Master of Social Sciences (MSocSc)

The degree of Master of Social Sciences (MSocSc) is a postgraduate degree awarded for the satisfactory completion of a prescribed course of study in one of the following fields: Clinical Psychology; Criminology; Educational Psychology; Social Work. These fields of study will not necessarily be offered every year.

SS 13 To be eligible for admission to the courses leading to the degree of Master of Social Sciences a candidate

(a)

shall comply with the General Regulations;

(b)

shall hold

(i)	a Bachelor's degree with honours of this University; or
(ii)	another qualification of equivalent standard from this University or from another university or comparable institution accepted for this purpose; and

(c)

shall satisfy the examiners in a qualifying examination if required.

SS 13A A candidate who does not hold a Bachelor's degree with honours of this University or another qualification of equivalent standard may in exceptional circumstances be permitted to register in the fields listed below if he demonstrates adequate preparation for studies at this level and satisfies the examiners in a qualifying examination:

(a)	A qualifying examination may be set to test the candidate's formal academic ability or his ability to follow the courses of study prescribed. It shall consist of one or more written papers or their equivalent.
(b)	A candidate who is required to satisfy the examiners in a qualifying examination shall not be permitted to register until he has satisfied the examiners in the examination.

SS 15 To be eligible for the award of the degree of Master of Social Sciences a candidate

(a)	shall comply with General Regulations; and
(b)	shall complete the curriculum and satisfy the examiners in accordance with the regulations set out below.

SS 16 The curriculum shall extend over not less than one academic year of full-time study or two academic years of part-time study, with a minimum of 300 hours of prescribed work and shall include a written examination comprising not less than four written papers to be held in the manner prescribed in the syllabuses.

(a)	shall follow courses of instruction and complete satisfactorily all prescribed written work and field work;
(b)	shall complete and present a satisfactory dissertation on a subject within his approved field of study; and
(c)	shall satisfy the examiners in all prescribed courses and in any prescribed form of examination.

SS 18 The title of the dissertation shall be submitted for approval by not later than March 31 of the final academic year in which the teaching programme ends and the dissertation shall be presented by a date as prescribed in the syllabuses for each field of study; the candidate shall submit a statement that the dissertation represents his own work (or in the case of conjoint work, a statement countersigned by his co-worker, which shows his share of the work) undertaken after registration as a candidate for the degree.

SS 19 An assessment of the candidate's coursework during his studies, including completion of written assignments and participation in field work or laboratory work, as the case may be, may be taken into account in determining the candidate's result in each written examination paper; or, where so prescribed in the syllabuses, may constitute the examination of one or more courses.

SS 20 A candidate who has failed to satisfy the examiners at his first attempt in not more than half of the number of courses to be examined, whether by means of written examination papers or coursework assessment, during any of the academic years of study, may be permitted

(a)	to present himself for re-examination in the course or courses of failure, with or without repeating any part of the curriculum; or
(b)	to repeat a year of the curriculum and present himself for examination in the courses prescribed for the repeated year.

SS 21 A candidate who has failed to present a satisfactory dissertation may be permitted to submit a new or revised dissertation within a specified period.

SS 22 A candidate who has failed to satisfy the examiners in any prescribed field work or practical work may be permitted to present himself for re-examination in field work or practical work within a specified period.

SS 23 A candidate who is unable because of his illness to be present for one or more papers in any written examination other than that held in his final academic year of study may apply for permission to present himself at a supplementary examination to be held before the beginning of the following academic year. Any such application shall be made on the form prescribed within two weeks of the first day of the candidate's absence from the examination.

(a)	is not permitted to present himself for re-examination in any written paper or any course examined by means of coursework assessment in which he has failed to satisfy the examiners and is not permitted to repeat a year of the curriculum under Regulation SS 20; or
(b)	has failed to satisfy the examiners in any written paper or any course examined by means of coursework assessment at a second attempt; or
(c)	is not permitted to submit a new or revised dissertation; or
(d)	has failed to submit a satisfactory new or revised dissertation under the provision of Regulation SS 21

SS 25 At the conclusion of the examination, and after presentation of the dissertations, a pass list shall be published in alphabetical order. A candidate who has shown exceptional merit at the whole examination may be awarded a mark of distinction, and this mark shall be recorded in the candidate's degree diploma.

The Department of Psychology offers a postgraduate programme leading to the degree of Master of Social Sciences in the field of Clinical Psychology. Emphasis will be placed on professional development in Chinese societies, and on preventive, community-based approaches to practice in the local setting.

The curriculum shall extend over two academic years and the intervening vacations, or its part-time equivalent. A candidate shall complete satisfactorily twelve required courses (Courses 1 to 8 in the first year and Courses 9 to 12 in the second year), a dissertation and practical training as set out below.

(a)	comply with the regulations for the degree of Master of Social Sciences;
(b)	hold a Bachelor's degree with Honours in Psychology or a recognized equivalent qualification;
(c)	pass a qualifying examination prior to admission, if required; and take other tests as may be prescribed, such as the Graduate Record Examinations (General Test and Psychology) and have the score reports of such tests sent to the Programme Admissions Adviser.

Examination of the courses followed by a candidate may be either by a written paper in the examination held in January or May of the academic year of study, or by continuous assessment of the candidates' performance in completing the requirements of these courses, or by a combination of these methods.

Theoretical foundations of assessment. The clinical interview. Developmental and case histories. Psychological testing. Assessment of intellectual and memory functions. Behavioural assessment. Systematic observation. Assessment of social-environmental factors. Interpretation and integration of clinical data. Making recommendations and referrals. Oral and written presentations.

Principles and models of intervention. Prevention and treatment. Major approaches to intervention, including theories, techniques and applications: establishing therapeutic relationship, formulating nature of problem, applying problem solving techniques, dealing with resistance, consolidating therapeutic gains, arranging for termination. Issues in counselling and psychotherapy.

Principles of human development. Concepts of normality and abnormality. Principles of psychopathology. Developmental disorders. Intellectual functions. Mental retardation. Language development and language disorders. Perceptual and learning disabilities. Remedial approaches. Brain dysfunctions. Neuropsychology. Problems of adjustment. Introduction to clinical psychiatry.

Principles and methods of research. Basic statistical procedures. Measurement in psychology. Psychometric theory. Test construction and scaling techniques. Multivariate analysis. Experimental design. Selected topics in statistics. Computer applications.

Personality assessment. Use of rating scales, inventories, checklists, etc. Projective techniques. Neuropsychological assessment. Psychodiagnosis. Issues in assessment and psychodiagnosis. Current research. Selected advanced topics.

Psychodynamic therapy: major theorists and modern developments. Behavioural psychotherapy: principles and techniques derived from classical, operant, and social learning paradigms. Cognitive -behavioural procedures. Humanistic and experiential approaches, including person-centred, gestalt and encounter models. Comparisons and combinations of models. New trends.

Theories of psychopathology. Disturbances of cognitive, affective, motivational and motoric functions. Clinical syndromes. Neuroses. Psychoses. Personality disorders. Behavioural disorders of childhood and adolescence. Social deviance. Alcoholism and drug abuse. Psychophysiological disorders. Normal and abnormal sexual functioning. Psychological aspects of illness, disability and ageing.

Scientific foundation of clinical psychology. Methods and issues in clinical research. Case study, experimental, epidemiological and other methods. Evaluation of prevention and treatment procedures. Cross-cultural research. Review of scientific research and papers. Developing research proposals. Current trends in research.

Abnormality and social institutions. Transcultural psychiatry and psychology. Normal and abnormal behaviour in Chinese society and culture. History and development of Chinese psychiatry. Psychopathology and problems of adjustment in Hong Kong. Current research in psychopathology. Selected advanced topics.

Special treatment modalities. Advanced individual interventions including hypnotherapy, biofeedback, treatment of psychosexual dysfunction. Family therapy. Marital therapy. Group methods, including theoretical approaches and techniques for facilitating group process. Community psychology: applications to general health care and community services. Cross-cultural issues. Special topics.

Medical and rehabilitation psychology: the contribution of the psychologist in hospital and general practice, doctor-patient communication, pain management, psychological aspects of specific medical problems. Neuropsychological rehabilitation.

Forensic psychology: correctional psychological services, psychologist as expert witness, issues in forensic psychology.

Special populations and procedures, e.g. working with the elderly, the mentally handicapped, child abuse and substance abuse cases, etc. Health psychology: primary prevention, stress and stress management, educative functions of psychologists. Topics on professional development and ethics, interdisciplinary relations and public policy. Selected topics.

The dissertation should be a critical study within the field, in all cases including an empirical element, and should not exceed 20,000 words in length. The title of the dissertation shall be submitted for approval by not later than March 31 of the final academic year of study, and the dissertation shall be presented not later than August 31 of the same year; the candidate shall submit a statement that the dissertation represents his own work (or in the case of conjoint work, a statement countersigned by his co-worker, which shows his share of the work) undertaken after registration as a candidate for the degree. The examiners may also prescribe an oral examination on the subject of the dissertation.

A candidate shall complete prescribed supervised practical training in various approved settings, such as hospitals, psychiatric wards and out-patient clinics, social work agencies, schools and relevant governmental departments. The practical experience will consist of working with a great variety of clients with different problems (e.g. children with learning or behavioural problems, psychiatric patients, the mentally retarded, physically ill or disabled patients, paediatric and geriatric cases, disturbed families and clients with adjustment, academic or vocational difficulties). The aim is to develop professional competence in all important areas of clinical practice: (a) working with both normal and clinical populations, children and adults; (b) use of major psychological instruments; (c) psychotherapeutic procedures, individual and group; and (d) working effectively with allied professionals in different institutional settings.

The practical work of each candidate will be under continual assessement during the entire period of the curriculum. Performance evaluation reports by supervisors, together with project, case study or any other prescribed reports, will be made available to the examiners.

A candidate is required to receive training in a prescribed number of placement settings. A candidate who has failed in any placement setting may be permitted to repeat a similar placement and present himself for re-examination under Regulation SS 22. A candidate who has failed in any two placement settings, or in the re-examination in a particular setting, may be required to discontinue his studies under Regulation SS 24.

The Department of Sociology offers a postgraduate programme leading to a Master of Social Sciences degree in Criminology.

The degree programme extends over two years of part-time study. The first year curriculum provides candidates with a broad, integrated understanding of the social sciences to the study of crime and deviance. The second year, building upon that foundation, introduces the candidates to a variety of contemporary developments in criminology and related social policy issues.

In the first year candidates are required to satisfy the examiners by written examination and coursework in each of the following four courses:

16410.    Theoretical criminology
16411.    Social theory and criminology
16412.    Methods of research for criminology
16413.    Punishment and society

16422.    Economic and organized crime
16423.    Law and society
16424.    Comparative criminology
16425.    Women, crime and social control
16426.    Selected issues in criminology
16427.    Youth and delinquency

Candidates should consult the Department of Sociology to find out what courses are being offered in any given year.

In addition to successfully completing the six taught courses, candidates will be required to write a dissertation on an approved topic. Candidates are also required to present and participate in a Dissertation Seminar Series in the final semester. A candidate is assessed for each course in the first year by way of a 3-hour written examination worths 50% of total marks and the remaining 50% by coursework assignments. In the second year courses students are assessed by 100% coursework.

In addition to the admission requirements specified in Regulation SS 13 it would be to the candidate's advantage either (a) to have majored in the social sciences or humanities, or (b) to have some experience of working in the criminal justice system or social welfare agencies, or (c) to have done other work with offenders.

This course comprises an introduction to major historical and contemporary theories of crime and deviance. Among other things the course will consider classical and positivist theories of crime, biological and psychological influences, social structural theories of crime, social process theories of crime, Marxist explanations of criminal behaviour and the emergence of neoclassic theories of crime (e.g. rational choice and routine activities).

This course aims to locate the rise of criminology in its socio-historical context in order to better understand the roots of criminology. The course examines when and why criminology developed as an academic discipline. An analysis of how different theories of crime and criminals relate to wider intellectual concerns about the relationship between the individual and society will provide the main vehicle for introducing different schools of thought (e.g. classicism, positivism, social Darwinism, Marxism) to the candidates.

This course introduces candidates to research methods in criminology and criminal justice. The first part of the course includes an examination of sampling methods, survey design, experimental designs, qualitative methods, problems of measurement, prediction and inference, and alternative research strategies. The second part of the course focuses on evaluation research and includes such topics as goals and objectives of evaluation research, strategies of programme development, and measurement of programme implementation. As part of the this course, candidates will be required to produce a research proposal linked to their dissertations.

This course will include an examination of such issues as: the aims of punishment, recidivism and the concept of dangerousness, the history of punishment and the aims of the modern prison, and the effectiveness of prisons in controlling crime. It will include an evaluation of alternative policies in probation; institutional, parole and offender management; and the rights of prisoners and their protection under law.

This course focuses upon the application of criminological theories to crime control policy issues. Examples of the issues covered in this course are as follows: the ideological framework of crime control, the role of the police in the control of crime, policies of nonintervention via decriminalizations and diversion, situational prevention strategies, the role of deterrence in crime prevention, the question of victim rights and victim compensation.

This course looks systematically at the process of enforcing the law, beginning with the efforts of the police through the sentencing of offenders. This includes what is known about the operation and functions of policing, both by the police and by other public and private agencies; prosecution and decisions not to prosecute; the role of courts and at related issues such as sentencing and penal policy, disparities in sentencing, and remedies and techniques for improving the sentencing process.

A candidate is required to present a dissertation of no more than 20,000 words not later than June 30 of the final academic year of study. Dissertations are prepared under the direction of a supervisor appointed by the Department and also involve participation and presentation of research in-progress in a Dissertation Seminar Programme.

The course focuses on a range of criminal activities that occurs within an organizational setting or is in accordance with established organizational goals, and which harms individuals or society at large. More specifically, the course will devote attention to such topics as economic and organized crime and discuss the ways in which they are interrelated and frequently overlap with political crime. Special consideration will be given to the ways in which the state may organize crime.

This course will examine the relationship between law and society. It looks at the history and development of law in different cultures, examining the form and content of 'law' found in pre-industrial society, capitalist society and socialist society. Particular legal concepts such as the law of contract and the public/private distinction are placed in their socio-historic setting. Specific topics (e.g. law and domestic relations, rape in marriage, child abuse, homosexuality, artificial reproduction, and restrictions on pornography) are examined insofar as they are related to the application of these concepts.

This course aims to systematically compare patterns of crime and criminal behaviour between different societies as well as different periods of time. The course starts with the assumption that societies can be compared in terms of a small number of variables which includes level of economic development, type of political organization, and cultural characteristics. The course attempts to determine which theories and propositions of crime hold for all societies, which for only certain types of societies and which for only individual societies. The topics covered in this course will include the problems and prospects of comparative criminology, crime and economic development, colonial policing, crime in capitalist and socialist societies, and the globalization of crime.

This course provides students with an in-depth look at the crimes and punishments of women. The first part of the course will be devoted to a critical examination of theories about female crime. The assumptions, images, tenets, and explanations of traditional explanations are explored in relation to gender. These theoretical frameworks are then compared with feminist theories of crime. The second half of the course explores the treatment of women under the law from the point of policing through to imprisonment. This will also include a historical and contemporary analysis of the criminalization of behaviours particular to women.

Topics may vary from year to year depending on the interests of candidates and staff. Examples of topics covered are: victimology, drug abuse, policing and public order, women and crime, recent methodological developments, and recent international trends in criminology.

The problem of juvenile delinquency has influenced the formation of law and social policy in many societies. This course will use a wide variety of historical and contemporary materials to analyze the response of social service agencies and the criminal justice system to juvenile delinquency. It will also examine various theoretical approaches that have been used in studying juvenile delinquency.

The Department of Psychology offers a postgraduate programme leading to the degree of Master of Social Sciences in the field of Educational Psychology. The programme is designed to provide instruction and training in the theory and practice of educational psychology. To this end, emphasis will be placed on both academic studies and related practical experience in the field.

(a)	comply with the regulations for the degree of Master of Social Sciences;
(b)	hold a Bachelor's degree with honours in Psychology or a recognized equivalent qualification; and
(c)	normally have had not less than two years of approved experience in an educational setting, particularly at the primary and secondary levels. (Exceptionally, candidates who have less teaching experience and who have been employed in other types of work with children and adolescents may be considered.)

If necessary, a candidate may be required to pass a qualifying examination prior to admission.

The period of study extends over two years full-time or three years part-time, commencing in September and including the intervening vacations. Throughout the programme, in both its theoretical and practical aspects, special attention will be paid to the needs and issues concerning educational psychology in the local setting.

The full-time curriculum consists of twelve courses. Of these, eight are normally taken in the first year and the remaining four in the second year. The twelve courses are grouped into six papers as follows:

The part-time curriculum consists of the same twelve courses. Of these, six are normally taken in the first year, four in the second and two in the third year. The twelve courses are also grouped into six papers as follows:

A candidate's performance in the programme, whether full-time or part-time, is evaluated in three parts: (1) papers/courses on the basis of written examination and/or continuous assessment of all written and practical work carried out during the year as indicated above; (2) dissertation and (3) fieldwork training as set out below. Candidates must pass all three components of the course.

Theoretical foundations of assessment. Basic concepts in measurement. The interview. Psychological testing issues and ethical standards. Assessment of intellectual and special abilities. Developmental assessment. Behavioural assessment. Assessment of adaptive functioning. Interpretation and integration of assessment data. Making recommendations.

The nature and principles of psychoeducational intervention. Levels and process of intervention. Sociocultural context of intervention. Fundamentals of counselling. The therapeutic relationship. Working with parents, teachers, and/or other professionals. Major theories and approaches to intervention: humanistic and experiential approaches, behavioural therapy.

Definition and historical background. Provisions for exceptional children. Special education in Hong Kong. Attitudes and legal considerations. Issues concerning integration of exceptional children into mainstream setting. The individualized education programme. Working within the context of a local educational authority and other agencies. Consultation with other professionals. Parent involvement and training. The gifted student: characteristics, identification, education, and social needs. Students who have learning and behaviour problems: mentally retarded, emotionally disturbed, and learning disabled (definition, characteristics, education and social needs). Effects of a handicapped child on family life.

Univariate and multivariate statistics. Non-parametric statistics. Computer applications.

Achievement testing. Ecological assessment. Curriculum-based assessment. Assessment of reading, writing, spelling, and written language. Construction of informal tests. Personality assessment. Neuro -psychological assessment. Computer-based assessment. Career-education assessment.

Major theories and approaches to intervention: cognitive-behavioural approaches, psychodynamic therapy, systems and ecological approaches. Major intervention modalities in educational settings: developmental group work, social skills training, instructional intervention, consultation, play therapy, career counselling, parent training, and family therapy.

Psychoeducational and diagnostic procedures and related issues. Assessing academic performance. Assessing student behaviour. Developing goals and objectives. Early intervention. Using good teaching practices. Modifying teaching methods. Promoting positive behaviour. Improving interaction between exceptional and nonexceptional students. Communication, sensory, and physical problems: characteristics, prevalence, identification, and education.

Single-case experimental design. Group comparison design. Design and analysis of experiments. Internal and external validity. Non-experimental research methods. Designing, conducting, reporting and evaluating research.

Status and issues of a life-span developmental psychology. Methodology and research strategy in the study of developmental change. Models and theories of development. Infancy and early experience. Life-span changes in perception. Development of language. Development of thinking from birth to adolescence. Cognitive growth and change in adolescents and adults. Learning and retention: life-span changes. Development of personality and social relations in the context of family, school and society. Child abuse. Development of self-concept.

Theories of motivation and learning and their application in educational settings. Effects of success and failure on motivation and learning. Sex differences in achievement motivation. Student motivation and learning as a function of teacher expectations and other environmental factors. Motivating students of diverse backgrounds.

Needs assessment. Curriculum planning and design. Curriculum implementation and evaluation. Curriculum development in Hong Kong. Curriculum planning for children with special education needs. Planning for instruction. Selected theories of instruction. Mastery learning. Evaluating students' learning.

Roles and functions of educational psychologists. Relation with allied professionals. Working in the educational system in Hong Kong. Bilingualism and bilingual education. Professional ethics. Latest development in treatment of specific disorders including attention deficit disorder, hyperactivity, conduct disorder, learning disabilities, anxiety disorder, depression and suicide.

The dissertation should be a critical study within the field, normally including an empirical element, and should not exceed 20,000 words in length. Where appropriate, studies involving qualitative methodology and other approaches may also be included. The title of the dissertation shall be submitted for approval by not later than March 31 of the final academic year of study, and the dissertation shall be presented not later than August 31 of the same year. The candidate shall submit a statement that the dissertation represents his own work (or in the case of conjoint work, a statement countersigned by his co-worker, which shows his share of the work) undertaken after registration as a candidate for the degree. The examiners may also prescribe an oral examination on the subject of the dissertation.

(i)	Workshops, tutorials and seminars.
(ii)	Regular supervised work in schools, and/or other appropriate settings.
(iii)	Practice in assessment techniques and procedures.
(iv)	Practice of treatment procedures.

All students are required to do field work placement for a total of 180 days in 4 different settings. Practical experience of candidates will be under continuous assessment during the entire period of the programme. Evaluation reports by supervisors will be made available to the examiners together with the candidates' seminar papers, reports on the work in the practical settings, assessment and treatment reports of individual cases. In addition, each candidate shall submit for inspection by the examiners at least two in-depth studies one of a child with learning difficulties and the other of a child with behaviour problems as well as reports on five cases selected from a variety of settings.

The Department of Social Work and Social Administration offers a postgraduate curriculum leading to the degree of Master of Social Sciences in the field of Social Work. The curriculum shall extend over two academic years and the intervening vacation for full-time study, or three academic years and the intervening vacations for part-time study.

To be eligible for admission, a candidate shall hold either a first degree with honours in social work having professional standing or such other qualifications as may be accepted as its equivalent, or the Advanced Diploma in Social Work awarded by this University. He may also be required to pass a qualifying examination relevant to the curriculum. A candidate who does not hold a Bachelor's degree with honours of this University or another qualification of equivalent standard may in exceptional circumstances be permitted to register if he demonstrates adequate preparation for studies at this level and satisfies the examiners in a qualifying examination. A candidate will normally be required to have had a minimum of two years of post qualification professional practice in social work. A candidate who holds the Advanced Diploma in Social Work awarded by this University may apply for admission direct to the third year of part-time study.

To complete the curriculum, a candidate shall satisfy the examiners in the examination of five papers and a dissertation. Candidates who have successfully completed their second year of part-time study may continue with their third-year study or terminate their study and be awarded an Advanced Diploma in Social Work. Candidates will be assessed either through presentations required by course assignments or written examination or a combination of both methods.

This course examines selected theories of social work practice with particular attention given to concepts and formulations drawn from various disciplines relevant to human services.

This course examines the conceptual frameworks for the analysis and formulation of social policies. The economic, social and political aspects of social policies will be discussed as well as specific contemporary policy issues. Social planning theories and methods will also be examined in this course.

This course is concerned with research for the social work practitioner. It covers the major concepts, methods and goals in social service research. Basic concepts of programme evaluation and their application will also be discussed.

This course examines management skills employed by social workers in the administration of social work services. Special emphasis will be given to the role of supervision and to the function of in-service training courses in community social service agencies.

This course comprises a series of seminars. Each student is required to participate in at least two series. Seminar topics may vary from year to year, depending on the current interests of students and instructors. Examples of topics are: clinical social work, family social work, social work with the mentally ill, welfare agency administration, and social gerontology.

The dissertation shall be a critical study within the social work field and shall not exceed 20,000 words in length. The title of the dissertation shall be submitted for approval by not later than March 31 of the final academic year of study, and the dissertation shall be presented by not later than June 30 of the same year. The candidate shall submit a statement that the dissertation represents his own work (or in the case of conjoint work, a statement countersigned by his co-worker, which shows his share of the work) undertaken after registration as a candidate for the degree. The examiners may also prescribe an oral examination on the subject of the dissertation.