Entrance requirement
English Language Requirements for PhD Admission
English language test result (for applicants who have not obtained a degree from a recognized university in which the language of instruction is English)
- An overall score of at least 6.5 in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS); or
- A Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of 80 or above for the Internet-based test or 550 or above for the paper-based test.
Please refer to the University’s Admission Requirements at http://www51.polyu.edu.hk/eprospectus/rpg/admission-requirements
Supervisors:
PhD applicants are advised to identify and contact appropriate PhD supervisors in the School of Design, and discuss intended research proposals before submission of their documents via the online registration process. They may be given advice on the proposal. Research in the School of Design focuses on specific areas based on existing expertise. Although applicants can express preference of supervisors, the School Research Committee reserves the right to allocate other qualified academic staff members as supervisors, who have relevant professional background, experience and expertise.
Eligible Chief Supervisors
|
Name
|
Expertise
|
Bruyns, Gerhard
|
Urban Environments, Architecture, Theory
|
Bühring, Jörn
|
Luxury, Strategic Management, Design Foresight
|
Chow, Kenny
|
Interaction Design, Design emotion, Persuasive Design
|
Choy, Clifford
|
Interactive Technology, Systems Engineering, Human-computer Interaction
|
Gutierrez, Laurent
|
Urban Environments, Architecture, Art
|
Hasdell, Peter
|
Urban Environments, Architecture, Social Design
|
Ho, Jeffrey
|
Human-computer Interaction, Virtual Reality, Information Architecture, Interaction Design, Digital Games
|
Hoorn, Johan
|
Social Robotics, Artificial Creativity, Affective Computing
|
Kong, Anthony Pui Keung
|
Digital Experience, Educational Technology, Film and Animation, Interactive Entertainment, Service Design
|
Lau, Newman
|
Interaction, UX design for Wellbeing, Gealthcare, Sports
|
Lee, Brian
|
Product and Service Design, Interactive and Tangible Experience, Intergenerational Design, Public Furniture
|
Lee, Kun-Pyo
|
UX Design, User-centered Design, Service Design, Interaction Design, Design Methods
|
Lee, Vincie
|
Advertising Design
|
Liu, Sylvia
|
Entrepreneurial Design Management, Ecosystem for Disruptive Innovation, Design Policy
|
Luximon, Tina
|
Ergonomics, Product Design, Human-computer Interaction
|
Ma, Henry
|
Design Education
|
Maximo, Tulio
|
Inclusive Design, Assistive Technologies, Social Design, Mobility, Service Design, Ergonomics
|
Ng, Sandy
|
Art & Design History and Theories, Visual and Material Culture
|
Oh, Jae-Eun
|
Design Education, Creativity, Students’ Motivation, Animation, Animation Storytelling, Nostalgia, Theme Park Studies
|
Park, Shera Hyunyim
|
Service Design, Service Ecosystem, Digital Platform, Healthcare Service, Service Innovation
|
Shih, Yiteng
|
Conceptual Design, Team Design, Design Thinking
|
Siu, Michael
|
Universal Design, Public Facilities, Design Education
|
Wang, Stephen
|
Innovative Design, Design Intelligence, Interaction Design, and Industrial Design
|
Wei, Huaxin
|
Interaction Design, Interactive Storytelling, Human-computer Interaction
|
Wan, Bruce
|
Enabling Technology, Positive Design, Experience and Service Design, Smart Tourism Innovation
|
Yu, Gino
|
Digital Technology, Entertainment, Creativity and Consciousness
|
See also: Meet our staff
Research proposal:
A proposal should consist of no more than 5,000 words (excluding bibliography). Please use the PolyU template, Form GSB/1A (former:RDC/1A) , which can be found at: https://www.polyu.edu.hk/en/gs/current-students/student-forms/.
- 1. Name of Proposed Chief Supervisor
- 2. Project Title
- 3. Project Objectives
- 4. Scope and Background of Research
- 5. Research Methodology
- • Main topic, goals, and hypotheses.
- 6. Project Significance and Value
- • Societal or political relevance; relevance to scholarship; relevance to design.
- • Link to at least one of the School’s research themes: Design Social, Design Economies, Design Making.
- 7. Details of Any External Collaboration
- 8. Declaration of the Applicant
- 9. Endorsement by the Proposed Chief Supervisor
- 10. Recommendation of Head of Affiliated Department in the University
Please DO NOT change the standard format and only attach the followings with Form GSB/1A :
- 11. 36-Month Work Plan
- • demonstrating the feasibility of the proposed research
- 12. Bibliography (not included in word count)
A document about the guidelines on research proposal writing is available on request, please contact us at sd.phd@polyu.edu.hk.
Application and Enquiries
Applicants who wish to apply for the PhD programme in Design are strongly encouraged to make an application through the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS) which is open between September and December every year.
Please visit the HKPFS webpage and e-Prospectus of our programme for detailed information about the application procedures and deadline
A complete application consists of a research proposal and support documents. Please submit the below support documents together with their completed proposal:
- • Certificate of the award of your Bachelor's and Master’s degree(s);
- • Transcript of your degree(s) with the explanatory notes of overall GPA and maximum GPA of your studies;
- • English language test result (for applicants who have not obtained a degree from a recognized university in which the language of instruction is English);
- i. An overall score of at least 6.5 in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS); or
- ii. A Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of 80 or above for the Internet-based test or 550 or above for the paper-based test.
- • Updated Curriculum Vitae;
- • Signed Research Degree Proposal (Form GSB/1A);
- • Personal Statement;
- • TWO academic referee’s reports at the university level;
- • Additional documents, i.e. published papers, awards, letter of intent (your background, why do you want a PhD, your research interest area), etc.
Click here for the step-by-step guide of application procedures.
Remarks:
1. All applicants are required to submit two referees reports through the e-Admission system. Your referees will receive the link only after you submit the application. Please be reminded that you should submit your application as soon as possible to ensure the referee's reports reach us before the application deadline. If the referee's reports are not received, your application may be disqualified.
2. For applicants who have not obtained a degree from a recognized university in which the language of instruction is English, you should also submit a language test result, such as TOEFL and IELTS.
3. For the proposal, please use the official form (Form GSB/1A). Please be reminded that DO NOT change the standard format of the form.
4. Incomplete and insufficient information/ documents may result in non-acceptance of your application.
It is advised to reserve at least 3-4 months to prepare a good proposal. Also, to find and get in touch with an appropriate supervisor.
General enquiries about admin procedures:
Please contact us at sd.phd@polyu.edu.hk.
Further enquiries on our research programme:
Please contact our PhD & TPS Coordinator, Dr.ir. G Bruyns at gerhard.bruyns@polyu.edu.hk.