
Major / Transdisciplinary Second Major / Second Major
Students admitted in the academic year 2024/25 will have the opportunity to enhance their academic journey by opting for either a Transdisciplinary Second Major (TSM) or a Second Major (SM) in addition to their first major (FM). TSMs prepare students to pool knowledge and skills from different disciplines to excel in multiples careers, whereas SMs prepare students to gain in-depth knowledge from another discipline to complement their FM.
- Students admitted in or after the 2024/25 academic year are eligible to declare a TSM / SM.
- Students admitted to senior years and to dual / double / combined / transdisciplinary degree programmes are not eligible.
- Students of the below major programmes are eligible to declare a TSM / SM.
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS)
- Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Chinese Language and Literature
- Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Creative and Professional Writing
- Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in English Language and Literature
- Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in History
- Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Humanities
- Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Physical Education and Recreation Management
- Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Religion, Philosophy and Ethics
- Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Translation
- Bachelor of Social Sciences (Honours) in European Studies
- Bachelor of Social Sciences (Honours) in Geography
- Bachelor of Social Sciences (Honours) in Global and China Studies
- Bachelor of Social Sciences (Honours) in Government and International Studies
- Bachelor of Social Sciences (Honours) in Sociology
School of Business (BUS)
- Bachelor of Business Administration (Honours)
School of Communication (COMM)
- Bachelor of Communication (Honours) in Journalism and Digital Media
- Bachelor of Communication (Honours) in Public Relations and Advertising
Faculty of Science (SCI)
- Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Biochemical and Testing Sciences
- Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Green Energy and Smart Technology
- Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Mathematics and Statistics
Hosting Faculty/ School | Title | |
TSM | FASS | |
FASS | ||
BUS | ||
COMM | ||
COMM | ||
SCA | ||
SCI | ||
SM | SCI | |
SCI |
- Students taking an FM with a TSM / SM will be required to complete 134 units for graduation. Please refer to the curriculum structure.
- The unit requirements for TSMs / SMs are 42 units, with at least 15 units of higher-level courses (i.e., 3xxx or above).
Declaration of a TSM / SM
The study of a TSM / SM should normally commence in the third year of the students’ studies. Eligible students who wish to graduate with a TSM / SM are required to make a declaration by the second semester of their second year of studies. Once declared, students are not allowed to change the choice of the TSM /SM. Subject to the decision of the TSM / SM, students will be assigned to a TSM / SM in the third year of their studies.
Withdrawal from the TSM / SM
Students may, with the approval of the TSM Coordinator and the Programme Director of the major programme, opt out from a TSM / SM and switch back to the study of a single disciplinary major in the end of the third year of studies.
- Students taking an FM and a TSM/SM must fulfill the graduation requirements of both the FM and the TSM/SM before they can graduate, i.e., students cannot graduate with an FM only or TSM/SM only.
- The completion of the FM and TSM/SM will be recorded on the academic transcript of student as well as the graduation diploma.
- When students choose a course to fulfil the FM or TSM/SM requirements, its course group should be under the FM or TSM/SM.
For more information about TSMs: https://transdisciplinary.hkbu.edu.hk/dtup/programmes_tsm.php
For questions regarding course registration, please contact the FM and TSM/SM concerned.
- How and when can I apply for a Transdisciplinary Second Major (TSM) or a Second Major (SM)?
Ans: There will be a formal declaration procedure for students to make a declaration in the second semester of their second year of studies. - I am a student admitted to senior years (i.e. direct entry to Year 2 or Year 3) in the 2024/25 academic year. Am I eligible to apply for a TSM or SM?
Ans: Students admitted to senior years and dual/double/combined/transdisciplinary degree programmes are not eligible. - What is the curriculum structure of an FM with a TSM or SM?
Ans: The unit requirement for a TSM and SM is 42 units, taken with an FM of 48 units. Students taking an FM with a TSM or SM will be required to take a total of 134 units for graduation (6 units more than the regular graduation requirement for students taking a single disciplinary major). - Can I choose to take my honours project from the TSM?
Ans: No. Each student is required to complete only one honours project, which must be taken from the FM. - How many units of double counting are allowed between my FM and TSM or SM? Are there any restrictions on the courses that can be double counted?
Ans: Up to 9 units of double counting are allowed between the FM and TSM or SM. However, higher-level courses (3xxx and above) cannot be double-counted. - What is the difference between a minor and TSM / SM?
Ans: A minor only consists of a minimum of 15 units, whereas a TSM or SM consists of 42 units. In addition, although both a minor and a TSM or SM will be shown on the transcript, only the TSM or SM will be shown on the diploma. - Can I declare more than one TSM/SM with preferences?
Ans: No. Students can only declare one TSM or SM. - Can I change from one TSM or SM to another after declaring for a TSM or SM?
Ans: Once declared, students are not allowed to change their TSM or SM. - Can I opt out of a TSM or SM and switch back to my single major after declaring for a TSM or SM?
Ans: Students may, with the approval of the TSM Coordinator and the programme director of the student's programme, opt out and switch back to the single disciplinary major after declaring for a TSM or SM by the end of their third year of study. Students should seek the advice of the academic adviser before the decision is made. - Can I declare another TSM or SM after opting out of a TSM or SM?
Ans: No, once opted out, students are not allowed to declare for another TSM or SM. - I cannot complete the FM and TSM or SM requirements in four years, can I be allowed to extend my study period?
Ans: Requiring additional time to complete the FM and TSM or SM is not considered a valid reason for granting a concessional year of study. - Will my study of TSM or SM be shown on the transcript and graduation diploma?
Ans: Yes, the study of a TSM or SM will be shown on the transcript and graduation diploma of the student.
The Briefing on TSMs and SMs is for HKBU students only. Please click the below links and log in with your NetID for the briefing.
Double Major Programmes (FASS)