Faculty of Arts, HKBU
 
 Faculty of Arts @ HKBU
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2009年7月5日 (Hong Kong)
 
   B.A. (Hons) in Religious Studies    
WHY STUDY RELIGIOUS STUDIES?
 
Religion is the quest for "ultimate" reality, the highest "good". It is a centre of integration, binding people together into a lively community. Religion drives human beings to transcend themselves and to reach for the best and highest.
 
There is in modern society a pervasive sense of rootlessness and ambiguity in meaning and moral values. Man is in danger of being reduced into things and tools. Modern man is experiencing an unprecedented spiritual crisis.
 
Yet, there are also vast spiritual resources in great religious traditions. It is our responsibility to make them available to our society. The study of religion aims precisely at this understanding. This is particularly important for Hong Kong as it is experiencing unprecedented rapid change that has led to a questioning of values, of prospects for the future, and of commitment to one another.
 
We would like to invite young persons who have conviction and commitment to cultural reconstruction for both Hong Kong and China in this difficult time to join us in this meaningful task.
 
MAJOR AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
 
The main objectives of the Religious Studies Major are as follows:
  1. to equip students with critical, analytical and interpretative skills with which they may understand religious traditions in a scientific way;
  2. to provide students with substantial information on ideas and practices of major religious traditions, thus building a solid foundation for their understanding and interpretation;
  3. to help students develop capability in correlating religious ideas and values to socio-cultural problems;
  4. to widen students' perspective in the understanding of both the human person and human culture through comparative study of different religious traditions, showing the range of human responses to life problems;
  5. to prepare students for postgraduate studies in at least one religious tradition;
  6. to assist students in preparing for careers in education, cultural affairs and related fields.
RELIGIOUS STUDIES AND YOUR CAREER
 
Graduates in Religious Studies can expect to find career development not only in teaching ("Ethics and Religious Studies" is now introduced as an AS subject, and hence many schools will need teachers for that), but also in cultural affairs, in publication business, and in church-related social service agencies. Furthermore, graduates may consider going into administration in the civil service as well as in the business sector.
 
It has been generally assumed that Religious Studies, like many other Arts majors or Pure Science majors, may not have direct or necessary link to jobs, except in teaching. But recently the whole concept of the function of higher education has changed. The significant role of higher education is the training of analytical and critical thinking, development of conceptual tools, creativity and flexibility, and a broad base of knowledge. Employers in Hong Kong are looking for these qualities rather than skills in a very narrow scope which may become obsolete in five years. Nowadays, with our society being more open and flexible, a graduate with a good Honours Degree from any major discipline can go into a wide variety of fields for career development.

See also ...
Departmental website
Course curriculum
Admission requirements

 
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Last Updated: 2008年4月30日 at 下午 05:01:02
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