MPhil Program Courses

INTRODUCTION TO MPHIL PROGRAM COURSES

The Red Bird MPhil Program is designed to empower students with the essential skills and knowledge necessary to thrive in an ever-changing future. We provide a comprehensive curriculum that promotes a broad understanding of cross-disciplinary knowledge, deepens specialized domain expertise, and enhances transferable skills. This holistic approach, intricately woven into our project-based learning timeline, ensures that our graduates are well-prepared to address complex challenges and seize emerging opportunities.

MPhil program courses introduction

CROSS-DISCIPLINARY CORE COURSE

UCMP 6050 Project-Driven Collaborative Design Thinking

UCMP 6050 serves as a cornerstone of the Red Bird MPhil Program, embodying our commitment to innovative educational and training methodologies. Spanning three modules over three semesters, this course is vital to our talent development objectives, seamlessly integrating with Project-Based Learning (PBL) to support project exploration, initialization, execution, and delivery. Through a systematic approach encompassing learning, practice, feedback, and iteration, students develop essential mindsets and skills for success in a collaborative and dynamic environment.

UCMP 6050 course modules timeline

RED BIRD MPHIL PROGRAM CURRICULUM

The Red Bird MPhil Program offers a rigorous, interdisciplinary learning experience that requires a total of 15 graduation credits. Here is a breakdown of the curriculum components.

Cross-disciplinary Core Course
  • UCMP 6050 Project-Driven Collaborative Design Thinking (2 credits)
Hub/Thrust Required Courses
  • Hub Core Courses(4 credits):
    • Two Hub core courses (XXXH 5000), each worth 2 credits
    • One of these courses must be offered by your degree-offering Hub (the student’s “Home Hub”)
  • Courses on Domain Knowledge (9 credits):
    • Three thrust courses, each worth 3 credits
    • aligned with students' home thrust program requirements
  • Additional Hub/Thrust Courses:
    • Credit hours vary based on specific program requirements
University General Requirements

Note: These courses are mandatory but do not count toward the 15 graduation credits.

  • PDEV 6800 Introduction to Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (0 credit)
    • Part I: PDEV 6800X (10-hour lecture, 1 term)
    • Part II: PDEV 6800O/P/Q/R (30-min instructional delivery, 1 term before graduation)
  • PDEV 6770 Professional Development for Research Postgraduate Students (1 credit)
    • A. CITI Program (1 attempt, online, details see User Guide)
    • B. Preventing and Handling Sexual Harassment (1-hour PDC event, online, 3 registration chances per term)
    • C. 11-hour electives (in-class attendance required, launched irregularly)
  • LANG 5000 Foundation in Listening and Speaking (1 credit, required for students who have not passed the English Language Proficiency Assessment - ELPA)
  • PLED 5001 Communicating Research in English (1 credit)
  • MOES Political Education Courses (3 credits)
    • MOES 5001 Research on the Theory and Practice of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics (2 credits, for Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan students)
    • MOES 5002 Introduction to Natural Dialectics (1 credit, for Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan students)
    • MOES 5003 An Overview of China (3 credits, for international students)
Thesis Research
  • Thesis Research 6990 (0 credit)

RELATED RESOURCES

ARS Website

Comprehensive academic support covering student registration, class scheduling and enrollment, examination and grade management, and graduation procedures.

Class Enrollment Guide from ARS

PG Program Catalog

Handbook for RPg Studies

Frequently Asked Questions

EXPLORE MORE

  • How to enroll in PDEV 6770, and what are the course requirements? 

      SIS system will automatically enroll students in this course. Students only need to complete the course requirements in the HKUST(GZ) RPg Professional Development Course System (PDC system).  

      The course requirements include: 

      A. CITI Program (1 attempt, online, details see User Guide) 

      B. Preventing and Handling Sexual Harassment (1-hour PDC event, online, 3 registration chances) 

      C. 11-hour electives (in-class attendance required, launched irregularly) 

      - PDC events are concentrated at the beginning and middle of the term, with fewer events toward the end of the term. Please register early. 

      - Arriving 15 minutes or later will be recorded as a “no-show”.  

      - Students who accrue three no-shows within one term are unable to register for events via the PDC system in the subsequent term. 

      - Repeated completion of events with the same event code will only be recognized once. 

  • How to enroll in PDEV 6800X? Is section change allowed? 

      Students will be randomly allocated to a section of PDEV6800X in the SIS system. While these sections follow different schedules, they cover identical course content. Students who find the allocated timeslot unsuitable may apply for a section swap within the same course.  

      If there is a vacancy in the target section, the student will be enrolled. If no vacancy is available, students need to wait until another student drops the section. Section swaps must be completed before the end of the add/drop period; no section changes will be permitted afterwards. 

  • What are Hub Core Courses, and what are the course requirements? 

      Hub Core Courses refer to the courses offered by the 4 Hubs, including FUNH 5000, INFH 5000, SYSH 5000, and SOCH 5000. Students are required to complete at least two Hub Core Courses before graduation, one from their home Hub and another one from other Hubs. 

  • Can students take courses on domain knowledge in the first term? 

      In the first term, students have not yet confirmed their Prime Supervisor and Thrust. It is not advisable to take courses on domain knowledge without guidance from an academic supervisor, as this may result in a wide disciplinary gap and lower academic performance. It will also add a significant amount of workload. Therefore, it is recommended that students focus on completing other required courses in the first term and completing Thrust required courses in later terms. 

  • How to enroll in UCMP 6050? 

      In the first term after admission, students are expected to enroll in UCMP 6050 in the SIS system independently and select one class section from L01 to L22. These class sections have different timetables but identical course content, so students may choose according to their own schedule.  

      Starting from the second and third term, students do not need to complete enrollment on their own. RBM course team will complete course enrollment for students in advance.