Programmes

• From AY2019/20 intake onwards, undergraduate students under the Faculty of Social Sciences are required to fulfil a 3-unit requirement of Social Sciences Experiential Learning in Action (SOSC ELA) under Social Sciences Common Core. Students can choose to take either SOSC3005 Community and Civic Engagement or SOSC3006 Global Outreach in their Year 3 or 4 of study as a fulfillment of SOSC ELA.

Do I need to take the either SOSC3005 Community and Civic Engagement /SOSC3006 Global Outreach to fulfil the 3-unit requirement of SOSC ELA?

• Students of some programmes with the built-in course(s) equivalent to SOSC3005 Community and Civic Engagement and/or SOSC3006 Global Outreach are not required to take either course for fulfilling the 3-unit SOSC ELA requirement. SOSC students (AY2019/20 intake onwards) are recommended to refer to their study schedule at the BuniPort for details.

When should I take the SOSC ELA course?

• In the study schedule of students majoring in GEOG/ GIS/ HIST/SOC, you will find the course group titled Social Sciences Experiential Learning in Action (#SOSC-CORE-0002) in Year 3 or 4 of study. Students are expected to plan for their experiential learning journey in their Year 2 of study, who can participate in the experiential learning activities the earliest during the summer preceding Year 3, in which the course will be enrolled in Semester 1 of Year 3
• Students should pay attention to the emails or e-announcements from the Faculty and apply for the course application in the previous semester of the course offering semester. The general course application timeline is given as follows:

Can I enroll in the course in Semester 2 of my final year study and participate in an internship/non-local experiential learning activity the following summer break?

• Final year students are strongly NOT recommended to take the course in Semester 2, particularly for the experiential learning activity to be taken during summer break after the end of Semester 2, it will affect your graduation time as the course assessment and grade submission will only be officially completed after your completion of the activity, which is in the following semester after summer (i.e. September or after).

If I choose to enroll in the course in Semester 2 and conduct the internship/non-local experiential learning activity in the following summer break, when will the grade of the course be released?

• For non-final-year students enrolled in the course in Semester 2 and taking the internship/activity during the following summer, “I” (Incomplete) grade will be recorded by the end of Semester 2. Irregular grade conversion will be done after the completion of internship/activity and course assessment in the following semester (i.e. September or after).

Should I apply the excess of study load for the ELA courses?

• Unless prescribed in an approved study plan, a student may NOT register for more than 18 units in a semester.  Students who wish to do so must obtain approval from the Department Head/Programme Director and the Academic Registrar during the course add/drop period.  Students who wish to register for more than 21 units must obtain support from the Department Head/Programme Director and apply to the Academic Registrar in writing.  Approval for a study load in excess of 21 units will only be given under exceptional circumstances.

• If the engagement for the ELA course is conducted during summer and the course will be registered in the following Semester 1, course registration will be handled by Academic Registry (AR) AFTER the course add/drop period. Students do NOT need to pre-register/add the course by themselves/apply for excess of study load. Yet, students have to cross check the course enrolment record after the course add/drop period of the Semester.

Can I double-count the GE Capstone course towards the requirement of SOSC ELA?

• Some study programmes (GEOG/GIS/HIST/SOC) have double-counting arrangement on specific 3-unit GE Capstone courses towards the ELA requirement (SOSC3005 Community & Civic Engagement or SOSC3006 Global Outreach). If students decide to double-count a GE Capstone, he/she must take a replacement course specified by respective Programmes to make up the 3 units to fulfil the graduation requirement. Students can refer to the Double-counting GE Capstone Guidelines for Students of the General Education Office’s (GEO) website for details.
• Students can also refer to the chart on the Faculty’s webpage.

When can I apply the double-counting of GE Capstone towards SOSC ELA?

• Students should plan in advance if they will apply for double-counting of GE Capstone towards the SOSC ELA requirement in order to fulfil the graduation requirement. Students will be invited by Academic Registry (AR) to apply for the GE Capstone double-counting in their final year study (Semester 1, tentatively). Detailed arrangement will be announced by AR in due course.
• If you decide to apply for double-counting a GE Capstone towards the SOSC ELA requirement, please make sure the replacement course for making up 3 units is recognised by your Major Department. Please refer to the Double-counting GE Capstone Guidelines for Students of the GEO’s website for the details.

• Yes. You should plan in advance and decide which course you will take to fulfil the requirement of SOSC ELA (3 units) and GE Capstone (3 units) respectively, since different course code represents different course types.
• The following table illustrates how the courses are recognised for respective groups of students when they take the courses with different course codes

There are two course codes of the course, what are the differences between SOSC3005 and GCAP3145?

• The course titled “Community and Civic Engagement” is double-listed as two course types: (1) Social Sciences Experiential Learning in Action (SOSC ELA) and (2) GE Capstone with two different course codes and different groups of target students.

*Remarks: Please check the GE Capstone courses list for double-counting towards SOSC ELA and respective replacement courses list on GEO’s website

• The course is tied with an internship/attachment element, students are expected to plan for their experiential learning journey and apply for the course in the previous semester. Students MUST NOT register the course by themselves without the prior approval from the Faculty.
• Students should pay attention to the emails and e-announcements from the Faculty Office for the course application schedule.
• Students with confirmed offer of internship/attachment will be enrolled in the course in the designated semester.
• The course registration will be done by Academic Registry, students do not need to register the course by themselves during the course pre-registration or add/drop periods.

• Students should pay attention to the emails and e-announcements from the Faculty Office. For students who are interested in internship/ research attachment, they can apply through the Social Sciences Internship Programme and choose the course SOSC3005/GCAP3145 Community and Civic Engagement. Shortlisted applicants will then be invited to apply for the interested placement(s) and attend a selection interview.

• The course is tied with an internship/attachment recognized by the Faculty that can fulfil the course requirement.
• Students who are interested to take the course with a self-sourced internship should submit the course application with supporting documents at a designated period. Please pay attention of the following notes before application:
  1. The course application with a self-sourced internship will be vetted by the Faculty case by case. There is no guarantee of successful course application
  2. The self-sourced internship must fulfil a minimum requirement of 200 work hours
  3. Students should provide more information about the self-sourced internship arrangement (e.g. name and background information of the internship organisation, job description, internship period, working hours etc.) together with your course application
  4. Students should gain the consent from the internship organisation on assigning an on-site supervisor to conduct assessment for the coursework requirement (e.g. endorsing the attendance record, completing an appraisal of performance, etc.)
  5. Students must make declaration of interest / report any conflicts of interest with the internship organisation to the Faculty Office

Can I start the summer internship from May, and does my engagement in May count towards the course requirement of 200 work hours?

• If you are a local student, you can start the internship from May if it is agreeable by the organisation, the engagement aforementioned will be counted.
• If you are a non-local student, you must follow the Immigration Policy on Study and participate in the internship within 1 June – 31 August, both days inclusive for summer.

I am a non-local student, can I take an internship or research attachment to complete the SOSC ELA requirement?

• Yes. Non-local students can be enrolled in the course SOSC3005/GCAP3145 Community and Civic Engagement by taking up an internship or research attachment during summer or semester time, but you ought to obtain a “No Objection Letter” (NOL) from the Immigration Department before taking up the internship and submit a copy to the Faculty of Social Sciences.
• You are strongly recommended to refer to the Immigration Policy on Study at https://www.immd.gov.hk/eng/faq/imm-policy-study.html for more details.
• Non-local students are allowed to take up internships during the summer months (within 1 June - 31 August, both days inclusive). You are supposed to obtain this NOL upon approval of entry and extension of stay applications, you do not have to make separate applications in respect of summer internship. This is the document to prove you are eligible to take up summer internship within June to August. (The letter is normally with the subject title of “Application for Student Visa/Entry Permit”).
• If non-local students choose to take up internship during semester time and to be enrolled in the course SOSC3005/ GCAP3145 Community and Civic Engagement, the Faculty Office will help the students to apply for the NOL after the confirmation of placement offer.

Can I engage the internship/research attachment in groups?

• Students are recommended to choose the experiential learning activity based on the social issue they want to address. Yet, they can choose to complete part of the course assessment individually or in a group of no more than 3 people who engaged in the same internship organisation/research project. For details, please refer to the Course Outline in BUniport.

Do I have to find a teaching/academic staff to be the Course Supervisor by myself?

• No, the Faculty Supervisor will be nominated by one of the seven Departments in the Faculty of Social Sciences according to the student’s chosen social issue(s) to be addressed after the course application result has been announced.
• Departments are identified in relation to the main areas of social issues as follows:
  • Environmental and Urban Systems (GEOG)
  • Populations and Well-being (SPEH, SOC, SOWK)
  • Learning, Praxis and Governance (EDUC, GIS, HIST)
• The contact information of the supervisor will be given in due course.

• You are recommended to discuss with your On-site Supervisor for the upcoming arrangement of the research attachment. Please contact the Faculty Office (email: soscela@hkbu.edu.hk) if you encounter any problems on the research attachment arrangement.

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There are two course codes of the course, what are the differences between SOSC3006 and GCAP3146?

• The course titled “Global Outreach” is double-listed as two course types: (1) Social Sciences Experiential Learning in Action and (2) GE Capstone with two different course codes and different groups of target students.

*Remarks: Please check the GE Capstone courses list for double-counting towards SOSC ELA and respective replacement courses list on GEO’s website

• You are recommended to plan and choose the experiential learning activities related to your chosen social issue(s) to be addressed. Students have to submit the initial proposal/plan of the proposed global outreach activity together with a weekly planner including the 4+ weeks activity details. Please refer to course application guidelines for the details.
• The proposal of the global outreach activity will be vetted by the Faculty/ Experiential Learning Coordinator(s) of the relevant Department.
• Departments are identified in relation to the main areas of social issues as follows:
  • Environmental and Urban Systems (GEOG)
  • Populations and Well-being (SPEH, SOC, SOWK)
  • Learning, Praxis and Governance (EDUC, GIS, HIST)

• The course is tied with a Faculty-recognized non-local experiential learning activity. Students are expected to plan for their experiential learning journey and apply for the course in the previous semester. Students MUST NOT register the course by themselves without the prior approval from the Faculty.
• Students should pay attention to the emails and e-announcements from the Faculty Office for the course application schedule.
• Students with confirmed offer of the global outreach activity will be enrolled in the course in the designated semester.
• The course registration will be done by Academic Registry, students do not need to register the course by themselves during the course pre-registration or add/drop periods

• It is optional but you are welcome to identify a teaching/academic staff to be the Supervisor of the course by yourself. Students should obtain the consent of the staff of being the Course Supervisor in advance and provide the staff information (Name, Department, Email Address) to the Faculty Office during the course application period.
• The Supervisor will be nominated/confirmed by one of the seven Departments in the Faculty of Social Sciences according to the student’s chosen social issue(s) to be addressed after the course application result has been announced.
• Departments are identified in relation to the main areas of social issues as follows:
  • Environmental and Urban Systems (GEOG)
  • Populations and Well-being (SPEH, SOC, SOWK)
  • Learning, Praxis and Governance (EDUC, GIS, HIST)

• Students are recommended to initiate their global outreach activities based on the social issue(s) they choose to address on either an individual or a group basis. They may choose to complete part of the course assessment individually or in a group of no more than 5 people who engaged in the same non-local experiential learning activity. For details, please refer to the Course Outline in BUniport.
• Each student should fill in his/her own course application form regardless of activity in an individual or a group basis.
• (Remarks: For GROUP applicants, it is not necessary for all of you to pick the same social issue nor course type. And please be reminded that ALL applicants should still submit their reflection report to the Faculty Supervisors individually)

• Yes, virtual non-local experiential learning activities count due to the pandemic (until further notice). Students are recommended to plan and choose the non-local experiential learning activity related to your chosen social issue(s) to be addressed. Your proposal of the global outreach activity will be vetted by the Faculty.

• Students are advised to apply for the Course after securing the offer of their proposed non-local experiential learning activity.

What can I do if the proposed non-local experiential learning activity is cancelled after the course enrolment?

• You can apply for course withdrawal if you cannot complete the recognised non-local experiential learning activity or cannot find appropriate replacement activity in that semester. Students should inform the Faculty Office by email about the change not less than one month before commencement of the original activity. The proposed replacement activity is subject to Faculty's approval.

Is there any financial support from the University or the Faculty for the Global Outreach activities?

• There is neither maximum nor minimum limit in expenses throughout Global Outreach Activities. Various activities initiated by the University/ Faculty may offer financial support for their participants. For example, there will be a minimal support for students engaged in the approved non-local experiential learning activities for the course SOSC3006/GCAP3146 Global Outreach via the Faculty of Social Student Experiential Learning Grant (SELG).

• https://sosc.hkbu.edu.hk/en/campus_life_and_support/support_to_students/selg