwise. All courses are offered as 6 credit courses exceptGEOG3009 Honours dissertation which is a 12 credit course.Students can, based on their academic interest and future career development, select one suitable optionas their focus for pursuing their Geography major. Under each option, major students are required totake a combination of 'core' and 'elective' Level 200 courses, with a minimum total of 48 credits, i.e. 24credits in each of their second- and third-years of studies. Regardless of which option a major studenthas chosen, he/she must also take the 'required' methodological course GEOG3028 Overseas fieldtrip. Geography majors can take up to a total of 96 credits in Levels 200 and 300 geography courses inthe second- and third-years of study.Geography major students must take at least two 'core' courses each in their second- and third-yearof studies. The 'core' courses in one particular option would automatically become 'elective' courses inthe other two options so that students can have a wide choice and greater flexibility in their courseselection. After taking the necessary number of 'core' and 'required' courses, students are free to selecttheir remaining geography courses from the pool of elective courses.