Programme-specific Requirements

To be considered for this programme, applicants must meet the following requirements:

• An MPhil or equivalent (a research postgraduate degree with a dissertation as an award requirement) and a Bachelor’s degree (at least one degree in hospitality and tourism management or a closely related field); and
  

• at least two years of work experience including a minimum of one-year industry/relevant experience.

• Candidates without the prescribed educational and industry backgrounds may be admitted on an exceptional basis. Such students will have to obtain relevant industry experience prior to enrolment or during the first year of enrolment, and undertake extra coursework as determined by the supervisor and/or School Research Committee.

• Candidates whose Master's degrees did not include thesis/dissertation research components must provide other documented evidence of previous scholarly research experience.

English Language Requirements

Applicants who do not have a degree for which English was the language of instruction at a recognised university must provide one of the following as proof of language proficiency:

• A minimum score of 92 in an internet-based test (with a writing score of 23 or above) in the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL); or

• A Band Score of at least 6.5 overall (with a score for the writing component at 6.0 or above) in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

All English language test scores are considered valid for two years after the date of the test. Applicants may be required to attend interviews or take tests to further demonstrate their language proficiency.

Application Procedure

All applications must be made online via PolyU's Academic Registry RPgAdmission system.

Application Period

Our School is accepting applications for admission in Semester One of 2025/2026 (September 2025 entry) starting from 1 September 2024 to 1 December 2024. PhD applicants are strongly encouraged to apply for admission in Semester One because a majority of coursework will be offered in Semester One only.  Please refer to the details of fellowship/scholarship schemes at PolyU at this link.

Application Documents

Applicants should submit the following documents together with their completed applications:

• A personal statement, including a self-introduction, career aspirations, and reasons for pursuing study in this programme (400 words or less);

• A thesis/dissertation research proposal using Form GSB/1A (please also see "Thesis/Dissertation Research Proposal" below for the requirements);

• A personal resume (CV), which should specify the job title, duration (in month/year) and type (i.e. full-time/part-time/internship) of work experience;

• Bachelor's and Master's degree graduation certificates;

• Official copies of study transcripts (with details of explanatory notes and grading system) from all colleges and universities attended;

• Official English language test results (TOEFL/IELTS) (applicable to applicants who do not have a degree for which English was the language of instruction at a recognised university);

• Two academic referees' reports (to be submitted by the referees);

• Publication records, scholarships, awards/prizes and class rankings (with supporting documents).

Thesis/Dissertation Research Proposal

Admission to the Ph.D. programme is highly competitive and depends largely on the quality and relevance of the thesis/dissertation research proposal, which highlights the intended research direction. This proposal should be between 1,200 and 1,800 words in length (excluding references), and should use the following structure: Project Title, Project Objectives (Purpose of the proposed investigation), Scope and Background of Research (Identify key issues/problems to be addressed), Conceptual Framework, Research Methodology, and Project Significance and Value.