This course aims to assist students to adapt to University life. It also introduces the role and function of University in society. There are three parts: the first part introduces some basic issues of university learning. The second part covers issues of modern university and the third part talks about overcoming learning barriers and advices on university life planning.

The purposes of this course are to

What is Science? How did/does/will it change the way we live? Is our food safe to eat? What are GMOs? Why are we prone to diseases? Are radioactive substances friends or foes? How are weather data collected and what these data meant to us?

(Please refer to the University’s Undergraduate Handbook for the course restrictions.)

Film genres have been popular since the beginning of this artistic medium and remain quite popular today. This class will examine the cultural and economic reasons for their continuing popularity. Film showings and film clips will demonstrate how genres evolve over time, how some of the great film directors have made genre films of lasting impact, and how others seek to subvert them and their norms on commercial or ideological grounds. This class assumes no prior knowledge of film.

Through a combination of experiential learning activities and web-based delivery, this course aims at expose students to a number of intense debates surrounding globalization such as free trade, global culture, national sovereignty, the question of multinational corporations and labour rights and the anti-globalization movement. The objective is to build basic knowledge of the opposing views on globalization, their political and ideological bases, and implications for political and personal actions.

By introducing students to the socio-economic, political and cultural foundation of complex and pluralistic modern societies, it also presents the major social trend creating modern society and life. It helps students to reflect on their roles and participation. It is hoped that it could enhance students’ self-awareness of the need of recognizing differences and being tolerant, as well as the diversity of moral values and beliefs in modern society.