Programme Introduction
In the multilingual society of Hong Kong, there is a growing recognition of the benefits of sign language in education, healthcare, and community services. Studies suggest that sign language can play a valuable role in supporting the development of communication skills in young children, including those with special needs. Additionally, advances in AI and machine translation technologies are opening up new possibilities for sign language recognition and production, improving information accessibility for the wider community. As interest in sign language continues to rise, the government has taken steps to promote the integration of Hong Kong Sign Language (HKSL) into public communication, recognizing its potential to enrich social and linguistic diversity. There is increasing exploration of how sign language can enhance cultural understanding, support bilingual and multilingual development, and contribute to creativity and social cohesion.
Our Curriculum
The B.A. Programme in Bimodal Bilingual Studies is the first of its kind in Asia, created to drive social, educational, and technological innovations in sign language and sign bilingualism. This two-year top-up degree is designed to prepare students to become leaders in their fields, using both spoken and signed languages to enhance communication accessibility across diverse industries.
Programme Characteristics:
- Language Core: The programme content not only enhance students’ proficiency in both Chinese and English, but also based on the bilingual competency framework, to develop proficiency in HKSL through a series of courses designed to bring them to a B2 level according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). They will also explore the linguistics of both signed and spoken languages, comparing their grammatical structures and examining how children and adults develop bilingualism in auditory-aural and visual-gestural modalities.
- Interdisciplinary Training: This programme examines how cross-linguistic research in both signed and spoken languages contributes to advancements in diverse fields, including education, speech and language therapy, social work, interpretation, neuroscience, computer engineering, as well as child and elderly care services.
- Experiential Learning: This programme emphasizes experiential learning as essential for developing lifelong skills to navigate the challenges of a diverse society. Integrated into the curriculum are local service-learning projects, field studies outside Hong Kong, and a global summer internship, providing students with valuable international work experience.
Career Prospects
Graduates of this programme will be well-equipped to pursue careers in a wide range of professional, educational, clinical, cultural, and business environments. They will be ready to develop their careers or continue their studies in fields such as:
- Education
- Social Work
- Interpretation
- Culture and the Arts
- Communications
- Healthcare
- Speech and Language Therapy
- Audiology
- Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) consulting
If you are interested in this programme, please review the application requirements and deadlines specific to the respective admission scheme to increase your chances of getting accepted.