Programme Introduction
HKU Government and Laws is a premier five-year double-degree programme that cultivates virtuous, visionary leaders dedicated to governance for the common good in Hong Kong and beyond. Uniting law and political science in a rigorous interdisciplinary education, GLaws equips exceptional minds to confront the defining questions of our age: how to cool a warming planet, how to avert the next world war, and how to defend human dignity in the age of AI.
The GLaws education transcends conventional legal studies and public administration. Through rigorous interdisciplinary training in law and political science, it gives students the insight, expertise, and imagination to redefine governance in Hong Kong and beyond for the common good. The GLaws curriculum is distinguished by an interdisciplinary focus that ties political science and law into one cohesive academic experience, with specialised courses at their intersection. It also unites rigorous academic training with experiential learning. They can serve as a research assistant on professors’ projects exploring topics such as the intersection of law and AI, undertake supervised research, handle real cases through the Clinical Legal Education programme, participate in mooting competitions, and sit down with prominent figures in law and public affairs to learn how decisions are made at the highest levels.
As dual enrolees in the Department of Politics and Public Administration and the Faculty of Law, students enjoy access to an exceptional range of global exchange opportunities. These include prestigious institutions such as Oxford, Cambridge, Ivy League law schools, and Sciences Po, renowned for its political science faculty, to name just a few.
GLaws graduates are among the most sought after across sectors, prized for their rare command of both law and public affairs. They have built careers at the highest levels of public and professional life in Hong Kong and beyond. They serve as lawyers, prosecutors, and judicial clerks; administrative officers (AOs) and monetary officials; and officers in international organisations such as the UN. GLaws is renowned as a cradle of academic talent. Many graduates have pursued advanced degrees, including doctorates, in fields as varied as AI governance, modern art, Chinese history, international relations, socio-legal studies, diplomacy, and finance. Career development is built into every stage of the Programme, supported by a network of alumni, faculty members, industry partners, and career counsellors. Students will take part in career workshops with former government officials, law firm partners, and barristers, together with interview workshops and seminars on postgraduate study. They will also gain exclusive access to law firms, barristers’ chambers, and corporations, engaging directly with leading practitioners and graduate recruiters. Furthermore, students will receive alumni mentorship and one-on-one advising to sharpen their competitive edge.
