Program Overview

Introduction to the Bachelor of Arts Program

The Department of Fine Arts offers a comprehensive and balanced undergraduate program for students to prepare them for future careers in the arts. This program includes careers such as artist, art historian, museum curators, and other art-related professions.

Program Overview

The Bachelor of Arts program focuses on bridging the connections between contemporary Chinese and Western studio and art history. It emphasizes both the practice and the history of art, providing students with a well-rounded education and preparing them for professional careers in the arts.

Curriculum

The four-year curriculum of the BA program is divided into three main streams: Art History, Studio Art, and Art History and Studio Art. Students must declare one of the streams at the beginning of their third year of attendance. The program requires students to complete a minimum of 65 major units.

Major Requirement

• Faculty Package: 9 units
• Required Courses: 20 units
• Elective Courses (Art History): 27 units (Art History stream), 12 units (Studio Art stream), 18 units (Art History and Studio Art stream)
• Elective Courses (Studio Art): 9 units (Art History stream), 24 units (Studio Art stream), 18 units (Art History and Studio Art stream)
• Total: 65 units

Minor Requirement

Students who are interested in declaring Fine Arts as a minor program must complete 25 units and satisfy requirements under separate categories.

Courses

The program offers a wide range of courses, including:

• FAAS 1100: Drawing Fundamentals
• FAAS 1110: Principles of Chinese Calligraphy
• FAAS 1130: Principles of Chinese Painting
• FAAS 1140: Fundamentals of 3-Dimensional Forming
• FAAS 1600: Artistic Traditions in China
• FAAS 1700: Artistic Traditions in the West
• FAAS 1900: Introduction to Art History
• FAAS 2100: Life and Arts in Pre-Modern China
• FAAS 2102: Arts of Ancient China: Neolithic Through Bronze Age
• FAAS 2103: Art Along the Silk Road
• FAAS 2104: History of Early Chinese Ceramics
• FAAS 2105: Classical Traditions of Chinese Calligraphy
• FAAS 2106: Visual and Material Culture of the Ming Dynasty
• FAAS 2110: Religious Art of China
• FAAS 2113: Introduction to Asian Art: The Art and Archaeology of West, South, Southeast, and Inner Asia
• FAAS 2116: History of Western Comics
• FAAS 2117: Art in HK: from the Foundation of the Colony to the Early 21st Century
• FAAS 2118: Global Currents in Contemporary Art
• FAAS 2119: Western Art I: from the 15th to the Late 19th Century
• FAAS 2201: Creative Watercolour Painting
• FAAS 2203: Clerical and Regular Scripts
• FAAS 2204: Mineral-pigment Painting
• FAAS 2206: Becoming a Comics Director
• FAAS 2208: Basic Photography
• FAAS 2211: Western Painting I
• FAAS 2217: Mixed Media
• FAAS 2218: Art, Archive and Technology
• FAAS 2219: Digital Imaging Workshop
• FAAS 3104: Jingdezhen and Beyond: History of Later Chinese Ceramics
• FAAS 3108: Contemporary Art: Artistic Strategies in a Postmodern Era
• FAAS 3110: Buddhist Art and Architecture
• FAAS 3111: Chinese Ceramic Technology: Theory and Practice
• FAAS 3113: Art and Culture of Korea
• FAAS 3114: Art and Culture of Japan
• FAAS 3116: Art Under Imperial Patronage: Chinese Court Painting
• FAAS 3117: Modern Challenges: Chinese Art of the Twentieth Century
• FAAS 3119: Western Art II: from Impressionism to the Late 1940s
• FAAS 3120: Daoist Art
• FAAS 3201: Western Painting II
• FAAS 3202: Printmaking
• FAAS 3203: Running and Cursive Scripts
• FAAS 3204: Xieyi: Chinese Expressive Painting
• FAAS 3206: Sculpting Moulding and Casting
• FAAS 3210: Art in Public Space
• FAAS 3211: Experimental Drawing
• FAAS 3212: Combined Printmaking
• FAAS 3216: Sculpture: Building and Carving
• FAAS 3219: Moving Image Workshop
• FAAS 3221: Figure Sketching
• FAAS 3223: Calligraphy in Ancient Scripts
• FAAS 3224: Gongbi: Chinese Delineative Painting
• FAAS 3229: Text and Image
• FAAS 3234: Chinese Landscape Painting
• FAAS 3236: Ceramic Art: Form and Space
• FAAS 3246: Ceramic Art: Surface Treatment and Exploration
• FAAS 4100: Special Topics in Art History
• FAAS 4101: Art and Social Engagement: Summer Internship
• FAAS 4102: Arts of Medieval China: Three Kingdoms through Five Dynasties
• FAAS 4106: Tradition and Transformation: Chinese Literati Painting
• FAAS 4116: Understanding Theories of Chinese Painting and Calligraphy
• FAAS 4119: An Illustrated History of Western Art Theory: from Plato to Postmodernism
• FAAS 4180: Thesis Research I
• FAAS 4182: Thesis Research II
• FAAS 4201: Art As Profession
• FAAS 4202: Special Topics in Studio Art
• FAAS 4203: Seal Carving
• FAAS 4210: Creative Workshop I
• FAAS 4211: Creative Workshop II
• FAAS 4212: Creative Workshop III
• FAAS 4213: Creative Workshop IV
• FAAS 4214: Modern Ink Painting
• FAAS 4280: Graduation Workshop I
• FAAS 4282: Graduation Workshop II

Admission

There are two ways to apply for admission: JUPAS and Non-JUPAS.

JUPAS Admission

• Minimum Entrance Requirement:
  • 4 Core Subjects: Chinese Language, English Language, Mathematics, Citizenship and Social Development
  • 2 Elective Subjects: Visual Arts is preferred
• Admission Interview: Conducted after the release of HKDSE results for applicants who put Fine Arts program in Band A and meet the General Entrance Requirements.

Non-JUPAS Admission

• Minimum Entrance Requirement: Candidates with other qualifications (e.g., GCE-AL, IB, HKALE, Associate Degree/Higher Diploma) should apply for admission through non-JUPAS.
• Admission Interview: Usually conducted in March for applicants who put Fine Arts program in the first choice and fulfill the General University Entrance Requirements.

Fees and Funding

• Tuition Fee for Local Students: HK$44,500 per annum
• Tuition Fee for Non-Local Students: HK$178,000 per annum

FAQ

• How will extra elective subjects be considered by the University? Bonus points will be awarded to the 7th subject.
• What is the format or language of the interview? Individual interview, using Putonghua, English, and Cantonese.
• What do I need to bring along for the admission interview? Hardcopy of portfolio, not more than 5 representative original works, and other supporting materials.
• What are the major criteria when selecting candidates? Individual artistic merits, articulation of artistic ideas, and dedication towards the subject.
• Will I be invited for an interview if I do not put Fine Arts program in Band A? No, only candidates who have put Fine Arts program in Band A will be invited for the interview.
• What HKDSE subject results should I get in order to be admitted? Students may make reference to the admission grades of previous years.
• How many JUPAS students will be admitted to Fine Arts program each year? Around 20, depends on the quotas of that year and the quality of applicants.