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Study Scheme


Applicable to students admitted in 2022-23 and thereafter
  1. Coursework Requirement

    1. Students are required to take ENGE8100 each term in preparation for Part I of the qualifying examination.

    2. Upon passing Part I of the qualifying examination, students are required to take ENGE8200 each term in preparation for the thesis and Part II of the examination.

    3. Thesis monitoring courses are listed below:
      ENGE8100 and ENGE8200


  2. Qualifying Examination

    Advancement to Ph.D. candidature is conditional upon the successful completion of the following:

    1. Part I: A written comprehensive examination based on a general reading list approved by the Graduate Panel. The examination will take place at the end of the second term for full-time students or at the end of the third term for part-time students.

      Part II: An oral examination which students are expected to pass no later than the end of the fourth term for full-time students or the end of the sixth term for part-time students. The areas covered in the examination will be based on the following works submitted by the student:

      1. A paper (5,000-7,500 words) consisting of a comprehensive review of literature in the student’s area of research;

      2. A research paper (4,000-5,000 words) focused on some issues related to the thesis. This paper should be publishable or acceptable for presentation at an academic conference;

      3. A formal thesis proposal.

    2. Students are allowed no more than two attempts at passing the qualifying examinations or parts thereof. Any second attempt must come within six months of the first one.

    3. Applicable to students admitted on 1 August 2010 and thereafter: the maximum periods for students to pass the qualifying examinations are –

      Degree Normative Maximum Maximum Period to Pass the Candidacy Requirement
      Ph.D. (with research Master’s)
      Full-time 36 months 84 months 24 months
      Part-time 48 months 96 months 32 months
      Ph.D. (without research Master’s)
      Full-time 48 months 84 months 36 months
      Part-time 64 months 96 months 48 months


  3. Other Requirements

    1. Students must fulfill the Term Assessment Requirement of the Graduate School. For details, please refer to Section 13.0 "Unsatisfactory Performance and Discontinuation of Studies" of the General Regulations Governing Postgraduate Studies which can be accessed from the Graduate School Homepage: http://www.gs.cuhk.edu.hk.

    2. A student must achieve a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.0 in order to fulfill the graduation requirement, unless special approval is granted by the Graduate Council.

    3. Students are required to submit a research thesis and pass an oral examination for graduation.

    4. If a Ph.D. student's research involves the collection of data from a language other than Chinese or English, the study of a third language will be required. The level of proficiency needed in the third language will be decided by the Graduate Panel at the recommendation of the thesis committee.

    5. Students found to be deficient in essential background knowledge may be required to take supplementary undergraduate or postgraduate courses concurrently.

    6. Complete an Improving Postgraduate Learning (IPL) module on “Observing Intellectual Property and Copyright Law during Research”. This will be an online module and relevant information can be accessed from the website: http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/clear/prodev/ipl.html.

    7. Complete an IPL module on “Research Data Management Training”. This is an online module and relevant information can be accessed from the website: https://www.cuhk.edu.hk/clear/download/IPL-Researchskills.pdf. Students are required to complete and pass the module in their first year of studies.

    8. Students are required to complete an online Research Ethics Training (RET) module on "Publication Ethics" offered by the office of Research and Knowledge Transfer Services (ORKTS) and obtain a valid Publication Ethics Certificate for graduation. Relevant information can be accessed from the RET website at https://www.research-ethics.cuhk.edu.hk/web/

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Applicable to students admitted between 2017-18 and 2021-22
  1. Coursework Requirement

    1. Students are required to take ENGE8100 each term in preparation for Part I of the qualifying examination.

    2. Upon passing Part I of the qualifying examination, students are required to take ENGE8200 each term in preparation for the thesis and Part II of the examination.

    3. Thesis monitoring courses are listed below:
      ENGE8100 and ENGE8200


  2. Qualifying Examination

    Advancement to Ph.D. candidature is conditional upon the successful completion of the following:

    1. Part I: A written comprehensive examination based on a general reading list approved by the Graduate Panel. The examination will take place at the end of the second term for full-time students or at the end of the third term for part-time students.

      Part II: An oral examination which students are expected to pass no later than the end of the fourth term for full-time students or the end of the sixth term for part-time students. The areas covered in the examination will be based on the following works submitted by the student:

      1. A paper (5,000-7,500 words) consisting of a comprehensive review of literature in the student’s area of research;

      2. A research paper (4,000-5,000 words) focused on some issues related to the thesis. This paper should be publishable or acceptable for presentation at an academic conference;

      3. A formal thesis proposal.

    2. Students are allowed no more than two attempts at passing the qualifying examinations or parts thereof. Any second attempt must come within six months of the first one.

    3. Applicable to students admitted on 1 August 2010 and thereafter: the maximum periods for students to pass the qualifying examinations are –

      Degree Normative Maximum Maximum Period to Pass the Candidacy Requirement
      Ph.D. (with research Master’s)
      Full-time 36 months 84 months 24 months
      Part-time 48 months 96 months 32 months
      Ph.D. (without research Master’s)
      Full-time 48 months 84 months 36 months
      Part-time 64 months 96 months 48 months


  3. Other Requirements

    1. Students must fulfill the Term Assessment Requirement of the Graduate School. For details, please refer to Section 13.0 "Unsatisfactory Performance and Discontinuation of Studies" of the General Regulations Governing Postgraduate Studies which can be accessed from the Graduate School Homepage: http://www.gs.cuhk.edu.hk.

    2. A student must achieve a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.0 in order to fulfill the graduation requirement, unless special approval is granted by the Graduate Council.

    3. Students are required to submit a research thesis and pass an oral examination for graduation.

    4. If a Ph.D. student's research involves the collection of data from a language other than Chinese or English, the study of a third language will be required. The level of proficiency needed in the third language will be decided by the Graduate Panel at the recommendation of the thesis committee.

    5. Students found to be deficient in essential background knowledge may be required to take supplementary undergraduate or postgraduate courses concurrently.

    6. Complete an Improving Postgraduate Learning (IPL) module on “Observing Intellectual Property and Copyright Law during Research”. This will be an online module and relevant information can be accessed from the website: http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/clear/prodev/ipl.html.

    7. Students are required to complete an online Research Ethics Training (RET) module on "Publication Ethics" offered by the office of Research and Knowledge Transfer Services (ORKTS) and obtain a valid Publication Ethics Certificate for graduation. Relevant information can be accessed from the RET website at https://www.research-ethics.cuhk.edu.hk/web/

Applicable to students admitted in 2015-2016
  1. Coursework Requirement

    1. Students are required to take ENGE8100 each term in preparation for Part I of the qualifying examination.

    2. Upon passing Part I of the qualifying examination, students are required to take ENGE8200 each term in preparation for the thesis and Part II of the examination.

    3. Thesis monitoring courses are listed below:
      ENGE8100 and ENGE8200


  2. Qualifying Examination

    Advancement to Ph.D. candidature is conditional upon the successful completion of the following:

    1. Part I: A written comprehensive examination based on a general reading list approved by the Graduate Panel. The examination will take place at the end of the second term for full-time students or at the end of the third term for part-time students.

      Part II: An oral examination which students are expected to pass no later than the end of the fourth term for full-time students or the end of the sixth term for part-time students. The areas covered in the examination will be based on the following works submitted by the student:

      1. A paper (5,000-7,500 words) consisting of a comprehensive review of literature in the student’s area of research;

      2. A research paper (4,000-5,000 words) focused on some issues related to the thesis. This paper should be publishable or acceptable for presentation at an academic conference;

      3. A formal thesis proposal.

    2. Students are allowed no more than two attempts at passing the qualifying examinations or parts thereof. Any second attempt must come within six months of the first one.

    3. Applicable to students admitted on 1 August 2010 and thereafter: the maximum periods for students to pass the qualifying examinations are –

      Degree Normative Maximum Maximum Period to Pass the Candidacy Requirement
      Ph.D. (with research Master’s)
      Full-time 36 months 84 months 24 months
      Part-time 48 months 96 months 32 months
      Ph.D. (without research Master’s)
      Full-time 48 months 84 months 36 months
      Part-time 64 months 96 months 48 months


  3. Other Requirements

    1. Students must fulfill the Term Assessment Requirement of the Graduate School. For details, please refer to Section 13.0 "Unsatisfactory Performance and Discontinuation of Studies" of the General Regulations Governing Postgraduate Studies which can be accessed from the Graduate School Homepage: http://www.gs.cuhk.edu.hk.

    2. A student must achieve a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.0 in order to fulfill the graduation requirement, unless special approval is granted by the Graduate Council.

    3. Students are required to submit a research thesis and pass an oral examination for graduation.

    4. If a Ph.D. student's research involves the collection of data from a language other than Chinese or English, the study of a third language will be required. The level of proficiency needed in the third language will be decided by the Graduate Panel at the recommendation of the thesis committee.

    5. Students found to be deficient in essential background knowledge may be required to take supplementary undergraduate or postgraduate courses concurrently.

    6. Complete an Improving Postgraduate Learning (IPL) module on “Observing Intellectual Property and Copyright Law during Research”. This will be an online module and relevant information can be accessed from the website: http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/clear/prodev/ipl.html.