Programme Details

The Faculty of Business and Economics, University of Hong Kong (HKU Business School) offers research postgraduate programmes leading to the degrees of Master of Philosophy (MPhil)* and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). Our PhD programme is designed to provide students with a deep understanding of the key aspects of business and economics. Students are introduced to basic research tools and are expected to be able to conduct independent research in their fields of study. Through regular interactions with faculty, students also acquire a broader perspective on management and economic issues of the region and beyond.

*Only applicable to students who transfer from PhD to MPhil

Mode and Period of Study

The PhD programme is offered on a full-time basis. Candidates pursuing PhD studies are first required to register provisionally for the degree and are subject to a probationary period specified below:

Remark 1: For students in the Areas of Innovation & Information Management, Management & Strategy and Marketing who registered before September 2021, they are subject to a probationary period of 12 months (for 3-year PhD) or 18 months (for 4-year PhD).

By the end of the probationary period, students are required to:

• complete all Graudate School courses and at least 50% of the prescribed Faculty coursework requirements;
• pass the core examination(s);
• submit a thesis proposal, and a Data Managment Plan (DMP) if data is to be collected or generated as part of the research; and
• give an oral presentation of the thesis proposal (not applicable to students in the Area of Finance who registered before September 2021).

For the key dates of PhD candidature, please refer to
https://gradsch.hku.hk/current_students/progress_monitoring/key_dates

Coursework

The coursework components of our programmes provide students with basic knowledge of their fields and offer tools to prepare them for writing the thesis. All MPhil and PhD students are required to satisfactorily complete the Graduate School courses as well as the Faculty courses prescribed for their respective fields of study/degrees.  The completion of coursework typically requires two to three years.

Training for PGS Holder

A Postgraduate Scholarship holder may be required to provide, under supervision, services which carry educational benefits for the holder. The amount of such services shall not exceed 100 hours in any full twelve-month period. The provision of services forms part of the research student's training covered by the value of the Scholarship, and the nature of the training may for example include:

• assistance with research;
• assistance with scheduled laboratory, studio and fieldwork classes and with tutorials;
• assistance with the preparation of materials for scheduled classes;
• assistance with marking practical notebooks and answers from exercise classes; and
• assistance with invigilation of University degree examinations.

Thesis and oral examination

Candidates shall complete their studies within the specified period of study. The results of the research must be presented in the form of a thesis, which can be submitted at any time after confirmation of candidature provided that the requirement for the minimum study period is met. The thesis will be examined by both internal and external examiners. In addition, candidates are required to take an oral examination. Other examinations may be prescribed if necessary. A successful PhD thesis should represent the result of the candidate's research which should be an original contribution to knowledge and worthy of publication.

Useful links

Information for current research postgraduate students
https://gradsch.hku.hk/current_students/announcements