The University of Hong Kong is a public research university located in Pokfulam, Hong Kong. Founded in 1911, its origins can be traced back to the Hong Kong College of Medicine for Chinese which was founded in 1887, it is the oldest tertiary institution in Hong Kong. It is considered as one of the most prestigious universities in whole Asia.

Program Aims and Features

The Bachelor of Arts in Landscape Studies degree gives students the knowledge and technical skills to create sustainable design solutions to complex development issues, through respect for the environment, culture and society, and the intelligent use of materials and technologies.

BA(LS) courses include practical and theoretical studies in landscape design, history, theory, ecology, landscape sciences, planting, sustainability, community, construction technology, visual communication, and digital technology. Landscape design studio projects are based on topical issues, and students explore diverse approaches to a wide range of environmental and development challenges, looking to create places that have identity, vibrancy, and diversity.

Undergraduate students are encouraged to participate in the Faculty's overseas field trips, community workshops, and exchange programs with overseas institutions.

Professional Recognition

BA(LS) is a first degree leading on to the more specialized, professional Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) degree, and then to a professional qualification and registration as a landscape architect. The BA(LS) program provides an excellent general arts education that will give students the ability to enter other related design or research fields.

Career Prospects

The BA(LS) degree is a first degree leading to the more specialized, professional Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) degree, and then to a professional qualification and registration as a landscape architect. The BA(LS) program provides an excellent general arts education that will give students the confidence to enter other related design or research fields.

It is expected that many of their graduates will pursue specialized academic studies and research in landscape architecture or adjacent disciplines at The University of Hong Kong, and other leading institutions in Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America.

The demand for landscape architecture has increased in recent years in response to the rising awareness of environmental and quality of life issues.

Many of their graduates join professional consultancy firms and work with landscape architects, architects, engineers, ecologists, planners, etc., or work for contractors, or as site supervisory staff, or in landscape management. Others work for government offices, non-profit organizations, or advocacy groups.

Landscape Design Courses:
ARCH1100Landscape Design Studio 1A (6 credits)
ARCH2201Landscape Design Studio 1B (6 credits)(Pre-requisite: ARCH1100 Landscape Design Studio 1A)
ARCH2202Landscape Design Studio 2 (12 credits) (Pre-requisite: ARCH2201 Landscape Design Studio 1B)
ARCH3201Landscape Design Studio 3 (12 credits) (Pre-requisite: ARCH2202 Landscape Design Studio 2)
ARCH3202Landscape Design Studio 4 (12 credits) (Pre-requisite: ARCH3201 Landscape Design Studio 3)
ARCH4201Landscape Design Studio 5 (12 credits) (Pre-requisite: ARCH3202 Landscape Design Studio 4)
ARCH4202Landscape Design Studio 6 (12 credits) (Pre-requisite: ARCH4201 Landscape Design Studio 5)

Landscape History & Theory Use Courses:
ARCH1029 Introduction to Landscape Design (6 credits)
ARCH2203 Environment, Community & Design (6 credits)
ARCH3105 Theories and Practices of Contemporary Landscape (6 credits) Architecture
ARCH4703 Landscape & Design in China (6 credits)
ARCH4705 Strategic Landscape Planning (6 credits)

Landscape Technology & Science Courses:
ARCH3102 Technology in Landscape Architecture (6 credits)
ARCH2105 Plants & Planting Design 1 (6 credits)
ARCH3096 Ecology & Sustainability (6 credits)
ARCH4702Plants & Planting Design 2 (6 credits)

Visual Communication Courses:
ARCH1031 Landscape Representation 1: Forms and Methods (6 credits)
ARCH3097 Landscape Representation 2: Systems and Simulations (6 credits)
ARCH3098 Landscape Representation 3: Operations and Fabrication (6 credits)

Electives in Landscape Studies:
ARCH4708 Advanced Topics in Landscape Technology (6 credits)
ARCH4709 Advanced Topics in Landscape Representation (6 credits)
ARCH4710 Landscape Practicum (6 credits)
ARCH4711 Independent Study in Landscape Studies (6 credits)
ARCH4712 Advanced Topics in Landscape History (6 credits)
ARCH4713 Advanced Topics in Landscape Theory (6 credits)
ARCH4714 Advanced Topics in Digital Media and Fabrication (6 credits)
ARCH4715 Special Topics in Sustainability (6 credits)
ARCH4716 Advanced Topics in Planting Design (6 credits)
ARCH4717 Advanced Topics in Landscape Ecology (6 credits)

The University of Hong Kong was granted a shield and a motto by the College of Arms in 1913, and throughout its history, the University’s visual identity has been firmly based on their display, often coupled the University’s name. This is a distinction that resonates outside Hong Kong, particularly in the United Kingdom, other Commonwealth jurisdictions, and the United States. It is also a reminder of the University’s antiquity and a most dignified and effective corporate identity.

HKU continues to attract the best local students, along with many Mainland China and international students. The University’s academics have outstanding achievements in teaching and research, and about half of HKU’s faculty are from overseas.

HKU has been actively establishing strategic international alliances with universities and research institutions worldwide. The University is also committed to cultivating internationalism on campus and to supporting staff and student mobility projects and international programmes at all levels.

All ten faculties and their departments provide teaching and supervision for postgraduate-level research (MPhil and Ph.D.) students, with administration undertaken by the Graduate School.

Scholarships

• HKU Foundation Entrance Scholarships
• HeForShe IMPACT Champion Scholarships for female students from economically deprived nations with outstanding academic results (male students who have significantly contributed to achieving the goals of the HeForShe movement will also be considered)
• Asian Future Leaders Scholarship Program for students from China, Japan, Korea, Macau, Taiwan
• Entrance Scholarships for Medallists of International/Asian Olympiads
• Entrance Scholarships for Students admitted to Undergraduate Dual Degree Programmes
• Vietnam Van Thinh Phat Scholarships for outstanding Vietnamese students
• Hong Kong Scholarship for “Belt & Road” Students for students from Indonesia and Malaysia
• Targeted Scholarship Scheme under the HKSAR Government Scholarship Fund for students from the following countries: ASEAN (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam), India, Korea

About Hong Kong

Hong Kong is a Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China. It is a place with multiple personalities as a result of being both Cantonese Chinese and having been under British colonization. Today, the former British colony is a major tourism destination for China’s increasingly affluent mainland population. It is an important hub in East Asia with global connections to many of the world’s cities. It is a unique destination that has absorbed people and cultural influences from places as diverse as Vietnam and Vancouver and proudly proclaims itself to be Asia’s World City.

Campus

The university’s main campus covers 160,000 square meters of land on Bonham Road and Pokfulam Road in the Mid-Levels of Hong Kong Island. HKU buildings are some of the few remaining examples of British Colonial architecture in Hong Kong. The university lends its name to HKU Station, the main public transport access to the campus opened in 2014.

Life on Campus

Student welfare is served by several units, including the Centre of Development and Resources for Students (CEDARS), which provides guidance for most areas of student life including career counseling, and the University Health Service, which provides health care, referrals, and preventive services.

On campus, there are fast food restaurants and cafes at convenient locations that offer a wide range of local delicacies, exotic cuisines, western food, Halal Food, coffee, pastries and healthy vegetarian food, where you can enjoy with your friends at a reasonable price. There are outposts and grab-and-go counters scattered around the main campus offering light meals, beverages, and snacks for those with a tight schedule or in a rush. Fast food restaurants situated at Jockey Club Student Villages I & II, Sassoon Road Campus, as well as snacks kiosks in sports center all, offer ranges of delicacies to meet the demands for food.

Two officially recognized student bodies, the Hong Kong University Students’ Union (HKUSU) and the Postgraduate Students Association (PGSA), give opportunities for students to participate in extracurricular activities.

HKUSU principally serves the undergraduate students. It offers more than a hundred clubs and associations for students. These organizations renowned amongst student activists, has been the main driving force behind evicting a chancellor in recent years. There was controversy when the head of the union, Ayo Chan, said that some of the protesters involved in the Tiananmen Square massacre had acted irrationally.[80] Many students thought his remarks were offensive and he was ousted by a vote in under one week. The Postgraduate Students Association represents the university’s postgraduate students.