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Programmes

Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement

ASSOCIATE OF APPLIED SOCIAL SCIENCESCriminal Justice and Law Enforcement

Programme Code

  • HP002 Diploma in College Foundation Studies (DCFS)
  • HP200 Year 1 & 2, Associate Degree (AD)

 

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QF Level: 4
QR Registration No.: 07/001824/4
Registration Validity Period: 05/05/2008 to ongoing 
Successful completion of this programme leads to an award within The University of Hong Kong system through HKU SPACE
 

DCFS Application Code: DCFS-CJLE

AD Application Code: ASSCJLE

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

UGC-funded Universities

Graduates are eligible to apply for admission to Bachelor’s degree programmes in Social Sciences or other related disciplines offered by local universities (including HKU).

The list below shows the degree offers that our graduates/ students received in the past*:

  • The University of Hong Kong
    ​Bachelor of Social Sciences
    Bachelor of Arts
    Bachelor of Sciences
  • The Chinese University of Hong Kong
    Bachelor of Social Science
    BSSc Global Studies
    BSSc Sociology
    BSc Community Health Practice
  • City University of Hong Kong
    BSocSc Criminology
    BSocSc Public Policy and Politics
    ​BSocSc Public Policy, Management, and Politics
    BSocSc Environmental Policy
    BSocSc Applied Sociology
    BSocSc Asian and International Studies
  • The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
    ​BA (Hons) Social Policy and Administration
    BA (Hons) Social Work
  • Hong Kong Baptist University
    ​BSocSc (Hons) Sociology 
    BA (Hons) Visual Arts
  • The Education University of Hong Kong
    BSocSc (Hons) Global and Environmental Studies

*The above list is not exhaustive and only shows some of the examples.

Graduates are also eligible to apply for the below degree programmes offered by other institutions:

Other Local Institutions

  • HKU SPACE
    • Full-time, 2-year, Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Social Sciences, offered by Edinburgh Napier University (UK) in collaboration with HKU SPACE

 

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 (ICAC).

2-year Associate Degree Programme

  • Obtain Level 2 or above in 5 subjectsincluding English Language and Chinese Language# in the HKDSE Examination; OR
  • Hold a recognised Diploma in Foundation Studies programme; OR
  • Hold a Diploma Yi Jin; OR
  • Hold a Diploma of Applied Education; OR
  • Equivalent qualifications will be considered by the College.

Applicants whose HKDSE results do not meet the entry requirements of the 2-year Associate Degree programme should apply for admission to the Diploma in College Foundation Studies (DCFS) programme.

 

Diploma in College Foundation Studies Programme

  • Obtain Level 1 or above in English Language and Chinese Language# in the HKDSE Examination, AND at least 6 points+ in the best 5 subjects*^§; OR
  • Equivalent qualifications will be considered by the College.

 

Mature Students

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

 

*Applicants are allowed to use not more than 2 Applied Learning (ApL) subjects in the application. The recognition of the ApL subjects is as follows: 

“Attained with Distinction (II)” is deemed equivalent to Level 4 or above;
“Attained with Distinction (I)” is deemed equivalent to Level 3; and 
“Attained” is deemed equivalent to Level 2 in the HKDSE Examination.

#ApL Chinese (for non-Chinese speaking students) would be accepted as an alternative Chinese Language qualification.

§ If one of the five HKDSE subjects is Citizenship and Social Development, the requirement will be “Attained” for the subject.

^ If the candidate has attempted less than 5 subjects but obtained 6 points or above, the application will still be considered.

+ 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.

Effective from 2024-25 Academic Year:

 

Diploma in College Foundation Studies

  • Essential English I
  • Essential English II
  • Effective Speaking
  • Effective Writing / Foundation Grammar
  • Foundation Chinese Language /  Communication in Chinese as a Second Language
  • Foundation Mathematics
  • ICT in Society
  • Introduction to Business
  • Understanding Personal Growth and Development 
  • Youth and Society 

 

Associate Degree Year 1

  • Introduction to Academic English
  • English for Academic Purposes I
  • Quantitative Analysis I
  • Information Technology Fundamentals
  • Advanced Chinese Language*
  • Critical Analysis and Reasoning in Discipline-based Studies
  • Exploring Hong Kong through Film and Popular Music
  • Social Development and Engagement
  • Principles of Sociology
  • Foundation Psychology

 

Associate Degree Year 2

  • English for Academic Purposes II
  • English for Arts and Humanities
  • Health, Technology and Society
  • Histories, Societies and Identities: Connecting the Past to the Present
  • Introduction to Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement
  • Perspectives on Crime
  • Abnormal Psychology
  • Introduction to Criminal Law
  • Crime and Criminals
  • Crime and Forensic Investigation
  • Workshop on Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement

 

* Non-Chinese speaking students or students who have not received sufficient training in the Chinese language may apply for exemption from the Chinese course(s), and alternative courses may be assigned.