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Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies
Student Manual

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Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies - Student Manual

BARS Student Manual 2023-24

  1. Characteristics of the Programme
    Religious Studies considers religion to be an integral part of human life, thought and activity. It advocates an objective and academic approach to the study of religious phenomena and a critical yet sympathetic understanding of people's religious life. Students may take courses in five areas: Approaches to Religious Studies; Religious Traditions and Classics; Religion, Culture and Society; Classical Languages and Seminars.  To facilitate the development of various study interests of students, our programme offers three areas of concentration for students, namely, “Religion and Culture”, “Religious Education”, and “Arabic Studies”.

    Particular attention is paid to interdisciplinary studies, including the Psychology of Religion, the Sociology of Religion, the Philosophy of Religion, Religion and Ethics, Religion and Education, and Religion and Literature, with the aim of acquainting students with the relationship between religion and other disciplines. In addition, the Religious Studies programme requires students to conduct fieldwork, research and study to gain a greater understanding of the daily religious rituals of people in our own society and in the region. To integrate religious theory and application, and to provide students with on-site experience, our programme provides internship opportunities for undergraduate students.

  2. Learning Guidelines
    1. Programme Information
      Programme information such as Study Scheme, Course List, Learning Outcomes, Teaching Timetable and Course Outlines are available for download at the RES and Department website.
       
    2. Term Dates and Adds/Drop Periods
      Students can only enroll and withdraw courses during Add/Drop Periods:
      Term 1          4 September 2023 (Mon) – 2 December 2023 (Sat)
      Add/Drop     11 September 2023 (Mon) – 17 September 2023 (Sun)

      Term 2          8 January 2024 (Mon) – 20 April 2024 (Sat)
      Add/Drop     15 January 2024 (Mon) – 21 January 2024 (Sun)

    3. Academic Honesty – VeriGuide
      The University places very high importance on honesty in academic work. According to the Honesty in Academic Work: A Guide for Students and Teachers: (http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/policy/academichonesty/Eng_htm_files_(2013-14)/index_page2.htm), all assignments should be submitted to VeriGuide  for checking (https://academic.veriguide.org/academic/login_CUHK.jspx) and accompanied by a signed declaration statement (Appendix 5) when handing in to teachers.
       
    4. Extra-curricular Activities
      The Programme regularly organizes lectures, workshops, conferences and tours to enhance students’ learning and to broaden their perspectives. Students are expected to actively engage in these activities.
       
  3. Curriculum Design
    The normative period of study is four years, and students have to complete 123 units and satisfy requirements under separate categories. The overall curriculum structure is as follows:
     
    Categories Units
    Major (including Faculty Package) 69
    Chinese language 5
    English language 8
    General Education University GE: Foundation Courses (6 units) 19
    University GE : Four Areas (7 units)
    College GE (6 units)
    Understanding China 1
    Hong Kong in the Wider Constitutional Order 1
    Digital Literacy and Computational Thinking 3
    Physical Education 2
    Free electives remaining units (15)
    Total: 123

  4. Support and Counselling Services
    Under the “Academic Advisory System”, each student is assigned with one teaching staff as her/his Level I Advisor who provides general support, such as course selection, adaptation to University learning modes and disciplinary fundamentals. Students who are in greater needs, including those who are put on academic probation, extended probation, with Term GPA ranges from 1.50 to 2.00, will be further taken care by Level II Advisors who provide more individualized and in-depth support.

    Students who would like to receive emotional / psychological support or counselling service are welcome to approach Programme Coordinator. Appointments with University Counsellors, Student Counselling and Development Services, Office of Student Affairs can be made by the students themselves or refereed by the above-mentioned teaching staff.

  5. Maximum Course Load
    A student shall take no more than 18 units of courses in a term except with prior permission of his/ her Major Department. However, no student shall be allowed to take more than 21 units in any term.

  6. Academic Probation and Discontinuation of Studies
    Academic Probation
    A student shall be put on academic probation if s/he fails to comply with the requirements as stipulated on the University Undergraduate Student Handbook (Regulation 10.0 of the General Regulations Governing Full-time Undergraduate Studies).

    Discontinuation Studies
    1. A student shall be required to discontinue his /her studies at the University if s/he fails to comply with the requirements as stipulated on the University Undergraduate Student Handbook (regulation 10.0 of the General Regulations Governing Full-time Undergraduate Studies);
      http://rgsntl.rgs.cuhk.edu.hk/aqs_prd_applx/Public/Handbook/document.aspx?id=1984&tv=F&lang=en

    2. If a student obtains a grade point average below 1.0 or fails in more than half of the units of course taken in a term but wishes to continue his/her Term GPA is confirmed, to the Programme Chairman of the Bachelor of Arts in Cultural Studies and obtain permission from the Department to continue his/her studies. Otherwise, the student shall be required to discontinue his/her studies at the University.
       
  7. Useful Platforms
    1. Student Handbook
      The Student Handbook 2023-24 is available at RES website
      (http://www.res.cuhk.edu.hk/en-gb/). Please read relevant parts regarding your studies, in particular the General Regulations Governing Undergraduate Studies.
       
    2. @Link Email
      The Department, RES and other units of the University will send announcements and notices to you via the @Link, an email service under CUHK Microsoft O365 (https://www.cuhk.edu.hk/o365/). Please check your @Link mailbox regularly. Otherwise, you may miss important information, e.g., course registers, student fee reminders, etc.

    3. MyCUHK and CUSIS
      You can access different information related to the University and study via MyCUHK (https://portal.cuhk.edu.hk/). You can update your contact information, perform course registration, view academic results and other study related matters via CUSIS.
       
    4. CU eLearning System
      You may download the course materials and conduct online discussion of each course via CU eLearning System – Blackboard Learn (https://elearn.cuhk.edu.hk/).
       
  8. Useful Links
    1. University Almanac 2023-24 (Term dates and holidays)
      http://www.res.cuhk.edu.hk/en-gb/general-information/university-almanac/university-almanac-for-2023-24/university-almanac-2023-24-by-programmes/full-time-undergraduate-programmes

    2. Campus Map
      http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/english/campus/cuhk-campus-map.html
       
    3. Classroom Location & Building Abbreviations
      http://www.res.cuhk.edu.hk/zh-tw/teaching-timetable-classroom-booking/classroom-booking/classroom-inventory-2021-22
       
    4. Office of Student Affairs
      http://www.osa.cuhk.edu.hk/
       
    5. General Arrangement for Typhoons and Black Rainstorm Signal
      http://rgsntl.rgs.cuhk.edu.hk/aqs_prd_applx/Public/Handbook/document.aspx?id=1567&tv=T&lang=en
       
  9. Contact Persons
    Programme Coordinator:
    Dr. Chow Wai Yin
    Email: wychow@cuhk.edu.hk    		 RES:
    Email: ugadmin@cuhk.edu.hk
    Hotline: 3943 9888
    Programme Officer
    Miss Joanne LAU
    Email: joannelauly@cuhk.edu.hk
    Tel.: 3943 6477

    Teaching Assistant

    Dr. Kung Wai Han Chris

    Email: waihankung@cuhk.edu.hk

    Tel.: 3943 3726