The Department of Rehabilitation Sciences at Hong Kong Polytechnic University offers research postgraduate degrees at both Master of Philosophy (MPhil) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) levels. Admission to these competitive programmes is based on a holistic review of the applicant's academic excellence, research experience, publication record, and alignment with faculty research interests. Students admitted to these programmes are required to complete mandatory coursework. The department encourages applications from individuals with a strong academic background and a clear vision for their research. For MPhil applicants, a Bachelor's degree with at least a Second Class Honours in a related discipline is typically expected. The standard duration for full-time MPhil study is two years. For PhD applicants, an MPhil degree or a research Master's degree with a dissertation component is usually required. However, candidates with a First Class Honours Bachelor's degree may also be considered for direct PhD admission. Full-time PhD study normally takes three years for those with a research Master's degree, and four years for those without. Successful candidates are considered provisionally registered and must confirm their candidature within half of their normal study duration. This involves a presentation assessed by a Confirmation Panel to ensure sufficient research progress.
All research postgraduate students are required to undertake mandatory coursework as part of their programme. Students who receive a studentship award may also be assigned training related to teaching and professional services, amounting to at least 100 hours per year, in consultation with their supervisor and Head of Department. This training is designed to be relevant to their field of study.
Graduates from the PhD and MPhil programmes in Rehabilitation Sciences are prepared for advanced research and academic positions in universities, research institutions, and healthcare organizations. The rigorous training equips them with the skills to lead research projects, contribute to the advancement of rehabilitation science, and potentially pursue careers in policy development or specialized clinical research roles.
Applications are assessed on a competitive basis. Key considerations include the applicant's academic excellence, relevant research experience, publication records, cultural diversity, vision statement, and the supervisor's training and supervision plan. In exceptional cases, candidates with outstanding academic records may be considered for admission even without a pre-identified research topic or supervisor, with up to two months after admission to propose these to the Departmental Research Committee.
Application fee is HKD500. The estimated living cost covers university-managed accommodation (first year), basic meal charges, and personal expenses. For subsequent years, non-local students typically need to arrange their own accommodation outside university halls.
For MPhil, a Bachelor's degree with at least Second Class Honours in a related discipline is typically required. For PhD, an MPhil or research Master's degree with a dissertation component is usually needed, though a First Class Honours Bachelor's degree may also be considered for direct PhD admission.
International applicants typically need to provide an IELTS score of 6.0 or equivalent to demonstrate English proficiency.
The full-time MPhil programme is normally two years. Full-time PhD study is normally three years for those with a research Master's degree, and four years for those without.
The tuition fee for international students is HKD 200,000 per academic year.
The estimated living cost for non-local students is approximately HKD 287,655 per academic year, which includes tuition, accommodation, meals, and personal expenses for the first year.
Applications for Research Postgraduate degrees are typically open online from September to December for admission in the following academic year.