Public Policy and Law (Double Degree) City University of Hong Kong

Overview

There is a legal dimension in the study of public policy. Public policy involves the legal authority to claim the right and the power to implement policy decisions. It also involves considerations and limitations as constrained by existing laws and constitution.

The legal rights of citizens are also taken into consideration when making and implementing public policies.

Learning Outcomes 

• Understand and analyze issues in public affairs and public management  at the local, international, and global levels.

• discover new challenges  and possible solutions facing Hong Kong and/or the world within the broad spheres of political studies, public policy, and public management.

• apply communication and leadership skills as they relate to public policy, management, and politics.

• develop the intellectual and analytical competence required for effective performance and life-long learning in a range of public- and private-sector careers related to policy studies, public management, and public affairs.

• evaluate critically the ethical issues in public policy, management and politics for creating new ideas

• analytically and critically discuss the legal system of Hong Kong, including the main substantive/procedural laws, the principles of international law, and evaluate the need for their evolution;

• describe the law and legal system of the People’s Republic of China and its relation with Hong Kong’s constitutional set-up and commercial future;

• apply the law to propose solutions to legal problems, existing and emerging;

• critically evaluate the law in action, the dynamic interplay between law and other social phenomena, real-life situations and international policies and their co-evolution; 

• use a range of legal or intellectual skills – such as reading and interpreting cases and statutes, identifying and evaluating relevant facts, conducting independent legal research, developing and offering solutions to legal problems, using and citing relevant authorities appropriately, drafting documents, and communicating in a coherent, cogent and persuasive manner – to develop and support arguments related to social and legal issues; 

• act with a strong sense of ethics and with due regard to social and professional responsibilities:

• demonstrate an attitude of inquiry to the evolution of law at national and international level and a sense of curiosity to learning and knowledge:

• undertake a piece of work involving original discovery and/ or innovation concerning the operation of the law and procedure in Hong Kong.