The period of study extends over two years full‑time, commencing in September and including the intervening vacations.  Throughout the programme, in both its theoretical and practical aspects, special attention is paid to the needs and issues concerning educational psychology in the local setting.

The full-time curriculum consists of a total of 156 credits. The quantitative value of a credit is equivalent to 20 hours of student learning activities (including both contact hours and all other forms of student learning activities) for taught course or 27 hours of work for practicum, under supervision of an experienced psychologist.  Candidates are required to complete 21 compulsory courses, including 15 taught courses each given 6 credits (a total of 90 credits), 5 practicum courses (a total of 54 credits) and a 2-year dissertation research course given 12 credits.  Ten of the taught courses are normally taken in the first year and the remaining five in the second year.  Duration of each taught course is normally one semester and consists of three hours of weekly lectures, discussions, seminars or workshops.  The courses are as follows:

First year courses (full-time)
PSYC6002 – Research methods & statistics I
PSYC6003 – Research methods & statistics II
PSYC7010 – Psychoeducational assessment I
PSYC7011 – Psychoeducational assessment II
PSYC7026 – Children with special needs I
PSYC7027 – Children with special needs II
PSYC7014 – Psychoeducational intervention I
PSYC7015 – Psychoeducational intervention II
PSYC7016 – Skills training seminar I
PSYC7017 – Skills training seminar II
PSYC6012 – Practicum I
PSYC6013 – Practicum II
PSYC6014 – Practicum III

Capstone Experience Course
PSYC7028 – Dissertation research

Second year courses (full-time)
PSYC6004 – Curriculum and instruction
PSYC6019 – Professional ethics and issues in educational psychology
PSYC8010 – Skills training seminar III
PSYC8007 – Applied developmental psychology
PSYC8008 – Motivation and learning
PSYC6015 – Practicum IV
PSYC6016 – Practicum V

Capstone Experience Course
PSYC7028 – Dissertation research

For the course description of Educational Psychology programmes (2024-2025), please click here.

To be eligible for admission to the Master of Social Sciences in the field of Educational Psychology Programme, a candidate shall satisfy both the University admission requirements and the programme specific requirements as listed below:

• shall comply with the General Regulations;
• shall hold a Bachelor’s degree with a major in Psychology of this University or a qualification of equivalent standard from this University or another comparable institution accepted for this purpose;
• for a candidate who is seeking admission on the basis of a qualification from a university or comparable institution outside Hong Kong of which the language of teaching and/or examination is not English, shall satisfy the following English language requirement applicable to higher degrees as prescribed under the General Regulation G2(b);
• shall be eligible for the Graduate Membership of the Hong Kong Psychological Society;
• shall preferably have relevant working experience in educational or related settings; and
• shall pass a qualifying examination if required.

Application for exemption from the above requirements shall be considered on a case by case basis.

The curriculum of the Master of Social Sciences in the field of Educational Psychology Programme extends over two academic years of full-time study with a minimum of 180 days of practical training.

The Master of Social Sciences in the field of Educational Psychology Programme is offered on a government-funded basis. Tuition fee for the 2025/26 cohort* is:

Local students:         HK$44,500 per annum

Non-local students:  HK$198,000 per annum 

* Subject to approval.

* This programme is not offered for admission in 2025-2026

For the details of composition fees for the taught postgraduate programmes, please visit http://www.aal.hku.hk/tpg/programme-fee-and-payment

Financial assistance is available for full-time postgraduate students. Enquiries should be made to the Student Financial Assistance Agency, 11/F & 12/F, Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices, 303 Cheung Sha Wan Road, Kowloon (https://www.wfsfaa.gov.hk/sfo/en/index.htm).

This programme is not offered for admission in 2025-2026.  The following is the admission information for September 2024 (for reference purpose):

The Master of Social Sciences in the field of Educational Psychology Programme is offered in alternate years. The next class will commence in September 2024.

Applications can be made online at https://admissions.hku.hk/tpg(only on-line applications are accepted). Applicants are reminded to read carefully the Additional Information, Regulations and Syllabuses and Supporting Documents before submitting the application.  If you encounter any application difficulties, please first read the FAQ of the TPg admission website. For additional enquiries, please send an email to mssep@hku.hk and quote your full name in English and application number in the email.

The closing date of the application is 12:00noon (GMT +8), 9 February, 2024.

Upon your submission of the online application, you will receive an email notification from the application system within 48 hours to upload the supporting document.  Please upload all supporting document within one month starting from the date you receive the email notification, or by 23:59 on 16 February 2024, whichever is earlier.  Hard copy of supporting documents is also required [please refer to the separate link “Supporting Documents” for submission details].

Each applicant is required to provide contact information of two referees (academic/ professional) during the online application.  The referees will then receive an email invitation to complete an online referee survey within 4 weeks, or before 16 February 2024, whichever is earlier.

Admission interviews will be conducted in April 2024.

For further information about programme admissions, please read through the materials in the below hyperlinks which are also available for viewing at the homepage of Taught Postgraduate Admissions of The University of Hong Kong.

• Additional Information
• Regulations & Syllabuses
• Supporting Documents

Educational psychologists (EPs) were first introduced to Hong Kong by the Special Education Section of the Education Department in the late 1960’s. Since then the scope of work of EPs has gradually permeated to the broader education system. Now most EPs are employed by the Education Bureau of the Hong Kong government and voluntary agencies running special and mainstream schools. The main activities of EPs include:

• to handle the more difficult cases with learning and/or behavioural-emotional problems that require intellectual/personality assessment and treatment;
• to advise teachers on the planning and implementation of educational/remedial programmes for pupils with learning difficulties;
• to advise teachers on the general strategies of management for pupils with behavioural-emotional programmes;
• to advise school staff in the planning and implementation of preventive/developmental programmes;
• to plan, organise and conduct school-based staff development programmes for teachers
• to plan, organise and conduct parent training programmes;
• to conduct research and experimental projects related to educational psychology;
• to participate in case conferences and discussions with teachers and related professionals so as to co-ordinate efforts in assisting pupils.

For further information about the EP profession, please visit
https://www.dep.hkps.org.hk/public/

Graduates from the Master of Social Sciences in the field of Educational Psychology Programme can also choose to pursue further study in higher degree programmes. The Department of Psychology offers two doctoral level degrees in educational psychology, i.e. the Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) in the field of Educational Psychology Programme and PhD with a specialization in Educational Psychology Programme. The PsyD Programme in Educational Psychology, established in 2008, is the only-of-its kind programme offered in Hong Kong. Its primary aim is to provide further and specialized training for experienced educational psychologists. The PhD with Specialization in Educational Psychology, started in 2007, is designed to train educational psychologists who are interested in academic career. The graduates from this programme are expected to be scientist-practitioners who are not only strong in research and practice but also well-prepared for university-level teaching.

Employment situations of our MSocSc (EP) graduates from 2012 to 2016:

1. If I do not have a Bachelor’s degree with a major in Psychology, can I apply for the Master of Social Sciences in the field of Educational Psychology Programme?

No. This is a basic requirement. Applicants who do not have a Bachelor’s degree with a major in Psychology may consider taking a conversion course to fulfill such requirement. There are many conversion courses in Hong Kong for the people whose Bachelor’s degree is not in psychology. Here are some of these courses. The completion of any of these conversion courses is considered as an equivalent of a Bachelor’s degree with a major in psychology.

Master of Social Sciences in Psychology at the University of Hong Kong

Master of Social Sciences in Psychology (Schools and Community Settings) at the Education University of Hong Kong
http://www.eduhk.hk/fehd/en/programmes.php?id=826

Master of Art in Psychology at the Chinese University of Hong Kong
https://www.psy.cuhk.edu.hk/index.php/graduate/ma-in-psychology

Master of Social Sciences in Psychology at the City University of Hong Kong
https://www.cityu.edu.hk/pg/programme/p76

2. If I am not a member of the Hong Kong Psychological Society, can I apply for the Master of Social Sciences in the field of Educational Psychology Programme?

Applicants must be eligible for  graduate membership of the Hong Kong Psychological Society (HKPS). Educational psychologists in Hong Kong are required to be members of the Division of Educational Psychology, HKPS if they want to be employed in public sector or to be registered users of important assessment tools. Therefore, it is important for applicants to ensure prior to application that they have HKPS graduate membership.

3. I am a final year psychology undergraduate student and I will be graduating at the end of this semester. But I will not be able to submit the certificate of graduation and the membership certificate of the HKPS before the application deadline in February. Will my application be considered?

We will consider such an application. A conditional offer may be given to applicants pending their graduation from an  undergraduate program in Psychology and their membership status at the HKPS. All relevant documents must be submitted before the commencement of the program in September. Otherwise, the conditional offer will be withdrawn.

4. As a substitution for the Hong Kong Psychological Society Membership Certificate, can I submit a print-out of my membership status from my HKPS account instead?

Yes. Any proof of eligibility for membership from the HKPS will suffice for application purpose.

5. What does a certified true copy mean?  How can I get a certified true copy of my document?

A certified true copy is a copy of a primary document that has on it an endorsement or certificate that it is a true copy of the primary document. It should bear the seals of the authorised party and be signed by an appropriate official. The name, status or position of the person certifying the copies must be clearly stated in English.

An authorised party includes the transcript and graduation certificate issuing authority/department of your institution (e.g. the Registry), a lawyer, a notary public, a Consulate General etc. However, a certified accountant is not an authorised party. 

In Hong Kong, a copy of document that has been duly declared as a true copy of the original document by the applicant before a Commissioner for Oaths at a Home Affairs Enquiry Centres in Hong Kong is also acceptable. You may find a declaration sample here. For details of declaration, please refers to the website of the Home Affairs Department.

(source: TPg Admissions website: https://admissions.hku.hk/tpg/faq )

6. Do I need to complete the Postgraduate Diploma in Education to apply for this programme?

No. This is not an entry requirement.

7. Besides submitting the application form online, what other information I need to submit ?

Please provide both soft and hard copy of Supporting Documents to our department. Transcripts, diplomas, certificates and other submitted documents which are not in English should be accompanied by a certified translation in English. Certified translation may be provided by your home institution.

Online Admission Seminar
Date : 13 January, 2024 (Saturday)
Time: 2:30pm to 5:00pm
Mode: Via Zoom (Registration is required)
Click HERE to register for the Admission Seminar

The quota of the Admission Seminar is 300 and participants will join on first-come first-served basis.  The Seminar will be recorded for the university’s record. When joining the Zoom meeting, you have given consent to being recorded.

For more details, please visit the programme websites:

Doctor of Psychology in the field of Educational Psychology:
https://psychology.hku.hk/admission-doctor-of-psychology-in-the-field-of-educational-psychology/

Master of Social Sciences in the field of Educational Psychology:
https://psychology.hku.hk/admission-master-of-social-sciences-in-the-field-of-educational-psychology/

Application procedure and admission-related enquiries:
Mr. Robin LEE (General Office)
Tel: (852) 3917 5866
Email: mssep@hku.hk

Programme and profession-related enquiries:
Ms. Elsa Lai Yi CHIU
Admissions Coordinator
Email: elsachiu@hku.hk

Answers to frequently asked questions about admissions into postgraduate programmes at The University of Hong Kong can be found here as well as the FAQ webpage of the MSocSc programme at the Department of Psychology. Please read through the materials in the above-mentioned webpages THOROUGHLY FIRST. Oftentimes, information requested can readily be found in these webpages.