Business

The PhD programme is designed to prepare students for a career in academic research and teaching, or to pursue a research career in the business world.

The programme consists of two parts: coursework and thesis. Students will also receive training in teaching and gain research experience through research seminar attendance. Candidates will be awarded the PhD research degree after a successful defence of thesis and satisfying all graduation requirements. Students may apply for early exit with a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) degree if they meet the specified graduation requirements.

On completion of the programme, students will be able to:

• evaluate, select from, and apply a range of research methodologies appropriate to their area of expertise;
• evaluate current developments in their area of expertise;
• evaluate the ethical issues arising in respect of research and meet appropriate expectations in that respect;
• produce an original piece of research of publishable quality; and
• assume teaching and research responsibilities at entry level in higher education, commerce or industry.

Core Subjects (9 or 12 credits) 

• Econometric Methods                
• Microeconomic Foundations of Financial Economics
• Statistics and Game Theoretic Methods for Business Analysis and Decisions
• Research Methodology
• Research Methods for Behavioural Research
• Ethics: Research, Professional & Personal Perspectives       

Specialized Subjects (9 or 6 credits) 

3 (if taking 3 core subjects) or 2 subjects (if taking 4 core subjects), including at least 1 taught research postgraduate subject, in one of the following specialisms: 

• Accounting                
• Finance                
• Logistics
• Maritime Studies                
• Management                
• Marketing

Requirements

• To register for the degree of PhD, a student shall normally hold a postgraduate degree containing a significant research component, such as a dissertation, conferred by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University or a recognised university.
• In exceptional circumstances applicants other than those stipulated in the above paragraph may be admitted directly to the PhD programme. For example, applicants with a Bachelor's degree with First Class Honours, or the equivalent. Such applicants may be required to pass an examination.
• PolyU may accept other equivalent qualifications. The decision is made on an individual basis. 
• And, GMAT or GRE results are required.
• Applicants who do not have a degree for which the language of instruction is English from a recognised university are required to fulfil the University's minimum English language requirement for admission.
• Applicants from disciplines other than business are expected to have basic background knowledge in the following three areas at the time of admission: Quantitative Methods for Business & Economics, Microeconomics, Behavioural Aspects of Management

Scholarships

• Research studentship with a stipend of HK$15,000 per month (subject to revision) for full-time research students based on academic merit (subject to the decision of the Department) 
• One extra year of studentship for students with outstanding academic performance 
• Tuition scholarships for students with outstanding academic records