The Faculty offers two research-based degrees, namely Master of Philosophy (MPhil), & Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). Our MPhil and PhD students are supervised by a Department-based scholar and choose additional supervisors from the same or other Departments, or other universities.

Our Global Distinctiveness

The distinctive features of our programmes are:

Global policy challenges such as ageing, climate change, economic crises, and terrorism call for innovative solutions beyond institutional and disciplinary boundaries, and public policy schools, departments, institutes, and programmes have been set up in leading universities around the world to tackle these global challenges. With substantial strengths in science, engineering, business and management, and quantitative social science areas, the Division of Public Policy (PPOL) and the Institute for Public Policy (IPP) are established to develop public policy as an emerging strategic area by fostering close collaboration across disciplines and to contribute more to policy development in key policy areas both locally and globally.... [-]

HKUST has been drawing the best doctoral students from around the world through the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS), established by the Hong Kong Research Grants Council. In the 2018-19 cohort, over 50 of the 231 awardees in Hong Kong are HKUST students. With 1/6 HKUST PhD students being HKPFS Fellows, by joining us, you will find yourself being part of an exceptionally strong research community.

1. Stipend: HK$301,200 (~US$38,600) per year, for 4 years2. Excellent Research Award: HK$40,000 (~US$5,000) in the first year of study

3. Conference Travel Allowance: HK$12,600 (~US$1,600) per year, for 4 years; and 4. University Accommodation: Guaranteed in first 2 years of research postgraduate studies... [-]

At HKUST, we offer the largest interdisciplinary university-level programme in humanities and social science in Mainland China and Greater China and the only one to have an explicit, programme-wide, comparative focus as exemplified by our innovative Global China Studies degrees.

Like every university of excellence, we are dedicated to research and teaching. What sets us apart from our peers is our explicit focus on global, especially North American and Chinese, best practice in teaching, graduate training and placement, and our own research.

The PhD in Social Science prepares students who wish to pursue a career in academia, policy research or consultancy related to the affairs of society, polity, or economy, broadly conceived. As with MPhil students, PhD students are assigned a thesis advisor and provided with a postgraduate studentship that carries with it the responsibilities of teaching/research assistance.... [-]

Joining the Department of Physics as a postgraduate student is an exciting prospect. The Department has received worldwide recognition for its research breakthroughs. The strong research culture within the Department, and in the University as a whole, has encouraged such success, which has been characterized by frequent collaboration between experimental and theoretical faculty members.

By pursuing research at the frontier of knowledge and innovation at the cutting edge of technology, our faculty seeks to preserve and nurture a sense of wonder about the natural world and to impart it to students as a lasting motivation for learning. Our postgraduate programmes seek to provide students with a solid grounding in broad physics principles and techniques, an ambience conducive to creative and innovative activities, and opportunities for cross- and inter-disciplinary research.... [-]

This programme includes two streams: Operations Management and Statistics.

The PhD programme in Operations Management emphasizes model-based methodology and practice-motivated research. Students are trained to use quantitative tools and analytical frameworks from operations research, economics, and other disciplines to study managerial problems in business processes, such as supply chains, manufacturing, and service systems.

Faculty members in this area have PhD degrees from top universities in the world. They are frequent contributors to top academic journals, such as Operations Research, Management Science, and Manufacturing and Service Operations Management. Several of them have served or are currently serving on the editorial boards of these journals.... [-]

Nanoscience and technology are perceived as one of the most important areas affecting mankind in the 21st century. Nanoscience and technology are inherently interdisciplinary in nature. By being able to tailor material properties at the most fundamental level, nanotechnology is envisioned to impact virtually everything, from communications to energy production, environmental management, medicine, computing, and education. The scope of nanoscience and technology research may range from nanomaterials to computer electronics, medicine, and health care, aeronautics, and space, environmental studies and energy, biotechnology and agriculture, national security and education.

Pearl River Delta is well-organized to be one of the manufacturing centres of the world for a very diversified range of products. As the leading city in this region, it is imperative that Hong Kong plays the leading role in research as well as personal training for the coming wave of nanotechnology revolution.... [-]

The Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE) is one of the leading MAE departments in Asia. It offers rigorous academic and professional training in a wide range of areas, including both traditional and cutting-edge topics in energy, mechanics, advanced materials, nano/biotechnology, and manufacturing.

The PhD programme aims at equipping the students with the capability of identifying and solving academic and/or real problems creatively. The doctoral degree is awarded for the completion of required courses and a significant original thesis.

The Department's research concentrates on energy and environmental engineering, mechanics and materials, and mechatronics and manufacturing.... [-]

The Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE) is one of the leading MAE departments in Asia. It offers rigorous academic and professional training in a wide range of areas, including both traditional and cutting-edge topics in energy, mechanics, advanced materials, nano/biotechnology, and manufacturing.

The PhD programme aims at equipping the students with the capability of identifying and solving academic and/or real problems creatively. The doctoral degree is awarded for the completion of required courses and a significant original thesis.

The Department's research concentrates on energy and environmental engineering, mechanics and materials, and mechatronics and manufacturing.... [-]

The Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE) is one of the leading MAE departments in Asia. It offers rigorous academic and professional training in a wide range of areas, including both traditional and cutting-edge topics in energy, mechanics, advanced materials, nano/biotechnology, and manufacturing.

The PhD programme aims at equipping the students with the capability of identifying and solving academic and/or real problems creatively. The doctoral degree is awarded for the completion of required courses and a significant original thesis.

The Department's research concentrates on energy and environmental engineering, mechanics and materials, and mechatronics and manufacturing.... [-]

Joining the Department as a postgraduate is certainly a good move. The Department maintains strong research in both pure and applied mathematics, as well as the traditional core of a Mathematics department. What makes our Department different is the equally strong research in fluid mechanics, scientific computation, and statistics.

The quality of research at the postgraduate level is reflected in the scholarly achievements of faculty members, many of whom are recognized as leading authorities in their fields. Research programmes often involve collaboration with scholars at an international level, especially in the European, North American and Chinese universities. Renowned academics also take part in the Department's regular colloquia and seminars. The faculty comprises several groups: Pure Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, Probability, and Statistics.... [-]

The Department of Marketing continuously strives to achieve excellence in research. The faculty members are renowned for high-quality research and frequently publish their work in top international marketing journals, such as the Journal of Marketing Research (JMR), Journal of Consumer Research (JCR) and Marketing Science (MS). The Marketing Department ranks in the top 10 worldwide in terms of the number of articles published in JMR, JCR, and MS from 2003-2013.

The goal of the PhD programme is to develop outstanding scholars who will become active contributors to marketing knowledge and will go on to secure academic jobs at top international universities. In keeping with this spirit, several of our students have published papers in top research journals while in the programme. One recent graduate was selected for the Marketing Science Institute’s Young Scholar Programme, one of the highest accolades a young researcher in the field can receive.... [-]

The Environment has been degrading at an alarming rate mainly due to the unsustainable development and the unsustainable use of natural resources. Although environmental conservation has developed significantly over the past few decades, environmental problems have been evolving both in terms of nature and scale. Methods of resolving many environmental problems remain controversial.

The PhD programme seeks to train students in original research in Marine Environmental Science and to cultivate the independent and innovative thinking that is essential for a successful research career in environmental science. Students are required to attend and present seminars, undertake coursework and conduct thesis research. Students must also pass a qualifying examination and a successful defence of a thesis is required.... [-]

The Department of Management is well known for its excellence in research. It ranks among the top ten management departments in the world for faculty productivity over five years (2008-2012), based on the University of Texas at Dallas' survey of research publications in five premier management journals (Academy of Management Journal, Academy of Management Review, Administrative Science Quarterly, Organization Science, and Strategic Management Journal).

Our faculty are well supported in their pursuit of research interests across diverse topics in management; they are also able to take advantage of their location in Hong Kong to provide unique research insights on China.

The Division of Life Science offers rigorous postgraduate programs and research opportunities in a range of cutting-edge areas in the field, particularly in neuroscience, structural biology, cell and developmental biology, marine and environmental biology and biotechnology.

We strive to provide an inspirational environment for student learning and for tackling the challenges of modern life science.

Our mission is to sustain and promulgate a reputable academic programme in life science by achieving excellence in research and education, and by making significant contributions to biotechnological innovations in regional and international arenas.

The PhD programme aims to cultivate doctoral graduates who can independently conduct advanced research projects, who possess both a broad knowledge of modern life science and an in-depth knowledge of specialized areas and who can also contribute original knowledge to the field of life sciences by publishing their findings in peer-reviewed international journals. Students must also pass a qualifying examination set by the Division. Submission and successful defence of a thesis are required.... [-]