The Department of Psychology offers a postgraduate programme leading to the degree of Master of Social Sciences in the field of Psychology.  English is the medium of instruction.

Curriculum (2024/25 academic year) (subject to University’s approval)

1. The curriculum shall normatively be one academic year for full-time study and two academic years for part-time study.

2. For the “dissertation” option, candidates are required to complete eight compulsory courses and a dissertation. For the “non-dissertation” option, candidates are required to complete eight compulsory courses, a capstone project in psychology and an elective course from the elective course lists of this programme.

Compulsory Courses

PSYC7301  Introduction to research methods in psychology (6 credits)
PSYC7302  Research and quantitative methods in psychology (6 credits)
PSYC7303  Biological psychology (6 credits)
PSYC7304  Cognitive psychology (6 credits)
PSYC7305  Developmental psychology (6 credits)
PSYC7306  Personality psychology (6 credits)
PSYC7307  Social psychology (6 credits)
PSYC7319  Introduction to psychopathology (6 credits)

Elective Courses

PSYC7310  Human neuropsychology (6 credits)
PSYC7311  Internship in psychology (6 credits)
PSYC7312  Introduction to concepts and approaches of therapeutic psychology (6 credits)
PSYC7313  Introduction to health psychology and wellbeing (6 credits)
PSYC7314  Professional ethics and issues in psychology (6 credits)
PSYC7315  Psychological testing and measurement (6 credits)
PSYC7316  Special topics in psychology (6 credits)
PSYC7318  Introduction to education psychology (6 credits)

(Note: Not all the elective courses listed will necessarily be offered every year)

Capstone Experience Courses

PSYC7308  Dissertation in psychology (12 credits)
PSYC7317  Capstone project in psychology (6 credits)

3. Dissertation option: Full-time candidates are required to take four courses in each of the 1st and 2nd semesters, in addition to a full-year dissertation course.  Part-time candidates are required to take five courses in the 1st year and, in addition to the dissertation course, three courses in the 2nd year of study.  Any variations from this pattern are subject to the approval of the Programme Director.

4. Non-dissertation option: Full-time candidates are required to take five courses in each of the 1st and 2nd semesters.  Part-time candidates are required to take five courses in the 1st year and five courses in the 2nd year of study.  Any variations from this pattern are subject to the approval of the Programme Director.

5. For the compulsory and elective psychology courses, candidates are required to participate in the problem-based inquiry for each course.  In preparation, they should complete the required assigned readings and are encouraged to engage in self-directed learning by reading additional self-selected relevant materials.

6. Candidates who are enrolled in a capstone experience course are required to conduct a capstone project or write a dissertation on an approved topic under the supervision of a faculty member in his/her final year of study.  The dissertation shall be presented not later than June 30 of the final academic year of study, while the capstone project report shall be presented not later than the last teaching day of the final academic year of study.

7. Candidates who had taken similar courses in a programme which is designed to bring the degree holder up to the standard of a graduate majoring in psychology may not be approved to take similar courses listed under (1). Candidates may be granted exemption of up to three courses with either one course from each of the following combinations:

• • PSYC7303 / PSYC7304,
  • PSYC7305 / PSYC7319,
  • PSYC7306 / PSYC7307, and

no exemption is allowed for the research methods courses, i.e., PSYC7301 and PSYC7302.

8. Exemption will only be considered in special circumstances and each application for exemption will be considered on its own merit. Candidates with exemption granted are required to take one of the postgraduate seminar courses (PSYC7021, PSYC7022, PSYC7023, PSYC6025) or one elective course from the elective course list of this programme in lieu of each exempted course to meet the degree requirements

Course Descriptions 

Compulsory Courses

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PSYC7301.  Introduction to research methods in psychology (6 credits)

This course adopts a practical approach to teaching the analytical aspects of research techniques in psychology.  It is designed to provide students with the basic background in research design and data analysis.  The logic of statistical inference and scientific explanation, the merits and limitations of quantitative approaches to the study of psychological phenomena, and research ethics will be discussed.

Assessment:  100% coursework.

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PSYC7302.  Research and quantitative methods in psychology (6 credits)

This course is designed to extend students’ quantitative and research skills so that they are prepared to conduct their own independent empirical research.  It will build on what students already learned in PSYC7301 to cover more advanced quantitative methods commonly used in Psychology.

Assessment:  100% coursework.

Prerequisites:  PSYC7301.

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PSYC7303.  Biological psychology (6 credits)

This course provides an introduction to biological aspects of behaviour.  The topics include: biological bases of behaviour, development, learning, memory, and psychopathology; the nervous system; processes of brain maturation; psychophysiology.

Assessment:  100% coursework.

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PSYC7304.  Cognitive psychology (6 credits)

This course covers how humans learn to deal with information from the environment in everyday life.  Topics include various aspects of perception, attention, memory, and language.  Students will be involved in conducting experiments on cognitive functioning as part of the coursework

Assessment:  100% coursework.

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PSYC7305.  Developmental psychology (6 credits)

This course covers current issues in developmental psychology and their applied implications.  Students will actively solve problems and conduct mini projects related to selected topics in human development.  There will be an emphasis on understanding basic concepts and theories of human development, research methodology and issues in developmental change, as well as biological, environmental and cognitive influences on development.

Assessment:  100% coursework.

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PSYC7306.  Personality psychology (6 credits)

This course will critically examine a number of theories.  The relationship of specific theories to practical applications, personality assessment and psychotherapeutic techniques may be included.  The major aims of the course are to provide a survey of the breath and complexity of this field and to provide a perspective from which to examine assumptions about human nature and the evaluation of behaviour.

Assessment:  100% coursework.

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PSYC7307.  Social psychology (6 credits)

This course gives an overview of the field which studies the behaviour of individuals in social contexts.  It covers topics in social thinking (e.g., social perception, social judgement, relationship between attitude and behaviour), social influence (e.g., cultural influence, conformity and obedience, persuasion, and group dynamics), and social relations (e.g., prejudice, aggression, interpersonal attraction, and altruistic behaviour).  Current research issues in social psychology will form part of the discussion, and students will be guided to apply the knowledge in real-life situations.

Assessment:  100% coursework.

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PSYC7319. Introduction to psychopathology (6 credits)

This course provides an introduction to the modern concepts of psychopathology. It covers topics on the core features, conceptualization, and treatment of major groups of mental disorders. Relevance in everyday life, cultural issues and ethical dilemmas will form part of the discussion.

Assessment:  100% coursework.

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Elective Courses

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PSYC7310.  Human neuropsychology (6 credits)

This course introduces basic principles of brain-behaviour relationships.  Research methods for investigating brain-behavior relationships are reviewed. The neuro-anatomical and neuropsychological mechanisms underpinning various cognitive and affective processes as well as how these processes are dysregulated in some common brain disorders are discussed. Students will participate in an independent empirical research project.

Assessment: 100% coursework.

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PSYC7311.  Internship in psychology (6 credits)

Students will have an opportunity to i) learn to do research as an intern in ongoing empirical research projects under a teacher’s supervision in the Department of Psychology, OR ii) under special circumstances, engage in an approved non-paid student-initiated internship in local organizations that can provide students an experience that is relevant to the skills and knowledge of the discipline of Psychology. The non-paid student-initiated internship is subject to the approval of the Department.  For research internship in campus, students are required to spent 10-12 hours per week assisting various research activities. The internship includes participating in lab meetings or meeting individually with the supervisor, reading relevant theoretical and empirical articles, assisting in ongoing empirical research projects, and writing an internship report. Information about research projects offering internship placements and application procedure will be available in the Psychology Department webpage.  For internship in local organizations, students are expected to apply psychology knowledge (including models, theories and/or concepts), critical thinking, and analytical skills acquired at the University to analyze real-life situations.

Assessment: 100% coursework.

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PSYC7312.  Introduction to concepts and approaches of therapeutic psychology (6 credits)

This course provides a theoretical and experiential foundation for counselling and further training in the mental health profession. Major theoretical approaches in psychotherapy are surveyed and critiqued. Experiential learning is used to help elucidate some of the course material and facilitate reflection. Topics covered also include basic counseling skills and practice, ethics, diversity and cultural values, indigenous and community-based models, and outcome and process research.

Assessment: 100% coursework.

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PSYC7313.  Introduction to health psychology and wellbeing (6 credits)

This course will provide a critical overview of both the psychological and social aspects of human health and wellbeing. Students will gain some foundations in understanding the role of psychology in the health context. Topics covered in this course include health behaviors, coping with health-related stress, social support and health, psychoimmunology, management of chronic illnesses, and patient-practitioner interaction etc.

Assessment: 100% coursework

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PSYC7314.  Professional ethics and issues in psychology (6 credits)

The purpose of the course is to provide a general ethical guidance to cover typical situations encountered by professional psychologists. Models of ethical decision making will be introduced, discussed, and applied. In addition to the Code of Professional Conduct published by local professional bodies (e.g. the Hong Kong Psychological Society), a number of ethical codes, guidelines, and standards of practice will be reviewed.

Assessment: 100% coursework

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PSYC7315.  Psychological testing and measurement (6 credits)

This course surveys the major concepts and techniques in the field of psychometrics, and provides students with some hands-on experience with commonly used tests. Topics covered include: the context of testing and measurement; the testing process; test standardization; reliability and validity; intelligence and its appraisal; personality assessment; special domain testing; occupational applications; large-scale measurements; ethics and prospects.

Assessment: 100% coursework.

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PSYC7316.  Special topics in psychology (6 credits)

This course provides an opportunity to study in some depth an area of psychology of interest to students and a staff member alike. Individual topics may have special requirements for eligibility. Students taking this course may select one topic from a list of topics to be announced in the semester immediately prior to that in which they are taken.

Assessment: 100% coursework.

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PSYC7318. Introduction to educational psychology (6 credits)

This course focuses on how psychological theories are applied to learning, teaching, and the facilitation of human growth. The topics include major developmental theories and their application to learning and instruction, learning theories from both behavioral and cognitive traditions, effective teaching methods and practices, learners’ individual and group differences, achievement motivation, and assessment. Students will be involved in learning activities that require self-reflection and integration of daily life experience.

Assessment: 100% coursework.

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Capstone Experience courses

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PSYC7308.  Dissertation in psychology (12 credits)

A candidate should conduct an independent empirical investigation of a psychological problem under the supervision of a faculty member.  A successful dissertation should represent the result of the candidate’s research which displays some originality and demonstrates a sound understanding of the field of study and the appropriate research methods.  The dissertation should be about 8,000 to 10,000 words in length (excluding tables, figures, bibliographies, and appendices).  The title of the dissertation shall be submitted for approval not later than March 31 of the final academic year of study, and the dissertation shall be presented not later than June 30 of the final academic year of study. Candidates shall submit a statement that the dissertation represents their own work undertaken after registration as candidates for the degree.

Assessment:  100% coursework

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PSYC7317.  Capstone project in psychology (6 credits)

This course comprises an independent research study in an area of psychology of the candidates’ choice, subject to availability of supervision. Students will conduct a research project or read within an area of study, to be agreed with their instructor, and write an extended essay or research project report. The essay or project write-up should be about 4,000 to 5,000 words in length (excluding tables, figures, bibliographies, and appendices) and should follow the practice of communication in top psychology journals.

Assessment: 100% coursework.

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Replacement Courses (as replacement for the exempted courses only)

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PSYC7021.  Postgraduate seminar in cognitive psychology (6 credits)

This seminar course will cover recent developments in the field of Cognitive Psychology, concentrating particularly on theoretical debates and empirical results that are likely to have considerable impact on the field.  Theoretical and empirical articles will be read each week, and discussed in class.  Discussions will be led by both the instructor and students in the class.

Assessment: 100% coursework.

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PSYC7022.  Postgraduate seminar in social psychology (6 credits)

This seminar course will cover recent developments in the field of Social Psychology, concentrating particularly on theoretical debates and empirical results that are likely to have considerable impact on the field.  Theoretical and empirical articles will be read each week, and discussed in class.  Discussions will be led by both the instructor and students in the class.

Assessment: 100% coursework.

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PSYC7023.   Postgraduate seminar in developmental psychology (6 credits)

This seminar course will cover recent developments in the field of Developmental Psychology, concentrating particularly on theoretical debates and empirical results that are likely to have considerable impact on the field.  Theoretical and empirical articles will be read each week, and discussed in class.  Discussions will be led by both the instructor and students in the class.

Assessment: 100% coursework.

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PSYC6025.  Postgraduate seminar in scientific writing for psychology (6 credits)

This seminar course addresses writing skills in relation to Psychological research.  Students will engage in a series of assignments designed to improve the fluency and quality of their writing.  Particular efforts will be focused on improving the conceptual clarity of writing.  Regular feedback will help students improve upon their writing skills.

Assessment: 100% coursework.

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1)     To be eligible for admission to the programme, a candidate shall hold

(a)     i)   a Bachelor’s degree of this University; or

ii) another qualification of equivalent standard from this University or from another University or comparable institution accepted for this purpose;

(b)   preferably have more than one year of work experience;

(c)   satisfy the examiners in the qualifying examination and interview if shortlisted; and

(d)   comply with the regulations for the degree of Master of Social Sciences.

2)    The University’s English language requirements are as follows:

Applicants with qualifications from a university or comparable institution OUTSIDE Hong Kong where the language of teaching or examination is NOT English are required to obtain:

(a) a score of 550 or above (paper-based test) or 80 or above (internet-based test) in the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL); or

(b) a minimum overall band of 6 with no subtest lower than 5.5 in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS); or

(c) grade C or above in either the Overseas General Certificate of Education, the International General Certificate of Secondary Education, or the Cambridge Test of Proficiency in English Language.

TOEFL applicants should request the Educational Testing Service (ETS) to send an official score report to the University (TOEFL code 9671) direct. The scores are valid for 2 years.

• One-year full-time OR Two-year part-time
• For each core course, students have to attend a 2-3 hours’ weekly class.  Classes are offered primarily in the weekday afternoons. No classes are offered in evenings or weekends. Please visit here for the timetable of current academic year.

Full-time (one year):  HK$165,800

Part-time (two years): HK$82,900 per academic year

Financial assistance is available for full-time postgraduate students. Enquiries should be made to the Working Family and Student Financial Assistance Agency (http://www.wfsfaa.gov.hk/sfo/en/index.htm ) or HKU scholarships opportunities (https://aas.hku.hk/for-pgstudies/ ).

Application

The next class will commence the study in September 2024.  Applications can be made online at https://admissions.hku.hk/tpg/ until 1 December 2023 (12:00 noon).

Programme information, regulations and syllabuses can also be obtained from this website.  For application procedure and technical difficulties in completing the on-line application form, please contact the Admissions Office at tpgadmissions@hku.hk.

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 6 December 2023, whichever is earlier:

• Complete official transcript of undergraduate studies (including studies undertaken in HKU);
• Graduate certificate of undergraduate studies (and postgraduate studies, if any)[Mainland China applicants should also provide “學士學位證書” or “中國高等教育學位在線驗證報告”＆ “教育部學歷證書電子註冊備案表”];
• Graduate certificate of postgraduate studies, if any;
• TOEFL / IELTS / Overseas GCE / IGCSE / Cambridge Test of Proficiency in English Language official score report [Only required from those applicants with qualifications from institutions outside Hong Kong where the language of teaching or examination is not English.]; and
• Personal Statement (about 500 – 600 words) on the reasons for wishing to take this programme, including the plans for the future in which the study will play a part. 

NOTES:

[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.]

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 6 December 2023, whichever is earlier.

Shortlisted applicants will be invited by email in late December 2023 to take a qualifying examination in early January 2024. Shortlisted applicants are required to submit original or certified true copies^Note of the supporting documents if they are shortlisted for interview. Please note that all original copies will NOT be returned.  Photocopies and scanned copies are NOT accepted.  Shortlisted applicants will be informed by email on the details of submission.

If you are an overseas applicant, the copies of documents can be certified by the appropriate officials of your home institution.

Note:

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.

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.

Please first read the FAQ of the TPg admission website for further details. For additional enquiries, please send an email to mpsyc@hku.hk and quote your full name in English and application number in the email.

Successful candidates will be notified of the application results by the end of February 2024. Applicants not shortlisted for the examination and/or interview can consider themselves unsuccessful. 

Applicants may contact the Department of Psychology at (852) 3917 2375 / (852) 3917 7122 or mpsyc@hku.hk if they do not receive their application results by 31 July 2024.

Qualifying Examination 

Shortlisted applicants will be asked to take a qualifying examination.  The qualifying examination will be held in early January 2024.

There will be multiple choice questions testing the basic concepts of psychology in the qualifying examination.  You may find the reference here: https://saylordotorg.github.io/text_introduction-to-psychology/.

Q1. What is the class schedule of full-time and part-time study?

All our classes are held in weekday afternoons, in which full-time takes 4 days a week while part-time takes 2-3 days a week (mostly from 3:30pm to 6:30pm). No classes are offered in evenings or weekends.

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Q2. Do I need to take IETLS or TOFEL?

According to the University’s English language requirements, applicants with qualifications from a university or comparable institution OUTSIDE Hong Kong where the language of teaching or examination is not English are required to obtain:

• a score of 550 or above (paper-based test) or 80 or above (internet-based test) in the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL); or
• a minimum overall band of 6 with no subtest lower than 5.5 in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS); or
• grade C or above in either the Overseas General Certificate of Education, the International General Certificate of Secondary Education, or the Cambridge Test of Proficiency in English Language.

The scores are valid for 2 years

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Q3. Do I require psychology related work experience?

It is preferable to have more than one year work experience, but not necessarily psychology related.

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Q4. When and how can I apply for this programme?

Online applications for September intake can be submitted at https://admissions.hku.hk/tpg during the application period from October to December 2023.  Classes commence in early September 2024.

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Q5. Can I take the MSocSc (Psychology) and another part-time Master programme at HKU at the same time?

Concurrent registration by a student of the University for any other postsecondary qualification either at this University or at any educational institution is not permitted, unless the approval of the Senate has been obtained in advance.

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Q6. 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)

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Information Seminar for September 2024 entry has been held with the following details:

Date:	4 November 2023 (Saturday)
Time:	10:00am – 11:00am
Venue:	CPD-2.42 (Central Podium Level 2, The Jockey Club Tower, Centennial Campus, The University of Hong Kong) By ‘HYBRID Mode’ ( Face-to-face and Zoom )

Please click HERE for the Information Seminar.

Please click here for more information.

Application procedure and admission-related enquiries:

Mr. Robin LEE (Tel: (852) 3917 2375; Email: mpsyc@hku.hk)
Ms. Janice WANG (Tel: (852) 3917 7122; Email: mpsyc@hku.hk)

Programme and professional-related enquiries:

Programme Director, Dr. Xiaoqing HU (Email: xiaoqinghu@hku.hk)