• Programme Types
• Postgraduate Schemes
• Credit-Based System
• Graduation Requirement
• Medium of Instruction
• Teaching and Assessment Methods
• Academic Year

You can pursue postgraduate studies by coursework leading to the awards of Professional Doctorate degree, Master's degree or Postgraduate Diploma.

The range of taught postgraduate programmes offered by PolyU includes those offered under Postgraduate Schemes, and programmes offered on a stand-alone basis^*.

^* The University reserves the right to cancel any programmes advertised for application.

A number of our taught postgraduate programmes are offered under Postgraduate Schemes that are designed to enable graduates in professions to construct study programmes that meet their individual employment needs. Essentially, they provide a range of subjects, some of which are common to the awards offered within the Scheme. You can select from a wide variety of subjects that correspond to your individual career. You can also study at a pace that is appropriate to your work commitments. Successful completion of an approved programme leads to an award in a specialised area.

Depending on your needs, you can:

• Pursue studies that are relevant to your current profession (or a profession that you intend to engage in) and update your knowledge in a particular discipline;

• Undertake new studies, or study in areas not directly related to your first degree;

• Undertake an analytical in-depth study of an area already introduced at undergraduate level;

• Synthesise and integrate a number of study disciplines; or

• Develop applied studies, or extend an area of study that cannot be pursued adequately at undergraduate level.

All of the scheme subjects are designed for students with appropriate work experience and are of a high standard in terms of relevance to modern professional practice, up to date technical content and intellectual demand.

PolyU programmes operate under a credit-based system. This provides the flexibility to make them more responsive to the changing needs of our students, the professions and society. It also gives you greater freedom to determine your own pace of study. The credit-based system also facilitates the transfer of credits.

Under the credit-based system, an academic programme comprises subjects that are defined in terms of credits. You are expected to study for about 35-45 hours to earn a credit, and must complete the specified credit requirement for graduation. The duration of each subject is 13 weeks for Semesters 1 and 2 and 7 weeks for the Summer Term. Students in employment normally take two 3-credit subjects in a semester. However, the study load varies from programme to programme depending on their respective credit requirements.

If you are in a programme that is offered under the Postgraduate Schemes, or a programme that is designed to provide flexibility in pacing studies, then you have the full discretion to decide your own pace. However, in programmes with specified progression patterns, you are expected to complete the requirements within the normal duration that is specified under the individual programme entries. In some cases, those who have sought approval from their departments can pace their own studies. 

Starting from the 2022/23 intake cohort, students enrolling on taught postgraduate programmes are required to complete a 3-hour online module, titled “Understanding China and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, P.R.C.”, plus 3 hours of self-study and pass the assessment (multiple attempts allowed) in the form of multiple-choice questions online, normally within their first year of studies, as a graduation requirement. 

Except for Chinese-related subjects and specially approved programmes, English is used for classes, written assignments and examinations.

Teaching is usually in the form of lectures, and sometimes tutorials and seminars. Some classes may be supplemented by laboratory and/or practical sessions.

Your academic progress will be assessed by methods that include assignments, presentations, projects, fieldwork, laboratory work, tests and/or examinations.

Examinations are normally held in December and April/May every year, after the teaching semesters. For programmes with teaching in the summer, examinations are conducted in July.

There are two teaching semesters, each of 13 weeks, and a 7-week summer term. The academic year starts in late August/early September, with the second semester ending sometime in April and the summer term running from May to July.

You can check the Academic Calendar here. Successful applicants will be informed of their class timetables after completion of registration.