Communication-Intensive Courses

Overview

Communication Intensive (CI)-badged courses are courses that recognize that effective communication is complex and involves many different forms, genres and components. These courses have a syllabus that embeds communications teaching alongside the course content. Specifically, these courses consist of a syllabus with components that explicitly develop students’ communication-related knowledge (understanding of communication as it relates to human interaction), skills (skills in communicating effectively with others, using language and/or other means) and attributes (the attributes of effective communicators). They also develop at least two out of four communication literacies (oral, written, visual, and digital).

Our School offers the following Communication Intensive Courses (CIC):

 

Course Code Course Name stream
CCHU9084 The law in everyday life
(Professor Anya Adair)		 N/A. This is a common core course.
ENGL2164/
LALS3010/
LLAW3251		 Beginnings of English Law and Literature
(Professor Anya Adair)		 Lit.
ENGL2030 New Englishes
(Dr. May Wong)		 L&C
ENGL2194 Language and advertising
(Dr. May Wong)		 L&C

Common Core Courses Offerings 2026-27

2026-27 course offerings

first semester

Course Code   Course Name
CCHU9033   Countries of the mind: Texts that shape the world
(Ms. Yvonne Yu)
CCHU9053   Contested words, disputed symbols
(Professor Brian King)

Second semester

Course Code   Course Name
CCHU9055   Metamorphoses: Tales of transformation
(Dr. Annelise Ng)
CCGL9038   Global Englishes
(Professor Brian King)

Timetables

Timetables

First Upload Date: June 5, 2025
Last Updated Date: July 29, 2025 

 

HKU Calendar for the Academic Year 2025-26 (For Undergraduate and Taught Postgraduate Students)

First Semester Course Offerings

Introductory Courses

Prerequisite:
A minimum Level 5 in English Language HKDSE exam, or an equivalent score in another recognized English proficiency test. For details please refer to our English Proficiency Pre-requisite for ENGL Courses webpage.

 

For students who did not sit the HKDSE examination, please submit a copy of your equivalent qualification(s), such as the IB Diploma, GCE-A Levels, SAT, IELTS, TOEFL, etc., to the School Office (via this form: https://hku.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_aYpc9YyvM2uqBaC) for consideration at least two weeks before the course selection period.

List A: Historical and theoretical foundations

Course Code Course Name stream
ENGL1022 Introduction to poetry
(Professor Tara Lee)		 Lit.
ENGL1031 English grammar(s)
(Dr. May Wong)(For students admitted in 2021-22 or before, this course will be counted as an introductory course from List B after completion. Please refer to your syllabus at https://english.hku.hk/Undergraduate/Curriculum/English_Studies.)		 L&C
ENGL1059 Introduction to pragmatics
(Professor Brian King)		 L&C

List B: Critical reading, analysis and writing

Course Code Course Name stream
ENGL1024 Introduction to world literature
(Professor Anjuli Gunaratne)		 Lit.
ENGL1035 Language crimes
(Professor Janny Leung)		 L&C
ENGL1036 Meaning and metaphor
(Professor Kendall Johnson)		 Lit.
ENGL1041 Introduction to literary modernism
(Professor Nan Zhang)		 Lit.
ENGL1043 Introduction to 20th-century poetry
(Dr. Peter Kennedy)		 Lit.
ENGL1049 Early modern sonnets
(Professor Nicholas Luke)		 Lit.
ENGL1064 Language, communication and media
(Professor Brian King)(Non-permissible combination with ENGL1064: ENGL2182/ LCOM2004. Language, communication and the media)		 L&C

Advanced Courses

Prerequisite:
Passed 3 introductory courses (with at least one from both List A and List B).
*For students in BA&LLB, successful completion of LALS2001 Introduction to law and literary studies will also fulfill 6 credits of introductory ENGL course (List B) for admission to advanced ENGL courses for English non-majors.

 

Additional prerequisite for a capstone course:
Final-year students normally should have completed 30 credits of introductory courses and 24 credits of advanced courses in the major (including transferred credits).



Course Code Course Name stream
ENGL2002 Language in society
(Professor Daniel Weston)		 L&C
ENGL2012 Advanced literary theory
(Professor Anjuli Gunaratne)		 Lit.
ENGL2039 Gender, sexuality and discourse
(Dr. Vincent Pak)		 L&C
ENGL2079 Shakespeare
(Professor Nicholas Luke)		 Lit.
ENGL2085 Creative writing
(Ms. Maria Chaudhuri)		 Lit.
ENGL2127/
LALS3003/
LLAW3190		 Language and the law
(Professor Janny Leung)		 L&C
ENGL2141 Doing discourse analysis
(Professor Olga Zayts)		 L&C
ENGL2142 Milton
(Professor Brandon Chua)		 Lit.
ENGL2156 18th-century literature
(Professor Brandon Chua)		 Lit.
ENGL2159 21st-century English poetry
(Dr. Peter Kennedy)		 Lit.
ENGL2165/
LALS3005/
LLAW3226		 Legal fictions: United States citizenship and the right to write in America
(Professor Kendall Johnson)		 Lit.
ENGL2181 Languager and politeness
(Dr. Mandy Yu)		 L&C
ENGL2185 Health communication, ‘healthy’ communication
(Professor Olga Zayts)		 L&C
ENGL2194 Language and advertising
(Dr. May Wong)		 L&C
ENGL3040 Internship in English studies (capstone experience)
(Ms. Stephanie Ng)		 L&C or Lit., depending on internship nature
ENGL3041 Senior colloquium in English studies: People Who Aren’t Really There (capstone experience)
(Professor Don Kulick)		 L&C

Common Core Courses

Course Code Course Name
CCHU9053 Contested words, disputed symbols
(Dr. Sinead Kwok)
CCHU9092 Disabling society
(Professor Don Kulick)

Second Semester Course Offerings

Introductory Courses

Prerequisite:
A minimum Level 5 in English Language HKDSE exam, or an equivalent score in another recognized English proficiency test.

List A: Historical and theoretical foundations
Course Code Course Name stream
ENGL1042 World Englishes
(Professor Daniel Weston)(For students admitted in 2021-22 or before, this course will be counted as an introductory course from List B after completion. Please refer to your syllabus at https://english.hku.hk/Undergraduate/Curriculum/English_Studies.)		 L&C
ENGL1056 Introduction to language and communication
(Professor Hanwool Choe)		 L&C
ENGL1062 Reading and writing about literature
(Professor Anjuli Gunaratne)		 Lit.

List B: Critical reading, analysis and writing

Course Code Course Name stream
ENGL1013 Introduction to 20th-century literature
(Professor Nan Zhang)(For students admitted in 2023-24 or before, this course will be counted as an introductory course from List A after completion. Please refer to your syllabus at https://english.hku.hk/Undergraduate/Curriculum/English_Studies.)		 Lit.
ENGL1018 Language and gender
(Professor Brian King)(For students admitted in 2021-22 or before, this course will be counted as an introductory course from List A after completion. Please refer to your syllabus at https://english.hku.hk/Undergraduate/Curriculum/English_Studies.)		 L&C
ENGL1050 Research methods in sociolinguistics
(Professor Hanwool Choe)		 L&C
ENGL1055 Language myths and realities
(Dr. Sinead Kwok)		 L&C
ENGL1061 Psycholinguistics and language acquisition
(Professor Ricky Chan)		 L&C
ENGL1064 Language, communication and media
(Dr. May Wong)(Non-permissible combination with ENGL1064: ENGL2182/ LCOM2004. Language, communication and the media)		 L&C
ENGL1066 Introduction to modern drama
(Professor Moonyoung Hong)		 Lit.

Advanced Courses

Prerequisite:
Passed 3 introductory courses (with at least one from both List A and List B).
*For students in BA&LLB, successful completion of LALS2001 Introduction to law and literary studies will also fulfill 6 credits of introductory ENGL course (List B) for admission to advanced ENGL courses for English non-majors.

 

Additional prerequisite for a capstone course:
Final-year students normally should have completed 30 credits of introductory courses and 24 credits of advanced courses in the major (including transferred credits).

Course Code Course Name stream
ENGL2007 Literary linguistics
(Dr. Philip Chan)		 L&C or Lit.
ENGL2030 New Englishes
(Dr. May Wong)		 L&C
ENGL2048 Language and jargon
(Professor Christopher Hutton)		 L&C
ENGL2055 The Gothic
(Professor Tara Lee)		 Lit.
ENGL2097 Writing Hong Kong
(Mr. Felix Wong)		 Lit
ENGL2119 English in Hong Kong
(Dr. Sinead Kwok)		 L&C
ENGL2128 Special topics in modernism
(Professor Nan Zhang)		 Lit.
ENGL2146 Cognitive semantics  Cognitive semantics Cognitive semantics
(Mr. Ryan Lai)		 L&C
ENGL2164/
LALS3010/
LLAW3251		 The beginnings of English law and literature
(Professor Anya Adair)		 Lit.
ENGL2166 English phonetics
(Professor Ricky Chan)		 L&C
ENGL2174/
LALS3014/
LLAW3274		 Shakespeare and the law
(Professor Nicholas Luke)		 Lit.
ENGL2175 Bad identities
(Dr. Vincent Pak)		 L&C
ENGL2179 Theories of language and communication
(Mr. Ryan Lai)		 L&C
ENGL2190 Special topics in 19th-century literature
(Dr. Jiaying Sim)		 Lit.
ENGL2195 Staging Asia
(Professor Moonyoung Hong)		 Lit.
ENGL3040 Internship in English studies (capstone experience)
(Professor Brandon Chua)		 L&C or Lit., depending on internship nature
ENGL3041 Senior colloquium in English studies: Saussure and the politics of linguistics (capstone experience)
(Professor Christopher Hutton and Dr. Jasper Wu)		 L&C

*Note: Students admitted in 2020-21 or before may choose the LCOM course codes. Students admitted in 2021-22 and thereafter may only choose the ENGL course codes.

Common Core Courses

Course Code Course Name
CCHU9032 Language, institution and power
(Dr. Vincent Pak)
CCHU9084 The law in everyday life
(Professor Anya Adair)

Specialization streams

Applicable to UG English Studies major students admitted in 2021-22 and thereafter:

Major students who have successfully passed at least seven courses (three introductory courses and four advanced courses) with a literature OR language and communication focus, respectively, will be given a School of English certification, upon request, which attests to this specialization in the “Literature Stream” or “Language and Communication Stream.” If applicable, a dual recognition in both the “Literature Stream” and “Language and Communication Stream” is possible.

Please note that the declaration and certification of specialization stream(s) is optional and students can graduate with a major in English Studies without declaring any specialization stream(s).

You can only apply for a specialization certificate after you have completed your studies, for which please fill out our online form via the link below:
https://hku.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bpYV6msP8P4X5fU

Notes:

  1. Courses affiliated to specialization streams are listed on the School’s website.
  2. Neither the transcript nor the graduation certificate will show the specialization stream(s). If applicable, students may approach the School for certification of their specialization stream(s).

Specialization streams:

  • Stream: Literature (Lit.); or
  • Stream: Language and Communication (L&C); or
  • Stream: L&C or Lit.

Admission Info for Prospective Students

English Studies English Proficiency Pre-requisite for ENGL and DRTP Courses Drama, Theatre, and Performance Studies Frequently Asked Questions List of UG Coordinators

Curriculum level

BA&BEd Programme in Language Education (English) Coordinator (Arts): Professor Ricky Chan
BA&BEd Programme webpage: https://web.edu.hku.hk/programme/babed_6066/overview

BA&LLB Acting Programme Director (Arts): Professor Anya Adair
BA&LLB Programme webpage: http://arts.hku.hk/current-students/undergraduate/BALLB

Programme level

Undergraduate Coordinator: Professor Ricky Chan

Admission Info for Prospective Students

English Studies English Proficiency Pre-requisite for ENGL and DRTP Courses Drama, Theatre, and Performance Studies Frequently Asked Questions List of UG Coordinators

Course Selection and Credit Transfer

Can I take an introductory ENGL/LCOM course if I scored a Level 4 in the English Language HKDSE exam?

Normally, a minimum Level 5 in English Language HKDSE exam is required for admission to any of the introductory courses. You can apply for special consideration if you have other equivalent qualifications such as IELTS, TOEFL, SAT, ACT, etc. and submit the proof to the School Office (via this form: https://hku.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_aYpc9YyvM2uqBaC) two weeks before the course selection period.

I am a non-JUPAS applicant and did not sit for the HKDSE exam; can I still qualify to take an introductory course?

Yes, you simply have to submit a copy of your equivalent qualification(s), such as IELTS, TOEFL, GCE A-Levels, IB Diploma, etc., to the School Office (via this form: https://hku.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_aYpc9YyvM2uqBaC) for consideration two weeks before the course selection period.

Between the two main fields of English literary studies and English linguistics, I am more interested in one field. Can I take all the advanced courses in the same one field to fulfil my English Studies major?

Yes, you are free to choose advanced courses from the syllabus according to your interest. We encourage you to define your interest with an open mind, however, and not to focus too narrowly on a small number of courses or a particular specialization in English Studies. Our curriculum offers you various attractive concentrations in the major and in order to make most of the programme, you do well to balance your interests between different aspects of English Studies, so as to explore interesting connections. You are advised to consult the UG Coordinator or any teachers in the School regarding your study plan in the major.

How can I enrol in an extended essay course?

Extended essay courses are primarily offered to outstanding final-year students enrolled in the Undergraduate Research Fellowship Programme (URFP) to pursue an advanced research project under the guidance of a supervisor. The Faculty of Arts will invite academically outstanding third-year students to join the URFP in the next academic year which offers them an opportunity to undertake research under the guidance of a supervisor.

 

The extended essay course can only be taken in conjunction with another advanced ENGL course, as part of a 12-credit combination. The School Office will contact the eligible candidates individually about the admission procedures. A remark on the URFP will be recorded on students’ academic transcripts upon completion of the requirements. For details on the URFP, please visit

http://arts.hku.hk/current-students/undergraduate/BA/URFP.

Can I transfer the credits gained from exchange studies to the major or minor in English Studies or Language and Communication? What are the application procedures for credit transfer?

Yes, if the courses which you are going to take on exchange are comparable to the introductory or advanced courses listed in the relevant syllabuses. Please note that it is not necessary to do course mapping between HKU’s and your host institution’s courses. In other words, students may apply for credit transfer for courses which either exist or do not exist in HKU.

 

Under the Faculty cap policy on credit transfer, up to 50% of the transferred credits to HKU can be counted towards the declared Arts major/minor. Transferred credits in excess of the cap will be counted as free electives for the undergraduate degree programme.

 

Regarding the Faculty’s application procedures, students are required to:

 

(a) seek preliminary approval for credit transfer before their departure for exchange;
(b) confirm their finalized course enrolment for credit transfer during exchange; and
(c) provide a copy of the academic transcript to show they have passed the courses.

Please refer to the School’s and Faculty’s webpages for details on credit transfer:

School of English: https://english.hku.hk/Undergraduate/Information_for_Outgoing_Exchange_Students

Faculty of Arts: https://arts.hku.hk/current-students/student-global-experience/study-abroad/credit-transfer

Declaration of Majors/Minors

What are the main characteristics of the majors offered by the School of English?

Our majors will offer students a stronger foundation in critical reading, analysis and writing and in historical and theoretical knowledge. Students are required to take three introductory courses (at least one from both List A and List B) before taking the advanced courses. The majors also offer students a wide range of choices in various concentrations and a capstone experience in the senior years. A capstone experience focuses on the integration and application of knowledge, which may take the form of research or experiential learning like internships, overseas fieldtrips, etc.

What do I need to do in order to declare a major or a minor in the School of English?

You have to successfully complete one introductory ENGL course from List A “Historical and theoretical foundations” (6 credits) as a prerequisite before you can declare a major or a minor in the School. If you complete the prerequisite in the first year, you can declare the major online during the course selection period at the beginning of the second year. A major consists of 13 courses (78 credits) and a minor consists of 6 courses (36 credits).

How many introductory courses do I have to take if I want to declare a major in the School of English or enrol in advanced courses offered by the School?

You have to take at least one introductory course from List A as a prerequisite in order to declare a major. It is best to take the prerequisite in the first year. You will have to complete 5 introductory courses (with at least 2 from each of List A and List B) in the first two years in order to fulfill the requirements of the major. And you have to complete 3 introductory courses (with at least one from each of List A and List B) before you can enrol in any advanced courses offered by the School of English.

Is it possible to double-major or to take a major and a minor in the School of English?

Yes, we offer two majors and two minors (English Studies, Language and Communication) at undergraduate level, which you can combine according to your interest. Declaring either a double major or a major with a minor in two of our programmes will allow you to gain a deeper knowledge in different areas of English literature and linguistics and to strengthen your academic record, especially if you are interested in pursuing postgraduate studies in English.

Different majors/minors may have overlapping courses for their respective programmes. Can I use the same course taken to fulfill the requirements of more than one major or minor (i.e. double-counting the same course for fulfilling the requirements of more than one major or minor)?

No, double-counting of courses for fulfilling more than one major or minor is not allowed, as a University-wide policy. For example: “LCOM1001. Introduction to language and communication” is listed as an introductory course in the English Studies (ES), and Language and Communication (L&C) programmes. If a student majors in both ES and L&C, he/ she can only use LCOM1001 to fulfil EITHER the ES major requirement, OR L&C major requirement, but not both.

 

You are advised to consult the programmes concerned and see which replacement course(s) you are required to study if necessary, so that the total credits completed for each major or minor will not be reduced (e.g. 78 credits in ES and 78 credits in L&C). You may refer to the Degree Audit report on SIS for your progress with each declared major/minor. If there are discrepancies between the Degree Audit report and your actual study plans, please report to the Faculty Office (arts@hku.hk) for their follow-up with the Registry, so that the updated Degree Audit report will be reflected on SIS.

Plagiarism and Undergraduate Research

What is plagiarism and what happens if a student is found to have committed plagiarism?

The University’s definitions on “plagiarism” are as follows:

  • Plagiarism refers to “direct copying of textual material or wilful use of other people’s data and ideas, and presenting them as one’s own without acknowledgement, whether or not such materials, data and ideas have been published”. In other words, you are committing plagiarism if you paraphrase or quote the work of another person without clearly identifying (according to academic conventions) the borrowed material and documenting its source.
  • Self-plagiarism refers to “reuse of one’s own data or repeat of previously published written work, or part thereof, in a ‘new’ publication without acknowledging that the data set has been used or written work has been published elsewhere”. For instance, if a student re-uses largely or fully the contents of his/her past assignment submitted elsewhere and without acknowledging so in the “new” assignment, it can constitute self-plagiarism.  

Plagiarism is a very serious offence and offenders may be failed not only in the plagiarised oral or written assignment but also in the course. Their case will also be considered by a School panel and may involve disclosure of the plagiarism committed to teachers of other courses within the School or lodging of a complaint with the University’s Disciplinary Committee. Students are advised to read the following webpage carefully in order to avoid plagiarism: 

https://english.hku.hk/General_Information/Plagiarism_Warning_and_Guidelines_on_Use_of_GenAI

How can I join the Undergraduate Research Fellowship Programme (URFP)?

The Faculty of Arts will invite academically outstanding third-year students to join the URFP in the next academic year which offers them an opportunity to undertake research under the guidance of a supervisor. Students enrolled in the URFP are required to complete 12 credits in research-focused courses in the major (such as an extended essay course in conjunction with an advanced ENGL/LCOM course; see FAQ no. 4 above), admission to which is considered at the School level. A remark on the URFP will be recorded on students’ academic transcripts upon completion of the requirements. For details on the URFP, please visit http://arts.hku.hk/current-students/undergraduate/BA/URFP.

When do I have to apply for departmental ethics review?

As stipulated in the University’s Policy for Ethical Practice in Research, undergraduate students who are undertaking a research project involving the consent of human participants must apply for ethics review. An application form for departmental ethics review of undergraduate research projects can be downloaded via https://english.hku.hk/departmental_ethics_review.doc and needs to be submitted to the Research Supervisor for endorsement

Curriculum

English Studies English Proficiency Pre-requisite for ENGL and DRTP Courses Drama, Theatre, and Performance Studies Frequently Asked Questions List of UG Coordinators

Overview

Hong Kong’s growing arts and culture sectors, alongside its emergence as a hub for contemporary and applied theatre, highlight the need for professionals with strong foundations in theatre studies, dramatic literature and performance practice. The minor in Drama, Theatre and Performance Studies aims to meet this need by offering a more comprehensive and interdisciplinary curriculum than existing theatre minors. It integrates theory, practice, and critical inquiry to provide a well-rounded educational experience. The minor will introduce students to key methodologies in theatre-making and performance analysis, alongside a broad study of theatre history, dramatic literature, and contemporary performance. Through core and elective modules, students will engage with diverse traditions, cultural contexts and performance practices—locally and globally.

 

The minor in Drama, Theatre and Performance Studies amplifies the School’s existing strengths in literary studies, and language and communication. It is in line with the Faculty and the University’s commitment to creativity, new technologies and media, as the need for human creativity, community and engagement has become more significant in the age of AI and digital environment. This minor aligns with the University’s values by incorporating innovative teaching approaches, offering experiential and inquiry-based learning opportunities such as immersive performances, original productions, and research projects to enhance students’ practical skills and creativity. It also promotes student well-being and personal growth by developing soft skills like resilience and teamwork through collaborative projects and performances. Additionally, providing internship experiences or leadership roles in productions allows students to apply their learning in real-world contexts, supporting holistic development and innovative pedagogical practices.

 

The programme blends academic rigor with hands-on learning, equipping students with transferable skills in speech, acting, presentation, interpretation, collaboration, and innovation. With teaching delivered through lectures, seminars, and workshops, the minor supports students in developing both critical insight and creative practice, enriching Hong Kong’s theatrical and cultural landscape. Students will have opportunities to participate in masterclasses offered by theatre practitioners, as well as take up internships in theatre companies and other creative industries to gain field experience. Students are encouraged to discuss their study plans and course selections with the UG Coordinator, their Academic Advisers, or any teachers in the Language and Communication programme.

Programme Outcomes

On successful completion of the minor in Drama, Theatre and Performance Studies, students should be able to:

 

  • Critically reflect on personal theatre experiences and examine performances, considering their artistic value as well as their social and cultural implications;
  • Communicate insights clearly, supported by relevant theoretical understanding;
  • Develop and apply a broad understanding of theatre history, theory, and diverse performance practices, enabling them to situate their work within relevant cultural and artistic frameworks;
  • Demonstrate an appreciation of the social, multicultural and aesthetically diverse performances both locally and globally;
  • Demonstrate essential technical and creative skills in stagecraft and communication; enhance leadership, teamwork, and collaboration by actively contributing to the production process of small-scale theatre projects; and
  • Create innovative performances that demonstrate originality and adaptability; collaborate in diverse production and performance settings with an appreciation for the creative process.

Credit Unit Statement

Click here for the pdf file.

Syllabuses for 2026-27

 

 

Cohort(s) admitted in 2025-26 2026-27
Syllabuses Click here Click here

First-year Prerequisite

First-year Prerequisite

Students intending to declare a major or minor in English Studies in the second year must pass at least one introductory ENGL course from List A “Historical and Theoretical Foundations” (6 credits) in the first year.

 

Admission to all introductory courses is on the basis of academic record including a minimum Level 5 in English Language in the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) examination, or an equivalent score in another recognized English proficiency test. For students who did not sit the HKDSE examination, please submit a copy of your equivalent qualification(s), such as the IB Diploma, GCE-A Levels, SAT, IELTS, TOEFL, etc., to the School Office (via this form: https://hku.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_aYpc9YyvM2uqBaC) for consideration two weeks before the course selection period.

 

For more information about the English Proficiency Pre-requisite for our courses, please visit: https://english.hku.hk/Undergraduate/Curriculum/English_proficiency_pre-requisite_for_ENGL_and_DRTP_courses

Minor in Drama, Theatre and Performance Studies (36 credits)

To complete the requirements of the minor, students must take:

  1. 12 credits of introductory courses (including the first-year prerequisite), which consist of:

(a) 6 credits of the first-year prerequisite from List A “Historical and Theoretical Foundations”
(b) 6 credits of Foundational Drama, Theatre and Performance Studies Course “DRTP1000 Introduction to drama, theatre and performance studies”; and

  1. 24 credits of advanced courses from DRTP2000 to DRTP2009, among which at least 6 credits should be from the following practice-based courses: DRTP2000, DRTP2001, DRTP2002, DRTP2003, DRTP2004.

For students admitted in 2025-26 who would like to minor in DRTP, and if they have already completed any of the following ENGL-coded courses in 2025-26, they may use the relevant ENGL-coded courses as replacement courses to fulfil the DRTP minor, subject to the School’s special approval.

 

Please note that double-counting of the same courses for fulfilling more than one major or minor programme is not allowed. For example, if you use “ENGL2079. Shakespeare” to fulfil your ENGL major, then you cannot use it as a replacement course for “DRTP2005. Shakespeare” to fulfil DRTP minor.

ENGL course completed in 2025-26 (if applicable)

Possible replacement course for DRTP minor, thus non-permissible combination with

Reason

ENGL1066. Introduction to modern drama (List B)

DRTP1000. Introduction to drama, theatre and performance studies (List A)

Replacement course

ENGL2079. Shakespeare

DRTP2005. Shakespeare

 

Same course with a double course code

ENGL2137. Early modern drama

DRTP2006. Early modern drama

Same course with a double course code

ENGL2167. World drama

DRTP2007. World drama

ENGL2189. 18th-century drama

DRTP2008. 18th-century drama

ENGL2195. Staging Asia

DRTP2009. Staging Asia

Coordinator of the Drama, Theatre and Performance Studies Minor

Professor Moonyoung Hong
School of English
The University of Hong Kong
Tel.: (852) 3917 5143
Fax: (852) 2559 7139
E-mail: hongm@hku.hk

Internships

Our Internship Courses

The School of English offers two credit-bearing courses which provide students with internship opportunities, and fulfil the capstone requirement for their degree:

 

Course Code Programme
ENGL3040 Internship in English Studies
LCOM3005 Internship in Language & Communication

Our Industry Partners

Archetype Hong Kong
ArtAsiaPacific
Asian Cultural Council Hong Kong
Campus Education Publishing Limited
Creative Kindergarten
CW CPA
Discovery College – Library
Earth.Org
Edipresse Media Hong Kong Limited
FGS Global
Gohin
HHCKLA Buddhist Ching Kok Secondary School
HKU Guild and Black Box Studio
Hong Kong Arts Festival
Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, Leadership 21
Hong Kong International Literary Festival
Hong Kong Living
i-Learner
Integrated Brilliant Education Center (Jordan)
Jack & Jill Treehouse
JC Legal
JEN Hong Kong by Shangri-La
Larus Foundation
Learning Together
Mu Kuang English School (Kwun Tong)
NTK Academic Group
One Ten Charity Foundation Limited
Opera Box Limited
Shakespeare4All
Sinclair Communications
St Stephen’s College
Tai Kwun Centre for Heritage and the Arts
Take2 Health Limited
Teach for Hong Kong
University Museum and Art Gallery
VPower Holdings Limited
Wiseland Elite Learning Centre
Yew Chung College of Early Childhood Education

Numerous other organisations and companies have been approached directly by students and have also generously hosted them for their capstone internship experience, including: Asia Society Hong Kong Center, At-Language Education Centre, CANA Elite Education Centre, Concrete Wall Creation, Irish Chamber of Commerce, LinkedMarts, Livin Farms, Platon Enterprises, Pokeguide Limited, Ruder Finn Asia, Sing and You Music Centre.

 

Organisations interested in being a partner and accepting interns are invited to contact the School of English, at english@hku.hk.

Notes:
Students may also refer to the “Career Activities & Internships” webpage of the Faculty of Arts” for internship opportunities.

Our Predecessor: The Language & Communication Internship Scheme (LCIS)

Our predecessor: The Language & Communication Internship Scheme (LCIS)

As part of the Language & Communication programme’s 2009 revamp, the Language and Communication Internship Scheme (LCIS) was launched in 2010. LCIS provided opportunities for L&C students to broaden their undergraduate education through experiential learning via non-credit-bearing internships. LCIS experiences spanned a diverse array of fields, including English education, curriculum and materials development, editorial and publishing, reading and literacy, literary events, research and database management, as well as event organisation, PR and marketing, and the (new) media. Host organisations included the Absolutely Fabulous Theatre Connection, Flatcap Asia, the Hong Kong International Literary Festival, the Hong Kong International Young Readers’ Festival, Hong Kong Reads, Hong Kong University Press, iLearner, Kerry Group Kuok Foundation’s Little Trekkers Learners Club, the Man Asian Literary Prize, and Surround App.

We are very pleased that several of these host organisations have continued their partnership with us in our current credit-bearing capstone internships. Thank you for your support!

 

For highlights of LCIS, please see here.

 

Photo Highlights

Student Sharing

Ines Liu working at Janssen, a division of Johnson & Johnson HK Ltd

Information for Exchange Students

Incoming Exchange Students Outgoing Exchange Students

General Policy

Our School’s general policy is that incoming exchange / visiting students are only eligible for advanced-level ENGL courses, as we only admit students with prior academic background in English Studies and/or Language and Communication at their home institution. Please note that incoming exchange / visiting students are ineligible to take introductory-level ENGL courses.

Submission of Academic Tanscripts

For taking advanced-level ENGL courses, students must pass 3 introductory-level ENGL courses (with at least one from both List A and List B). Exchange students who would like to register for advanced-level courses should send their academic transcripts to the Undergraduate Team of the General Office via email (ugenglish@hku.hk) BEFORE the course registration period. After vetting the academic transcripts received, whether the student is eligible for taking advanced-level ENGL courses offered by the School of English at HKU will be confirmed.

 

Eligible students can then register for advanced-level ENGL courses during the course registration period. Approval/disapproval of course enrollment will be subject to a number of factors, including but not limited to the exchange student’s host faculty at HKU, the course capacity, and the number of students who have signed up.

 

Exchange students should send us their transcripts as early as possible, so that the School has adequate time to vet their transcripts and enroll them into ENGL courses that they would like to take at HKU.

Submission of English Proficiency Tests

Students who intend to enroll in ENGL courses are required to demonstrate that they have achieved the requisite level of English proficiency.

1) If the medium of instruction at your home University is English, please send a copy of your most up-to-date academic transcript to the Undergraduate Team of the General Office via email (ugenglish@hku.hk).

2) If the medium of instruction at your home University is NOT English, please refer to the following link for a link of English language proficiency tests accepted by the School of English: https://english.hku.hk/Undergraduate/Curriculum/English_proficiency_pre-requisite_for_ENGL_and_LCOM_courses

Submission of English Proficiency Tests

Students who intend to enrol in ENGL courses are required to demonstrate that they have achieved the requisite level of English proficiency.

 

Is the medium of instruction at your home University English? Options
Yes Please send a copy of your most up-to-date academic transcript to the Undergraduate Team of the General Office via email (ugenglish@hku.hk).
No Please refer to the following link for a link of English language proficiency tests accepted by the School of English: English Proficiency Pre-requisite for ENGL Courses

Course Offerings and Timetables

Timetables

First Upload Date: June 5, 2025 | Last Updated Date: July 14, 2025 

HKU Calendar for the Academic Year 2026-27 (For Undergraduate and Taught Postgraduate Students)

Semester 1

Semester 2

First Semester Course Offerings

Introductory Courses

Prerequisite:
A minimum Level 5 in English Language HKDSE exam, or an equivalent score in another recognized English proficiency test. For details please refer to our English Proficiency Pre-requisite for ENGL Courses webpage.

For students who did not sit the HKDSE examination, please submit a copy of your equivalent qualification(s), such as the IB Diploma, GCE-A Levels, SAT, IELTS, TOEFL, etc., to the School Office (via this form: https://hku.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_aYpc9YyvM2uqBaC) for consideration at least two weeks before the course selection period.

List A: Historical and Theoretical Foundations
Course Code Course Name stream
DRTP1000 Introduction to drama, theatre and performance studies
(Professor Moonyoung Hong)(Non-permissible combination with DRTP1066: ENGL1066 Introduction to modern drama)		 Lit.
ENGL1031 English grammar(s)
(Dr. May Wong)(For students admitted in 2021-22 or before, this course will be counted as an introductory course from List B after completion. Please refer to your syllabus at https://english.hku.hk/Undergraduate/Curriculum/English_Studies.)		 L&C
ENGL1051 English sounds
(Professor Ricky Chan)		 L&C
ENGL1067 Introduction to creative writing
(Ms. Maria Chaudhuri)(Non-permissible combination with ENGL1067: ENGL2085. Creative writing)		 Lit.
List B: Critical Reading, Analysis and Writing
Course Code Course Name stream
ENGL1018 Language and gender
(Dr. Vincent Pak)(For students admitted in 2021-22 or before, this course will be counted as an introductory course from List A after completion. Please refer to your syllabus at https://english.hku.hk/Undergraduate/Curriculum/English_Studies.)		 L&C
ENGL1026 Film adaptation
(Professor Moonyoung Hong)		 Lit.
ENGL1034 Language and prejudice
(Dr. Sinead Kwok)		 L&C
ENGL1049 Early modern sonnets
(Professor Nicholas Luke)		 Lit.
ENGL1055 Language myths and realities
(Dr. Sinead Kwok)		 L&C
ENGL1061 Psycholinguistics and language acquisition
(Mr. Ryan Lai)		 L&C
ENGL1065 Introduction to postcolonialism
(Professor Anjuli Gunaratne)		 Lit.
Advanced Courses

Prerequisite:

Passed 3 introductory courses (with at least one from both List A and List B).
*For students in BA&LLB, successful completion of LALS2001 Introduction to law and literary studies will also fulfill 6 credits of introductory ENGL course (List B) for admission to advanced ENGL courses for English non-majors.

Additional prerequisite for a capstone course:
Final-year students normally should have completed 30 credits of introductory courses and 24 credits of advanced courses in the major (including transferred credits).

Course Code Course Name stream
ENGL2002 Language in society
(Professor Daniel Weston)		 L&C
ENGL2039 Gender, sexuality and discourse
(Dr. Vincent Pak)		 L&C
ENGL2055 The Gothic
(Professor Tara Lee)		 Lit.
ENGL2075 The idea of China in literature
(Dr. Ian Huang)		 Lit.
ENGL2119 English in Hong Kong
(Dr. Sinead Kwok)		 L&C
ENGL2146 Cognitive semantics
(Mr. Ryan Lai)		 L&C
ENGL2147 Joyce’s voices
(Dr. Peter Kennedy)		 Lit.
ENGL2159 21st-century English poetry
(Dr. Peter Kennedy)		 Lit.
ENGL2174/
LALS3014/
LLAW3274		 Shakespeare and the law
(Professor Nicholas Luke)		 Lit.
ENGL2181 Languager and politeness
(Dr. Mandy Yu)		 L&C
ENGL2184 Visual communication
(Dr. Ian Huang)		 L&C
ENGL2187 Language and news media
(Dr. Mandy Yu)		 L&C
ENGL2194 Language and advertising
(Dr. May Wong)		 L&C
ENGL2202 Creative nonfiction
(Mr. Felix Wong)		 Lit.
ENGL2204 Dramatic writing
(Mr. Shane Sakhrani)		 Lit.
ENGL3040 Internship in English studies (capstone experience)
(Professor Janny Leung)		 L&C or Lit., depending on internship nature
ENGL3041 Senior colloquium in English studies: Human Language in the Age of AI (capstone experience)
(Professor Janny Leung)		 L&C
Common Core Courses
Course Code Course Name
CCHU9033 Countries of the mind: Texts that shape the world
(Ms. Yvonne Yu)
CCHU9053 Contested words, disputed symbols
(Dr. Brian King)

Second Semester Course Offerings

Introductory Courses

Prerequisite:
A minimum Level 5 in English Language HKDSE exam, or an equivalent score in another recognized English proficiency test.

List A: Historical and Theoretical Foundations
Course Code Course Name stream
ENGL1022 Introduction to poetry
(Professor Tara Lee)		 Lit.
ENGL1042

World Englishes
(Professor Daniel Weston)

(For students admitted in 2021-22 or before, this course will be counted as an introductory course from List B after completion. Please refer to your syllabus at https://english.hku.hk/Undergraduate/Curriculum/English_Studies.)

 L&C
ENGL1056 Introduction to language and communication
(Dr. Sinead Kwok)		 L&C
ENGL1062 Reading and writing about literature
(Professor Anjuli Gunaratne)		 Lit.
List B: Critical Reading, Analysis and Writing
Course Code Course Name stream
ENGL1013

Introduction to 20th-century literature
(Professor Nan Zhang)

(For students admitted in 2023-24 or before, this course will be counted as an introductory course from List A after completion. Please refer to your syllabus at https://english.hku.hk/Undergraduate/Curriculum/English_Studies.)

 Lit.
ENGL1024

Introduction to world literature
(Dr. Ian Huang)

 Lit.
ENGL1027 Analyzing discourse 
(Professor Olga Zayts)		 L&C
ENGL1033 Intercultural communication 
(Dr. Ian Huang)		 L&C
ENGL1036 Meaning and metaphor
(Professor Kendall Johnson)		 Lit.
ENGL1045 “Community” in sociolinguistics
(Dr. Vincent Pak)		 L&C
ENGL1064

Language, communication and media
(Dr. May Wong)

(Non-permissible combination with ENGL1064: ENGL2182/ LCOM2004. Language, communication and the media)

 L&C
Advanced Courses

Prerequisite:
Passed 3 introductory courses (with at least one from both List A and List B).
*For students in BA&LLB, successful completion of LALS2001 Introduction to law and literary studies will also fulfill 6 credits of introductory ENGL course (List B) for admission to advanced ENGL courses for English non-majors.

Additional prerequisite for a capstone course:
Final-year students normally should have completed 30 credits of introductory courses and 24 credits of advanced courses in the major (including transferred credits).

Course Code Course Name stream
DRTP2003 Shakespeare: Performance and adaptation
(Dr. Kristen Murray)		 Lit.
ENGL2007 Literary linguistics
(Dr. Philip Chan)		 L&C or Lit.
ENGL2030 New Englishes
(Dr. May Wong)		 L&C
ENGL2074 Postcolonial literature and theory
(Professor Anjuli Gunaratne)		 Lit.
ENGL2076 Romanticism
(Professor Tara Lee)		 Lit.
ENGL2079/
DRTP2005

Shakespeare
(Professor Nicholas Luke)

 Lit.
ENGL2103 Language and social media
(Professor Hanwool Choe)		 L&C
ENGL2120 Science fiction
(Dr. Ian Huang)		 Lit.
ENGL2128 Special topics in modernism
(Professor Nan Zhang)		 Lit.

ENGL2137/
DRTP2006

 Early modern drama
(Professor Brandon Chua)		 Lit.
ENGL2138 Language and globalization
(Dr. Sinead Kwok)		 L&C
ENGL2141 Doing discourse analysis
(Dr. Mandy Yu)		 L&C
ENGL2164/
LALS3010/
LLAW3251		 Cognitive semantics  Cognitive semantics   The beginnings of English law and literature
(Professor Anya Adair)		 Lit.
ENGL2165/
LALS3005/
LLAW3226

Legal fictions: United States citizenship and the right to write in America
(Professor Kendall Johnson)

 Lit.
ENGL2175 Bad identities
(Dr. Vincent Pak)		 L&C
ENGL2179 Theories of language and communication
(Dr. Mandy Yu)		 L&C
ENGL2185 Health communication, ‘healthy’ communication
(Professor Olga Zayts)		 L&C
ENGL2195/
DRTP2009		 Staging Asia
(Professor Moonyoung Hong)		 Lit.
ENGL2199 English studies field trip
(Professor Ricky Chan)		 L&C
ENGL2200 Fiction writing
(Ms. Yvonne Yu)		 Lit.
ENGL3040

Internship in English studies (capstone experience)
(Professor Janny Leung)

 L&C or Lit., depending on internship nature
Common Core Courses
Course Code Course Name
CCHU9055 Metamorphoses: Tales of transformation
(Dr. Annelise Ng)
CCGL9038 Global Englishes
(Dr. Brian King)

Specialization Streams

Applicable to UG English Studies major students admitted in 2021-22 and thereafter:

Major students who have successfully passed at least seven courses (three introductory courses and four advanced courses) with a literature OR language and communication focus, respectively, will be given a School of English certification, upon request, which attests to this specialization in the “Literature Stream” or “Language and Communication Stream.” If applicable, a dual recognition in both the “Literature Stream” and “Language and Communication Stream” is possible.

Please note that the declaration and certification of specialization stream(s) is optional and students can graduate with a major in English Studies without declaring any specialization stream(s).

You can only apply for a specialization certificate after you have completed your studies, for which please fill out our online form via the link below: Declaration of Specialization in English Studies Major

Notes

  1. Courses affiliated to specialization streams are listed on the School’s website.
  2. Neither the transcript nor the graduation certificate will show the specialization stream(s). If applicable, students may approach the School for certification of their specialization stream(s).

Specialization Streams:

  • Stream: Literature (Lit.); or
  • Stream: Language and Communication (L&C); or
  • Stream: L&C or Lit.