School of Computing and Data Science

(A) Graduate School Courses

Requirements for students registered in or after September 2021Graduate School Course Information & Timetable

Modules Courses 4-year PhD/ MPhil 3-year PhD
Researcher Development Training (5 Modules)

Module 1 
Doing Research @ HKU 

(2 hours) 

Required Optional
(Strongly encouraged to enrol in this orientation module)
 

Module 2
Introduction to Qualitative/ Quantitative Research Methods

(3 hours)

Select one of the following courses based on your research needs:
  • GRSC6104 Introduction to Quantitative Research Methods (Humanities)
  • GRSC6105 Introduction to Quantitative Research Methods (Sciences)
  • GRSC6106 Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods (Humanities)
  • GRSC6107 Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods (Sciences)
Required
 
Optional
 
Module 3
Thesis Writing
 
(3 hours)

Select one of the following courses based on your research needs:

  • GRSC6120 Introduction to Thesis Writing (Humanities)
  • GRSC6121 Introduction to Thesis Writing (Sciences)
  • GRSC6140 Advanced Thesis Writing (Humanities)
  • GRSC6141 Advanced Thesis Writing (Sciences)
     

Note: Selected students are required to complete GRSC6027 Intensive English for Postgraduate Students prior to taking this module.  Students concerned will be notified individually by the Graduate School.

Required Optional
Module 4
Responsible Conduct of Research

(3 hours)
  • GRSC6101 Responsible Conduct of Research
Required Required
Module 5
Stream-based Responsible Conduct of Research 

(3 hours)
  • GRSC6102 Stream-based Responsible Conduct of Research
     
Select one of the following topics based on your research needs:
-    Working with Human Participants (Humanities)
-    Working with Human Participants (Medicine)
-    Working with Animals (Medicine)
-    Lab Safety
-    Working on Big Data
-    Working on Texts
Required Required
Professional Development Training (1 Module)
Module 6
Transferable Skills
 
(12 hours)
Select one of the following courses:
  • GRSC6108 Online Transferable Skills Programme
  • GRSC6138 Transferable Skills Retreat
Required Optional

Requirements for students registered before September 2021

Click here to view the Graduate School coursework requirements.

 

(B) Faculty/Departmental Courses

Requirements for students registered in or after February 2025

  • 4-year PhD:
    - 3 core courses from different areas; or
    - 2 core courses from Statistics area/Foundations area and 1 core course from another area; and
    - 3 elective courses from any areas; and
    - At least 10 seminars per academic year offered by the School's Distinguished Lectures or the seminar series of the three departments
     
  • 3-year PhD and MPhil:
    - 2 core courses from different areas; or
    - 2 core courses from the Statistics area; or
    - 2 core courses from the Foundations area; and
    - 1 elective course from any areas

Courses Area
Core Courses
COMP9102 Data Management and Information Retrieval Systems
COMP9501 Advanced Machine Learning Applications
COMP9601 Theory of Computation and Algorithms Design Foundations
COMP9602 Optimization Foundations
DATA8014 Principles of Deep Representation Learning Foundations
STAT6008 Advanced Statistical Inference Statistics
STAT6009 Research Methods in Statistics Statistics
STAT6010 Advanced Probability Statistics
STAT6011 Computational Statistics and Bayesian Learning Statistics
Elective Courses
COMP8301 Advanced Computing Systems Systems
COMP8505 Advanced Topics in Language Models Systems
COMP8317 Advanced Computer Vision Applications
COMP8503 Advanced Topics in Visual Analytics Applications
COMP8601 Advanced Topics in Theoretical Computer Science Foundations
STAT6005 Special Studies in Statistics (shell course) Statistics
STAT6018 Research Frontiers in Data Science Statistics
STAT6025 Special Studies in Machine Learning (shell course) Statistics
Courses from the core course list above

Notes:

  1. PhD students may be allowed to replace up to 2 postgraduate elective courses with courses from the School of Computing and Data Science’s Master programme and/or postgraduate courses offered by other departments, at the rate of 2 Master programme courses (from the School) for 1 postgraduate elective course. They may also be allowed to replace 1 postgraduate course offered by other departments for 1 postgraduate elective course, subject to the approval by the School Higher Degrees Committee.
     
  2. MPhil students may be allowed to replace 1 postgraduate elective course with 2 courses from the School of Computing and Data Science’s Master programme or 1 postgraduate course offered by other departments, subject to the approval by the School Higher Degrees Committee. 
     
  3. On an exceptional basis, students may be permitted to take fewer courses if they have previously completed similar courses, subject to the approval by the School Higher Degrees Committee.


Requirements for students registered between February 2017 and January 2025

  • 4-year PhD: 4 courses with at least 1 core course
  • MPhil: 2 courses with at least 1 core course
     
Courses
Core Courses
COMP9102 Data Management and Information Retrieval  
COMP9301 System Design and Implementation
COMP9501 Machine Learning
COMP9601 Theory of Computation and Algorithms Design
COMP9602 Convex Optimization
Elective Courses
COMP8101 Advanced Topics in Data Engineering
COMP8301 Advanced Topics in Computing Systems
COMP8302 Advanced Operating Systems
COMP8501 Advanced Topics in Computer Graphics
COMP8503 Advanced Topics in Visual Analytics
COMP8504 Geometric Modeling and Computing
COMP8505 Advanced Topics in Language Models
COMP8602 Bioinformatics Algorithms
COMP8603 Probabilistic Method and Randomized Algorithms
COMP8604 Algorithmic Game Theory
COMP8606 Quantum Computing: Algorithms and Implementation
COMP8802 Foundations on Digital Forensics and Security

Notes:

  1. PhD students may be allowed to replace up to 2 postgraduate elective courses with courses from the MSc(CompSc) programme and/or postgraduate courses offered by other departments, at the rate of 2 MSc(CompSc) courses for 1 postgraduate elective course, subject to the approval.
     
  2. MPhil students may be allowed to replace 1 postgraduate elective course with 2 courses from the MSc(CompSc) programme or 1 postgraduate course offered by other departments, subject to the approval. 
     
  3. On an exceptional basis, interdisciplinary research students may be allowed to take courses deviating from the above as recommended by their supervisors, subject to approval.


Requirements for students registered between February 2013 and January 2017

  • 4-year PhD: 4 courses with at least 2 core courses
  • MPhil: 2 courses with at least 1 core course
     
Courses
Core Courses
COMP9102 Data Management and Information Retrieval  
COMP9301 System Design and Implementation
COMP9501 Machine Learning
COMP9601 Theory of Computation and Algorithms Design
COMP9602 Convex Optimization
Elective Courses
COMP8101 Advanced Topics in Data Engineering
COMP8301 Advanced Topics in Computing Systems
COMP8302 Advanced Operating Systems
COMP8501 Advanced Topics in Computer Graphics
COMP8503 Advanced Topics in Visual Analytics
COMP8504 Geometric Modeling and Computing
COMP8505 Advanced Topics in Language Models
COMP8602 Bioinformatics Algorithms
COMP8603 Probabilistic Method and Randomized Algorithms
COMP8604 Algorithmic Game Theory
COMP8606 Quantum Computing: Algorithms and Implementation
COMP8802 Foundations on Digital Forensics and Security

Notes:

  1. PhD students may be allowed to replace up to 2 postgraduate elective courses with courses from the MSc(CompSc) programme and/or postgraduate courses offered by other departments, at the rate of 2 MSc(CompSc) courses for 1 postgraduate elective course, subject to the approval.
     
  2. MPhil students may be allowed to replace 1 postgraduate elective course with 2 courses from the MSc(CompSc) programme or 1 postgraduate course offered by other departments, subject to the approval. 
     
  3. On an exceptional basis, interdisciplinary research students may be allowed to take courses deviating from the above as recommended by their supervisors, subject to approval.


Coursework arrangements are subject to change during the course of study. Students are advised to consult their home Faculty/Department for the most up-to-date course information.