Bulletin Autumn‧Winter 1980

A New Milestone — Launching of Ph. D . Programmes The Chinese University reached a new milestone in its development in September 1980 when its first doctoral programmes, in Chinese Studies and in Electronics, were launched. The Graduate School, established in 1966, is an early realization of one of the objectives of the University and graduate studies have always been accorded ahigh priority in the overall development of the University. However, it is abasic policy to require that graduate programmes in any discipline should only be initiated when the required academic leader ship and adequate library and other facilities are available so as to ensure high quality in the graduate students and vital progress in research. After years of preparation, the University has found that the time is ripe to advance into the realm of doctoral education. For admission to aPh.D. programme, applicants must in principle (i) have obtained a degree of Master from a recog­ nized university and the consent of two quali­ fied scholars in the proposed field of study from recognized universities to be named as referees; or (ii) have obtained adegree of Bachelor with Second Class Honours in the upper division or above and have been registered in a course of study for the degree of Master at this University for at least one year and have demonstrated their research ability in the opinion of the Graduate Division Board concerned. As the number of students to be admitted is very small, the programmes w ill look for highly motivated candidates with a strong academic background. Once admitted, the student w ill be assigned a supervisor who w ill oversee and assesshis progress. For a Ph.D. degree, a candidate w ill normally pursue a course of advanced study and research on an approved topic for a minimum period of three years and a maximum of seven years from the date of registration. However, the minimum period for a candidate holding a Master's degree in the same field of study as that for the Ph.D. programme may be reduced to two years. The minimum residence requirement w ill normally be two years for acandidate without aMaster's degree and oneyear for acandidate with aMaster's degree. For the Ph.D. programme in Chinese Studies, students are expected to select an area of concentra tion from the fields of Chinese language, literature, history, philosophy, arts, etc. The Director of the Graduate Board o f Chinese Studies is Professor D. C. Lau. The Ph.D. programme in Electronics, with Professor C. F. Chen as the Division Head, has the following fields of specialization: 1. Signal Processing 2. Computer Architecture and Applications 3. Semiconductor, Superconductor, and Liquid Crystal Technology 4. Microwave Theory and Techniques 5. Control and System Theory 6. Biomedical Engineering 7. Plasmas and Electromagnetic Theory 8. Solid State Circuits—Fabrication and Technology 9. Solar Energy Devices The Graduate School w ill introduce Ph.D. pro­ grammes in three more disciplines: Biochemistry, Biology and Physis in 1981-82. 16