Sept 2025 Entry
4 years
126 (including 3 training credits of Work-Integrated Education)
- Students will be awarded the following degree upon completion of the graduation requirements:
- BA (Hons) in English and Applied Linguistics
- Students studying towards this degree have the option of a Secondary Major in AI and Data Analytics. Admission to this Secondary Major is on a competitive basis and subject to different credit requirements for graduation, as laid out in the “Secondary Major Details” section.
- The curriculum of this programme, including the credits requirements, is subject to review.
What's New
All admitted students will embark on a Common Year One curriculum. Towards the end of year one, students can decide whether to continue with their initial choice or switch to another choice within the Faculty. Those who wish to change to another choice need to join a competitive process through a ranking assessment.
Programme Aims & Learning Outcomes
The Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Programme in English and Applied Linguistics (BAEAL) aims to nurture graduates with the abilities/attributes needed to become competent English language professionals and responsible global citizens in the 21st century. At the professional level, the programme aims to produce graduates with: a) a high level of competence in English; b) a sound understanding of the theoretical disciplines underlying applied English language studies and the integrated use of the language; and c) the strong ability to apply their knowledge and general linguistic skills in a variety of professional communication contexts.
The programme will equip students with professional/academic knowledge and skills as well as attributes contributing to all-rounded development in an integrated manner. The programme aims to produce graduates with the following attributes:
- a high level of professional communicative competence in English;
- a firm grounding in linguistic sciences which can be critically and creatively applied in a variety of business and management contexts;
- an awareness and understanding of intercultural communication in multilingual settings that enhances their global outlook and cultural appreciation as socially responsible global citizens;
- an ability to apply strong communication skills to solve real-world problems effectively in local and global multilingual professional/business settings;
- the capability of exercising judgment and developing intellectual curiosity to work both independently and as part of a team;
- an awareness of the need for and a commitment to life-long learning; and
- the potential to become future ethical leaders and entrepreneurs excelling in communication for professional purposes.
Programme Characteristics
The programme offers students Work-Integrated Education (WIE) placement opportunities in Hong Kong, mainland China, and overseas.
Professional Recognition
The BA (Hons) in English and Applied Linguistics (BAEAL) is recognised by the Education Bureau of Hong Kong and its Standing Committee on Language Education and Research as an English Language Major Degree Programme that meets the Hong Kong government’s Language Proficiency Requirement. Registered students are eligible to apply for the Scholarship for Prospective English Teachers offered by the Education Bureau. The Scholarship for local and non-local students is HK$50,000 and HK$80,000 per year, respectively.
Career Prospects
Graduates of the Department of English and Communication are successful in their careers and excel in various industries and professions in Hong Kong. Fresh graduates find employment in media and journalism, retail, human resources, public relations, marketing and advertising, publishing, education, or the civil service, where a high level of competence in English and professional communication is needed.
Further Studies
Some graduates proceed to further studies in Hong Kong and overseas in the fields of linguistics, applied linguistics, translation and interpreting, communication, and public and environmental policy studies.
The overall credit requirements of the BAEAL Programme under the university's 4-year undergraduate degree structure are as follows:
| General University Requirements (GUR) | 30 credits |
| Discipline-Specific Requirements (DSR) | 75 credits |
| Free Electives or a Minor | 18 credits |
| Total credit requirements for graduation | 123 credits + 3 WIE training credits |
To suit students’ needs, we offer a choice of one of the following academic pathways (where BALT = Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics and Translation):
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a Major and a Minor (123 credits + 3 training credits of Work-Integrated Education);
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a Single-Discipline Major (123 credits + 3 training credits of Work-Integrated Education);
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Double Majors (BAEAL and BALT, 168 credits + 3 training credits of Work-Integrated Education); or
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a Major (BAEAL) and a Secondary Major (AIDA) (at least 132 credits + 3 training credits of Work-Integrated Education)
General University Requirements (GUR) (30 credits)
Discipline-Specific Requirements (DSR) (75 credits)
The BAEAL programme strives to provide students with a solid foundation in the knowledge and skills they will need to communicate effectively in English for professional, academic, and business purposes in Hong Kong and around the world, where English is the key lingua franca. Accordingly, the BAEAL discipline-specific curriculum consists of the following components.
(1) Major Study Core Subjects
Major Study Core Subjects (60 credits) are compulsory for all BAEAL students and are organised into three focal areas: Language Sciences, Global Communicative Competence, and English for the Professions. These subjects are designed to provide BAEAL students with the core academic knowledge and communication skills they will need to become language professionals.
The Capstone Project in Language Studies (6 credits) in the focal area of English for the Professions is compulsory for all BAEAL students. It is conducted in the final year under the supervision of ENGL academic staff and requires students to consolidate the learning they have accumulated during the BAEAL programme in the form of a dissertation. This prepares students for professional practice, further academic pursuits, and lifelong learning, while developing their generic competencies.
(2) Major Study Elective Subjects
Students can freely choose BAEAL electives (15 DSR credits) from the three focal areas to customise their learning experience and develop their expertise.
(3) Work-Integrated Education (WIE)
WIE (3 training credits) provides a framework for students to integrate what they have learned in the classroom with real-world practice, thereby supporting their development into well-rounded individuals with professional competence. Students typically meet the WIE requirement by completing an internship in an organisational or corporate context, where they apply their classroom-gained knowledge and skills in a real-world environment. WIE is assessed using one of three grades: Pass with Merit (M), Pass (P), and Failure (F). However, this grade does not contribute to students' final GPA. The WIE placement can be completed at any time during the second and third year of study but no later than the Summer Term of Year Three. Students undertaking non-local WIE placements may be eligible to receive partial financial subsidies from the Careers and Placement Section of the Student Affairs Office in the form of Offshore WIE Sponsorship.
More information on the subjects offered can be obtained here.
The option of a Secondary Major in AI and Data Analytics (AIDA) is available to students of the BA (Hons) in English and Applied Linguistics (BAEAL). In addition to the 30 GUR credits, students who pursue this pathway will complete 72 academic credits + 3 training credits for the Primary Major and 36 credits for the Secondary Major (AIDA). Certain credits, including the Integrated Capstone Project, can count towards both the Primary and Secondary Majors. The list of compulsory and elective subjects for the Primary Major (BAEAL) is nearly identical to the list for the Single-Discipline Major BAEAL programme. The major differences include: (1) students must complete the Integrated Capstone Project (involving both BAEAL and AIDA) instead of the regular BAEAL Capstone Project; and (2) two subjects, ENGL4022 and ENGL4026, originally elective subjects for the BAEAL, are now core subjects in the Major/Secondary Major pathway. The minimum credit requirement of the BAEAL + AIDA programme is 132 credits + 3 training credits.
The Secondary Major in AIDA is offered by the Department of Computing. The detailed curriculum can be found at: https://www.polyu.edu.hk/comp/study/ug-programmes/aida/.
Students are expected to complete the Major/Secondary Major within the normal duration of the major programme.
Students may count up to 12 credits of their Major/GUR subjects towards the Secondary Major. Nevertheless, students must take at least 12 credits from their chosen Secondary Major in order to satisfy the residential requirement of the chosen Secondary Major. Students who have completed more than 12 credits of subjects that are eligible for double counting will need to apply for graduation and indicate the subjects intended for double counting. Notwithstanding the above, students must meet the minimum credit requirements of the Major/Secondary Major concerned, i.e., 132 credits + 3 training credits.
Students must apply to and obtain approval from the programme-offering Department, normally no later than the commencement of the second year of study, to be admitted to the Secondary Major.
Only students with a Cumulative GPA of 2.70 or above may be considered for Secondary Major enrolment.
Students must complete the Secondary Major as part of their graduation requirements. Students who wish to withdraw from the Secondary Major must obtain approval from the programme-offering Department normally before the end of the add/drop period of the last semester of study.
If deemed appropriate by the programme-offering Department, students are allowed to take a Major with a Secondary Major and a Minor. Subjects already double-counted for the Major and Secondary Major cannot be used to fulfil the Minor requirement.
126 (including 3 training credits of Work-Integrated Education)
Programme Leader
Dr Max Diaz
Associate Programme Leader
Dr Christy Xuyan Qiu
Please click here to view the entrance requirements for non-JUPAS applicants.
For further programme information, please contact:
The General Office (tel.: 3400 3497; email: egdept@polyu.edu.hk)
Making decisions is not one of my strengths. However, the decision to pursue a BA (Hons) in English Studies for the Professions at PolyU was certainly one of my best decisions. The department offers an excellent curriculum that suited my minor in European Studies; I was able to discover not only the culture behind European art, history, and discourse but also take courses in European languages, such as Spanish, French, and German. Moreover, the department offers internship opportunities and extracurricular activities in Europe and Hong Kong, which is how I got my first-ever tickets for the Spanish Film Festival. You don’t want to miss out on these opportunities and activities if you like to explore something exotic! Pursuing this degree also allowed me to go on a summer exchange to Turkey, which broadened my areas of interest to include political science. Most importantly, the professors and instructors in the Department of English and Communication at PolyU were always friendly and supportive, and the various professional training courses they offered – such as TESOL preparation courses, discourse analysis, technical content marketing, psycholinguistics, and corpus linguistics – gave me invaluable practice in applying critical thinking, problem-solving, teamwork, and communication skills, which are crucial skills for a linguistics student.
* BA (Hons) in English Studies for the Professions was renamed BA (Hons) in English and Applied Linguistics in 2020/21.
When I was applying to university, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to study. I received different types of advice: focus on career prospects or on my passions, or choose a broad and undefined course of study to have room to experiment. Although I didn’t know it at the time, studying towards a BA (Hons) in English Studies for the Professions (BAESP) allowed me to do all of these things – and more. The ENGL Department’s supportive community nurtures the growth of all students, helping us to develop essential skills, such as academic writing skills and intercultural communicative competence, and providing us with a solid foundation in linguistics to ensure that we are ready for a wide array of career opportunities. In addition, my involvement in extracurricular student clubs, residential education activities, the INSPIRE mentorship programme, and the invaluable experience of going to Simon Fraser University (Vancouver, Canada) on an exchange, gave me the chance to follow my passions and discover who I want to be. Moreover, the BAESP programme offers a rich variety of electives and internship opportunities that allow students to create their own path. This allowed me to explore marketing and public relations, work on corporate communication, and hone my grammar, semantics, and research skills for further study. I am very grateful to the professors in the department who supported me every step of this way and worked hard to make our classes engaging and insightful. With the education I have received so far, I am ready to bring my dreams to life.
* BA (Hons) in English Studies for the Professions was renamed BA (Hons) in English and Applied Linguistics in 2020/21.
Required
Required
To evaluate applicants' potential for and interest in the programme, and to test their language and communication skills.
About 15 minutes
