THE GEOGRAPHY PROGRAMS

The Department of Geography at Baptist University now offers two bachelors 
degree programs. The B.A.(Hons) in Arts and Social Sciences aims at producing 
graduates with a broad but thorough basic training in geography and an
appreciation of geographical issues at local and global levels. The B.Soc.Sc
(Hons) in China Studies is intended to lead to graduates who possess some China
specialization, while at the same time providing a solid background in the
geographical sciences. Both programs cover three years of study and involve a
number of mandatory core subjects in the early years while in their third year
students are offered considerable freedom to take a range of physical and/or 
human geography subjects to suit their interests.

In their final year all geography students, in both programs, are required to
complete an Honour project. This assignment is regarded as the culmination of 
a student's three years of training in the field of geography and involves
carrying our research on a chosen topic under the guidance of a member of
staff. Students acquire a firm understanding of geographical research
methodology and field skills which later prove valuable in many walks of life.

A feature of the Baptist three year program is the second year fieldcamp of
approximately 10 days duration. To date fieldcamp locations have included 
Guangdong, Hainan Island, Taiwan, Northern Thailand, and Malaysia. Most
students find this experience invaluable. In addition to the fieldcamp, 
B,Soc.Sc.(Hons) students also participate in a six week summer sojourn to
Beijing (Qinghua University). Visits to well-known research institutes
related to geography, and scientific excursions around Beijing, are
organized.

At Baptist considerable emphasis is placed on field and laboratory activities
in all components of the two programs. In physical geography, attention is
given to developing 'hands on' experience with laboratory instrumentation
and a thorough understanding of techniques and methods in the areas of
biogeography, climatology, geomorphology, soil and water resources and
convervation. This serves as the basis, for example, for entering the 
rapidly expanding fields of environmental problem solving and environmental
planning and management, within and outside Hong Kong, and also reflects the
current concerns of secondary level geographical education. In human 
geography much time is devoted to understanding geographical problems in
energy, urban-industrial, rural and transport planning and socio-economic
development, both locally and in developing countries. All physical, and
most human studies, include fieldwork, some of this extending over two or
three days.

As maps are often the principal tool used by the geographer for presenting
information about the bio-physical, socio-economic and cultural environments
the acquisition of cartographic and computer related skills are emphasized
in the early part of the program while, in the later years, students have
opportunities to acquire the necessary skills to appreciate the value of
Geographic Information Systems and the use of satellite imagery of mapping 
and environmental analysis. With the range of geographical interpretative
and analytical skills acquired at Baptist, geography graduates are well
prepared for a broad spectrum of challenging and exciting job opportunities
and post-graduate studies in Hong Kong or overseas.

THE FUTURE OF OUR GRADUATES

Graduate from the B.A. program have found employment in a wide range of 
fields. While a fifth of graduates continue to enter secondary school
teaching others are working in various area of the civil service, including
Transport, Immigration, Correctional Services, Housing, the Royal Hong Kong
Police Force, the New Territories Land Office, Agriculture and Fisheries,
and other government departments. Because of the holistic and synthesizing 
nature of geography as an academic discipline, and its concern for 
contempory issues at various geographical scales, graduates have also
secured a wide variety of jobs in the private sector including insurance, 
finance, tourism, merchandising and the commodities markets. A few top
graduates have found their way into international employment, including the
Asian Development Bank.

The first group of geography B.Soc.Sc. students graduated at the end of the
1991-1992 academic year. Most encountered little difficulty in finding
employment, particularly in the commercial sector. Graduates with a specialist
China Studies background, together with a broad range of geographical skills,
are likely to have a bright future. Increasingly empolyment opportunities
are likely to arise in such field as China trade, consultancy and research
services, mass media coverage of Chinese economic, political and 
environmental affairs, and other possibilities in the near future.

An increasing number of Baptist graduate continue into postgraduate work,
especially in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and, to a lesser
extent, Australia. While some are continuing their geography studies others 
are pursing programs as varied as economic and urban planning, aspects of 
civil engineering, environmental management and tourism development. All 
have found the high calibre of Baptist's geography programs has strengthended
their candidacy and gained them entry to top-ranking universities. 
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