BSocSc (Hons) in China Studies (Economics Option)

Option Aims & Career Prospects

Since 1979 China has been following a new development strategy which emphasizes the role of improving productivity and strengthening external economic relations. To implement this strategy, China is in the process of reforming her system of economic administration. This involves generally giving greater autonomy to local authorities and basic economic units, reforming national enterprises and a greater use of market mechanisms to regulate and coordinate economic activities, and to enlarge consumer choice. These changes are in recognition of past problems and defects in China's socialist economic development. Theoretical work has been carried out to justify and guide the reforms, and policies have been adjusted frequently in response to problems which have emerged during the reform process. 
For both traders and researchers concerned with China, a sound understanding of China's administration system and development strategies has become increasingly important. Hong Kong business and other institutions with interests in China have become particularly keen to recruit economists with expertise in Chinese economy, both to help formulate trade and investment decisions and to advise on the Chinese macro context.

The Economics Option of the BSocSc (Hons) in China Studies aims to meet a growing need for a programme oriented towards the Chinese economy.

Summer Sojourn

A distinctive feature of the Course is the summer sojourn programme in which all students have to spend one month at Tsinghua University, Beijing to receive intensive training in Putonghua during the summer at the end of the second year. Since the students have taken the six-unit subject Spoken Modern Chinese (Putonghua) I & II during the second year, the sojourn acts as an "immersion" programme in Putonghua training. Students will undertake Putonghua training for three hours per day, five days per week.

Another part of the summer sojourn programme consists of seminars on topics relating to current issues in China. A total of eight to ten seminars on issues relating to topics of a political, economic, sociological, historical and geographic nature will be conducted during the sojourn.

A third part of the programme is composed of visits to places of particular interest to this Course. It is felt that students should be given some field experience in Mainland China by visiting factories, farms, historical sites, government offices, etc. Four whole-day visits will be organized to places around the Beijing area during the sojourn period.

Course Admission Requirements (In addition to General University Admission Requirements), intake quota, etc., please click this link: School of Business BBA(Hons) Degree Courses Prospectus 

Curriculum

Economics, as taught in most university programmes, is a highly sequential discipline, proceeding from a core of theory and quantitative skills on to empirical applications. The Economics Option curriculum preserves this basic structure for its academic integrity: the theoretical component is carefully chosen for its applicability to subjects which serve either as prerequisite(s) for subjects on Chinese economy, or are relevant to themes of the Chinese economy.

Quantitative methods and research methodology are taught in the first and second years to provide a background for later empirical applications.

The level two core subject Foundations of Chinese Economy provides students with a basis for understanding the historical and functioning of the Chinese national economy. Built on these foundations, elective subjects covering the most important aspects of the Chinese economy are offered for students to select as their areas of concentration for more specialized study.

Core Subjects 

For more detail of the course structure and requirements, please click this link:
Bachelor of Social Sciences (Honours) in China StudiesEconomics Option