Sept 2023 Entry
Programme code: JS32404 years
126 (including 3 Work-Integrated Education training credits)
Programme Leader
Dr Max Diaz
Associate Programme Leader
Dr Phoenix Lam
Entry Scholarship
Programme Aims & Learning Outcomes
The Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Programme in English and Applied Linguistics (BAEAL) aims to nurture graduates with the abilities/attributes needed to become competent English language professionals and responsible global citizens in the 21st century. At the professional level, the programme aims to produce graduates with: a) a high level of competence in English; b) a sound understanding of the theoretical disciplines underlying applied English language studies and the integrated use of the language; and c) the strong ability to apply their knowledge and general linguistic skills in a variety of professional communication contexts.
The programme will equip students with professional/academic knowledge and skills as well as attributes contributing to all-rounded development in an integrated manner. The programme aims to produce graduates with the following attributes:
Programme Characteristics
The programme offers students Work-Integrated Education (WIE) placement opportunities in Hong Kong, mainland China, and overseas.
Professional Recognition
The BA (Hons) in English and Applied Linguistics (BAEAL) is recognised by the Education Bureau of Hong Kong and its Standing Committee on Language Education and Research as an English-Language Major Degree Programme that meets the Hong Kong government’s Language Proficiency Requirement. Registered students are eligible to apply for the Scholarship for Prospective English Teachers offered by the Education Bureau.
Career Prospects
Graduates of the Department of English and Communication are successful in their careers and excel in various industries and professions in Hong Kong. Fresh graduates find employment in media and journalism, retail, human resources, public relations, marketing and advertising, publishing, education, or the civil service, where a high level of competence in English and professional communication is needed.
Further Studies
Some graduates proceed to further studies in Hong Kong and overseas in the fields of linguistics, applied linguistics, translation and interpreting, communication, and public and environmental policy studies.
The overall credit requirements of the BAEAL Programme under the university’s 4-year undergraduate degree structure are as follows.
| General University Requirements (GUR) | 30 credits |
| Discipline-Specific Requirements (DSR) | 75 credits |
| Free Electives or a Minor | 18 credits |
| Total credit requirements for graduation | 123 credits + 3 WIE training credits |
To suit students’ needs, we offer a choice of one of the following academic pathways (where BALT = Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics and Translation):
General University Requirements (GUR) (30 credits)
Discipline-Specific Requirements (DSR) (75 credits)
The BAEAL programme strives to provide students with a solid foundation in the knowledge and skills they will need to communicate effectively in English for professional, academic, and business purposes in Hong Kong and around the world, where English is the key lingua franca. Accordingly, the BAEAL discipline-specific curriculum consists of the following components.
(1) Major Study Core Subjects
Major Study Core Subjects (60 credits) are compulsory for all BAEAL students and are organised into three focal areas: Language Sciences, Global Communicative Competence, and English for the Professions. These subjects are designed to provide BAEAL students with the core academic knowledge and communication skills they will need to become language professionals.
The Capstone Project in Language Studies (6 credits) in the focal area of English for the Professions is compulsory for all BAEAL students. It is conducted in the final year under the supervision of ENGL academic staff and requires students to consolidate the learning they have accumulated during the BAEAL programme in the form of a dissertation. This prepares students for professional practice, further academic pursuits, and lifelong learning, while developing their generic competencies.
(2) Major Study Elective Subjects
Students can freely choose BAEAL electives (15 DSR credits) from the three focal areas to customise their learning experience and develop their expertise.
(3) Work-Integrated Education (WIE)
WIE (3 training credits) provides a framework for students to integrate what they have learned in the classroom with real-world practice, thereby supporting their development into well-rounded individuals with professional competence. Students typically meet the WIE requirement by completing an internship in an organisational or corporate context, where they apply their classroom-gained knowledge and skills in a real-world environment. WIE is assessed using one of three grades: Pass with Merit (M), Pass (P), and Failure (F). However, this grade does not contribute to students' final GPA. The WIE placement can be completed at any time during the second and third year of study but no later than the Summer Term of Year Three. Students can apply for a waiver of the WIE requirement if they can demonstrate that they have fulfilled the requirement through other relevant work experience. Students undertaking non-local WIE placements may be eligible to receive partial financial subsidies from the Careers and Placement Section of the Student Affairs Office in the form of Offshore WIE Sponsorship.
More information on the subjects offered can be obtained here.
The option of a Secondary Major in AI and Data Analytics (AIDA) is available to the students of BA (Hons) in English and Applied Linguistics (BAEAL).
Features
Students who pursue this pathway will complete 72 academic credits + 3 training credits for the Primary Major and 36 credits for the Secondary Major (AIDA). Certain credits, including the Integrated Capstone Project, can count towards both the Primary and Secondary Majors. The list of compulsory and elective subjects for the Primary Major (BAEAL) is nearly identical to the list for the Single-Discipline Major BAEAL programme. The major difference is in the capstone project: students complete the Integrated Capstone Project (involving both BAEAL and AIDA) instead of the regular BAEAL Capstone Project. The minimum credit requirement of the BAEAL + AIDA programme is 132 credits.
Satisfy the University's General Entrance Requirements.
There is no compulsory subject requirement. Preferred subject(s) with the highest weighting for admission score calculation include(s):
Relevant Applied Learning subject(s) that can be considered for meeting the University entrance requirement and admission score calculation is/are:
2022/23 Average Score: Chinese & English Languages + Any Best 3 Subjects (with Subject Weighting) = 166.7
2023/24 Flexible Admission Threshold Score: Any Best 5 Subjects (without subject weighting) = 22.0
For further programme information, please contact:
the General Office (tel.: 3400 3497; email: egdept@polyu.edu.hk).
Making decisions is not one of my strengths. However, my decision to pursue a BA (Hons) in English Studies for the Professions at PolyU was certainly one of the best I have ever made. The department offers an excellent curriculum that also suited my minor in European Studies; I was able to experience not just the culture behind European art, history, and discourse but also take courses in European languages, such as Spanish, French, and German. Moreover, they department provides internship opportunities and extracurricular activities in Europe and Hong Kong, which is how I got my first-ever tickets for the Spanish Film Festival. You don't want to miss out on these opportunities and activities if you love to explore something exotic! Pursing this degree also allowed me to go on a summer exchange to Turkey, which expanded my areas of interest to include political science. Most importantly, the professors and instructors at the Department of English and Communication at PolyU were always friendly and supportive, and the various professional training courses they offered – such as courses in TESOL preparation, Discourse Analysis, Technical Content Marketing, Psycholinguistics, and Corpus Linguistics – gave me invaluable practise in applying critical thinking, problem-solving, teamwork, and communication skills, which are crucial skills for a linguistics student.
* BA (Hons) in English Studies for the Professions was renamed BA (Hons) in English and Applied Linguistics in 2020/21. CHANG Yun-hua (Graduate of 2021/22, BA (Hons) in English Studies for the Professions*) |  |
 | When I was applying to universities, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to study. I received many different kinds of advice: that I should focus on career prospects, or on my passions, or choose a broad and undefined course of study so that I would have room to experiment. Although I didn’t know it at the time, studying towards a BA (Hons) in English Studies for the Professions (BAESP) has allowed me to do all of these things – and more. The supportive community in the ENGL Department fosters the growth of all its students, helping us to develop essential skills, such as academic writing skills and intercultural communicative competence, and provides us with a strong foundation in linguistics to ensure we are ready for a diverse array of career opportunities. In addition, my involvement in extracurricular student clubs, Residential Education activities, the INSPIRE mentorship programme, and the invaluable experience of going to Simon Fraser University (Vancouver, Canada) on an exchange, have given me the chance to follow my passions and find out who I want to be. Moreover, the BAESP Programme offers a rich variety of electives and internship opportunities that allow students to create their own path. This has allowed me to explore marketing and PR, work on corporate communication, and hone my grammar, semantics, and research skills for further studies. I am so grateful to the professors in the department who have supported me on every step of this journey and have worked hard to make our classes engaging and insightful. With the education I have gained so far, I feel ready to bring my dreams to life.
* BA (Hons) in English Studies for the Professions was renamed BA (Hons) in English and Applied Linguistics in 2020/21. SHUKLA Ashima (Current Student from the 2019-20 cohort, BA (Hons) in English Studies for the Professions*) |
|
