(Full-time)
Message from the Programme Director
Introduction
In recent years, both Hong Kong and the Mainland have experienced phenomenal economic growth. However, economic prosperity is usually accompanied by acute social problems, and potential concerns are there to be dealt with. Both governments, aiming at building a harmonious society, pay much attention to social problems, and have formulated and implemented various social development policies to address those problems. In Hong Kong, the government has started to encourage more public participation in policy discussion, formulation and implementation. A lot of professionals including social workers, educators, policy analysts, and scholars are being invited to join various governmental advisory bodies to give their views. In addition, various pressure groups and think-tanks are keen to voice their opinions on social policies. All of the above heighten the training needs of social policy professionals in Hong Kong.
In view of the situation, the Department offers a full-time one-year Master of Arts in Social Policy (MASP) Programme. This Programme aims at providing high quality postgraduate education to those who either are or plan to be social work educators or practitioners. The ultimate aim of the Programme is to raise the standards of research, formulation, and implementation as well as the evaluation of social policies; and to cultivate a group of social workers who possess the ability to critically analyse social policies.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the Programme, students are expected to demonstrate the following abilities:
1) Be able to analyse, formulate, implement and evaluate theoretical and practical knowledge regarding social policy;
2) Be able to apply scientific research methods to investigate and examine issues related to social policy;
3) Be able to understand current social policies in East Asia (including Hong Kong and China) with a focus on characteristics and the reform of social welfare; and
4) Be able to integrate the theories of social policy with practical experience.
Programme of Study
Study mode available
Full-time: 1 year
The Programme consists of 6 required courses, and 2 elective courses to be completed in one academic year of study beginning in September. The courses offered are as follows:
Remarks:
* Students are required to take two elective courses.
* Not all elective courses will necessarily be offered in a given year. Elective courses will be offered in accordance with resources available. Only those courses that meet the minimum enrolment quota will be offered.
Scholarships
The following scholarships are available to students of the MASP Programme:
1) Admission Scholarship: Master of Arts in Social Policy Scholarship
2) Distinguished Academic Scholarship for Master of Arts in Social Policy Students