The Ph.D. in Applied English Linguistics is intended for students who have completed at least an M.A. degree in Applied English Linguistics or a related field of study. The programme provides a supportive environment for conducting applied research in one of the areas of specialisation of the staff of the Department. Students are expected to contribute to current research in applied linguistics, and are encouraged to relate issues and insights from applied linguistics to problems of English as an international language in Chinese or Asian contexts.