Sept 2025 Entry
1 year (Full-time)
2 years (Part-time)
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Mode of study: mixed-mode. Students can have either a full-time study load (9 credits or more in a semester) or a part-time study load (fewer than 9 credits in a semester). Students normally complete the programme full-time in 1 year and part-time in 2 years. Students will be required to attend more classes in the evening if they choose the full-time option, and the duration will be subject to class quota availability.
Note to Applicants
An incomplete application cannot be processed promptly and will reduce your chance of admission. Please complete all relevant fields on the application form and upload all necessary documents.
What's New
Programme Aims
The programme aims to provide graduates with interdisciplinary knowledge in ESG and sustainability (e.g., economic, accounting, finance, management and technology) and relevant skills for related practice.
Characteristics
The programme provides students with the core knowledge on ESG and sustainability (e.g., economic, accounting, finance, management and technology) and practical skills required to solve ESG-related business and technological problems that are common in real-life situations.
To obtain an MSc, students are required to complete nine core subjects and two elective subjects (31 credits).
Those who are unable to complete the MSc programme may graduate with a Postgraduate Diploma upon completing the first eight core subjects (22 credits).
Students can have either a full-time study load (9 credits or more per semester) or a part-time study load (fewer than 9 credits per semester).
Students normally complete the programme full-time in 1 year and part-time in 2 years. Students will be required to attend more classes in the evening if they choose the full-time option, and the duration of study will be subject to class quota availability.
The following is a summary of the core areas of study. Detailed information will be provided upon registration.
Core Subjects^ (25 credits)
- Academic Integrity and Ethics in Business (1 credit)
- Accounting for Business Analysis
- Business Risk Management
- Economics of Sustainability
- ESG Disclosure and Rating Analysis
- ESG Investment and Green Finance
- Principles of Corporate Finance
- Sustainable Development and Environmental Planning
- Global Climate Change and Society Response
Elective Subjects^ (any two; 6 credits)
- Building Carbon Footprint Assessment
- Capstone Project on ESG and Sustainability
- Corporate Governance
- Economics of World Energy Markets
- Environmental Impact Assessment
- Environmental Management Systems and Audit
- Ethics, Responsibility and Sustainability
- Investments
- Quantitative Methods for Finance
- Risk Management in Operations
- Smart Cities: Technologies and Solutions
- Transformation to Sustainable Smart Cities
Information on the subjects offered is available at https://www.polyu.edu.hk/af/study/ESG.
^ Only some of these subjects are offered each year, as staffing resources and student enrolments vary from year to year.
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Programme Director
Prof. WU Qiang
PhD
Deputy Programme Director
Dr Colin ZENG
PhD
- A Bachelor’s degree from a recognised university.
Applicants with relevant working experience are preferred, but it is not a requirement.
If you are not a native speaker of English, and your Bachelor's degree or equivalent qualification is awarded by institutions where the medium of instruction is not English, you are expected to fulfil the University’s minimum English language requirement for admission purpose. Please refer to the "Admission Requirements" section for details.
We have a quota for admissions. Early applications are strongly encouraged. Suitable candidates may be invited to attend admission interviews.
For further information, please contact:
Tel: (852) 2766 5645
Email: af.esg@polyu.edu.hk
For information on academic matters, please contact:
Prof. WU Qiang
Tel: (852) 2766 7078
Email: qiang.wu@polyu.edu.hk
Dr Colin ZENG
Tel: (852) 2766 4072
Email: cheng-colin.zeng@polyu.edu.hk
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Classes are normally scheduled on weekday evenings, with some daytime classes for full-time students.
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Non-local students must obtain a valid student visa issued by the Hong Kong Immigration Department before being allowed to register or commence study with PolyU.
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HK$342,000* per programme (HK$11,400 per credit) for local and non-local students
*No tuition fee is required for Academic Integrity and Ethics in Business.
Scholarships will be awarded to applicants with outstanding qualifications.
PolyU reserves the right to change or withdraw the scholarship at any time. In case of any dispute/disagreement, PolyU’s decision is final.
The full-time MSc in ESG and Sustainability programme has provided me with a comprehensive understanding of the ESG sector. The ESG Industry Leadership Lectures have kept me up to date on the latest ESG trends, helping me apply my theoretical knowledge in practical scenarios and spot market opportunities. The knowledge that I gained from this programme also enabled me to secure a full-time offer from a Big Four company in Hong Kong as an ESG consultant. All in all, this programme is a worthwhile choice for individuals looking to supplement their knowledge in the ESG and sustainability sector or seeking more opportunities in these fields.
Copies of graduation certificate and official academic transcript (including grading system/conversion table) of studies are required.
Applicants are required to submit the following documents at the time of application:
- Proof of current and past employment as indicated in your application.
- An official letter certifying the final score/GPA, or the details of the grading system, if they are not shown on the transcript.
- Applicants with any non-English certificates should also submit a set of corresponding official English-translated copies for reference.
