M.Phil.- Ph.D. in Psychology (Full-time and Part-time)

This programme has full-time and part-time mode. The objective of this programme is to provide advanced academic and research training in a field of specialization in psychology. Students, under close supervision by a faculty member, are required to write a thesis that will contribute to psychological knowledge.

• Course List
• Fields of Specialization
• M.Phil. Student
  • Further Qualifications for Admission
  • Requirement for Application
  • Study Scheme
  • Qualifications for Transfer from M.Phil. to Ph.D. Pre-Candidacy
• Ph.D. Student
  • Further Qualifications for Admission
  • Requirement for Application
  • Study Scheme (Pre-candidacy)
  • Study Scheme (Post-candidacy)

Course List

Fields of Specialization

• Cognition
  
• Educational Psychology
  
• Gender Studies
  
• Health and Community Psychology
  
• Industrial-Organizational Psychology
  
• Life Span Developmental Psychology
  
• Neuropsychology
  
• Perception
  
• Personality
  
• Research Methods
  
• Social Psychology

M.Phil. Student

Admission Requirements

In addition to the general qualifications required by the Graduate School, all applicants must also fulfil the "English Language Proficiency Requirement" as stipulated by the Graduate School before being considered for admission. Please refer to the "Postgraduate Prospectus" or Graduate School Homepage for details on these requirements.

Besides, all applicants should

• possess a Bachelor's degree in Psychology or in a related field; and
  
• obtain an overall GPA of 3.0 or above
  

Additional Application Information

In addition to the general application materials, all applicants should submit

• a statement of research interest in specific topic(s) or issue(s) in psychology and justifications (750 words in English); and
  
• a statement to indicate their career goals and plans.

International applicants should submit GRE-General test results.

Study Scheme

1. Coursework Requirement

Students are required to complete a minimum of 17 units of courses (excluding thesis research courses).

2. Other Requirements

• IT Proficiency Test. (Please refer to "Student IT Competence".)
  
• Students are required to submit a research thesis ( format guidelines) and pass an oral examination for graduation.
  
• 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/programmes/programmes.htm
  

Qualifications for Transfer from M.Phil. to Ph.D. Pre-Candidacy

All students should:

• obtain an overall GPA of 3.5 or above in their first year of studies;
• submit an M.Phil. thesis proposal and pass an oral thesis proposal defense by the end of February during the second term of their first year of studies; no provision for a second attempt;
• submit a completed research report undertaken after admission; and
• satisfy members of their Thesis Committee that their proposals have the potential to be expandable to become a proper Ph.D. thesis.

Ph.D. Student

Admission Requirements

In addition to the general qualifications required by the Graduate School, all applicants must also fulfil the "English Language Proficiency Requirement" as stipulated by the Graduate School before being considered for admission. Please refer to the "Postgraduate Prospectus" or Graduate School Homepage for details on these requirements.

Besides, all applicants should

• possess a Bachelor's degree in Psychology or in a related field;
  
• obtain an overall GPA of 3.5 or above or honours not lower than Second Class Upper; and
  
• have completed an individually supervised research thesis.

Additional Application Information

In addition to the general application materials, all applicants should submit

• a research proposal in English (2500 words or above); and
  
• a statement to indicate their career goals and plans.

International applicants should submit GRE-General Test results.

Study Scheme (Pre-Candidacy)

1. Coursework Requirement

2. Candidacy Examination

The candidacy examination is a Major Qualifying Assessment which consists of a written paper and an oral examination. Prior to the thesis proposal oral defense, students will need to do a Psych Review-type paper (literature review or meta-analysis) of approximately 6,000 words in main text (around 30 pages double-spaced) as an intensive review of a body of literature approved by their supervisor. Students are also required to pass an oral examination on this review.

The candidacy examination will be arranged 2 times per year. A student will be asked to have the second attempt when he/she has failed the examination for the first time. A student will be asked to withdraw from the programme if he/she has failed the examination for the second time.

3. Research Report

Students have to submit a completed research report undertaken after admission.

4. Thesis Proposal and Oral Defense

After passing the Candidacy Examination*, the candidate must submit a thesis proposal of approximately 20 pages and pass a thesis proposal oral defense by a Thesis Committee consisting of his/her thesis supervisor and other nominated internal examiners.

* No later than 30 January of second year of studies for students admitted with a research Master's degree;
* No later than 30 January of third year of studies for students admitted with a Bachelor's degree.

Study Scheme (Post-Candidacy)

1. Coursework Requirement

2. Other Requirements

• IT Proficiency Test. (Please refer to "Student IT Competence".)
  
• Students are required to submit a research thesis ( format guidelines) and pass an oral examination for graduation.
  
• 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:
  www.cuhk.edu.hk/clear/programmes/programmes.htm