MPhil-PhD Programme Details

CUHK Business School offers research-based postgraduate programmes in six different fields. All of which provide students with the opportunity to work in leading international faculties and exchange innovative research ideas with fellow high-calibre students from diverse backgrounds.

Our faculty members’ research interests cover a wide spectrum of key business and economic disciplines, focusing on emerging market’s business dynamics. They are active contributors to top-tier, international peer-reviewed journals. Some of them also serve on the editorial boards of internationally renowned journals, contributing their professional views and keeping up with the latest research developments.

For more information, please visit Faculty Members and Research Interests.

CUHK Business School is going to organize a one-day Online Summer Workshop on 27 June 2025 (Friday) for prospective applicants. The workshop will introduce our MPhil-PhD Programmes and allow you to interact with our faculty members and participate in other activities, such as sharing sessions and interviews.

Details of the workshop can be found at Online MPhil-PhD Students Recruitment Summer Workshop.

Both programmes usually start in August every year and only offer a full-time mode of study.

Master of Philosophy (MPhil) Programmes

The Master of Philosophy (MPhil) Programme is designed specifically for students who wish to pursue advanced studies in preparation for their doctoral degree, or for those looking to become specialists in either the public or private sector, where strong research and analytical skills are required.

Period of Study

• Normative Study Period: 2 years
• Maximum Study Period: 4 years

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Programmes

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Programme is ideal for students pursuing a teaching and/or research career in higher education or at a research institute, where close collaboration and advanced research capabilities are key.

Period of Study (for students with a research master’s degree offered by University Grants Committee (UGC)-funded institutions in Hong Kong)

• Maximum Period to Fulfil Candidacy Requirement: 24 months^*
• Normative Study Period: 36 months
• Maximum Study Period: 72 months

^* Students who fail to fulfil the candidacy requirement within 24 months will be required to discontinue their studies.

Period of Study (for students without a research master’s degree)

• Maximum Period to Fulfil Candidacy Requirement: 36 months^{^}
• Normative Study Period: 48 months
• Maximum Study Period: 84 months

^{^}The postgraduate studentship (PGS) will stop at the 25-month if the student cannot fulfil the candidacy requirement within his/her first 24 months, but which will be resumed in the following month upon fulfilling the candidacy requirement. The student’s PGS end date will remain the same as his/her normative study end date. Students who fail to fulfil the candidacy requirement within 36 months will be required to discontinue their studies.

The tuition fee for MPhil and PhD Programmes is HK$42,100 per annum. Starting from 1 July 2018, the HKSAR Government provides a tuition waiver for all local students enrolled in full-time CUHK Business School MPhil and PhD Programmes.

Visit the Graduate School’s website for details

Students must fulfil the following criteria to graduate:

1. Complete all the graduate courses required by the individual Department/School.
2. Submit a thesis proposal and conduct a proposal oral defence (PhD students only).
3. Submit a research thesis and pass an oral examination.
4. Complete the Improving Postgraduate Learning (IPL) course “Observing Intellectual Property and Copyright Law during Research”.
5. 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.
6. When deemed necessary by the advisor/supervisor, students (including non-Chinese speaking students) may be requested to take a required language course.