The Programme

The BA (Hons) Entrepreneurship and Business degree is offered by the University of Huddersfield in collaboration with the Centre for Advanced & Professional Studies (CAPS) at Caritas Francis Hsu College. The full programme comprising 360 credits is of three years’ duration by full-time study. The ‘top – up’ programme offered in Hong Kong, as that in the UK, is targeted for holders of recognized diplomas to enable them to obtain the degree by completion of only 6 modules (120 credits) via part – time study within a period of one to two years.

The degree course offered in Hong Kong is identical in content and in academic standing to that offered to students who choose to take it as full – time students based at the University in the UK. It is delivered by Huddersfield staff, with local tutor support, and is designed to take into account Hong Kong’s promising environment for entrepreneurship and enormous opportunities for business.

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The University

The University of Huddersfield is a dynamic and expanding institution in the North of England, UK. It has a friendly reputation, an excellent graduate employment record and high levels of student support. Students from over 60 countries worldwide attend Huddersfield. The University has a wide portfolio of academic and vocational programmes for full and part – time students, with a particular emphasis on business and professional studies. Undergraduate business courses at Huddersfield have been offered for over 25 years and there are currently over 3000 students enrolled in the Huddersfield University Business School (HUBS). HUBS has developed close working relationships with business and industry through consultancy, training, sponsored projects and research, all of which is fed back into the teaching programmes to ensure relevance and currency. In recent years, the Unversity of Huddersfield has developed a reputation for the delivery of its courses outside the UK particularly in Asia Pacific region. Recent official inspections by the UK Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education of the University’s provision have been very successful.

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Caritas Francis Hsu College - CAPS

The BA (Hons) Entrepreneurship and Business programme is offered in co-operation with the Centre for Advanced & Professional Studies (CAPS), Caritas Francis Hsu College, Hong Kong. While the University of Huddersfield is responsible for teaching and academic accreditation of the programme, CAPS is fully responsible for the administration and local management of the course.

Caritas Francis Hsu College is an Approved Post Secondary College registered under the Post Secondary College Ordinance (CAP 320) for the delivery of higher education programmes. The Centre for Advanced and Professional Studies (CAPS), which is an integral part of the College, specializes in the local administration of tertiary programmes offered in Hong Kong by overseas universities and colleges, including Mainland China.

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Programme Aims

“Entrepreneurship is the process by which individuals pursue opportunity without regards to resources that they control.” Stevenson and Jarillo, 1990

The BA (Hons) Entrepreneurship and Business programme provides the opportunity to study areas of creativity and innovation, in addition to more familiar business subjects. It aims to develop students’ lateral thinking as well as subject knowledge. In addition, it aims to provide a sound education, based on rigorous intellectual training, as a firm basis for a career in business.

More specifically, it provides students with:

• a relevant and solid academic resource base of appropriate business skills and knowledge.
• an appropriate personal resource base of attitude and skills that will encourage them to behave entrepreneurially.
• an appreciation that entrepreneurship not only spans many business disciplines but is both desired and found, in many different types of organization.
• transferable skills and competencies applicable to business problems in general.
• the ability to take a holistic approach to both the study of business and the role of entrepreneurship.
• a relevant knowledge of the appropriate use of Communications and Information Technology.
  

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Programme Structure

The programme consists of 6 modules which between them generate the 120 credits required for the successful completion of this honours ‘top – up’ degree. These are shown below:

Business and the Entrepreneur (20 credits)
Corporate and Business Strategy (20 credits)
Marketing for Small Business (20 credits)
International Business (20 credits)
Electronic Commerce (20 credits)
Social Entrepreneurship (20 credits)

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Programme Duration

There are three sessions in a year, commencing in March, July, and November. Two modules are conducted in each session. Students can complete the programme in one year if they opt to follow the fast track and do two modules in each session, or two years if students do only one module in each session.

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Mode of Study

The programme is taught by means of three types of classes:

1. Face to Face Lectures
Lecturers from the University visit Hong Kong to conduct face to face classes in a block of 24 hours for each module. These will normally be held:

March – June session: the 1 st and 2 nd week in March
July – October session: the 1 st and 2 nd week in July
November – February session: the 1 st and 2 nd week in November

Each set of classes involves Sunday (10am – 5pm), Monday to Friday (6:45pm – 9:45pm) and Saturday (2pm – 5pm) sessions.

2. Tutorials
Local staff will be responsible for the conduction of tutorials, using material provided and approved by the University. Staff from CAPS will also provide administrative and pastoral support to students.

24 hours of tutorial are arranged for each module. The arrangement will be eight tutorials of 3 hours each, held from 6:45pm to 9:45pm every week on a specified weekday.


3. Self-Study
For each module, students will be provided with comprehensive self-study guides which will be used alongside a recognized core textbook. This textbook will be provided for all modules.

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Module Synopses

• Business and Entrepreneur
• Corporate and Business Strategy
• Marketing for Small Business
• International Business
• Electronic Commerce
• Social Entrepreneurship

Unit Descriptions

The module aims to understand the entrepreneurial process and its importance wherever it occurs in business, management and society. Upon completion, students will be able to use appropriate theory to understand and interpret the behaviour of entrepreneurs. Students will also be able to select and analyse conflicting research approaches to understanding the behaviour of small firms.

The module provides an analysis of company strategy and allows students to broaden their view of business so as to give the student an appreciation of the problems inherent in total enterprise management. In addition, students will be called upon to present and defend logical strategies based upon their own analysis in a relatively critical atmosphere.

The module will initially focus the student on the marketing/entrepreneurship interface and the unique view this offers on the realities of marketing for the SME. Upon completion, students will appreciate the importance of the small business sector to the national economy, and understand the workings and constraints of small businesses. Students will also have a better understanding of the crucial role of marketing and its strategic and tactical application within small firms.

The module aims to develop students’ understanding of trade and location, examines the growth of multinational corporations, and considers methods of market entry. The module considers the significance of the international environment for international business and the responses to and impact on that environment by international firms.

The aim of this module is to offer students an underpinning knowledge of electronic commerce that should enable them to appreciate its importance within the broader electronic business environment. Consequently, the module will not only examine the nature of electronic commerce, it will also examine its importance between the three key players of business, consumers and public administrations.

The aim of this module is to introduce students to the theory and practice of social entrepreneurship. Students will be equipped with the necessary tools, techniques and knowledge for them to demonstrate their comprehension of social entrepreneurship at a number of different levels within local and global society. The module will also assess the efficacy of the various support mechanisms that exist to aid and engender social entrepreneurs and will consider possible future developments.

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Assessment and Graduation Requirements

Students’ performance in each module is assessed by prescribed coursework and formal examination.

Candidates who successfully complete the assessment of the required six modules (120 credits) will be awarded the degree by the University of Huddersfield. The degree awarded will be identical to that awarded to on-campus students.

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Academic Support & Facilities

Students of the programme will be provided with the following learning support:

• A prescribed textbook and a University-developed comprehensive study pack will be provided for each module. The study pack consists of the module specification, lecture handouts, tutorial materials, assessment tasks and a list of relevant readings.
• Access to the electronic library resources of the University.
• Access to the web-based learning environment, Blackboard, as well as student learning support services, of the University.
• A collection of the recommended textbooks and references of the course is available at the resource centre at CAPS for use of students. This is regularly updated to include the most recent relevant publications.
• Access to library, language centre and computer facilities of Caritas Francis Hsu College.
  

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Academic Prospectus

On successful completion of the BA (Hons) Entrepreneurship and Business degree, graduates will have enhanced their career potential and will also be able to use this qualification for further study at MBA, MA or MSc level in various postgraduate programmes offered by local and overseas universities.

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Admission Requirements

The academic requirement is a higher diploma in business and related areas. Entry is attainable through the following paths or equivalent:

• Graduates of business-related Higher Diploma programmes of the Vocational Training Council (IVE).
• Graduates of the CFHC Higher Diploma in Company Secretaryship and Administration / Corporate Management or Higher Diploma in Accounting Studies.
• A Diploma of Higher Education in a business, or business-related subject such as accountancy, from a UK university.
• A Higher National Diploma in Business awarded by EdExcel.
• An advanced, professionally recognized diploma, for examples, the Diploma in Management Studies Programme (DMS) jointly offered by the Hong Kong Management Association and Lingnan University; or the Diploma in Business Management offered by the School of Continuing Education of Hong Kong Baptist University.
  

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Mature Students

Mature students (ie. 21 years old or more) are considered individually and much depends on the previous educational background, employment and experience but should normally have two years’ of higher education. The following are the possible paths of entry:

• Mature students with an Advanced Diploma of the Institute of Business Administration (IBAM) and at least two years of relevant work experience.
• Mature students with an advanced, professionally recognized Diploma of the Institute of Administrative Management (IAM) and at least 2 years of relevant work experience.
• Mature students holding an Advanced Diploma in Business Management from Caritas Francis Hsu Evening College and at least 2 years of relevant work experience.

English language proficiency should be to a minimum level of GCSE Grade C, or TOEFL 550, or IELTS 6.0. An exemption to the above English language proficiency will be for those applicants who have completed English language courses within their post-secondary Diploma.

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Intakes Per Annum

There are three intakes in a year, in the months of March, July and November.

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Tuition Fees & Mode of Payment

For students who start in any session in 2009 and 2010, the tuition fee is set at HK$10,580 per module and the total tuition fee is therefore HK$63,480. The fees are payable in three to six consecutive instalments on a module-by-module basis before each session. The tuition fees cover instruction, study materials, assignments, examinations and core textbooks.

Tuition fees are subject to an annual review. Students who do not complete their study within 6 consecutive sessions are subject to any fee increase applied to the sessions later on.

Payment of tuition fees is to be made by cheque or money order made payable to “Caritas-Hong Kong”. Fees paid are not transferable. Fees paid will not be refunded unless there is a premature cessation of the programme in which case refund will be made within 1 month after the scheduled commencement of the session.

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Application Procedure

The duly completed application form must be submitted together with the following:

• originals and copies of supporting certificates, diplomas and relevant transcripts, as evidence of academic and professional qualifications obtained, for certification purpose,
• copy of HKID card or passport,
• a recent passport-sized photograph and
• a non-refundable application fee of HK$200 (payable by cash/cheque made payable to “Caritas - Hong Kong”).

The application form and these documents should be sent or delivered to:

Programme Officer [BA (Hons) Entrepreneurship and Business]
Centre for Advanced & Professional Studies (CAPS)
Caritas Francis Hsu College
11 Caine Road
Central, Hong Kong

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Closing Dates for Application

All applications must be submitted to CAPS of Caritas Francis Hsu College on or before the closing dates, which are February 10, May 30 and September 30 respectively for intakes in March, July and November.

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Contact Information

HONG KONG
	Programme Officer [BA (Hons) Entrepreneurship and Business]
	Centre for Advanced & Professional Studies Caritas Francis Hsu College 11 Caine Road Central Hong Kong
	2508 9122
	2524 0659
	caps@cfhc.caritas.edu.hk
United Kingdom
	Programme Officer [BA (Hons) Entrepreneurship and Business]
	Department of Business Studies Huddersfield University Business School Queensgate Huddersfield HD1 3DH United Kingdom Website: www.hud.ac.uk
	+44 1484 472024
	+44 1484 473148
Website:	www.hud.ac.uk

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Local Registration

The BA (Hons) Entrepreneurship and Business programme has been registered with the Education and Manpower Bureau in accordance with the Non-local Higher and Professional Education (Regulation) Ordinance (CAP. 493). The Course Registration Number is 251528.

According to the Ordinance, it is the discretion of individual employers to recognize any qualifications to which the course may lead.

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