Master of Philosophy in Life Science
Doctor of Philosophy in Life Science
MPhil(LIFS)
PhD(LIFS)
Both full- and part-time
MPhil
Full-time: 2 years
Part-time: 4 years
PhD
Full-time: 3 years (with a relevant research master’s degree), 4 years (without a relevant research master’s degree)
Part-time: 6 years
PG Programs Coordinator:
Prof Pingbo HUANG, Professor of Life Science
Applicants may apply for individual concentration(s) specified in the “Concentration” tab.
The Master of Philosophy (MPhil) Program aims to train qualified students by providing research training in major areas of life science. It enables students to acquire the knowledge, skills, and experience required for research. A candidate for an MPhil degree is expected to demonstrate knowledge in the discipline and to synthesize and create new knowledge, making a contribution to the field.
The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Program aims to cultivate doctoral graduates who are capable of the design, initiation and execution of original research, who can independently conduct advanced research projects, who possess both a broad knowledge of modern life science and an in-depth knowledge of specialized areas, and who can also contribute original knowledge to the field of life sciences by publishing their findings in peer-reviewed international journals.
On successful completion of the MPhil program, graduates will be able to:
- Demonstrate sound knowledge in both board and advanced aspects of life science;
- Acquire the skill(s) and experience(s) in conducting research;
- Analyze and interpret research results/data effectively;
- Synthesize knowledge of life science to formulate solutions of academic, research, experimental ,or technical problems;
- Communicate clearly and concisely both in writing and presentation;
- Work independently and collaborate effectively in teams and partnerships to accomplish laboratory-based or problem-based tasks;
- Exhibit professional awareness and vigilance in upholding ethical conduct in science and technology; and
- Draw on scientific knowledge in developing a principled worldview and apply this to persuading and influencing others through informed discussion of the impact of science, both as a force for progress and as an agent of harm.
On successful completion of the PhD program, graduates will be able to:
- Examine and apply knowledge of modern life science and in-depth knowledge of specialized areas in Life Science;
- Design, initiate and execute original scientific research independently;
- Apply and develop proper approaches to address scientific problems and make a contribution to the knowledge of the field;
- Evaluate experimental data by applying scientific methods to reach a critical analysis, draw appropriate conclusions, and offer sound arguments to justify a position;
- Communicate effectively (written and verbal) the research output to both specialists and peers in their field as well as to a lay audience;
- Work independently and collaborate effectively in teams and partnerships to accomplish laboratory-based or problem-based tasks;
- Exhibit professional awareness and vigilance in upholding ethical conduct in science and technology; and
- Draw on scientific knowledge in developing a principled worldview and apply this to persuading and influencing others through informed discussion of the impact of science, both as a force for progress and as an agent of harm.
The programs are offered by the Division of Science with the following research foci and state-of-the-art facilities, providing students with an inspirational environment for learning and tackling the challenges in modern life science.
Research Foci
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Cellular Regulation and Signalling
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Cancer Biology
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Developmental Biology
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Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience
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Macromolecular Structure and Function
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Biotechnology and Medicinal Biochemistry
Faculty members working in these areas form coordinated research teams. Synergy between research laboratories empowers multi-disciplinary investigation of biological problems. At the same time, it creates a stimulating atmosphere in which students experience the challenge of modern research through in-depth participation.
Facilities
The Division is excellently supported for research in a broad range of areas. The Laboratory Animal Facility provides a centralized and modern facility for animal studies. State-of-the-art instruments for biochemical and cellular studies are also readily available at the Biosciences Central Research Facility. Facilities in the Division include:
Cell Culture
Dedicated suites for the cultivation, maintenance, characterization and cold storage of animal cells, as well as the production of monoclonal antibodies.
Molecular and Cellular Biology
Major shared equipment includes high speed and ultracentrifuges, spectrophotometers and spectrofluorimeters, scintillation counters, gel imaging systems, lyophilizer, automated plate pourer and stackable shaker-incubators.
Biomolecular Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectrometer
Our state-of-the-art NMR facility consists of 500, 750 and 800 MHz NMR spectrometers equipped with cryoprobes for studies of structures, dynamics and functions of proteins, nucleic acids, and other biomolecules in solution and for drug screening and design.
Cryo-EM Facility
The Center houses several microscopes for transmission electron microscopy (TEM), including a 300kV Titan Krios G3i equipped with K3, a 200kV Glacios, and a 120kV Talos L120C. Additionally, an Aquilos II cryo-FIB with i-FLM fluorescence microscope, and other supporting instruments are installed to facilitate single-particle cryo-EM and cryo-ET research.
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Minimum Credit Requirement
MPhil: 10 credits
PhD: 17 credits
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Credit Transfer
No credit transfer will be allowed for MPhil students.
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Required Courses
MPhil: 6 credits
PhD: 9 credits
No more than 3 credits of 4000-level courses can be used to fulfill the requirement.
Students with a first degree in an area not directly related to life science may be required to take additional courses.
- Graduate Teaching Assistant Training
All full-time RPg students are required to complete PDEV 6800. The course is composed of a 10-hour training offered by the Center for Education Innovation (CEI), and session(s) of instructional delivery to be assigned by the respective departments. Upon satisfactory completion of the training conducted by CEI, MPhil students are required to give at least one 30-minute session of instructional delivery in front of a group of students for one term. PhD students are required to give at least one such session each in two different terms. The instructional delivery will be formally assessed.
- Professional Development Course Requirement
Students are required to complete PDEV 6770. The 1 credit earned from PDEV 6770 cannot be counted toward the credit requirements.
PhD students who are HKUST MPhil graduates and have completed PDEV 6770 or other professional development courses offered by the University before may be exempted from taking PDEV 6770, subject to prior approval of the School.
Students must complete LIFS 6410 throughout the residency. The maximum number of credits to be earned from this course is 2 for MPhil students and 4 for PhD students.
- English Language Requirement
Full-time RPg students are required to take an English Language Proficiency Assessment (ELPA) Speaking Test administered by the Center for Language Education before the start of their first term of study. Students whose ELPA Speaking Test score is below Level 4, or who failed to take the test in their first term of study, are required to take LANG 5000 until they pass the course by attaining at least Level 4 in the ELPA Speaking Test before graduation. The 1 credit earned from LANG 5000 cannot be counted toward the credit requirements.
Students are required to complete LANG 5005 and advised to complete it in the first year of study. The 1 credit earned from LANG 5005 cannot be counted toward the program credit requirements. PhD students who are HKUST MPhil graduates may be considered for exemption from this course, subject to the approval of their department.
- Postgraduate Seminar
MPhil: 2 credits
PhD: 4 credits
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MPhil students are required to complete one of the courses listed below in each regular term throughout the residency.
PhD students admitted without an HKUST MPhil degree in Life Science are required to complete one of the courses listed below in each of the first four regular terms of study.
Each course can be taken repeatedly in different terms. Students who fail a course are required to retake the course in a subsequent term. LIFS 6111 taken before the 2017/18 academic year can be used to replace any of these courses.
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PhD students admitted without an HKUST MPhil degree in Life Science are required to complete LIFS 6111 starting from the fifth term in each regular term throughout the residency. PhD students admitted with an HKUST MPhil degree in Life Science are required to complete LIFS 6111 in each regular term throughout the residency.
Students with research focus in Marine and Environmental Science may take OCES 6011 to substitute LIFS 6111/LIFS 6112/LIFS 6113/LIFS 6114/LIFS 6115/LIFS 6116/LIFS 6117.
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PhD Qualifying Examination
PhD students are required to pass a comprehensive qualifying examination.
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Thesis Research
MPhil:
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Registration in LIFS 6990; and
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Presentation and oral defense of the MPhil thesis.
PhD:
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Registration in LIFS 7990; and
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Presentation and oral defense of the PhD thesis.
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Molecular Medicine Concentration
In addition to the existing program requirements, students who opt for the Molecular Medicine concentration are required to:
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MPhil:
Take LIFS 6660 as part of the 6 credits of required coursework.
PhD:
Take LIFS 5260 and LIFS 6660 as part of the 9 credits of required coursework.
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Conduct research in the area of molecular medicine.
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Scientific Computation Concentration
In addition to the existing program requirements, students who opt for the Scientific Computation concentration are required to:
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MPhil:
Complete a minimum of 7 credits from the following course lists.
PhD:
Complete a minimum of 10 credits from the following course lists.
The credits earned under the concentration will be counted toward the total credit requirements of the programs.
All students must take MATH 6915 and MATH 6916. Credits earned from MATH 6915 can be repeated for up to 2 credits.
All students must take at least one course of other departments (excluding MATH 6915 and MATH 6916) or one CSIC course.
Elective Courses
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Conduct research in the area of scientific computation.
To qualify for admission, applicants must meet all of the following requirements. Admission is selective and meeting these minimum requirements does not guarantee admission.
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Applicants seeking admission to a master's degree program should have obtained a bachelor’s degree from a recognized institution, or an approved equivalent qualification;
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Applicants seeking admission to a doctoral degree program should have obtained a bachelor’s degree with a proven record of outstanding performance from a recognized institution; or presented evidence of satisfactory work at the postgraduate level on a full-time basis for at least one year, or on a part-time basis for at least two years.
Applicants have to fulfill English Language requirements with one of the following proficiency attainments:
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TOEFL-iBT: 80 *
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TOEFL-pBT: 550
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TOEFL-Revised paper-delivered test: 60 (total scores for Reading, Listening and Writing sections)
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IELTS (Academic Module): Overall score: 6.5 and All sub-score: 5.5 *
* Refers to scores in one single attempt only. Test at home option is not accepted.
Applicants are not required to present TOEFL or IELTS score if
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their first language is English, or
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they obtained the bachelor's degree (or equivalent) from an institution where the medium of instruction was English.
Apply online before the application deadlines.
HK$180
For Hong Kong PhD Fellowship (HKPFS) Application (for PhD studies only):
Step 1 deadline at RGC (to obtain an HKPFS reference no. from RGC):
1 Dec 2024 (12noon, GMT+8)
Step 2 deadline at HKUST:
1 Dec 2024 (11:59pm, GMT+8)
Details please refer to https://fytgs.hkust.edu.hk/hkpfs
For 2025/26 Fall Term Intake (commencing in Sep 2025):
Non-local Applicants*
Full-time: 1 Jun 2025
Local Applicants
Full-time: 15 Jul 2025
Part-time: 15 Jul 2025
For 2024/25 Spring Term Intake (commencing in Jan 2025):
Non-local Applicants*
Full-time: 1 Nov 2024
Local Applicants
Full-time: 15 Dec 2024
Part-time: 15 Dec 2024
Applicants who would like to apply for the following concentration(s) should apply for the respective program choice(s) in the Online Admission System:
Life Science - Scientific Computation Concentration
* Applicants are considered as non-local students if they hold (i) student visa/ entry permit; or (ii) visa under the Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates (IANG); or (iii) dependent visa/entry permit who were 18 years old or above when they were issued with such visa/ entry permit by the Director of Immigration. For details on student visa/ entry permit requirements, please click here.
