Department of Politics and Public Administration

(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)

 

Faculty/Departmental course(s) that can be taken as replacement:

  • FOSS6002 Qualitative Research Methods 1: Data Collection and Data Management Skills
  • FOSS6003 Quantitative Research Methods 1: Data Collection and Data Analysis Skills
  • FOSS6004 Qualitative Research Methods 2: Interpretation and Presentation of Qualitative Findings
  • FOSS6005 Quantitative Research Methods 2: Regression Analysis of Surveys
 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 September 2024Faculty Website

  • 2 compulsory courses and 2 elective courses

Courses Compulsory (C)/Elective (E)
4-year PhD 3-year PhD MPhil
POLI6002 Research Methods in Politics and Public Administration C C C
POLI6003 Research Methods in Politics and Public Administration II C C C
POLI6050 Research Seminar in Political Science E E E
POLI6051 Special Topics in Politics and Public Administration E E E
FOSS6100 A Practical Guide to Social Science Research E E E


Requirements for students registered before September 2024

  • 2 compulsory courses

Courses Compulsory (C)/Elective (E)
4-year PhD 3-year PhD MPhil
POLI6002 Research Methods in Politics and Public Administration C C C
POLI6003 Special Topics in Politics and Public Administration C C C
POLI6050 Special Seminar in Political Science E E E
FOSS6100 A Practical Guide to Social Science Research E E E

Note:
Depending on the individual student’s subfield and needs, the supervisor may recommend a student to take additional substantive and methodological courses offered by cognate disciplines, or those offered by other local UGC‐funded tertiary institutions under the Cross‐ Institutional Course Enrolment Scheme, subject to the approval of the Faculty Higher Degrees Committee (FHDC).
 

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.