RELIGIOUS STUDIES MAJOR
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Why Study Religious Studies?
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Religion is the quest for ultimate reality, the highest good.  It is 
a centre of integration, binding people together into a lively 
community.  Religion drives human beings to transcend themselves and 
to reach for the best and highest.

There is in modern society a pervasive sense of rootlessness and 
ambiguity in meaning and moral values.  Man is in danger of being 
reduced into things and tools.  Modern man is experiencing an 
unprecedented spiritual crisis.

Yet, there are also vast spiritual resources in great religious 
traditions.  It is our responsibility to make them available to our 
society.  The study of religion aims precisely at this understanding.  
This is particularly important for Hong Kong as it is experiencing 
unprecedented rapid change that has led to a questioning of values, 
of prospects for the future, and of commitment to one another.

We would like to invite young persons who have conviction and 
commitment to cultural reconstruction for both Hong Kong and China in 
this difficult time to join us in this meaningful task.


Major Aims & Objectives
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The main objectives of the Religious Studies Major are as follows:

1)  to equip students with critical, analytical and interpretative 
    skills with which they may understand religious traditions in a 
    scientific way;

2)  to provide students with substantial information on ideas and 
    practices of major religious traditions, thus building a solid 
    foundation for their understanding and interpretation;

3)  to help students develop capability in correlating religious 
    ideas and values to socio-cultural problems;

4)  to widen students' perspective in the understanding of both the 
    human person and human culture through comparative study of 
    different religious traditions, showing the range of human 
    responses to life problems;

5)  to prepare students for postgraduate studies in at least one 
    religious tradition;

6)  to assist students in preparing for careers in education, 
    cultural affairs and related fields.


Curriculum
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     Nature          Required Subjects            Elective Subjects
     ------          -----------------            -----------------

  Methodological    Approaches to the        Myth, Ritual and Symbolism
		      Study of Religion      Confucianism
		    Critical Thinking        Hermeneutics
		    Philosopy of Religion    Taoist World of Thought and
					       Practice

  Substantive       World Religions -        Contemporary Theological
		      An Introduction          Currents
		    A survey of Biblical     Selected Readings of Biblical 
		      History and Literature   Texts
		    Biblical Theology :      Selected Readings of Buddhist
		      Old Testament            Texts
		    History of Christian     Selected Readings in Chinese
		      Thought                  Philosophy
		    Introduction to          Selected Readings in Christian
		      Philosophy               Theology
		    Greater Thinkers on Life Selected Topics in Religious 
		    Major Streams in Chinese   Studies
		      Philosophy             Religious Education : Theory
		    Chinese Religious          and Practice
		      Practices              Christian Spirituality
		    Buddhism in China
		    History and Doctrine of 
		      Indian Buddhism
		    Philosophy of the 
		      Christian Religion 


  Comparative       Comparative Religious    Christian Social Thought  
    and Social-       Theme                  Contemporary Ethical Problems
    Cultural        Christianity and Chinese Comparative Philosophy : East
		      Culture                  and West
		    Ethics                   Religion & Modern Society
		    Applied Ethics           Religion & Ideology
		    Science Technology & 
		      Society


Religious Studies And Your Career
---------------------------------

Graduates in Religious Studies can expect to find career development 
not only in teaching ("Ethics and Religious Studies" is now 
introduced as an Advanced Supplementary subject, and hence many 
schools will need teachers for that), but also in cultural affairs, 
in publication business, and in church-related social service 
agencies.  Furthermore, graduates may consider going into 
administration in the civil service as well as in the business 
sector.

It has been generally assumed that Religious Studies, like many other 
Arts majors or Pure Science majors, may not have direct or necessary 
links to jobs, except in teaching.  But recently the whole concept of 
the function of higher education has changed.  The significant role 
of higher education is the training of analytical and critical 
thinking, development of conceptual tools, creativity and 
flexibility, and a broad base of knowledge.  Employers in Hong Kong 
are looking for these qualities rather than skills in a very narrow 
scope which may become obsolete in five years.  Nowadays, with our 
society being more open and flexible, a graduate with a good Honours 
Degree from any major discipline can go into a wide variety of fields 
for career development.
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