MPhil & PhD Studies
Introduction

The department offers supervision for MPhil/PhD candidates in the following sub-fields within the discipline: comparative politics, international relations, political theory, and public administration. The MPhil and PhD degrees are research degrees and require the submission and oral defence of a substantial piece of original scholarship. Candidates are expected to demonstrate that they have made a new contribution to their area of study and that they have a strong command of its literature. Candidates are required to complete a coursework curriculum as part of their research training. They will be required to take courses organised by the Graduate School and the department. Applicants in the fields of public administration or of international relations should note that the department also offers a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree and a Master of International and Public Affairs (MIPA) degree for applicants interested in non-academic career pathways post-graduation (For more information, please contact the departmental office.)

Requirements for admission to the MPhil/PhD degrees

Applicants should satisfy the minimum requirements for admission and have a strong background in their sub-field of interest and be proficient in English (speaking, reading, writing etc.) the language of instruction at HKU. Every applicant is expected to have in advance of admission a clear idea of the nature of the research he or she wishes to pursue and identify the professor(s) best suited as supervisor. A research proposal must be enclosed in the application. The following items must be addressed in the research proposal:

  1. A statement of the aim and scope of research;
  2. An explanation of the research methods to be employed (e.g. theoretical approaches, methods of data collection, and/or methods of philosophical analysis, etc);
  3. A statement on the significance of the research study and its possible contribution to the field of study; and
  4. A reference/reading list.

All applications should be submitted to the Online Application system. If you have enquiries regarding how to use the Online Application System, please contact the Graduate School by email at gradsch@hku.hk or telephone: (852) 2857 3470.

The Faculty reserves the right not to admit applicants who meet the minimum qualifications. In some cases, it will not be possible to provide supervision in the specific area of the applicant's interest; in others, the member of staff with expertise in the area may already be fully committed or we received in that application cycle more good applicants than we have an ability to admit.

Information for RPG admissions: https://gradsch.hku.hk/prospective_students/application/how_to_apply

FAQ regarding RPG admissions: https://gradsch.hku.hk/prospective_students/application/faq_on_application

Guidance for accepted applicants

The department will allocate a supervisor or, in some cases, joint supervisors for all accepted applicants. Candidates should ensure that they keep their supervisors informed of their progress and their written work. Supervisors are required to report regularly to the department and the Faculty on each candidate's progress in research and writing. A candidate must pass an oral defense of his or her revised research proposal before the candidature can be confirmed at the end of the probationary period. In the second year of study, every MPhil/PhD candidate is expected to present a seminar paper on his or her research work to the department.

Departmental Requirements

Students are required to participate in departmental seminars, make seminar presentations, lead tutorials and assist in activities organised by the department.

Financial support

The university awards post-graduate studentships, on a competitive basis, to full-time post-graduate students. The award requires some teaching assistance at the undergraduate level or research assistance for the department.

Students

The department has an international post-graduate student body. Our current and past non-local students come from a wide range of countries including Canada, Colombia, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Japan, mainland China, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, United Kingdom and United States.

Alumni

PhD/MPhil Graduates

The department takes pride in its diverse and international alumni body. Our alumni come from a wide range of countries and regions around the world: Canada, Chinese mainland, Colombia, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, Norway, the Philippines, Poland, Russia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan (China), United Kingdom, United States, Saudi Arabia and Thailand.

 

Our recent MPhil graduates have continued their PhD studies at the following universities:

 

  • Columbia University (US)
  • National University of Singapore (Singapore)
  • Pennsylvania State University (US)
  • University of California, Berkeley (US)
  • University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong SAR, China)
  • Yale University (US)

 

Additionally, our recent PhD graduates have been appointed as assistant professors or equivalents at universities worldwide, including:

 

  • Australian National University (Australia)
  • Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen (China)
  • Fudan University (China)
  • Hang Seng University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong SAR, China)
  • Hong Kong Baptist University (Hong Kong SAR, China)
  • King’s College London (United Kingdom)
  • Shanghai University (China)
  • Shanghai Jiaotong University (China)
  • South China Normal University (China)
  • Thammasat University (Thailand)
  • University of Hong Kong Business School (Hong Kong SAR, China)
  • University of International Business and Economics (China)
  • University of Macau (Macau SAR, China)
  • University of Sharjah (United Arab Emirates)
  • Yonsei University (South Korea)

 

With the encouragement and support of their supervisors, our RPG students have received numerous prestigious academic awards or positions in recent years, including the Li Ka Shing Prize for Outstanding Research Postgraduate Students at HKU, Pi Sigma Alpha Best Paper by a Graduate Student Award at the Midwest Political Science Association, and the Don Lavoie Fellowship of the Mercatus Center at George Mason University.

Staff members and their areas of expertise
NameQualificationsAcademic Interests

Professor CHEN Haohan
陳昊瀚
Assistant Professor
Tel: 3917 5028
e-mail: haohan@hku.hk

B.Soc.Sc., HKU;
M.S., Ph.D., Duke

Computational social science,
political communication,
authoritarian politics,
inequality and redistribution

Professor CHAN Kwan Nok
陳君諾
Associate Professor
Tel: 3917 7862
e-mail: kwachan@hku.hk

BA., MPhil., HKU;
Ph.D., Indiana U.

Institutional analysis,
comparative public policy,
competitive authoritarianism,
politics and social media,
environmental governance regime,
environmental monitoring

Professor DING Fangda
丁方達
Assistant Professor
Tel: 3917 2585
e-mail: dfd1224@hku.hk

B.A., & B.S., Wuhan
MSc., London School of Economics and Political Science., Peking U. Ph.D., Rutgers

Social equity, diversity
management, public
personnel management,
environmental policy,
nonprofit management

Professor HAN Enze
韓恩澤
Associate Professor
Tel: 3917 1466
e-mail: enzehan@hku.hk

B.A., BFSU
M.A., UBC
Ph.D., George Washington U.

International relations of East Asia,
China's relations with Southeast Asia,
ethnic politics in China,
Southeast Asian politics,
Myanmar and Thailand politics,
race and ethnic politics

Professor JIN Yutang
金鈺棠
Assistant Professor
Tel: 3917 2398
e-mail: ytjin@hku.hk

L.L. B. Peking U.;
M. Sc., London School of Economics;
M.Sc., DPhil., Oxford

Confucian and Chinese political thought,
democratic theory,
comparative political theory

Professor LAM Wai Fung
林維峯
Professor
Tel: 3917 2391
e-mail: dwflam@hku.hk

B.Soc.Sc., CUHK;
Ph.D., Indiana U.

Public policy analysis,
institutional analysis,
public management,
common-pool resources management,
self-governance

Professor LEVIN Dov H.
杜拉文
Associate Professor
Tel: 3917 1908

e-mail: dovlvn@hku.hk

B.A. & M.A., The University of Haifa;
Ph.D., UCLA

Military and non-military foreign interventions, U.S. foreign policy, public diplomacy, international relations theory, international security

Professor LI Hui
李慧
Assistant Professor
Tel: 3917 4372
e-mail: lihuipa@hku.hk

B.A. & M.A., Renmin U;
Ph.D., University of Southern California (USC)

Public/nonprofit management,
organization theory,
civil society,
environmental governance

Professor LI Zhengyan
李崢言
Assistant Professor
Tel: 3917 4982
e-mail: zl22@hku.hk

B.A., Remin U;
MPA, Columbia;
Ph.D., Indiana U.

Environmental policy,
environmental justice,
environmental attitudes and opinions,
regulation,
information disclosure

Professor PARK Joohyung
朴柱炯
Assistant Professor
Tel: 3917 2394
e-mail: joohpark@hku.hk

B.A. & M.P.A.,
Sungkyunkwan;
M.P.A., Texas A&M;
Ph.D., American U.

Bureaucratic politics,
public management,
organization theory,
administrative rulemaking

Professor QUEK Kai
郭全鎧
Associate Professor & Chairman of Departmental Research Postgraduate Committee
Tel: 3917 7118
e-mail: quek@hku.hk

B.A., Cornell U;
Ph.D., MIT

Experimental political science,
global-level strategic interactions,
international security,
East Asia, causes and prevention of war

Professor STEINHOFF Uwe
石樂凡
Professor
Tel : 3917 1927
e-mail: ustnhoff@hku.hk

M.A., Johann-Wolfgang-Goethe U;
Ph.D., Wurzburg

Contemporary western political philosophy and applied ethics, in particular: the ethics of violence (self-defense, war, terrorism, torture, assassination, punishment, etc.), global justice, political obligation, collective responsibility, egalitarianism vs. anti-egalitarianism

Professor STRANGE Austin
郝思誠
Associate Professor
Tel: 3917 1120
e-mail: astrange@hku.hk

B.A., William & Mary
M.A., ZJU
Ph.D., Harvard

Chinese foreign policy, international political economy, international development, trade, diplomacy

Professor THOMSON Robert
Professor and Head

Tel : 3917 2399
e-mail: rthomson@hku.hk

B.A., University of
Strathclyde;
Ph.D., University of
Groningen

International comparisons of democratic representation, International governance

Professor WU Nicole
胡嘉穎
Assistant Professor
Tel: 3917 4881
e-mail: nkwu@hku.hk

B.S.Sc., CUHK;
M.A., Ph.D., University of Michigan

International/comparative political economy (I/CPE), technology and automation, public opinion in IPE

Professor YAN Xiaojun
閻小駿
Associate Professor
Tel: 3917 4880
e-mail: xyan@hku.hk

LLB, LLM, Peking U.;
Ph.D., Harvard

Chinese politics, comparative political development, political regime, government reform, institutional innovation, authoritarianism, democratization, contentious politics and comparative historical study of reform and revolution.

Professor ZHU Jiangnan
朱江南
Associate Professor
Tel: 3917 2278
e-mail: zhujn@hku.hk

B.A., Peking U.;
M.S., Ph.D., Northwestern

Chinese politics, corruption and government integrity, methodology.

Enquiry

Please send to pparpg@hku.hk