Coursework
Students admitted to the Programme after 2012 must take ONE Core Course CLIT7005 Approaches to Literary and Cultural Studies and SIX Electives.
Students are also required to complete a Dissertation or its Equivalent in their final year.
ONE Core Course: CLIT7005 (Writing workshops also required)
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SIX Electives
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ONE Capstone Experience: CLIT7997* or CLIT7996
*Students who opt for CLIT7997 Dissertation is required to take course CLIT7012 Dissertation Seminar.
Study Mode
Full-time: 1 year
Part-time: 2 years
The MALCS programme is designed to be completed by full-time student in one academic year or part-time students in two academic years. Each academic year comprises two semesters: Semester 1 (Fall) and Semester 2 (Spring). Semester 1 normally commences in September and ends in December, while Semester 2 normally commences in January and ends in May. Exact starting and ending date of a semester shall be prescribed by the School Senate.
The semester courses offered by the programme may vary from time to time. For full-time students, one core course and three electives will be taken in the first semester, and three electives will be taken in the second semester of the programme. For part-time students, one core course and three electives will be taken in the first year of the programme and three electives in the second year.
Courses in our programme are primarily offered during weekdays evening from 6:30PM to 9:30PM. Occasionally, courses may be offered on weekday afternoons and Saturday mornings.
Choosing your stream
Students are encouraged to pursue either a LITERARY AND CULTURAL STUDIES stream, or a FILM/SCREEN STUDIES stream within the Programme. Students are also allowed to not pursue any specific streams.
- LITERARY AND CULTURAL STUDIES stream elective courses:
Students are encouraged to select any 3 from the following: CLIT7006, CLIT7007, CLIT7008, CLIT7009, CLIT7010, CLIT7011, CLIT7013, CLIT7016, CLIT7018, CLIT7020, CLIT7023, CLIT7024, CLIT7025, CLIT7027, CLIT7028.
- FILM/SCREEN STUDIES stream elective courses:
Students are encouraged to select any 3 from the following: CLIT7007, CLIT7014, CLIT7016, CLIT7019, CLIT7020, CLIT7021, CLIT7022, CLIT7023, CLIT7027, CLIT7028.
Students are required to declare their choice of streams (or not declaring) by the start of the second semester of their academic study. Any request for subsequent change in stream after declaration shall be approved by the Programme Chairperson.
Writing Workshop
The writing workshops are designed to help students enhance their writing skills and produce high-quality academic work. The workshops provide a supportive environment where students learn and practice both macro and micro aspects of academic writing, such as developing arguments, presenting textual evidence, organising ideas, establishing cohesion and coherence, and using appropriate academic language. Through guided discussions and feedback, students gain a deeper understanding of academic writing conventions, facilitating them to produce clear, cogent, and persuasive writing that meets the rigorous standards of the academic community.
Recommended reading:
The Elements of Academic Style: Writing for the Humanities
Author: Eric Hayot
Summer Reading List
Download the suggested Summer Reading List for MALCS coursework and courses.
Student Handbook
Unsatisfactory Performance of Studies
[1] Late Submission
Students are required to submit their coursework assignments, dissertations or its equivalent, and any other works assigned by their course instructors on the due dates prescribed in the course syllabi that are distributed at the beginning of each semester. Due dates will be set to allow students with sufficient time to complete their work before the deadline.
Extension of submission deadline is not normally granted except for special circumstances. Students who wish to request for extension should obtain consent from their instructors prior to the submission deadline. Any related documentary evidence should be provided to support their requests.
[2] Re-submission and Re-assessment
Students who have failed in not more than two courses in an academic year may be permitted to re-submit their work for the failed course(s) for re-assessment within a specified period of time determined by the MA Board of Examiners. Students should note that they will not be allowed to retake or take another course to make up for the failed course. The failure in courses shall be recorded on the transcript, together with the new assessment result obtained from re-assessment.
Students who have presented a dissertation or its equivalent (Portfolio/Individual Project) which is unsatisfactory may be permitted to revise and re-submit their work within a specified period of time determined by the MA Board of Examiners.
Attendance and Absence
Students should attend all classes as prescribed for individual courses. Attendance and class participation will contribute to the overall assessment. Course instructors shall maintain attendance records for the course. Students who find longer absence as necessary because of illness or other unavoidable cause shall inform the Programme Chair in writing at the earliest opportunity. An application for leave of absence due to illness should be supported by medical certificate signed by a registered medical practitioner. If otherwise due to non-medical circumstances, such reasons should be clearly stated, and any related documentary evidence should be provided to support their application.
Deferral, Withdrawal and Discontinuation of Studies
[1] Deferral of Study
Students are required to submit their coursework assignments, dissertations or its equivalent, and any other works assigned by their course instructors on the due dates prescribed in the course syllabi that are distributed at the beginning of each semester. Due dates will be set to allow students with sufficient time to complete their work before the deadline.
Extension of submission deadline is not normally granted except for special circumstances. Students who wish to request for extension should obtain consent from their instructors prior to the submission deadline. Any related documentary evidence should be provided to support their requests.
[2] Re-submission and Re-assessment
According to the HKU General Regulations and MA Regulation, students may be required by the School Senate to discontinue from the programme under the following circumstances: (a & b) A candidate who is not permitted to present himself/ herself for re-examination in any paper (s) in which he/ she has failed to satisfy the examiners or to revise and re-present his/ her dissertation or equivalent requirement shall be deemed to have failed and shall be recommended for discontinuation under the provisions of MA Regulations 9; (c) A candidate who has failed to satisfy the examiners in a second attempt in any course(s) or examination or in his dissertation or its equivalent requirement may be required to discontinue his studies; (d) A candidate who has failed more than two courses in the first attempt in an academic year may be required to discontinue his studies.
Further specifications concerning discontinuation of study should be referred to G11 and G12 of the General Regulations and MA9 of the MA Regulation.
[3] Withdrawal of Study
Students who wish to withdraw from the programme at any time during the academic year should inform the Programme Chair and Arts Faculty office at the first instance. They should complete the Withdrawal of Study Form (pdf) and return the completed form to the Arts Faculty office together with the Student Registration Card.
Students should note that they are liable to pay the annual composition fee, and/or any outstanding financial payments even their withdrawal of studies occur during the course of an academic year.
Overseas students are advised that deferral, withdrawal and discontinuation of studies from the programme may affect their student visa.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is a serious academic and disciplinary offence. You are warned that the University does not allow or tolerate plagiarism in any form of work submitted for assessment, including but not limited to dissertations, projects, written assignments, and other forms of coursework. Any quotation and/or citation of other people's work or ideas without clear and proper acknowledgement and documentation would risk being charged of plagiarism. Any student who commits plagiarism is liable to disciplinary action which can result in serious consequences - including failure of the course where plagiarism is found, and even expulsion from the University. Consult the following websites for further information on plagiarism:
A booklet published by the University entitled "What is plagiarism?"
http://www.hku.hk/plagiarism/
There is a possibility that students' coursework will be submitted to the Turnitin software for originality checking against proper citation or potential plagiarism. Visit the following websites for more information about Turnitin:
Turnitin at HKU
https://libguides.lib.hku.hk/turnitin
Turnitin
http://www.turnitin.com/
Arrangements During Typhoon and Bad Weather
When Cyclone Warning Signal No. 3 or Red Rainstorm Warning Signal is in force, it should be assumed that all classes will be held as scheduled unless an announcement to the contrary has been made by the University.
When Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8 (or a higher number) or the Black Rainstorm Warning Signal is hoisted, the following arrangements will apply:
For classes not yet started: If either of the warnings is hoisted or in force at or after 3:00PM, all evening classes commencing from 6:00PM onward will be cancelled automatically.
For classes already started: When Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8 or above is hoisted, all classes will be suspended immediately. In the case of a Black Rainstorm Warning Signal, all classes, except those held outdoors, will continue.
Courses
Core Course
CLIT7005
Approaches to Literary and Cultural Studies
Electives (6 credits)
CLIT7006
Fabrications of Identity
CLIT7007
The Art and Politics of Narrative
CLIT7008
From Colonialism to Globalization
CLIT7009
Modernity and its Paths
CLIT7010
Questioning Sexual Difference
CLIT7011
Hong Kong and Beyond
CLIT7012
Dissertation Seminar
CLIT7013
Postmodernism
CLIT7014
Film and Popular Culture
CLIT7016
Contemporary Chinese Literature and Film
CLIT7018
Realism / Surrealism
CLIT7019
World Cinema
CLIT7020
Introduction to Research Methods
CLIT7021
Approaches to Cinematic Arts
CLIT7022
Screen Documentaries
CLIT7023
Ecological Imaginations in Literary and Visual Narratives
CLIT7024
Advanced Cultural Studies: Context, Culture, Critique
CLIT7025
Special Topics in Eco-criticism
CLIT7027
Participatory Media and Cultural Studies
CLIT7028
Adaptation and Remakes Across Cultures
Capstone Experience
CLIT7997
Dissertation
CLIT7996
Portfolio / Individual Project
Explore Capstone »
by MALCS students.
*Students must take either CLIT7997 or CLIT7996. Students who opt for CLIT7997 are required to take course "CLIT7012 Dissertation Seminar".
Experiential Learning Courses (3 Credits, Optional)
The Lives of Deltas
CALL FOR PARTICIPATION: Transdisciplinary Programme initiative
The Lives of Deltas combines insights from contemporary academia with state-of-the-art technological, urban and artistic research. Together with prominent scientists, scholars and artists, the students taking part in this program, jointly explore and experiment with how human and non-human lives are currently roaming the coastlines and deltas of Maputo, Rio de Janeiro, Hong Kong and the Netherlands. This unique collaboration at top universities in four cities around the world, hereby invites students to share their interest in participating in this program.
Coursework FAQ
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How can I get the Course Reader?
Soft copies of course readings for certain courses will be uploaded onto Moodle. Moodle is an online platform for sharing e-copies of course materials, videos, and for virtual meeting/ discussion. You may gain access to Moodle via HKU portal in the "E-Learning" section. The Moodle page for each course is open to students who have been enrolled in the course only.
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Can I borrow the MA Dissertations from previous years?
MA Dissertations stored in the department library are available for reading in person in the MALCS Office. The final-bound dissertation copies stored in the department are from students who have obtained a Distinction, with a copy lodged in the Main Library on reserve.
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Is course switching allowed in the MALCS?
Course switching is not allowed after the course selection period for each semester is closed.
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How can I graduate from the Programme with distinction?
The award of a taught postgraduate qualification with an overall distinction is a recognition of excellence, a relatively rare achievement. Please refer to Grading Criteria for the Award of a Taught Master's Degree with Distinction.
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Do I know the letter grade for each course?
Students admitted in academic year 2017-18 or after:
Letter grades for MALCS courses will be disclosed to students. Students will be informed of the course assessment results shown as letter grades with GPA via the HKU Portal. Only satisfactorily completed courses will earn credits.
Students admitted in academic year 2016-17 or before:
No letter grades for MALCS courses will be disclosed to students. Students will be informed of the course assessment results shown as "Distinction"/ "Pass"/ "Fail" via the HKU Portal.
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Can I check the final course grade or the result of any assessment component of any course?
Students may however request checking of the final course grade or the result of any assessment component of any course if they have reason to believe that there is any procedural irregularity or technical error in the determination of that result (e.g. an error in the recording, collating or aggregation of grades/marks which continue to the final result).
Such checking is not and does not entail academic re-assessment of the materials or coursework presented by the student. In other words, appeal against the academic judgment of the examiners will not be entertained.
An application for checking of procedural irregularity or technical error, together with the receipt of fee payment, should be submitted by the student as soon as possible after the release of the assessment result, and in any case must reach the Faculty Office no later than two weeks after the publication of the course's final assessment result as determined by the BoE.
Click here for details.
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Can I skip paper or course assignment?
MALCS courses are assessed by 100% coursework. Student will be failed in a course for non-submission of course assignment(s).
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Can I ask for extension of the submission of course assignment?
Students can apply for a 2-day extension for one assignment in the same course during a semester. The student must notify the instructor one week before the assignment is due, and must keep to the new due date. Late papers including those after the extended due date will be subjected to grade reduction.
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What if I obtained a failed grade for the course?
With the approval from Course Instructor, Programme Chairperson, and the MA Board of Examiners, students who fail in a course would be given a chance for resubmitting the course assignment for re-examination within a month.
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What are the requirements for Capstone Experience?
Please refer to the "Coursework" and Capstone Experience in the "Courses" section of our website.
Students who have received a B+ grade or above in 4 or more courses, and with the approval by the MALCS Programme Chairperson, may choose to do:
1) a dissertation of approximately 10,000 words or
2) an individual project – an approved creative work under supervision and a written report of around 5,000 words; as partial fulfilment of the requirements for the MA degree.
Students who opt for dissertation writing must take the elective CLIT7012 Dissertation Seminar. Students who opt for portfolio and individual project must attend special sessions and/or workshops.
All students have the option to compile a portfolio of coursework for the MA curriculum. Students choosing the Portfolio option are required to revise at least two previous MALCS papers into a final paper of approximately 10,000 words. Students who opt for portfolio/individual project must take another elective course in lieu of CLIT7012.
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Who will supervise me while I am working on my Dissertation/ Portfolio/ Individual Project?
A supervisor will be assigned to each student in March/April of their final year in the programme. Students are recommended to take initiative to contact their supervisors directly for consultation, or virtual meeting via email, between May and June.
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Can I ask for extension of the submission of Dissertation/ Portfolio/ Individual Project?
In principle, students can request for extending the submission deadline of Dissertation/ Portfolio/ Individual Project to a proposed date within a month of the official submission date. Nonetheless, there may be a deferral of the graduation year for students who request for extension. They may not be invited to attend the Congregation of the same year as their classmates.
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Which citation format should I use in the essay writing?
MLA. Please refer to the MLA Citation Guides. Students should use proper citation format for all the references in their essays, and avoid plagiarism.
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I want to enhance my writing skills in academic writing, any suggestions?
Online resources for academic writing are available on Centre for Applied English Studies (CAES)'s website at: