In order to further enhance Hong Kong’s reputation as one of the world’s safest cities in the 21st Century, effective management of crime is crucial, from prevention of crime to detection, prosecution, adjudication, sentencing, correction and reintegration of offenders. Through differentiation and specialisation, there is now considerable career potential in the fields of criminal justice and law enforcement, disciplinary services and security management, all with the common objective of maintaining law and order.

This programme is the first of its kind and is unique in Hong Kong. It has been developed in response to both the future academic and career development potentials in the field of criminal justice and law enforcement in Hong Kong. It is designed to help those interested secondary school leavers, who wish to obtain a tertiary-level qualification in this field, to explore their academic potential and career aspirations in criminal justice and law enforcement.

Programme Aims and Features

This programme aims to equip the students with both the theoretical and practical groundings in the core knowledge and specialism skills as required for serving the modern criminal justice systems. The curriculum focuses mostly on the social, legal and scientific aspects of the administration of justice with particular emphasis within the local context. Through outdoor law enforcement training workshops and activities, students are provided with hands-on experiences for learning the essential characteristics required for law enforcement practitioners. In addition, it provides students with a broad-based foundation in Social Sciences and hence prepares them for higher level studies in related disciplines.

Opportunities for Further Studies

Graduates are eligible to apply for admission to:

• Year 2 of the 3-year Bachelor of Social Sciences offered by local or overseas universities;
• Year 2 of Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Criminology, the 3-year full-time top-up programmes offered locally by the University of Hull (UK) in collaboration with HKU SPACE;
• Year 2 of Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Criminology with Psychology, the 3-year full-time top-up programmes offered locally by the University of Hull (UK) in collaboration with HKU SPACE;
• Year 2 of Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice, a 4-year part-time programme offered by The University of Hong Kong.

Career Prospects

This programme prepares students for various job opportunities in the field of criminal justice and law enforcement, e.g. Inspector of Police and Police Constable, Correctional Services Officer and Assistant Officer, Immigration Officer, Inspector of Customs, and Investigating Officer and Assistant Officer of the Independent Commission Against Corruption.

2-year Associate Degree Programme (Direct Entry to Year 1) 

HKDSE

• Level 2 or above in 5 subjects^# (including Chinese Language and English Language);

Applicants whose HKDSE results do not meet the entry requirements of the 2-year Associate Degree Programme should apply for admission to the Certificate in General Studies Programme.

OR

HKALE

• Pass in one AL subject or two AS subjects in the HKALE; and three passes in HKCEE* PLUS Level 2 / Grade E or above in Chinese Language and English Language, or equivalent;

Applicants whose HKALE results do not meet the entry requirements of the 2-year Associate Degree Programme should apply for admission to the Foundation Programme.

OR

• Hold a recognised Pre-Associate Degree / Foundation Programme qualification; OR
• Hold a recognised post-secondary certificate or diploma.

^#Applicants are allowed to use not more than two Applied Learning (ApL) subjects in the application.
The recognition of the ApL subjects is as follows:
“Attained with distinction” is deemed equivalent to Level 3; and
“Attained” is deemed equivalent to Level 2.

Certificate in General Studies Programme^ / Foundation Programme

Certificate in General Studies Programme^:
HKDSE

• Level 2 or above in English Language and any three other subjects^# (which may include Chinese Language); in any event Chinese Language must be at Level 1 or above;

OR

• Level 2 or above in English Language and any two other subjects^# (which may include Chinese Language); in any event Chinese Language must be at Level 1 or above; and at least 8 points^@ in the best three subjects.

Foundation Programme:
HKCEE

• Three passes in the HKCEE* PLUS Level 2 / Grade E or above in Chinese Language and English Language in the HKCEE, or equivalent;

OR

• Completed Project Yi Jin with satisfactory results.

^ Subject to EDB approval.

^# Applicants are allowed to use not more than two Applied Learning (ApL) subjects in the application.
The recognition of the ApL subjects is as follows:
"Attained with distinction" is deemed equivalent to Level 3; and
"Attained" is deemed equivalent to Level 2.

^@ Level 5** = 7 points; Level 5* = 6 points; Level 5 = 5 points; Level 4 = 4 points; Level 3 = 3 points; Level 2 = 2 points; Level 1 = 1 point.

Applicants who do not possess the above academic qualifications but are aged 21 or above and have relevant working experience will be considered by the College.
 

• General English I & II
• Foundations of Chinese Language
• Mathematics and Statistics for Daily Life Applications
• Computer Studies
• The Process of Design
• Popular Culture: Identities and Institutions
• Ethics and Society
• The Science of Everyday Life
• Individual and Society
• Multiple Intelligences and Competencies

• General English III
• English for Academic and Professional Purposes Part I
• Putonghua
• Elements of Logic and Critical Thinking
• Introduction to Multimedia / Introduction to Information Technology
• Quantitative Analysis I
• Intra- and Interpersonal Competencies
• Appreciating Social Research
• Foundation Psychology
• Principles of Sociology
• Fundamentals of Management in Organizations

• English for Academic and Professional Purposes Part II
• Advanced Chinese Language
• Contemporary World since 1945
• Hong Kong and Chinese Societies in Transition
• Food and the Body
• Introduction to Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement
• Perspectives on Crime
• Abnormal Psychology
• The Youth-at Risk and Delinquents
• Introduction to Criminal Law
• Crime and Criminals
• Crime and Forensic Investigation
• Workshop on Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement