Programmes

General Information

Both the PhD and MPhil degrees are research-oriented. A student is required:

to complete an approved programme of supervised research; and
to present a written thesis which demonstrates an advanced level of knowledge and understanding in the candidate's field of study which describes and summarizes the research undertakings and findings; and
to satisfy the Board of Examiners in an oral examination, (and any other examination if deemed necessary), on matters relevant to the subject of the thesis; and
to comply with supervision, attendance and all coursework requirements as laid down by the respective Faculty/ School.

A full-time candidate registered provisionally for the MPhil degree is subject to a probationary period of up to 12 months (for a part-time candidate, up to 18 months). A full-time candidate registered provisionally for the PhD degree is subject to a probationary period of up to 24 months (for a part-time candidate, up to 27 months). At the end of the probationary period and after the submission of a research prospectus to the University's Committee on Graduate Studies, the candidate will be assessed and candidature will be confirmed or terminated.

Financial assistance

Normally, studentships are provided to full-time MPhil and PhD students. The monthly studentship should be enough for tuition fee, accommodation and sundries, etc.

Admission Requirement

The following information is the admission requirement for MPhil and PhD applicants, for detailed information about the admission, please visit the Graduate School of HKBU.

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (Ph.D.)

Applicants seeking admission to the PhD degree program should possess:

a master's degree from a recognized university or comparable institution; OR
a bachelor's degree with first class honours from a recognized university or comparable institution; OR
any other qualification deemed by the Graduate School to be acceptable for this purpose.

Candidates under paragraph (b) should have evidence of research achievement/experience. They may be admitted to the MPhil programme initially, but with a view to proceeding to the PhD programme after satisfactorily passing an assessment at the time of candidature confirmation.
Candidates under paragraph (c) may be required to take an entrance examination, in which event their progress shall be reported to the Graduate School at the end of their first year of study.

MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY (M.Phil.)

Applicants seeking admission to the MPhil degree program should possess:

a bachelor's degree with honours from a recognized university or comparable institution; OR
a qualification deemed to be equivalent; and shall, if required, satisfy the examiners in a entrance examination.

Normally, only First and Second Class Honours graduates will be considered to have met the admissions criterion under paragraph (a). Graduates with Third Class Honours degrees, with a period of relevant work experience and satisfactory results in the entrance examination, may also be considered.

Language Proficiency Requirements

General Requirements
An applicant seeking admission on the basis of a qualification from a university or comparable institution where the language of instruction and/or examination is not English must submit an official score report showing a minimum overall score (achieved in a single sitting) of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) at 79 (iBT)* or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) at 6.5 (Academic). Test results of TOEFL-iBT Home Edition or IELTS Indicator will not be considered.

Other Admission Criteria
The Faculty/School/Academy, in approving the application, also takes into account a number of factors, including:

Academic excellence (i.e. GPA, professional qualifications, awards, scholarships, etc.)
Research ability and potential (i.e. quality of the research proposal, the feasibility to carry out the research and the potential and value of the research to the department)
Cultural diversity (i.e. whether the student would contribute to the diversify of the learning environment)
Leadership ability and societal responsibility (i.e. proven experience in professional and/or extracurricular activities and a good sense of societal responsibility)
Communication and interpersonal skills (i.e. ability to articulate and express ideas and concepts in English both verbally and in written form)

Application Procedure

Applications can be submitted -

through Online Application System for Admission to Postgraduate Studies

Documents to be Submitted Together with the Application Form -

Please refer to this LINK.

Period of Study and Requirements

Both the PhD and MPhil degree programmes may be pursued either on a full-time or a part-time mode.

Normal study period

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) – 48 months
Master of Philosophy (MPhil) – 24 months

Overseas Attachment

PhD candidates are required to undertake non-local international research learning experience for 1-6 months by either (a) a one-month physical non-local international attachment; or (b) two physical attendance at reputable non-local international conferences, workshops, events or exhibitions, featuring either a poster or an oral presentation.

Research Facilities

Click here to find out more about about our research facilities

Notable Alumni

Programmes

General Information

Both the PhD and MPhil degrees are research-oriented. A student is required:

Financial assistance

Admission Requirement

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (Ph.D.)

MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY (M.Phil.)

Language Proficiency Requirements

Application Procedure

Applications can be submitted -

Documents to be Submitted Together with the Application Form -

Period of Study and Requirements

Normal study period

Overseas Attachment

Research Facilities

JIANG La-Sheng

HE Xu-min

DAI Hongxing

ZHANG Hong-Kui

LO Pik Kwan, Peggy

HO Cheuk-Lam

LI Zhonghui

QIAN, Tianxiu

CHEN Yali

SUN XiaoHua

LIU Li

CHAN Wan, Simon

LUO Qian

WANG Hao

LI Jinhua

WU Jianlin

ZHU Jian-Fa