Social Sciences

The programme aims to meet the continuing education and professional development needs of people who are currently working in public relations or those who have aspirations in this area. The programme provides students with knowledge in practical public relations techniques and tools to achieve the corporate's branding goals and objectives.

In order to improve the quality of governance in Hong Kong, it is important to first improve the quality of the politicians. This executive programme is a specialized course developed and offered jointly by the Path of Democracy and HKU School of Professional and Continuing Education (HKU SPACE), which aims to train and develop young political leaders to meet the needs and unique political situation in Hong Kong.

In the post-VUCA era, the majority of the workforce is from Generation Z while others are from different generations. In order to engage the Millennium at work and achieve organisational goals more effectively, It is necessary for leaders to understand the beliefs, values, personalities and behaviours of young employees. This understanding will help leaders to be more analytical and able to predict the responses of employees in different situations. Leaders will be more able to influence employees, create a positive and innovate working environment, solve difficult problems, promote team work and facilitate organisational changes.

In the era of digital economy, executives should not only be professional in their functions but also know how to engage their people, including open communication, value people over task, team approach, accept ambiguity and facilitate staff's development. This programme will improve your knowledge and skill in coaching. But, more important is before coaching others, you need to learn how to coach yourself: be more humble, willing to listen, be active in listening. Through the approach of coaching-based leadership, you will understand how to enhance yourself, at the same time, improve performance through the development of your staff.

The programme aims to meet the continuing education and professional development needs of those who are currently working in public relations and/ or event management or those who have aspirations in these areas. The programme provides students with core event management concepts as well as knowledge in public relations and corporate branding. A broad and holistic view in event management will be given to students with practical public relations techniques and tools to achieve the corporate's branding goals and objectives. 

Applied psychology is the use of theory and findings in psychology to solve practical problems in important areas of the human environment, including education, health, the workplace, and so on. This programme is designed to help participants apply cutting-edge theory to real-world situations. It is made up of different registered psychologists and other related specialists to deliver a powerful curriculum that explores a range of human behaviors, including how to motivate individuals and organizations, how to assess and improve performance and how to pursue healthy lives.

The 18-month programme is designed as a professional training of counsellors who specialize in Buddhist Counselling.  It is the first of its kind in Asia.    The Programme signifies the birth of a recognized profession of Buddhist Counsellors who have reached professional competence in the provision of individual and group counselling services, counselling visits, Buddhist homiletics, and meditation guidance in hospitals, homes for the aged, and other community settings.

The  Postgraduate Diploma in Media and Cultural Critique programme aims to develop the study of media and cultural institutions, ideologies and policies as part of social and economic reality. Its design has a specific rationale, beginning from a semester which aims to provide a comprehensive foundation in research methods and critical approaches to media and cultural studies, through another semester which provides a grounding in the media (including social media) and then visual and socio-cultural content, giving graduates the possibility of undergoing further study in media and cultural studies, communication studies, creative industries, arts and cultural management.

This programme examines the various ways in which globalisation processes are impacting media practices and representations. Key theoretical concepts and debates on media globalisation will be covered, with application to a range of global media examples and texts, including elements of popular culture and trends in new media. The developments in communications and transmission formats that have resulted from media globalisation will also be evaluated in order to delineate how audience identities are being constructed and shaped by these transnational and intercultural productions and processes.

In this mediated network society, use of media increasingly becomes an essential part of people’s everyday life. The media are therefore strategically employed as pedagogical tool by the teaching profession. This programme purposes to critically review the historical and contemporary development of media as a pedagogical tool. By evaluating different forms of media content, it applies principles and concepts related to media literacy for instructional and teaching purposes. The programme equips students with media professional knowledge with a view to assessing teaching effectiveness of media literacy classes.