About the Programme


The MPhil/PhD Programmes are university-wide research postgraduate programmes that follow a mixed-mode which combines coursework and a research thesis. All students will be required to enrol in a number of core courses (credit-bearing) and attend graduate seminars (non-credit bearing) as well as courses offered by individual departments.

The University expects MPhil/PhD students to be motivated primarily by a desire to push back the frontiers of knowledge in their discipline. It is the University’s objective to cultivate MPhil/PhD graduates who demonstrate a strong level of intellectual curiosity, boldness in critical thinking, a deep commitment to their discipline, particularly in the context of the discipline’s development in Hong Kong and China, and an ambition to excel in their field.

A unique feature of these programmes is the interdisciplinary approach. All students will be required to enrol in a course focused on interdisciplinary approaches to the creation of new knowledge. Students will explore possible intersections between different disciplines. While it is not compulsory that their thesis must be interdisciplinary in nature, all PhD students have to write and deliver a paper that adopts an interdisciplinary approach in one of the two required colloquia. The rationale for introducing the interdisciplinary approach is to attune the programme to the network culture of the 21st century; and to produce graduates who are not only highly knowledgeable in their area of expertise but also capable of making connections with other related fields. 

 
PhD Programmes 
 
the applicant shall have:
  • obtained an MPhil or a taught master's degree; or
  • graduated from a recognized university and obtained a Bachelor's degree, normally with First Class honours; or 
  • enrolled in an MPhil Programme in the University and requested transfer to PhD programme; and 
  • IELTS (academic) results not lower than 6.5. Exemptions from this requirement may be granted to applicants with degrees awarded by institutions where the medium of instruction and assessment is English. IELTS scores are valid for two years from the test date.

MPhil Programmes 
 
the applicant shall have:
  • graduated from a recognized university and obtained a Bachelor's degree, normally with honour no lower than Second Class; or 
  • graduated from an honours programme of a recognized university with a Bachelor's degree, normally achieving an average grade of not lower than B; and
  • IELTS (academic) results not lower than 6.5. Exemptions from this requirement may be granted to applicants with degrees awarded by institutions where the medium of instruction and assessment is English. IELTS scores are valid for two years from the test date.
 
Applications for exemption from the admission requirements shall be considered on a case-by-case basis for both MPhil and PhD Programmes.
 
Applicants with a taught master’s degree shall also have graduated from a recognized university with excellent grades and good recommendations from the university. It is also highly preferable that their taught master’s degrees should be related to their chosen field of study in the proposed programme.
 
Applicants must satisfy other programme-specific entrance requirements, if any, stipulated by individual departments.
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