本科旨在培養及提高學生中文創意寫作的興趣和能力。通過廣泛閱讀，鼓勵並指導學生用現代漢語進行創作。課堂採用互動教學模式，以提高教學成效。

This course aims to develop students' greater interest and ability in creative writing. A variety of creative works will be covered and students are encouraged and helped to write creatively in modern Chinese. The course will adopt teaching methodologies that ensure ample student-student and student-teacher interactions.

本科旨在全面提升學生的讀、寫、聽、說水平，培養他們對語文的興趣，並提供自學途徑，鼓勵他們持續學習。

This course aims at enhancing students' proficiency and interest in reading, writing, listening and speaking in modern Chinese, and to provide them with self-learning skills for further study of the language on their own.

先修科目：
1. 由 07-08 學年開始，於香港高級程度會考中國語文及文化科取得B級或以上的新同學。
2. 修畢 LANG1480「大學中文」並取得及格或以上成績的同學。

Prerequisite: LANG1480 University Chinese or Grade B or above in AS Chinese Language & Culture

課程目標：

本課程介紹古今中外著名文學作品，通過深入閱讀各文類短篇或/及長篇傑作的選段，幫助學生初步掌握文學創作的方法，提高其現代漢語的寫作水平。

This course aims at enhancing general language abilities and developing basic creative writing skills through in-depth study and appreciation of literary masterpieces (or excerpts), including classical and contemporary works written in or translated into Chinese.

先修科目：
1. 由 07-08 學年開始，於香港高級程度會考中國語文及文化科取得B級或以上的新同學。
2. 修畢 LANG1480「大學中文」並取得及格或以上成績的同學。

Prerequisite: LANG1480 University Chinese or Grade B or above in AS Chinese Language & Culture

課程目標：

本課程為學生提供商業及公共事務文書寫作的系統及全面訓練，幫助學生掌握撰寫內容清晰、措辭得體的各類文書的寫作技巧，提高其寫作實用文的表達能力，以應付未來工作需要。課程內容舉例詳明，理論與實踐並重。

This course aims to provide students with systematic and comprehensive training in Chinese writing for business and public administration. With emphasis on both the theoretical and practical aspects, the course focuses on enhancing the writing and presentation skills of the students, so as to better equip them for their future jobs.

先修科目：
1. 由 07-08 學年開始，於香港高級程度會考中國語文及文化科取得B級或以上的新同學。
2. 修畢 LANG1480「大學中文」並取得及格或以上成績的同學。

Prerequisite: LANG1480 University Chinese or Grade B or above in AS Chinese Language & Culture

課程目標：

本課程將透過分析與寫作論說文體、演說文體及紀實創作文體的篇章，讓同學掌握論文寫作的基本方法、口語傳意的技巧及紀實創作的特色和寫作重點，從而提升其中文寫作及口語表達水平。

The course aims at enhancing the students' Chinese writing and speaking skills through the analysis and practice of speech writing, followed by an oral presentation, argumentative writing and documentary writing.

先修科目：
1. 修畢 LANG1480「大學中文」並取得及格或以上成績的同學。

Prerequisite: LANG1480 University Chinese or equivalent courses

課程目標：

本課程將透過教授中文文辭鍛鍊的方法，讓學生掌握潤飾文字、提煉文句、優化書面表達等技巧，從而進一步提升其書面語文運用的水平。

The course is designed to help students to acquire and apply advanced knowledge and techniques for the refinement of their Chinese writing skills at the word, phrase and sentence levels, to further enhance and enrich their written expression.

藉不同的創作策略，通過老師和學生、學生和學生的切磋，本科強調廣泛接觸及深入理解最優秀的中文新詩，提升同學欣賞及創作這個文類的能力，培養他們成為詩人或/及喜愛閱讀新詩的人。

This is an elective subject offered in the first semester to students of all years who are interested in writing modern Chinese poetry. Via various creative strategies that embody ample student-student and student-teacher interactions, this course emphasizes exposure to, and deep learning in, the best poetry in modern Chinese, aiming to develop students' appreciation of, and writing ability in, this genre in the course of becoming poets and/or regular readers.

先修科目：
1. 由 07-08 學年開始，於香港高級程度會考中國語文及文化科取得B級或以上的新同學。
2. 修畢 LANG1480「大學中文」並取得及格或以上成績的同學。

Prerequisite: LANG1480 University Chinese or Grade B or above in AS Chinese Language & Culture

課程目標：

本課程提供中級訓練，藉戲劇與劇場，提高學生的閱讀、聆聽、說話與寫作水平，並為學生提供部分台前幕後的劇場訓練，通過表演、中外現當代劇本賞析和劇場觀賞，提高學生的舞台劇評論與編寫能力。

This course is an intermediate course in modern and contemporary Chinese theatre and drama through theatrical improvisation and appreciation of performances, studies in modern and contemporary plays, and writing theatre reviews and stage scripts, with the simultaneous goal of developing listening, speaking, reading and writing skills of the students.

本課程通過篇章選讀及專題習作，讓學生充分掌握及體會中國語文的特質，並對中國語文的演變、研習方法、文化內涵及傳意功能有較全面的認識，從而提高學習興趣和能力。

This course aims to further enrich students' knowledge of the cultural characteristics, historical development, study methods and communicative functions of Chinese Language through in-depth reading of selected essays and thematic projects.

Prerequisite: Grade C or above in AS Use of English or LANG 1491 English I

This course, as a continuation of English I, adopts the same approach to reinforce the learning outcomes at a more advanced level. It aims to (1) enhance students' English proficiency in speaking, listening, reading, and writing to an advanced level; and (2) reinforce their appropriate communicative strategies and effective use of English primarily for academic purposes, as well as in professional and social settings. The theme-based, integrated approach continues to engage students in thought-provoking and purposeful use of English and to provide a wide range of multimedia materials, including academic texts, news reports, magazine articles, web articles and videos, TV and radio programmes, etc. Students will have extensive opportunities to read and listen to, as well as discuss and write about, major issues arising from each selected contemporary theme, thereby improving both their language proficiency and their intellectual maturity and cultural knowledge. Training and practice in effective communicative strategies are integrated in teaching and learning activities throughout the course. Students will learn to read and analyze the issues critically and from multiple perspectives to gain a deeper understanding and insight, and to present their arguments and points of view convincingly in class and in writing. Advanced academic and professional skills (synthesizing, debating, panel discussion, etc.) are distributed and explicitly practiced in the course. To encourage independent, lifelong learning, the course provides students with guidance and training in selecting, evaluating and using self-access multimedia resources to improve their English and broaden their horizons.

Prerequisite: Grade B or below in LANG 1491 English I

This English course aims to help students (1) to improve their spoken fluency and grammatical accuracy in English in an interactive way, including the use of video clips from films, TV programmes, video blogs, songs and other aural materials; (2) to improve their conversational strategies; and (3) to enhance their spoken English to express their views and opinions in informal conversations, formal discussions, impromptu speeches and oral presentations.

The most epoch-making development in the field of language in the last 50 years was the rapid rise of English as a de facto 'world language', spoken all over the world by more non-native than native speakers. China (including Hong Kong) alone can now boast more speakers of English than the U.S. itself. The world in the 21st century will need to come to terms with these new realities -- where English belongs to the entire world rather than to just a few countries, and where many 'new varieties' of English are emerging alongside the old varieties. The 'post-80s generation' are caught in the middle of this transition, and the present course aims to help them acquire a totally new perspective on the English language they hear around them in the world today -- no longer a semi-homogeneous language serving the needs of a semi-homogeneous culture, but a language rich in variety and shaped by diverse cultures and communicative needs. Students will see that the spread of English is not just a story of expansion but a story of evolution and transformation, as the language changes and adapts itself to new environments and communities, and new challenges and functions, in contexts like Singapore, India, Hong Kong and mainland China. They will acquire the necessary concepts and tools to understand and analyze the linguistic as well as social, political, cultural and educational issues arising from the emergence of English as a world language. One expected benefit of the course is that students will develop into better educated and more versatile users of the English language, better able to understand different varieties of English as spoken by people around the world and more sensitive to the cultural assumptions of different speakers.

The concept of Whole Person Education, embodied in HKBU's Graduate Attributes, includes communicative competence, critical thinking, broad general knowledge, independent learning, information literacy, a sense of ethics and civic-mindedness, good citizenship and a healthy lifestyle. The course aims to foster all these attributes by engaging students in discussing and thinking about important current issues that impact on human life in all its aspects, including political, social, moral, cultural, artistic, educational, technological and health issues, and at the same time improve their linguistic and communicative competence through meaningful and purposeful language use (in all the four skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking). Students will get extensive opportunities to discuss and write about (after reading and listening) current issues in every sphere, both local and worldwide, and in the process improve their critical thinking and argumentation, their independent learning and information literacy skills, and their awareness of and engagement with important issues in the world today, as well as their competence in spoken and written English. An important objective and implied outcome of the course is that this engagement with current issues will help transform their values, attitudes and beliefs, and shape them into good citizens with an international outlook.

This course aims to promote students' awareness of, and ability to adapt to, various language needs and demands in study, work and society, as well as their ability to use English and Chinese effectively for communicative purposes. The course will engage students in exploring how language functions in daily communication (e.g. grammatical, semantic and discourse features) and the ways in which linguistic and non-linguistic features affect communication. It will also introduces students to some fundamental linguistic concepts which they are required to apply in comparing, analyzing and composing English and Chinese messages.

This course aims to enhance students' general proficiency in English in all the four skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing through films and short stories. Students will get extensive opportunities to watch and read, analyse, discuss, evaluate, and write about films/short stories. These learning activities will improve students' independent English language learning skills and strengthen their critical thinking and imaginative response. As films and stories reflect human life, by engaging students in in-depth discussions of various issues related to society and life, the course will help them gain a better understanding of the value and meaning of life and their relationship with other people; and this in turn will enhance their cross-cultural awareness. In this respect, this course fulfils several HKBU's graduate attributes.

Prerequisite: Grade C or above in AS Use of English or LANG 1491 English I

This course aims to help students acquire the pronunciation features of English to an advanced level of proficiency and to improve their ability to speak with fluency, clarity and intelligibility in different social, academic and professional settings. Upon completion of the course, students will be able to read and transcribe in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), use features of connected speech and appropriate intonation in their professional spoken discourse, as well as critique and monitor their spoken English.

This course is founded on the premise that (beyond the elementary stages) a language is best acquired not through explicit instruction but through meaningful and purposeful language use. Therefore this course aims at maximizing the opportunities and motivation to use English (in all the four skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking) by engaging students in current events in various spheres as reported in the mass media. Students will get extensive opportunities to read and listen to, as well as discuss and write about, current affairs both local and worldwide, and in the process improving their general proficiency in spoken and written English as well as their critical thinking and argumentation skills, and broadening their general knowledge and intellectual horizons at the same time. In doing so, the course simultaneously fulfils most of HKBU's graduate attributes.

Prerequisite: Grade C or above in AS Use of English or LANG 1491 English I

This advanced-level English course provides intensive training and practice involving understanding and analyzing English speech in various authentic situations, focusing on contextual meaning and cultural awareness that aid comprehension. The course aims to: (1) improve students' accuracy in comprehending verbal communication from media, various daily situations and educational resources; (2) expand their cultural awareness - of customs, ethics, history, humor, human relations and regional and cultural speech differences; and (3) develop higher awareness of context-bound meaning such as ambiguity, implied meaning, spoken nuances, connotations beyond literal meaning, etc.

This course aims to develop students' critical thinking and analysis of learning and using English appropriately as the lingua franca for various communicative purposes and in different interaction modes. Students will be exposed to the new targets and attitudes of language learning and language use. They will evaluate and reflect on the ways in which they learn and use English, and their behavior as English learners and users now and then. Based on personal reflections, evaluations and actions, they will be able to decide on the most effective method of being effective intercultural speakers (in Byram's term) at the end of the course. The contemporary theoretical concepts (i.e., ethnography of learning, communication and learners, communicative competence) will be illustrated by examples taken from social, academic and workplace face-to-face and online contexts. To consolidate learning and language use, students will be asked to apply the new theoretical concepts to critically evaluate the ways in which English is used effectively, with particular reference to interpersonal/intercultural experiences. They will also be asked to record, comment and reflect on the use of English in various settings and interaction modes as ethnographers while they are studying the course. They will be encouraged to explore and share the issues and problems they have encountered in the territory, on campus, in dormitory or during part-time work. The acquired knowledge, skills, awareness, analysis, reflections and actions would enable students to have an inside view of the way they learn and use English, their behavior and that of others, and in return would enhance their communicative competence as intercultural speakers in the global village.

This course aims to introduce students to strategies for stimulating creativity, and to the skills and methods associated with writing fiction and poetry. The course will take students through the process of brainstorming, writing, editing and revising one's own fiction and poetry, as well as editing and commenting on the fiction and poetry of others. Special emphasis will be paid to the implications of word choice and grammatical structure, and on reading aloud to catch grammatical errors and to improve pronunciation and vocal projection. Through this course, students will grow in confidence in their ability to create a fictional world and share that world with others through their written and oral performance.

The course provides students with training in advanced English language skills for academic purposes. It aims to help students (1) develop their critical/evaluative reading skills; (2) develop skills in writing academic texts in various genres including summaries, essays and research proposals; (3) acquire basic research skills and conventions of quotation and citation in academic writing; and (4) enhance their discussion and oral presentation skills in an academic setting.

Prerequisite: LANG 1491 English I and LANG 1492 English II

This advanced course aims at improving students' English language proficiency and professional communication skills. It focuses on the two broad skills of speaking and writing, with particular emphasis placed on the spoken and written English required for successful job searching and effective business communication. The course helps to develop students' critical thinking skills by engaging them in analyzing, evaluating and critiquing speaking performance and business writing. Students will then receive extensive opportunity to practice their speaking and writing skills in a range of authentic and purposeful communicative contexts.

This course aims to introduce students to the field of picture book writing for children. Students will learn first about the different types of picture book texts, and then analyse their character development, plot structure, literary devices, visual elements, and themes. Students will keep a writing journal as they generate ideas, create characters, select a point of view, develop a plot structure, and incorporate poetic techniques into their story. Students will also engage in hands-on revision exercises, peer-editing, and oral readings to identify problems and improve their picture book manuscripts. This course will be of interest to anyone who wants to write, illustrate, edit or review children's books as well as those who want to incorporate children's literature and story-writing into their teaching practice.

本課程適合初學程度的學生。課程前數週將集中教授拼音方案，即現代漢語語音基本知識。除了語音知識，課程通過正音、朗讀、聆聽、日常會話及專題會話等訓練，使學生達到初級程度的普通話聽說、理解水平。幫助學生提升普通話傳意技巧，可以在社交場合或一般學術領域與普通話母語人士進行交流。

This course is designed for students who are beginners in learning Putonghua. The course will then focus on Pinyin in the first four weeks. Besides Pinyin exercises, the course also aims to enable students to speak and comprehend elementary Putonghua through practice in pronunciation, oral reading, everyday conversations, conversations on specific topics, speaking for specific purposes and listening comprehension. The course will help equip the students with skills in communicating with Putonghua speakers, both in academic and social settings.

本課程為已有一定漢語拼音基礎的學生而設，課程將進一步提高學生的普通話表達能力，包括流暢程度，規範詞彙和語法的運用等。課程內容主要通過個人短講、小組討論、專題會話和聆聽練習等教學活動，使學生的普通話口頭表達及理解能力達到中級程度。

This course is designed for students who have basic knowledge of Putonghua Pinyin. The course aims to upgrade students' speaking and comprehension skills in Putonghua to an intermediate level through practice in speech presentation, oral reading, everyday conversations, discussions and public speeches on specific topics, situational conversations and listening comprehension. Pinyin is used in the course to enhance the accuracy and fluency of the students' spoken Putonghua. The effectiveness and efficiency of comprehension skills are also emphasized.

Prerequisite: LANG1610 Elementary Putonghua or equivalent

本課程在初級普通話語音及朗讀說話基礎上著重訓練學生口語表達及社交能力。課程內容包括針對社交場合設計的朗讀、對話及情景模擬會話，普通話口語與書面語的互譯，廣州話及普通話互譯等等。在大量的訓練中學生得到各種不同場合的普通話聽說訓練，提高總體表達能力及社交能力。

The course is designed for students who have already completed elementary Putonghua training. The course aims to improve students' oral communication skills in various interpersonal situations. The course content consists of extensive Putonghua listening and speaking exercises specially designed for social and interpersonal interactions. The exercises include oral and written language comparison, Cantonese and Putonghua comparison, public speaking as well as various role-playing speaking exercises.

Prerequisite: LANG1610 Elementary Putonghua or equivalent

本課程旨在通過不同的商貿語境訓練學生的聆聽與說話能力，擴大他們對商業活動有關的專業詞彙的認知；提高學生在商貿場合中的普通話口語表達技巧，包括發音的標準及流暢程度，基本專業詞彙和規範語法的運用等。 課程內容主要通過個人短講、小組討論、專題會話、個人短講和聆聽練習等教學活動，使學生的商貿普通話會話能力及聆聽理解能力達到中級以上程度。

The course is aimed at helping students to enhance their Putonghua proficiency in the skills of communication through practice in listening, speaking, group discussion and delivering a speech; and to expand their vocabulary which is used in the business environment. The students will gain higher confidence in speaking Putonghua in various business contexts.

Prerequisite: LANG1610 Elementary Putonghua or equivalent

本課程在鞏固學生在初級普通話班所學的語言知識和說話技巧的基礎上，進一步提高學生的普通話語言運用能力。課程內容有兩個主要部分：一方面使學生通過欣賞不同類型的普通話表演藝術，認識普通話表演藝術的種類和表現形式，分析、評價普通話表演藝術的語言特點和藝術風格，鑒賞各種普通話表演藝術（如朗誦、快板、相聲、小品等）；另一方面，通過?誦、講故事、短劇表演等教學活動訓練學生的普通話口頭表達能力。

This course is designed to enhance students' Putonghua language skills on the basis of the knowledge and skills they have acquired in the elementary Putonghua course.
This course consists of two parts: the first part is to enable students to learn the different types and modes of Putonghua art performance through various Putonghua art performances; to analyse and review the linguistic characteristics and artistic style of Putonghua performing art; and to appreciate a variety of Putonghua performing art (such as recitation, pattering, Chinese comic dialogue, opusculum, etc). The second part is to enhance students' oral ability and communication skills in Putonghua through recitation, storytelling, drama and other teaching activities.

Prerequisite: LANG1620 Intermediate Putonghua or by consent of the Language Centre

本課程在鞏固學生在初、中級普通話班所學的語言知識和說話技巧的基礎上，進一步提高學生的普通話語言運用能力。課程內容有兩個主要部分：一方面注重口語表達、討論、情景會話和專題會話；另一方面通過聆聽對話、新聞，及觀看電視、電影等教學活動訓練學生的聆聽和理解普通話的能力。學生的口頭表達及理解能力將提升到高級程度。

While consolidating what the students have learned in Elementary and Intermediate Putonghua, this course further upgrades their Putonghua proficiency. It consists of two main parts. One covers practices in speech presentation, discussion, situational conversations and speaking on specific topics. The other covers listening comprehension of dialogues, TV news, TV programmes and movies. Students' spoken Putonghua as well as comprehension will be trained to an advanced level.

Prerequisite: LANG1610 Elementary Putonghua or equivalent

本科著重訓練學生普通話口語表達能力。通過普通話語音、朗讀及說話訓練，指導學生掌握口語表達技巧，使學生有信心及能力用普通話在各種公共場合說話。

This course aims to provide students with training in public speaking in Putonghua. Specifically, the course is designed to help students to enhance their Putonghua ability of pronunciation and speaking, to improve skills of communication in Putonghua and to deliver a public talk confidently in various settings. The students will have opportunities to learn how to speak with confidence in Putonghua, with clearly defined purpose; and to practice public presentations to targeted audiences.

Prerequisite: LANG2610 Advanced Putonghua or by consent of the Language Centre

本課程旨在進一步提高修讀完高級普通話課程學生的普通話水平，使學生不僅能夠在日常生活中用普通話流暢地表情達意，還能夠用普通話發表自己的見解或者公開演講。課程內容有兩個主要部分：一方面注重口語表達、討論、情景會話和專題會話；另一方面通過各種多媒體資源，例如新聞、電視、電影等教學活動訓練學生的聆聽和理解普通話的能力。學生須更主動、更積極地參與各種小組活動。學生完成訓練後,能夠準確流利地說話,並理解在語速較快的語境中的慣用語的意思。

This course aims to upgrade students' Putonghua proficiency to a level higher than advanced. It consists of two main parts. One covers practices in speech presentation, discussion, situational conversations and speaking on specific topics. The other covers listening comprehension, and will make good use of multimedia resources of authentic nature, such as TV news, TV programmes and movies. Students are required to take a more active role in their small-group activities. They are also trained to speak correctly and fluently, as well as to grasp meanings of fast-paced authentic speech.

Prerequisite: FREN 1610 French I or equivalent

This course builds on the acquisitions of French I and aims at giving students the ability to conduct a simple conversation in French in order to deal with situations one might encounter while travelling in France (booking a room in a hotel, ordering a meal in a restaurant, asking one's way in the street, buying a train ticket, buying clothes, etc.). To achieve this, a range of classroom activities will be proposed, in which active participation is expected. French culture will be introduced, particularly through the Internet. Pronunciation and grammar will also be taught. By the end of French II, students should have reached the A1 level of the CEFRL (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages), and will start working at A2 level.

Prerequisite: FREN 1620 French II or equivalent

This course builds on the acquisitions of French I and II and aims at giving students the ability to conduct a conversation in French in order to deal with situations a person might encounter while staying in France for a few months (registering on a French language course, finding a flat, looking for a job, talking about one's daily life, seeing the doctor, etc.). To achieve this, a range of classroom activities will be proposed, to which active participation by students is expected. French culture will be introduced, particularly through the Internet. Pronunciation and grammar will also be taught. In French III, students will be working at the A2 level of the CEFRL (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages).

Prerequisite: FREN 2620 French III or equivalent

This course builds on the acquisitions of French I to III and aims at giving students the ability to conduct a simple conversation in French. While a lot of activities are still dealing with transmitting information (telling what's on TV, listing the movies currently on show, describing a traditional Chinese festival, etc.), the focus is progressively switching to expressing ideas and opinions and arguing for or against them (discussing with family or friends about which TV programme to watch, what to do tonight or next weekend, etc.). To achieve this, a range of classroom activities will be proposed, to which active participation is expected. French culture will be introduced, particularly through the Internet. Pronunciation and grammar will also be taught. In French IV, students will be mostly working at the A2 level of the CEFRL (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages), with some activities being at B1 level.

Prerequisite: FREN 2630 French IV or equivalent

This course builds on the acquisitions of French I to IV and aims at helping students acquire the ability to express themselves confidently in spoken and written French. Students will learn how to deal with everyday situations (e.g. organizing a party, complaining about one's neighbours, asking for financial help, telling about past events, asking for medical advice, etc…). This course continues to build up students' abilities to argue, express and defend an opinion, make suggestions and hypotheses, etc. To achieve this, a range of classroom activities will be proposed, in which students will participate actively. French culture will be introduced, particularly through the Internet. Pronunciation and grammar will also be taught. Most activities will be at the B1 level of the CEFRL (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages).

This course introduces students to contemporary French society. It will use movies as a medium to present some of French society's current major issues. These topics will then be discussed and analysed cross-culturally. This course will be taught in English. No prior knowledge of French is necessary.

This course aims to introduce the German language and culture to beginners. It combines linguistic and communicative skills with a balanced emphasis on reading, writing, speaking and listening. Special stress is placed on mastering the sound system and the basic grammatical forms, as well as building basic receptive and productive skills in German for effective daily communication. The course also helps students develop their critical thinking through in-class discussions about the cultural dimensions of the language and acquire strategies to learn "how to learn German". The aim is for them to reach EU level A1.1.

Prerequisite: GERM 1610 German I or equivalent

This is a continuation of German I. The course will introduce the German language and culture relating to travelling and work. Students will learn to communicate effectively in everyday situations such as travelling and shopping, finding jobs, and consulting doctors. An integrated approach to language skills will be adopted, and materials and activities that are relevant to travelling or studying in Germany will be presented in context. They will encounter relatively more difficult texts and be able to express themselves in more complex structures. The course also helps students develop their critical thinking through in-class discussions about cultural issues such as jobs, leisure time and environmental protection. By the end of the course, they should be able to reach EU level A1.2.

Prerequisite: GERM 1620 German II or GERM 3630 Business German or equivalent

This is a continuation of German II. The course will present the German language and culture in greater depth to advanced beginners. It offers a balanced range of language skills through further syntax acquisition: reading and text analysis, oral expression and communicative skills. Giving directions, good customer service, going shopping and to parties are general situations for using simple German. The course also helps students develop their critical thinking through in-class discussions about cultural issues such as lifestyles. They should be able to reach EU level A1.2 by the end of the course.

Prerequisite: GERM 2620 German III or equivalent

This course further develops the students' basic knowledge of German grammar and vocabulary beyond the intermediate stage. They will learn to use their German more independently in writing, listening and speaking. They will also learn to engage successfully in small talk at home, in class, at work, in sports and parties. The course also helps students develop their critical thinking through in-class discussions about cultural issues such as German manners and dealing with problems and complaints. They will expand their vocabulary to more than 1,200 words and master all the grammatical structures for communicating in everyday life of the EU LEVEL A2.1.

Prerequisite: GERM 1610 German I or equivalent

In this course, students with intermediate-level German will further develop all four skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing, and continue to review and learn additional grammar points. Emphasis will be given to writing and speaking fluently for business purposes. Students will also learn more about German businesses and their cultures, as well as the German Code of Business and Ethics. The aim is for them to reach level EU A1.2.

Prerequisite: GERM 1620 German II or GERM 3630 Business German or equivalent

The course explores creative writing in three primary genres: short stories, poetry and drama. Students will examine exemplary works in the context of writing, and they will write, discuss and revise their own works in each genre. As they study the works of famous exemplary writers and develop their own style, they learn more about the elements in each genre and get a deeper understanding of German culture. Students will finally organize their own exposition in a library foyer in Hong Kong at the end of the course. Classes will be conducted in German and English.

This course aims to teach complete beginners basic Italian in listening, speaking, reading and writing. Students will also be introduced to the culture of Italy. Vocabulary and grammar will be presented in a communicative way for a variety of situations such as greeting people, making introductions, and talking about one's family, free time, hobbies, and daily routines.

Prerequisite: ITAL 1010 Italian I or equivalent

This course aims to build further on the beginner's level work and widen the scope of exposure to more complex aspects of the Italian language and its culture. Participants are expected to consolidate and continue to develop their proficiency in the Italian language and to further develop their production and reception skills in more complex daily situations.

Prerequisite: ITAL 1020 Italian II or equivalent

This course aims to build further on the lower-intermediate level work and widen the scope of students' exposure to more complex aspects of Italian language and culture. Students are expected to consolidate their understanding of Italian grammar and develop further their production and reception skills in more complex situations such as talking about their holidays, their future plans and hypothetical situations.

Prerequisite: ITAL 2010 Italian III or equivalent

This course aims to further expand students' knowledge of Italian language to an intermediate level. It aims to enable them to communicate more fluently and confidently with native speakers of Italians in complex situations. Students will also have a deeper understanding of Italian culture and some aspects of its history.

Prerequisite: ITAL 2020 Italian IV or equivalent

This course aims to bring students to an upper intermediate level of competence in the Italian language. Students will acquire substantial knowledge of the language both from the communicative point of view and with respect of grammar knowledge. In this course they will learn how to integrate all the skills learnt to achieve effective communication. Students will also be introduced to Italian short stories and other forms of literature.

This foundation course is designed for absolute beginners who have never studied Japanese before. The Japanese phonetic system, writing system, basic greetings, sentence structures and practical vocabulary that are suitable for beginners will be introduced in this course. It also provides opportunities for students to understand Japanese culture, and to develop the ability to communicate in basic Japanese such as introducing oneself, daily expressions, telling the time and the date and talking about one's daily life. Students' active participation in classroom activities and role-plays is expected.

Prerequisite: JPN 1010 Japanese I or equivalent

This course is a continuation of Japanese I (JPN1010). It helps develop students' practical language skills for daily conversation, such as expressing or discussing about feelings, preferences, personal experiences and hobbies in elementary Japanese. Interesting classroom activities are specially designed to help build students' communication skills in Japanese and active participation is expected. Japanese culture and Japanese life style will also be introduced with the aid of videos.

Prerequisite: JPN 1020 Japanese II or equivalent

This course is a continuation of Japanese II (JPN1020). It is designed to enhance students' knowledge and Japanese language proficiency in the lower intermediate level. Students will further develop their abilities to conduct daily conversations such as making requests, seeking and giving permission, expressing prohibition, possibility, ability and experience. They will also study verbs conjugation and read extended texts. Students' active participation in various language activities, free conversations, role-play, group work and presentations are expected. Authentic materials available in the mass media will be selected to explore Japanese culture and life style.

Prerequisite: JPN 2010 Japanese III or equivalent

This course is a continuation of Japanese III (JPN2010). It provides intensive practice to help students build Japanese language skills and learning communication strategies at the intermediate level. Students will further develop their speaking and listening skills in Japanese. Specific communication skills and language structures will be taught. Formal and informal Japanese expressions will also be introduced through various language activities, everyday conversations, role-plays, short drama and performance. Japanese culture and life style will be explored with the aids of videos, TV programs, readings and music.

Prerequisite: JPN 2020 Japanese IV or equivalent

This course is a continuation of Japanese IV (JPN2020). It helps students to develop their interpersonal and intercultural communication skills and to understand current issues in Japan. Through intensive training, such as role-play, group work, oral presentation and reading of texts, students will learn sentence structures, expressions, communication skills and interaction strategies at the upper intermediate level of Japanese language proficiency. Students are encouraged to express their viewpoints on topical issues, giving reasons and explanations for opinions. Japanese culture and life style will be explored with the aid of videos, TV programs, readings and music.

Prerequisite: JPN 2010 Japanese III or equivalent

This course is designed to develop students' interpersonal, interpretive and presentation skills in business communication in Japanese. Topics covered include typical and essential expressions for various business communicative situations in reading and written contexts. Through studying the communication patterns in Japanese business contexts, this course prepares students to work in Japanese companies and/or communicate with Japanese clients. Formal and informal expressions and honorific expressions in Japanese will be taught. Students are required to conduct oral presentations on Japanese business, commercial and economic issues. Students are strongly encouraged to develop their own understanding of the language and Japanese social system from both inside and outside of class.

The aim of this course is to introduce complete beginners to the Spanish language working on the four language skills: speaking, reading, writing and listening to Spanish. Students will also learn about Spanish culture and customs.

Prerequisite: SPAN 1010 Spanish I or equivalent

The aim of this course is to further develop students' knowledge of the Spanish language and continue working on their listening, speaking, reading and writing skills at a beginner's level. Through the study of culture students will better understand the peoples of the Spanish speaking world.

Prerequisite: SPAN 1020 Spanish II or equivalent

This course aims to increase students' knowledge and skills in the use of Spanish (acquired in prerequisite course) to a lower-intermediate level, and further develop their knowledge of Spanish & Latin-American culture.

Prerequisite: SPAN 2010 Spanish III or equivalent

This course aims to bring student's Spanish language knowledge and skills to an intermediate level and enable them to continue to learn about Spanish culture through the media and class discussions.

Prerequisite: SPAN 2020 Spanish IV or equivalent

This course aims to bring student's Spanish language knowledge and skills to an intermediate-advanced level and enable them to continue to learn about Spanish culture, geography of the Spanish speaking world and prominent Spanish persons from the present and past.