Course Information
Course Overview
Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences (EOAS) provides fundamental knowledge that builds up our scientific realization and understanding of the earth system and changing trends. EOAS focuses on interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary studies of interactions among ocean, atmosphere and land in the earth system for the regional sustainable environment and climate change. It covers multidisciplinary study of physical, biogeochemical, earth surface science and hydrology in the watershed and river-basin for the coupled systems of land-sea, air-sea, air-land and land-sea-atmosphere interactions.
The Master of Philosophy (MPhil) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Programs in Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences aim to provide rigorous training and research in EOAS that prepare students to face challenges of the changing earth system and sustainable environment under changing climate in both regional and global scales.
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.
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.
What You’ll Learn
Minimum Credit Requirement
MPhil: 15 credits
PhD: 21 credits
Credit Transfer
Students who have taken equivalent courses at HKUST or other recognized universities may be granted credit transfer on a case-by-case basis, up to a maximum of 3 credits for MPhil students, and 6 credits for PhD students.
Cross-disciplinary Core Courses
2 credits
IIMP 6010Cross-disciplinary Research Methods I2 Credit(s)
IIMP 6020Cross-disciplinary Research Methods II2 Credit(s)
IIMP 6030Cross-disciplinary Design Thinking I2 Credit(s)
IIMP 6040Cross-disciplinary Design Thinking II2 Credit(s)
All students are required to complete either IIMP 6010 or IIMP 6030. Students may complete the remaining courses as part of the credit requirements, as requested by the Program Planning Committee.
Hub Core Courses
4 Credits
Students are required to complete at least one Hub core course (2 credits) from the Function Hub and at least one Hub core course (2 credits) from other Hubs.
Function Hub Core Course
FUNH 5000Introduction to Function Hub for Sustainable Future2 Credit(s)
Other Hub Core Courses
INFH 5000Information Science and Technology: Essentials and Trends2 Credit(s)
SOCH 5000Technological Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship2 Credit(s)
SYSH 5000Model-Based Systems Engineering2 Credit(s)
Courses on Domain Knowledge
MPhil: minimum 9 credits of coursework
PhD: minimum 15 credits of coursework
Under this requirement, each student is required to take one of the required courses, and other electives to form an individualized curriculum relevant to the cross-disciplinary thesis research. To ensure that students will take appropriate courses to equip them with needed domain knowledge, each student has a Program Planning Committee to approve the courses to be taken soonest after program commencement and no later than the end of the first year. Depending on the approved curriculum, individual students may be required to complete additional credits beyond the minimal credit requirements.
Required Course List
Students are required to take one of the required courses listed below.
EOAS 5001Introduction to Earth Surface Processes3 Credit(s)
ENVR 5310Atmospheric Dynamics3 Credit(s)
ENVR 6050Introduction to Oceanography3 Credit(s)
OrOCES 5001Introduction to Oceanography3 Credit(s)
Sample Elective Course List
To meet individual needs, students will be taking courses in different areas, which may include but not limited to courses and areas listed below.
EOAS 5002Atmosphere-Ocean Dynamics3 Credit(s)
EOAS 5003Coupled Physical-Biogeochemical Dynamics in the Ocean3 Credit(s)
EOAS 5004Earth System Modeling3 Credit(s)
CIVL 5430Aquatic Chemistry3 Credit(s)
ENVR 5410Atmospheric Chemistry3 Credit(s)
MATH 5350Computational Fluid Dynamics for Inviscid Flows3 Credit(s)
OCES 5320Ecotoxicology4 Credit(s)
Additional Foundation Courses
Individual students may be required to take foundation courses to strengthen their academic background and research capacity in related areas, which will be specified by the Program Planning Committee. The credits earned cannot be counted toward the credit requirements.
Graduate Teaching Assistant Training
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 Program Planning Committee.
FUNH 6770Professional Development for Function Hub1 Credit(s)
Students are required to complete FUNH 6770. The 1 credit earned from FUNH 6770 cannot be counted toward the credit requirements.
PhD students who are HKUST MPhil graduates and have completed FUNH 6770 or other professional development courses offered by the University before may be exempted from taking FUNH 6770, subject to prior approval of the Program Planning Committee.
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)
LANG 5002Postgraduate English for Business and Social Science Studies1 Credit(s)
LANG 5010Postgraduate English for Science Studies1 Credit(s)
Students are required to take one of the above three courses. The credit earned cannot be counted toward the credit requirements. Students can be exempted from taking this course with the approval of the Program Planning Committee.
Postgraduate Seminar
FUNH 6800Function Hub Seminar0 Credit(s)
MPhil:
Full-time students must take and pass FUNH 6800 in at least two terms.
PhD:
Full-time students must take and pass FUNH 6800 in at least four terms.
PhD Qualifying Examination
PhD students are required to pass a qualifying examination to obtain PhD candidacy following established policy.
Thesis Research
EOAS 6990MPhil Thesis Research0 Credit(s)
EOAS 7990Doctoral Thesis Research0 Credit(s)
MPhil:
Registration in EOAS 6990; and
Presentation and oral defense of the MPhil thesis.
PhD:
Registration in EOAS 7990; and
Presentation and oral defense of the PhD thesis.