岭南大学

The Bachelor of Social Sciences (Hons) programme is an integral part of Lingnan’s mission to provide internationally leading liberal arts education and provides students with a broad and coherent intellectual base to prepare them for the labour market.

Through a variety of applied courses, service-learning, study/field trips, summer internships, and Lingnan’s international exchange programme, our students have first-hand opportunities to experience the integration of theories and practice.

Majors

Under the Bachelor of Social Sciences (Hons) Programme, we have a total of 7 Majors. First and senior year (Year 3 Entry) students are required to take up one. Successful senior year admittees will be admitted to year three directly. The normal duration for full-time first and senior year students is four and two years, respectively.

Economics

• Explores how to tackle dilemmas and difficult choices under limited resources
• Studies the consequences of such choices by individuals, businesses, government, and society
• Introduces students to using data to analyse the world and test theory against reality

Political Science

• Studies the shaping and sharing of power, including its uses, acquisition, and distribution: politics is the study of “who gets what, when and how”
• Cultivates students’ critical spirit which allows them to challenge traditional ideas in a changing world

Psychology

• Provides students with essential knowledge and principles from different sub-fields of psychology, including developmental psychology, social psychology and cognitive psychology
• Prepares students for further studies, such as in psychology, teaching, and social work; and for employment especially those involving human relations, managerial and administrative occupations

Sociology

• Dedicated to the understanding of the fundamental principles of social life and to the systematic study of social institutions and social transformations
• Enables students to answer the “what”, “how” and “why” questions about human societies, past and present

Social and Public Policy Studies

• Studies social and public policies, particularly as they relate to the rapid changes in local, regional and global environments
• Studies social and economic issues such as ageing and population, gender, employment, housing, health and social welfare
• Provides inter-disciplinary perspectives that will enhance students’ ability to analyse social and public policy issues and debates

Career Potential

• Besides standard professions in commerce and industry, such as executives/supervisors in finance, trading, marketing, sales, personnel and management, many of our graduates are employed in the community and social services working as programme/administrative officers and human resources assistants in local and international charities and non-governmental organisations (NGO).
• Some graduates build their careers as teachers/educational personnel in the education sector or as civil servants in government, while others pursue further studies by enrolling in postgraduate programmes in local or well-known overseas universities.