CUHK Rolls Out an Articulated Double Degree Programme Combining Business and Law Disciplines

On 6 October, a press conference was held to announce the launch of the Bachelor of Business Administration (Integrated BBA Programme) and Juris Doctor (“BBA-JD”) Double Degree Programme. Jointly offered by The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Business School and CUHK Faculty of Law, this new five-year double degree programme is the first of its kind in Asia.

The five-year programme blends two strategic disciplines into a single programme and enables students to obtain two degrees – a BBA degree awarded by CUHK Business School and a JD degree awarded by CUHK Faculty of Law, as opposed to the usual six years required for a BBA degree (four years) and a JD degree (two years). The first intake with up to 40 students will be admitted in 2017-18.

At the event, Angel Ng, a CUHK Business School alumna and Country Business Manager, Hong Kong, Citibank Global Consumer Banking, shared her views on the financial services industry’s growing demand for talents with interdisciplinary knowledge and skills in business and law. John Lee and Tina Wong, both BBA and JD graduates of CUHK, who are now working in leading multinational law firms, also shared their views about the programme and the advantages of having these academic qualifications on their career development.

Seven journalists from five mainstream daily newspapers in Hong Kong, including Hong Kong Economic Times, Ming Pao Daily News, Sing Tao Daily News, Ta Kung Pao and The Standard attended the press conference. A bilingual press release was also disseminated to media in Hong Kong, Taiwan and China. 23 online/offline positive media stories have been generated to date, including from Hong Kong Economic Times‘ TOPick (PDF), Hong Kong Economic Times (PDF), Headline Daily (PDF), HK01 (screen capture), Oriental Daily News (PDF), Ming Pao Daily News (PDF), Sing Tao Daily News (PDF), Ta Kung Pao (PDF) and Wen Wei Po (PDF). The Oriental Daily News, Ming Pao Daily News and Sing Tao Daily News stories were also reprinted by popular internet portals such as Yahoo! Hong Kong (PDF), Sina Hong Kong (PDF) and MSN Hong Kong. In addition, the Sing Tao Daily News story was picked up by the Central News Agency which has generated numerous media pickups from tier-1 online/print media outlets in Taiwan including United Daily News, China Times, Radio Taiwan International, Yam News, 《深港在綫》 and QQ.com (Part 1, Part 2).

Most of the news reports focus on the tuition fee and admission requirements of the new BBA-JD double degree programme. Based on the tuition fee rate in 2016-17, students will need to pay HK$335,080 for the five-year study and thus save about HK$110,000 as compared to that of the traditional six-year BBA-JD programme. Students applying for admission to the new double degree programme via the Joint University Programmes Admissions System must fulfill the minimum entrance requirements of obtaining at least level 5 and 4 in the English Language and Chinese Language respectively as well as level 3 in both Liberal Studies and Mathematics and two elective subjects in the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination.

Prof. Kalok Chan, Dean of CUHK Business School and Wei Lun Professor of Finance was quoted in some of the media stories, saying that “it’s excited to offer a global business programme that can provide guidance on how to navigate the complexities of the legal framework. CUHK Business School is committed to the partnership with the CUHK Faculty of Law to prepare students to go beyond a single traditional discipline and acquire an unparalleled and interdisciplinary learning experience.”

Other media stories included the quote of Prof. Christopher Gane, Dean of CUHK Faculty of Law saying that “by leveraging the synergy between legal and business training, graduates will be well-equipped to assume leadership roles in business and various sectors including the government, community service, law enforcement, education and media.”

As one of the entrance requirements of the BBA-JD double degree programme, applicants are required to take face-to-face admission interviews. Dr. Andy Wong, Assistant Dean (Undergraduate Studies) and Co-director of Integrated BBA Programme at CUHK Business School shared with the media some tips for a successful interview. He emphasized that in the interviews, candidates must be able to share their foresight on future career development and have breadth and depth of knowledge about a wide range of subjects, as well as demonstrate strong communication and analytical skills.

CUHK Business School alumna Angel Ng stated that in today’s global and complicated business environment, the financial services and banking industry in Hong Kong is facing stringent compliance and regulations. Talents with compliance expertise and skills are in great demand to support the planning and implementation of enhancements and control measures that serve our strategic objectives while adhering to the highest ethical and regulatory standards. “A bank may take a century to build up a good reputation but a minor decision could easily ruin its brand image,” she added.

Another alumna Tina Wong, a Trainee Solicitor at Jones Day, a multinational legal institution, said that the knowledge and skills acquired from her undergraduate studies in BBA has facilitated her work at law firm.

To read more about the media stories (in Chinese) by Hong Kong Economic Times, Oriental Daily News, Ming Pao Daily News, Sing Tao Daily News, Ta Kung Pao and Wen Wei Po, please click on the images below.

Source:
Hong Kong: Hong Kong Economic Times‘ TOPick, Hong Kong Economic Times, Headline Daily, Ming Pao Daily News, Sing Tao Daily News, Ta Kung Pao, WeMedia01, Wen Wei Po, Sina Hong Kong and Yahoo! Hong Kong
Taiwan: Central News Agency, United Daily News, China Times, Radio Taiwan International and Yam News
China: 《深港在綫》and QQ.com
Date published: 6 & 7 October 2016, 27 February 2017

Sing Tao Daily News

Ming Pao Daily News (left) and Hong Kong Economic Times (right)

Oriental Daily News

Ta Kung Pao

Wen Wei Po