Course Information
Registration period
30 Mar 2022 (Wed) - 30 Mar 2026 (Mon)
Price
-
Study Mode
Duration
4 Year(s)
Language
English
Location
-
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Course Overview
The Master of Philosophy (MPhil) Program seeks to strengthen students' knowledge in computer science and expose them to issues involved in the development, scientific, educational and commercial applications of computer systems. A candidate for an MPhil degree is expected to demonstrate knowledge in the discipline and to synthesize and create new knowledge, making a contribution to the field.
The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Program aims to develop the skills needed to identify research issues related to a practical application, to formulate an original research plan that addresses some of those issues, and to independently create a computing-related solution. A candidate for a PhD degree is expected to demonstrate mastery of knowledge in the chosen discipline and to synthesize and create new knowledge, making an original and substantial contribution to the discipline.
On successful completion of the MPhil program, graduates will be able to:
- Demonstrate a general understanding of the field of computer science, and knowledge in one of the three major areas including systems, applications and theory;
- Make a contribution to their specific field of study through either original research or substantial engineering efforts;
- Communicate effectively and professionally both in writing and oral presentations using appropriate technical languages, and interpret their research or engineering outcome both to a specialist and a general audience clearly;
- Follow the principles of ethics in their field and in academia; and
- Demonstrate a mastery of skills and knowledge at a level required for college and university undergraduate teaching in computer science and assessment of student learning.
On successful completion of the PhD program, graduates will be able to:
- Demonstrate a systematic understanding of the field of computer science, and wide knowledge across the three major areas including systems, applications and theory;
- Make a contribution to their specific field of study through original research that extends the frontier of knowledge by developing a substantial body of work;
- Communicate effectively and professionally both in writing and oral presentations using appropriate technical languages, publish research outcomes in peer-reviewed venues, and interpret their research outcome both to a specialist and a general audience clearly;
- Set their own research agenda for the future, and to undertake a future career as an independent researcher in academia and industry;
- Follow the principles of ethics in their field and in academia; and
- Demonstrate a mastery of skills and knowledge at a level required for college and university undergraduate teaching in computer science and assessment of student learning.
MPhil
- Full-time: 2 years
- Part-time: 4 years
PhD
- Full-time: 3 years (with a relevant research master’s degree), 4 years (without a relevant research master’s degree) Part-time: 6 years
What You’ll Learn
Minimum Credit Requirement
MPhil: 16 credits
PhD: 22 credits
Credit Transfer
For PhD students, credits transferred from programs completed in other universities will be considered on a case-by-case basis, subject to the approval of the departmental PG Committee. No UG courses can be used for credit transfer to the PhD program. Credits from no more than two PG courses can be transferred from outside the Department.
Required Courses
MPhil:
15 credits of postgraduate courses, of which at least 8 credits must be earned at HKUST. Courses used to satisfy the credit requirements must cover at least four established research areas of the Department.
PhD:
21 credits of postgraduate courses, of which 12 credits (i.e. 4 courses) are required to be earned from PG core courses in different selected core research areas. A list of PG core courses and their affiliated areas is maintained by the Department. At least one of the PG core courses should be in the area of “Theoretical Computer Science”. Students must complete two of the PG core courses in the first year of their PhD study, and all four PG core courses by the end of their second year of study. Students must obtain a B+ or above for all four PG core courses. Only one Independent Studies course may be used to satisfy the course requirements. No undergraduate course can be used to satisfy any of these PG course requirements.
PhD students must obtain a grade B or above in each of the following UG courses or equivalent, subject to the approval of the PG Coordinator. Credits earned from the following UG courses cannot be counted toward the degree requirements.
COMP 3511Operating Systems3 Credit(s)
COMP 3711Design and Analysis of Algorithms3 Credit(s)
COMP 3721Theory of Computation3 Credit(s)
School Requirements on PhD Programs
In addition to the program requirements, all full-time and part-time PhD students are required to complete the school requirements, which aim to help students gain a wider exposure to multidisciplinary areas, and attain all-rounded learning by broadening their knowledge base.
PhD students are required to take at least a 3-credit course at 5000-level or above outside their programs offered by the School of Engineering. The 3 credits may be satisfied by courses from other Schools upon approval.
In some exceptional cases where students can provide sufficient justifications and obtain prior approval from their supervisors, PG Coordinators, and Heads of Department/Program Directors or designees, they are allowed to take the 3-credit course within their home departments/programs but the course must be in areas outside their specialty.
Details of the requirements are available on the website of the School of Engineering.
Professional Development Course Requirement
PDEV 6800Introduction to Teaching and Learning in Higher Education0 Credit(s)
All full-time RPg students are required to complete PDEV 6800. The course is composed of a 10-hour training offered by the Center for Education Innovation (CEI), and session(s) of instructional delivery to be assigned by the respective departments. Upon satisfactory completion of the training conducted by CEI, MPhil students are required to give at least one 30-minute session of instructional delivery in front of a group of students for one term. PhD students are required to give at least one such session each in two different terms. The instructional delivery will be formally assessed.
Professional Development Course Requirement
PDEV 6770Professional Development for Research Postgraduate Students1 Credit(s)
Students are required to complete PDEV 6770. The 1 credit earned from PDEV 6770 cannot be counted toward the credit requirements.
PhD students who are HKUST MPhil graduates and have completed PDEV 6770 or other professional development courses offered by the University before may be exempted from taking PDEV 6770, subject to prior approval of the School.
ENGG 6780Career Development for Engineering Research Students1 Credit(s)
Students are required to complete ENGG 6780. The 1 credit earned from ENGG 6780 cannot be counted toward the credit requirements.
PhD students who are HKUST MPhil graduates and have completed ENGG 6780 or other professional development courses offered by the University before may be exempted from taking ENGG 6780, subject to prior approval of the School.
English Language Requirement
LANG 5000Foundation in Listening & Speaking for Postgraduate Students1 Credit(s)
Full-time RPg students are required to take an English Language Proficiency Assessment (ELPA) Speaking Test administered by the Center for Language Education before the start of their first term of study. Students whose ELPA Speaking Test score is below Level 4, or who failed to take the test in their first term of study, are required to take LANG 5000 until they pass the course by attaining at least Level 4 in the ELPA Speaking Test before graduation. The 1 credit earned from LANG 5000 cannot be counted toward the credit requirements.
LANG 5001Postgraduate English for Engineering Research Studies1 Credit(s)
Students are required to complete LANG 5001. Students can be exempted from taking LANG 5001 with the agreement of the Department Head and PG Coordinator. The 1 credit earned from LANG 5001 cannot be counted toward the credit requirements.
Postgraduate Seminars
MPhil/PhD: 1 credit
COMP 6911Computer Science and Engineering Seminar I0 Credit(s)
COMP 6912Computer Science and Engineering Seminar II1 Credit(s)
Students are required to complete COMP 6911 and COMP 6912 in two terms.
PhD Qualifying Examination
PhD students are required to pass a qualifying examination within the first 22 months after admission, with a maximum of two attempts. The qualifying examination consists of a comprehensive, written critical survey and review of the student's intended research focus, and a public oral examination.
Students are also required to submit a thesis proposal and defend it at a public oral examination, normally within one year after satisfying the qualifying examination requirement, with a maximum of two attempts. The second attempt must be completed within six months of the first attempt. The thesis proposal requirement must be completed before attempting the final thesis defense.
Thesis Research
COMP 6990MPhil Thesis Research0 Credit(s)
COMP 7990Doctoral Thesis Research0 Credit(s)
MPhil:
Registration in COMP 6990; and
Presentation and oral defense of the MPhil thesis.
PhD:
Registration in COMP 7990; and
Presentation and oral defense of the PhD thesis.
