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 Architectural Studies BA(AS) is a four-year, full-time program that introduces students to architecture as a cultural discipline. It is the first degree needed to qualify as an architect and provides an excellent general education that gives students the confidence to pursue related careers both within the design professions and further afield.

The course of study is centered on research-based learning in the design studio and is structured to foster a sense of community, develop a deep knowledge of the discipline, and encourage creativity. Design studios look at diverse contemporary issues relevant to Hong Kong and the world and are structured by five thematic platforms that introduce students to a range of methodologies and approaches to the territorial, political, technological, urban and environmental issues that comprise architecture as a cultural discipline.

The BA(AS) program offers numerous opportunities for knowledge exchange and international experience, including study-abroad at the Faculty’s Shanghai Study Centre, semester exchanges with leading international schools of architecture, study trips to foundational sites of Asian architecture and urbanism, and hands-on experience through the summer field studies workshops. Courses in the program are offered in the areas of Architectural Design, History and Theory of Architecture, Technology, and Visual Communication.

Professional Recognition

The BA(AS) degree is recognized by the Commonwealth Association of Architects (CAA), Hong Kong Institute of Architects (HKIA), the Architects Registration Board (ARB) and the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).

Career Prospects

The BA(AS) program provides an excellent general education that gives students the confidence to pursue careers both within design professions and further afield. Students who have successfully completed the BA(AS) program may apply to enter a two-year Master of Architecture curriculum -- either at the University of Hong Kong or elsewhere -- and afterward pursue professional qualifications and registration as an architect. 

Qualified architects are employed by both the private and the public sectors.

Architectural Design Studio Courses:
ARCH1074 Design 1 (6 credits)
ARCH2074 Design 2 (12 credits)
(Pre-Requisite: ARCH1074 Design 1)
3 ARCH2075Design 3 (12 credits)
(Pre-Requisite: ARCH2074 Design 2)
ARCH3074Design 4 (12 credits)
(Pre-Requisite: ARCH2075 Design 3)
ARCH3075Design 5 (12 credits)
(Pre-Requisite: ARCH3074 Design 4)
ARCH4074Design 6 (Capstone Experience) (12 credits)
(Pre-Requisite: ARCH3075 Design 5)
ARCH4075Design 7 (Capstone Experience) (12 credits)
(Pre-Requisite: ARCH4074 Design 6)

Architectural History and Theory courses:
ARCH2058Architectural History and Theory 1 (6 credits)
ARCH2059Architectural History and Theory 2 (6 credits)
ARCH2060Architectural History and Theory 3 (6 credits)
ARCH2061Architectural History and Theory 4 (6 credits)
ARCH2062Architectural History and Theory 5 (6 credits)

Technology Courses:
ARCH2056Building Technology 1 (6 credits)
ARCH3064Building Technology 2 (6 credits)
ARCH3065Building Technology 3(6 credits)
ARCH4602Building Technology 4(6 credits)
ARCH4605Building Technology 5 (6 credits)

Visual communication:
ARCH2055Visual Communication 1 (6 credits)
ARCH3056Visual Communication 2 (6 credits)
ARCH3060Visual Communication 3 (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.