University Core Requirements

Applicable to students admitted in 2021-22 and before

At CUHK, there is a long-established tradition for students to pursue not only a specialized or professional discipline, but also to gain an educational experience that will serve to enhance their capacity for life-long learning and competitiveness in the working life. These core skills, comprising numeracy, critical thinking skills and IT literacy, as well as a high level of proficiency in Chinese and English, are developed through courses under the headings of Languages, Information Technology, General Education and Physical Education. The following is a breakdown in terms of credit units:

Subject		No. of Units
Chinese Language		6
English Language		9
General Education	University GE: Foundation Courses (6 units)	21
	University GE: Four Areas (9 units)
	College GE (6 units)
Information Technology		1
Physical Education		2
Total		39

Chinese Language

The 6-unit Chinese language requirements include two 3-unit courses, CHLT1100 University Chinese I and CHLT1200 University Chinese II, normally to be taken in Years 1 and 2.

English Language

The 9-unit English language requirements include a 4-unit course in Year 1, a 3-unit course in Year 2 and a 2-unit course in Year 3. The Year 1 course, ELTU1001 Foundation English for University Studies, is a foundation course for all University students, while the Year 2 and Year 3 courses are faculty-based discipline-specific courses. Students can take alternative English language courses as substitutes of faculty-based discipline-specific courses.

Details of exemption by attainment can be found in the section “Exemption by Attainment from the University Chinese and English Language Requirements”.

General Education

The GE Programme comprises three components: 9 units under the Four Areas of University GE, 6 units under the GE Foundation Programme, which includes two required courses: In Dialogue with Humanity and In Dialogue with Nature, and 6 units under College GE.

Details of the GE Programme requirements can be found in the section “General Education Programme − Study Schemes and Course Lists”.

To learn more about the GE Programme, please refer to the following:

· Goals and objectives

· College GE

· Four Areas of University GE

· Learning outcomes of the GE Foundation courses

–	UGFH1000 In Dialogue with Humanity
–	UGFN1000 In Dialogue with Nature

Information Technology

The required 1-unit IT Foundation course (ENGG1000) provides students with basic knowledge of information technology and develops their capability in handling and using digital information properly. It will be of tremendous significance to living in the modern society. It is also an essential part in life-long learning. Unless exempted, students are required to register for the course in their first year of attendance according to the recommended course pattern.

Physical Education

The 2-unit Physical Education requirement includes two different 1-unit courses, which should be taken in two different terms. Students are required to take the courses in their first year of attendance, according to the recommended course pattern.

The PE courses offered cover 18 sports items, such as swimming, basketball, handball, table-tennis and physical conditioning etc.

Details of the PE requirement and the Programme Learning Outcomes can be found at the website of the Physical Education Unit.

Exemption by attainment/equivalence of courses

from the University Core Requirements

Students are required to apply for exemption by attainment or by equivalence of courses. When exemption from a particular course is recognized, students can only be exempted from the course but not the units. This means that the students will still be required to complete other courses to fulfill the overall requirements. Students can also take the exempted course(s) if they wish, which would amount to not seeking an exemption to which they are entitled.

Such approval for equivalence would have to be re-examined by the offering unit and the relevant committees, including the Senate Committee on Language Enhancement, Senate Committee on General Education, Senate Committee on Physical Education and Sub-Committee on Education Technologies of the IT Governance Committee, if the courses involved are revised. 

Course List

Course Code

Course Title

Unit(s)

(1) Chinese Language

CHLT1100

University Chinese I

3

CHLT1200

University Chinese II

3

(2) English Language

Year 1

ELTU1001 [Note 1]

Foundation English for University Studies

3

ELTU1002 [Note 1]

English Communication for University Studies

3

ELTU1003 [Note 2]

Foundation English for University Studies

4

Year 2

ELTU2011 [Note 3 & 4]

English Through Literary Analysis

3

ELTU2012 [Note 5]

Business Communication I

3

ELTU2013

English for Education Students I

3

ELTU2014 [Note 6 & 7]

English for Engineering Students I

3

ELTU2015 [Note 8]

English for Law Students

1

ELTU2016 [Note 9, 10, 11, 12 & 13]

Communication for Nursing Professionals

3

ELTU2017 [Note 13]

English for Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences

3

ELTU2018 [Note 6 & 14]

English for Science Students I – Effective Communication

3

ELTU2019 [Note 6 & 14]

English for Science Students I – Science Research Writing

3

ELTU2020 [Note 4, 15 & 16]

English for Social Science Students I

3

ELTU2021 [Note 15]

English for Architecture Students I

3

ELTU2022 [Note 3]

Academic English for Linguistics

3

ELTU2023 [Note 10]

English for Chinese Medicine Students

3

ELTU2024 [Note 7]

English for Engineering Students I – Extensive Reading about Contemporary Issues

3

ELTU2026 [Note 11 & 12]

English through Health Sciences

3

ELTU2406 [Note 4]

Academic Writing for Contemporary China Studies

3

ELTU2411 [Note 16]

Professional Communications for Social Workers I

3

Year 3

ELTU3011

Professional Communication for Arts Students

2

ELTU3012 [Note 5]

Business Communication II

2

ELTU3013

English for Education Students II

2

ELTU3014 [Note 6]

English for Engineering Students II

2

ELTU3016 [Note 17]

Medicine Across Cultures

2

ELTU3017

English for MBChB Programme: Medicine in the Humanities

2

ELTU3018 [Note 6]

English for Science Students II

2

ELTU3020 [Note 15 & 16]

English for Social Science Students II

2

ELTU3021 [Note 15]

English for Architecture Students II

2

ELTU3412 [Note 16]

Professional Communications for Social Workers II

2

ELTU3415 [Note 17]

English through Food

2

Alternative courses

ELTU2004 [Note 18]

English through the Visual Arts

3

ELTU2005 [Note 19]

Speaking and Presenting like TED

3

ELTU2006 [Note 20]

English through Performing Arts

3

ELTU2007 [Note 21]

English Through Film, Television and Society

3

ELTU2412 [Note 22]

Academic Writing for Arts and Social Science Students

3

ELTU3024 [Note 23]

Communicating Engineering Research

2

ELTU3413 [Note 24]

Research Writing in the Humanities and Social Sciences

2

ELTU3414 [Note 25]

Learn to Write Better! English Through Great Essays

2

ELTU3415 [Note 26]

English through Food

2

ELTU3502 [Note 25]

Essentials of Public Speaking

2

ELTU3503 [Note 25]

Intercultural Communication Through English

2

Explanatory Notes:

1.

Course units changed from 4 to 3 units with effect from 2022-23.

2.

Students who have not taken ELTU1001 or 1002 in 2021-22 or before can take ELTU1003 in 2022-23 to fulfil the English language requirement.  ELTU1003 will only be offered in 2022-23.

3.

Linguistics major students should take ELTU2022 instead of ELTU2011.

4.

BA/BSSc in Contemporary China Studies major students should take ELTU2011, 2020 or 2406.

5.

Global Economics and Finance, and Quantitative Finance and Risk Management Science major students should fulfil the English language requirement of Faculty of Business Administration.

6.

Mathematics and Information Engineering major students should fulfil the English language requirement of either Faculty of Engineering or Faculty of Science.

7.

Financial Technology major students should take ELTU2024 instead of ELTU2014.

8.

Course units changed from 3 to 1 units with effect from 2022-23.

9.

The course title of ELTU2016 was “English for Medicine I (Excluding MBChB Programme)” since 2012-13 (for Year 2 students in the Faculty of Medicine).  It has been changed to “Communication for Medical Professionals” since 2022-23 (for Year 2 Nursing students).  It is further renamed “Communication for Nursing Professionals” with effect from 2024-25 (also for Year 2 Nursing students).

10.

Chinese Medicine major students should take ELTU2023 instead of ELTU2016, applicable to students admitted in 2016-17 and thereafter.

11.

Public Health major students should take ELTU2026 instead of ELTU2016, applicable to students admitted in 2015-16 and thereafter.

12.

Community Health Practice major students should take ELTU2026 instead of ELTU2016, applicable to students admitted in 2017-18 and thereafter.

13.

Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy major students should take ELTU2017 instead of ELTU2016, applicable to students admitted in 2021-22 and thereafter.

14.

Students of the Faculty of Science should take either ELTU2018 or 2019.

15.

Architecture major students should take ELTU2021 and 3021 instead of ELTU2020 and 3020.

16.

Social Work major students should take ELTU2411 and 3412 instead of ELTU2020 and 3020.

17.

Students of the Faculty of Medicine (excluding MBChB Programme) should take either ELTU3016 or 3415.

18.

ELTU2004 is an alternative course for ELTU2011.

19.

ELTU2005 is an alternative course for ELTU2011, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2020.

20.

ELTU2006 is an alternative course for ELTU2011.

21.

ELTU2007 is an alternative course for ELTU2011 and 2020.

22.

ELTU2412 is an alternative course for ELTU2011 and 2020.

23.

ELTU3024 is an alternative course for ELTU3014.

24.

ELTU3413 is an alternative course for ELTU3011, 3013 and 3020.

25.

ELTU3414, 3502 and 3503 are alternative courses for ELTU3011, 3013, 3014, 3016, 3018 and 3020.

26.

ELTU3415 is an alternative course for ELTU3011, 3013, 3014, 3018 and 3020.

(3) General Education

Please refer to “General Education Programme − Study Schemes and Course Lists”

(4) Information Technology

ENGG1000

IT Foundation

1

(5) Physical Education

PHED1010

Special Physical Education I

1

PHED1011/1012

Track and Field

1

PHED1015/1016/1020

Swimming

1

PHED1017/1018/1220

Physical Conditioning

1

PHED1021/1022

Basketball

1

PHED1023/1024

Volleyball

1

PHED1025/1026

Softball

1

PHED1027/1028

Team Handball

1

PHED1029/1038

Soccer

1

PHED1030

Special Physical Education II

1

PHED1031/1032/1170

Tennis

1

PHED1033/1034

Squash

1

PHED1040

Woodball

1

PHED1041/1042/1180

Badminton

1

PHED1043/1044/1140

Table Tennis

1

PHED1045/1046/1150

Yoga

1

PHED1122

Taekwondo

1

PHED1130

Modern Dance

1

PHED1210

Tai Chi

1