Master of Science in Global China Studies
MSc(GCS)
Both full- and part-time
Full-time: 1 year
Part-time: 2 years
Students opting for the Academic Research Concentration will normally complete the program in two years in full-time mode.
HK$160,000
Students who take additional course(s) are required to pay HK$6,667 for each additional credit.
For students opting for the Academic Research Concentration, the program fee will be HK$240,000 for two years.
Academic Director:
Prof James LEE, Chair Professor of Social Science and Humanities
The Master of Science (MSc) Program in Global China Studies provides global and local perspectives on China’s past and present. The one-year program emphasizes capacity building, especially in verbal and writing communication skills. An optional two-year program additionally focuses on fostering research capacity. The program is also designed to enable advanced undergraduates from elite universities to take on the challenge of postgraduate study and receive both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree within four years. Over half of the graduates continue further studies in renowned universities in Greater China and abroad.
On successful completion of the program, graduates will be able to:
- Critically analyze significant social and cultural phenomena related to China and regarding China’s relations with the world;
- Interpret events and developments in China's past and present from both global and local perspectives;
- Effectively and appropriately communicate in written papers and reports in English to both non-expert and expert readers;
- Persuasively and appropriately communicate when presenting and discussing with both non-expert and expert audiences and discussants; and
- Carry out advanced research both independently and as part of a research team.
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Minimum Credit Requirement
24 credits
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Core Courses
9 credits
Surplus core course credits will be counted toward the elective requirement.
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Academic Writing Course
0-3 credits
Students admitted with any IELTS sub-score of 5.5 are required to take the following academic writing course:
- Elective Courses
12-15 credits
The chosen elective courses should cover at least two of the following subject areas, and include at least two China-related courses:
History and Social Science
Quantitative Social Analysis
Humanities and Creativity Arts
Subject to the approval of the Academic Director, students may take MGCS 6000 under the above subject areas to fulfill the elective requirement.
Students may substitute no more than nine elective credits (three courses) from other courses (and a maximum of one undergraduate course at 4000-level) offered by the School of Humanities and Social Science to fulfill the program requirements with prior approval of the Academic Director. The approved substituting courses should be either China-related or global-related.
- Optional Project
Selected students can take an extra project course:
Credits earned from MGCS 6981 cannot be counted toward the credit requirements.
1. Disciplinary Concentrations
Students may claim up to one concentration among the following five concentrations upon graduation if they have taken at least 9 credits (three courses) from a selected concentration.
i. Humanities Concentration
ii. Political Science Concentration
iii. Quantitative Social Science Concentration
iv. Sociology Concentration
v. Social Scientific History Concentration
Subject to the approval of the Academic Director, students may take MGCS 6000 under the above disciplinary areas to fulfil the concentration requirement.
2. Academic Research Concentration
Full-time students who wish to better prepare for further studies are given an option to follow a two-year study plan to complete the program with an Academic Research Concentration.
Subject to the prior approval of both the Academic Director and course instructor, students who opt for this concentration may substitute the core course MGCS 5010 Introduction to Social Statistics with SOSC 5090 to fulfill the program requirement.
Students who opt for this concentration are required to complete a minimum of 42 credits. In addition to the existing program requirements (24 credits of coursework), students are required to complete the following:
i. Research Methodology Course
3 Credits
Students are required to complete one postgraduate Research Methodology course from the following list, subject to the prior approval of both the Academic Director and respective course instructor.
ii. Independent Study Course
3 Credits
Students are required to take MGCS 6200 to conduct an independent study in a designated subject under the supervision of a faculty member.
iii. Research Project
12 Credits
Students are required to take MGCS 6980 and MGCS 6982 to conduct a two-term long research project to obtain a total of 12 credits. In MGCS 6980, students are required to complete a research prospectus and an oral research prospectus examination. In MGCS 6982, students are required to complete a concrete and coherent research paper with oral defense as a part of the research project. Students can only register for MGCS 6982 in the second term upon the successful completion of MGCS 6980 in the first term.
Students under Academic Research Concentration may also claim up to one Disciplinary Concentration upon graduation.
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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A bachelor’s degree with a grade average of 3.0 out of 4.0; and
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One of the following:
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IELTS (Academic Module): Overall score: 7.0 and All sub-scores: 5.5 *
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TOEFL iBT: 100 *
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TOEFL pBT: 600
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First language being English
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Having obtained a bachelor’s degree awarded by an institution where the medium of instruction was English
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* Refers to scores in one single attempt only. Test at home option is not accepted.
For early admission of non-local applicants under nomination by strategic partner universities:
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Having completed all the undergraduate coursework requirements with a cumulative grade average (CGA) of 3.0 out of 4.0; and
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Having fulfilled the program-specific English language requirement specified above
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Applicants who are HKUST graduates and have taken MGCS courses during their undergraduate studies may apply for transferring up to 12 of these credits to the MSc program upon admission.
For early admission of non-local applicants under nomination by strategic partner universities:
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If admitted to the MSc program, students will remain registered as undergraduates in their home universities.
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Upon completion of the MSc degree requirements, these students are required to submit an official copy of their bachelor’s degree certificate to the Program Office no later than 31 August each year in order to be conferred the MSc degree in Global China Studies at HKUST.
Apply online before the application deadlines.
HK$260
For 2025/26 Fall Term Intake (commencing in Sep 2025):
Non-local Applicants*
Full-time: 1 May 2025
Part-time: 1 May 2025
Local Applicants
Full-time: 15 Jul 2025
Part-time: 15 Jul 2025
For 2024/25 Spring Term Intake (commencing in Feb 2025):
Non-local Applicants*
Full-time: 1 Nov 2024
Part-time: 1 Nov 2024
Local Applicants
Full-time: 15 Dec 2024
Part-time: 15 Dec 2024
* 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.
