PhD / MPhil

The Department of Rehabilitation Sciences offers Research Postgraduate (RPg) degree programmes at MPhil and PhD levels. The Department normally calls for applications for RPg degrees around September to December .

Applications for RPg degree programmes in our Department are on competitive basis. Applicants for MPhil degrees are normally expected to possess a 2nd class honours of Bachelor's degree or above in related disciplines of rehabilitation sciences. The normal duration of study for full-time MPhil degree is 2 years and that for part-time MPhil degree is 4 years. Applicants for PhD degrees are normally expected to possess an MPhil or a research Master's degree containing a dissertation/thesis component. For applicants possessing a 1st class honours of Bachelor's degree, they may also be considered for admission into our PhD programme. The normal duration of study for full-time PhD degree is 3 years for candidates who possess a research Master's degree containing a dissertation/thesis component, and 4 years for those who do not possess a research Master's degree. For part-time PhD degree, the normal duration is double of that of the full-time mode of study.

All applications will be reviewed by the Departmental Research Committee (DRC). Considerations will be given on the profile of the applicants, supervisors and research proposals according to, but not limited to, the following criteria/information:

Applicant:

• Academic excellence
• Relevant research experience and publication records
• Cultural diversity
• Vision statement

Chief Supervisor:

• Training and supervision plan

Research Proposal:

• Objectives of the research study

In the case that a candidate who does not have a research topic or supervisor in mind at the time of application, the candidate may still be considered for admission into our RPg programme and the student has up to 2 months after admission to propose a Chief Supervisor and research topic to the chairman of DRC. However, this route of admission should be considered as exceptional and is only applicable to candidates who have demonstrated an outstanding academic track record.

All RPg students admitted into our programmes have to do mandatory coursework studies.  Studentship awardees will receive certain training as assigned by the Head of Department in consultation with the supervisor(s) in his/her department for not less than 100 hours per year. The nature of the training will be related to teaching and professional service, and be relevant to his/her formal programme of study.

All newly admitted RPg students are considered as provisionally registered in our RPg programmes. They have up to half of their normal duration of study to do a confirmation presentation. The presentation will be examined by a Confirmation Panel to determine if the student has made sufficient progress during the first half of the normal study period that warrants a formal registration for the degree registered.

For information on the Department's research degrees, please contact Dr Benson Lau, the Director of RPg Studies at tel: 2766 6712 or e-mail: Benson.Lau@polyu.edu.hk.

For enquiry of the programme, please contact the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University at rs.rpg@polyu.edu.hk

Please download the programme leaflet here.