Handbook for Taught Postgraduate Studies 2019-20

Abstract

[evdate 2019-07-15] Skip to main content

The Handbook for Taught Postgraduate Studies is produced by the HKUST Fok Ying Tung Graduate School (FYTGS) to help students of taught postgraduate programs understand the policies and procedural matters related to various aspects of their studies. For any questions, comments or suggestions, please contact FYTGS.

COPYRIGHT © HKUST FOK YING TUNG GRADUATE SCHOOL ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. DESIGNED BY MTPC.

Preface

This Handbook has been prepared with the purpose of helping students understand their rights and responsibilities as taught postgraduate (TPg) students at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and the policies related to various aspects of their studies. We hope this Handbook can serve as a useful guide for TPg students throughout their course of study. TPg students are obliged to find out what they need to do or know about their program of study and the related University regulations.

This may also serve as a handy reference for faculty members and administrative staff who may need to advise students on procedural matters concerning their studies at the University.

The content of this Handbook may change from time to time to reflect the most updated information. Students should also refer to the Academic Regulations of the University for policies related to their study.

University Governance

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) was established in 1991 by the HKUST Ordinance under Chapter 1141 of the Laws of Hong Kong. Its mission is to advance learning and knowledge through teaching and research, particularly in science, technology, engineering, management and business studies, at the postgraduate level, and to assist in the economic and social development of Hong Kong.

Stipulated in the University Ordinance and Statutes are three major bodies in the University governance structure, namely the Court, Council and Senate. The Court is the supreme advisory body of the University. The Council is the supreme governing and executive body. The Senate is the supreme academic body, which is responsible for setting and reviewing academic policies.

The Senate has delegated some of its powers and duties to the committees that it has set up. Among the committees, the Committee on Postgraduate Studies advises and makes recommendations to the Senate on policies and regulations, and to monitor and review procedures, quality and performance relating to postgraduate studies, while the Committee on Teaching and Learning Quality advises and makes recommendations to the Senate on policies, regulations and guidelines relating to the quality assurance of teaching, learning and assessment.

The University is led by the President, who together with the Provost and the three Vice-Presidents formed the senior administration.

The Provost provides overall academic leadership, and is responsible for the academic oversight and planning relating to graduate studies. Reporting to the Provost, the HKUST Fok Ying Tung Graduate School performs two main functions: Postgraduate Secretariat, which oversees and coordinates matters related to research and taught postgraduate studies and serves as the secretariat for the Committee on Postgraduate Studies; and Postgraduate Outreach and Admissions, which deals with outreach and admissions matters for all postgraduate programs.

Student Conduct and Academic Integrity

The HKUST Academic Honor Code Student Conduct Academic Integrity Policies and Regulations The HKUST Academic Honor Code Honesty and integrity are central to the academic work of HKUST. Students of the University must observe and uphold the highest standards of academic integrity and honesty in all the work they do throughout their program of study.

As members of the University community, students have the responsibility to help maintain the academic reputation of HKUST in its academic endeavors.

Sanctions will be imposed on students if they are found to have violated the regulations governing academic integrity and honesty.

Student Conduct The University expects good conduct from students. The University may take disciplinary action against a student who violates rules and regulations for good conduct, or the instructions of authorized persons and bodies responsible for ensuring good conduct, or where a student commits any misconduct.

More information is available here.

Academic Integrity The University’s approach to cases of academic misconduct is fundamentally educational. The process for dealing with these cases is designed to enable students to better understand the nature of academic misconduct and the high standards of academic integrity that are expected. The sanctions available in confirmed cases of misconduct are intended to signal the importance that the University places on maintaining these high standards and to communicate this to students.

Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

Cheating: conduct designed to mislead those responsible for making a judgment on a student’s academic performance or standing, including:

Unauthorized conveyance or receipt of examination or test questions; The giving, receiving or utilizing of unauthorized information or assistance in completing an assignment, test or examination; Breaches of the regulations for examinations set out in the Annex of the Regulations for Student Conduct and Academic Integrity; Impersonating another student or allowing oneself to be impersonated by another student in participating in a test or examination; Submission of academic work containing purported statements of fact or references to sources that have been fabricated; Presenting for credit work that has already been accepted for credit in another course.

Plagiarism: the presentation of work which originates from other sources, including the work of other students, as the student’s own work, without appropriate attribution to the source.

More information is available here.

Policies and Regulations For details on University policies and regulations governing student conduct, academic integrity and research conduct, please refer to:

Regulations for Student Conduct and Academic Integrity Procedural Framework Governing Violations of Academic Integrity Policy on Research Conduct and Integrity

Admissions

Admission Requirements Admissions Process Non-local Applicants Deferred Admission Re-admission Admission Requirements To qualify for admission to the University, applicants must meet (i) the University admission requirements; (ii) the admission requirements of the program they are applying for; and (iii) the English language admission requirement.

University and program admission requirements are minimum requirements for admission. Meeting these minimum requirements does not guarantee admission. Applicants who possess other qualifications equivalent to the University requirements for admission may submit applications for consideration on the basis of individual merit.

Details of the admission requirements of the University and individual programs are available here.

Admissions Process Applications for admission to postgraduate programs in Fall Term of the year are normally invited from September in the previous year. Interested persons are strongly advised to apply well before the application closing dates. Application deadlines for individual programs may vary and should be checked prior to submitting an application. In order to allow sufficient time to obtain a student visa/entry permit, non-local applicants are encouraged to submit their applications as early as possible.

Selected applicants may be invited for an admission interview. Successful applicants will receive an offer of admission from the HKUST Fok Ying Tung Graduate School, and may be required to satisfy specified conditions. Applicants receiving an offer will be expected to accept or decline by a specified date.

Detailed application procedures are available here.

Non-local Applicants The University welcomes applications from non-local students who are seeking admission at the postgraduate level.

A student holding one of the following documents is considered as a non-local student. This is applicable to all non-local students including visiting and inbound exchange students.

Student visa/ entry permit; or Visa under the Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates (IANG); or Dependent visa/entry permit who were 18 years old or above when they were issued with such visa/ entry permit by the Director of Immigration.

(i) Student Visa or Entry Permit Most non-local students are required to obtain a student visa (or entry permit for students from Mainland China, Macao and Taiwan) for studying in Hong Kong. Students from Mainland China must apply for an entry permit via HKUST. For students from Taiwan, Macao or an overseas country, it is the simplest and most straightforward to apply for a student visa/entry permit via HKUST. Students who are unsure whether they need a student visa/entry permit or not should check with the Hong Kong Immigration Department (Tel: (852) 2824 6111; Email: enquiry@immd.gov.hk).

Detailed application procedures for student visas/entry permits are available here.

(ii) Costs of Study In addition to tuition fees, costs associated with staying and living in Hong Kong include accommodation, medical and living expenses. Non-local students should carefully consider the financial aspects of their study in Hong Kong before coming to Hong Kong. More information about the cost of living in Hong Kong can be found here.

(iii) Employment During Study Non-local students should note that, while the Hong Kong Immigration Department has relaxed its employment restrictions, they are only allowed to take up on-campus part-time work, summer work and study-related internship, subject to rules and conditions specified by the Immigration Department and the University. For details, please refer to the "Internship & Employment During Study" section of this Handbook.

Deferred Admission Under special circumstances, students may apply in writing to the HKUST Fok Ying Tung Graduate School for deferred admission to a subsequent regular term. Requests will be considered on an individual basis by the relevant School/department, who will notify the applicant of the outcome. All approvals for deferred admission are valid for not more than two consecutive regular terms, after which re-application for admission to the University must be made.

Re-admission Students who have withdrawn from the University may apply for admission into any program of study by following the regular admissions procedure. However, those who are required to withdraw from the University due to academic reasons or failure to meet the prescribed conditions set for re-enrollment at the end of an academic leave may not apply for re-admission into the same program of study.

For re-admitted students, course grades and credits taken within five years prior to re-admission and not used to earn any academic qualification at the University or elsewhere may be used to fulfill requirements of the new program of study, subject to approval of the department.

Fees

Tuition Fees Late Charges and Other Penalties University Student Accommodation Compulsory Medical Insurance Tuition Fees Students are required to settle the tuition fee in full by the prescribed deadline. Information on tuition fees for individual programs is available in their respective program entries in the Postgraduate Program Catalog.

Students on taught postgraduate programs who have to extend their study beyond the normative period of study may be required to pay a term-based fee, or they may need to pay additional fees based on the number of credits they enroll for the term concerned.

Students who have financial hardship to settle the payment may approach the Scholarships and Financial Aid Office (SFAO) to apply for deferral of tuition. Tuition fee paid is NOT refundable.

Please click here for details on tuition & fees.

Late Charges and Other Penalties Students may be required to pay late charges or subject to other penalties for failure to complete certain University procedures by stipulated deadlines. These include fines for overdue library books, services suspension for delinquent payments including tuition/hall fees, and administrative charges for resumption of suspended services. Late charges and penalties are imposed in accordance with the rules and regulations set by respective offices.

University Student Accommodation All taught postgraduate students should expect to make their own housing arrangement outside campus. Only few full-time students from certain programs have student accommodation options which are arranged by their Schools/Program Offices. Information on the accommodation arrangements and charges will be provided to individual students by their Schools/Program Offices directly.

Compulsory Medical Insurance The University policy stipulates that compulsory medical insurance is required for all registered full-time degree-seeking non-local postgraduate students studying at HKUST on student visa/entry permit.

The compulsory medical insurance aims to provide better resources and safety net for non-local students in the event that they need prompt, appropriate and affordable medical services locally or outside of Hong Kong. While students may use the free general consultations and medications of the campus clinic, they might need other medical services such as hospitalization in some circumstances. There are always long waiting lists for public hospital services in Hong Kong, while medical costs in private hospitals are high.

Details about student insurance schemes can be found at the Scholarships and Financial Aid Office website.

Scholarships, Awards and Financial Assistance

Scholarships ​Government Student Financial Assistance University Loans and Bursaries Scholarships The University administers various scholarships and awards on behalf of individual and corporate donors. Most are offered to students on the strength of academic merit and the recommendations of a School or department. Other scholarships may have conditions specified by the donors. Program-specific scholarships are also available for some taught postgraduate programs. Details are available at the Scholarships and Financial Aid Office website.

​Government Student Financial Assistance Students who have the right of abode in Hong Kong are eligible to apply for financial aid from the Student Finance Office (SFO) of the Working Family and Student Financial Assistance Agency. Holders of student visas are not eligible to apply for any financial aid from SFO, irrespective of their number of years of residence in Hong Kong. Assistance is offered through the following schemes:

Extended Non-means-tested Loan Scheme (ENLS) Under this scheme, non-means-tested financial assistance is provided in the form of a loan to eligible students, up to the amount of tuition fees. Students have to repay the loan at a cost recovery interest rate within a specified period after graduation or upon leaving the University. Application forms and further details are available at the SFO website.

Continuing Education Fund (CEF) The Continuing Education Fund (CEF) subsidizes adults with learning aspirations to pursue continuing education and training courses. Eligible applicants will be reimbursed part of the tuition fees on successful completion of approved reimbursable course(s). Application forms and further details are available at the CEF website. Students with financial difficulties are urged to apply for government assistance as soon as it is open for application.

University Loans and Bursaries Students with additional financial needs may apply for loans and bursaries administered by the University. In general, these funds are used to supplement, but not substitute for, government financial assistance. Details of loans and bursaries are available here.

Registration in Programs

Maintaining Registration Double Registration Late Registration Mode of Study Normative Period of Study Leave from Study Off-campus Study Status Changes of Registration Registration Beyond Program Completion Withdrawal from the University ​Maintaining Registration Program registration involves payment of tuition and other prescribed fees, and completion of the registration process. Failure to maintain registration in the program in any regular term will result in automatic withdrawal from the program and the University, unless a formal approval of Leave from Study has been obtained from the student’s department. Moreover, students must be officially registered in their programs in the regular term when they are being considered for graduation from the programs concerned.

Double Registration Unless prior permission from the Academic Registrar is obtained, students are not permitted to concurrently register for another program at this University or at another tertiary institution. If students are found to be registered elsewhere without seeking prior approval, they will normally be required to discontinue their study at this University.

Students who wish to apply for simultaneous registration should submit an “Application for Double Registration” (form RR-29) to the Academic Registry together with appropriate documentary evidence. Students will be notified of the result of the application in writing.

Late Registration Non-local postgraduate students admitted to the University in a particular academic year must complete registration in their programs by the end of the add/drop period in the Fall or Spring Term. Under special circumstances, students may apply in writing to the Academic Registry via the department for late program registration for the term concerned.

Mode of Study Most postgraduate programs are available in both full-time and part-time modes of study. Unless otherwise specified, the taught programs leading to master’s degrees, postgraduate diplomas and postgraduate certificates are suitable for students interested in part-time study.

Postgraduate students may apply to their department, prior to the beginning of any regular term, for transfer from full-time to part-time status or from part-time to full-time status. When such a transfer is allowed, the remaining program requirements will be determined.

Full-time students in taught programs are expected to be in attendance during those terms for which their programs are scheduled. For part-time students, attendance shall be as above except on a part-time basis as defined by the requirements of their programs of study.

Normative Period of Study The normative period of study for the full-time taught master’s programs is one or one-and-a-half years as specified by individual programs. For part-time taught master’s programs, students may expect to take twice the time of full-time students.

The normative period of study for part-time postgraduate diploma programs is one year and a half, whereas that for the part-time postgraduate certificate programs is one year. For the full-time postgraduate diploma programs, the normative period of study is half a year to one year.

The maximum time allowed for program completion is five years for a master’s degree. The maximum period of study for a postgraduate diploma program is three years whereas that for a postgraduate certificate is two. Time limits for part-time study are the same as for full-time study. The time limits are in effect whether or not the student is in continuous registration. That is, period of approved Leave from Study, and suspension period are also counted toward the maximum time allowed for program completion.

Leave from Study Students are discouraged from interrupting their program of study. In exceptional circumstances with sufficient justification, students may apply for Leave from Study for one regular term, subject to approval of the department. Applications for Leave from Study for two consecutive regular terms require the approval of the Dean or the Dean’s designee. Applications for Leave from Study for more than two consecutive regular terms will normally not be considered. Any exception to this rule requires the approval of the HKUST Fok Ying Tung Graduate School.

The approved period of Leave from Study will be counted toward the time limit for completion of the program being pursued.

To apply for Leave from Study, students should submit an “Application for Leave from Study” (form RR-8a) together with the appropriate supporting documents to the department for approval before the start of the proposed leave period.

Off-campus Study Status Students under formal dual-degree programs may register on the “Off-campus Study” status at HKUST during the terms when they are perusing dual-degree study at the host institutions.

Students with the “Off-campus Study” status will remain officially registered in their programs. They are allowed to register for or audit course(s), and may be considered for graduation from the programs concerned. They are not required to pay tuition fee at HKUST, not entitled to University student accommodation, and not eligible to receive any forms of financial assistance.

The off-campus study period should normally commence at the beginning of a term. For off-campus study commencing in the middle of a term, tuition fee paid for that term is not refundable or transferable. The period will be officially recorded on student’s academic transcript, and will count toward the maximum time allowed for program completion.

Students who wish to apply for the “Off-campus Study” status should approach the home School/Department prior to the commencement of the term when the “Off-campus Study” status will take effect.

Changes of Registration A student may change from one program of study to another with the permission of the department to which the student wishes to transfer. If a transfer is approved, that department will determine which credits from the student's former program apply to the new program. Normally, the transfer will not be effected until the following regular term. Students who wish to transfer to another program of study in the middle of a term should obtain the prior approval of the department and the Dean or the Dean’s designee. Unless there are extenuating circumstances, requests for program transfers to be effected in the middle of a term are not supported.

For students who have transferred from one program of study to another, the maximum time for program completion will be counted from the first day of registration at the University.

To apply for program transfer, students are required to submit an “Application for Program Transfer/Change of Academic Load (for Postgraduate Students)” (form RR-6a) to the receiving department for consideration.

Registration Beyond Program Completion Students who have completed their program requirements are not allowed to continue their registration for the same program of study in subsequent regular terms.

Withdrawal from the University Students who withdraw, or are required to withdraw, from the University must complete clearance procedures as specified by the Academic Registrar. Only students who have completed the clearance procedures for withdrawal will be entitled to receive refund of caution money and a free copy of the transcript of studies.

To apply for withdrawal and refund of caution money, students should complete and return the “Application for Withdrawal of Study” (form RR-12) to the Academic Registry.

Study Commitment

Study Commitment Internship & Employment During Study Study Commitment Students admitted to a full-time program are expected to study full-time for their programs, and are cautioned that outside work commitments may impede their academic performance.

Internship & Employment During Study During the Fall and Spring Terms, full-time taught postgraduate (TPg) students, both local and non-local, may engage in part-time employment for no more than 10 hours per week. Non-local students may only take up on-campus employment with HKUST internal offices/units or designated on-campus operators. No approval from the University is required.

During the Winter Term, non-local students may take up on-campus part-time employment of no more than 20 hours per week. There is no limit on the work hours and location for local students.

During the Summer period from 1 June to 31 August, both local and non-local students may take up employment without any limit on the work hours and location.

Full-time TPg students, both local and non-local, may take up study-related internship of no more than 20 hours per week throughout the year. Prior approval of the program director is required. For exceptional cases involving internship work of more than 20 hours per week, with strong justifications, case-by-case approval has to be obtained from the program director, Associate Dean (PG), and the HKUST Fok Ying Tung Graduate School. For non-local students, the approval of study-related internship is further subject to the specific Hong Kong Immigration Department restrictions as follows:

Maximum duration: 1 year or 1/3 of normal program duration, whichever is shorter; During the internship period, the students must be officially registered students of HKUST; and The internship must start after the students have begun attending scheduled classes of the specified program in Hong Kong and end before they have finished their final year of study. Non-local students engaging in employment or internship are required to have obtained the relevant No Objection Letter from the Hong Kong Immigration Department in advance.

Details on employment of non-local students during their study are available at the Career Center website.

Curriculum Requirements

Medium of Instruction and Assessment Adherence to the Curriculum General Requirements of Taught Postgraduate Programs Medium of Instruction and Assessment Unless otherwise approved by the Senate for a specific course or program of study, English is the medium of instruction and assessment at the University.

Adherence to the Curriculum Each student enrolled in a specific program is subject to the requirements of the department and the University. All postgraduate students must adhere to the curriculum of the year of entry throughout their program of study.

Students should ensure that they understand the curriculum requirements of their program and plan ahead to complete their program within the permitted duration of study. In case of deviations from School/departmental/program requirements, approval must be obtained from the Dean or the Dean’s designee. Deviations from University requirements must be approved by the HKUST Fok Ying Tung Graduate School.

Departments should, as far as possible, deliver the curriculum advertised unless due to special circumstances, changes to the original curriculum are necessary or advantageous.

Detailed curriculum requirements for students admitted in different academic years are published in the Postgraduate Program Catalog.

General Requirements of Taught Postgraduate Programs EMBA, MA, MBA, MPP and MSc programs are coursework degrees for which students must fulfill a minimum course requirement specified in the program descriptions in the Postgraduate Program Catalog. Students may also undertake a project under supervision of a faculty member. Projects require the submission of a written report, as specified by the department, and carry a maximum of nine credits.

Students on postgraduate diploma programs must fulfill a minimum coursework requirement of 15 credits. Those on postgraduate certificate programs must fulfill a minimum coursework requirement of eight credits.

Course Registration

Course Selection and Registration Credit Requirements Study Load Background, Prerequisites, Co-requisites, Exclusions and Co-listed Courses Course Auditing Course Add/Drop and Course Withdrawal Academic Accommodations or Adjustments for Students with Special Educational Needs Course Selection and Registration Course registration deals with the selection of and registration in appropriate courses for a specific term. Course registration for a term requires approval from the department. The student’s program registration will be revoked without formal registration in any course. Students should ensure that they have properly registered in the courses specified for a term. Students whose names are not on the class enrollment list will not be allowed to sit for examinations of the specific courses concerned and will not be awarded any grades for the courses.

Students should acquaint themselves with the general rules for postgraduate course registration and departmental course requirements for the program. They should also refer to the Postgraduate Course Catalog and read the course description and requirements carefully before selecting a course.

Credit Requirements Credit requirements for postgraduate programs apply only to course and project work.

For students on taught master’s programs requiring 30 credits or above, unless restricted by program regulations, a maximum of nine credits of approved undergraduate courses at 4000-level may be used for postgraduate credit. Of the nine credits, no more than six may be from the student’s department. For programs requiring fewer than 30 credits, a maximum of six credits of approved undergraduate courses at 4000-level may be used for postgraduate credit. Of the six credits, no more than three may be from the student’s department.

For students on postgraduate diploma programs, unless restricted by program regulations, a maximum of three credits of approved undergraduate courses at 4000-level may be used for postgraduate credit. Students on postgraduate certificate programs are not allowed to use any undergraduate courses for postgraduate credit.

For all taught postgraduate programs, no more than 50% of the program requirements could be satisfied using credits earned from online courses and any other transfer credits granted.

Study Load The normal study load for full-time students on taught master’s programs is twelve credits per regular term, with nine credits being the minimum. The MBA and MSc programs offered by the School of Business and Management, however, have a heavier study load than other taught postgraduate programs. For part-time students, unless otherwise specified by program regulations, the maximum study load is eight credits per term.

The normal study load for students on part-time postgraduate diploma and postgraduate certificate programs is six credits for each regular term. Unless otherwise specified by program regulations, the maximum study load is eight credits per term. For full-time postgraduate diploma and postgraduate certificate programs, the minimum study load is nine credits per regular term.

Background, Prerequisites, Co-requisites, Exclusions and Co-listed Courses A course may require a certain general level of desired prior knowledge as background. Students should ensure that they have the necessary background to undertake a course, and may seek help from their departments.

If a course designates other courses as its prerequisites, students must have taken and passed the prerequisites before they may enroll in the course, unless exemption is granted by the course offering department. If a course designates other courses as its co-requisites, students must have taken the co-requisites prior to, or at the same time as, the specified course. Exemption from prerequisite or co-requisite requirements requires the approval of the instructor of the course concerned.

If a course has exclusions specified, students are not allowed to enroll in the course if they have already taken and passed any of the stated exclusions. Also, students are not allowed to enroll in a course together with any of its stated exclusions in the same term.

A co-listed course is a course offered under more than one course code. There may be different assessment schemes or assignments for the different course registrations, which will be explained to students at the beginning of the term. Students may enroll in and earn credits for only one of the co-listed versions of the course.

Course Auditing With the permission of the course instructor, postgraduate students may enroll in a course as an auditor, who attends a course and participates in activities up to and including the writing of the final examination but not receiving a formal grade. Subject to satisfactory completion of requirements set by the course instructor, the course will be designated “AU” on the student’s transcript; otherwise the course will be removed from the registration record.

The credit load of audit courses is counted toward the study load of a student. Students on taught postgraduate programs are not allowed to audit courses without enrolling for normal coursework simultaneously in a regular term. Exceptions may be allowed for Summer and Winter Terms with the approval of the program director concerned.

For students who are on taught postgraduate programs which adopt a per-credit tuition fee, the tuition fee for the audit courses is the same as that of regular courses.

Course Add/Drop and Course Withdrawal Students may make changes to their course registration during the add/drop period scheduled at the beginning of each term. Changes made in this period will not be reflected in the student’s record.

Requests to add or withdraw from courses after the add/drop period will not be accepted, except under extenuating circumstances beyond the control of the student. Students wishing to request for course add or withdrawal after the add/drop period will be required to provide the department with full justification for making the application. The request has to be supported by the course instructor concerned, and endorsed by the department head, and the Dean or the Dean’s designee before it is forwarded to the Academic Registry for consideration.

If approval is granted for course withdrawal, the Withdrawal without Penalty Grade “W” will be recorded on the student’s transcript as the course grade. For students who are on taught postgraduate programs which adopt a per-credit tuition fee, there is no refund of the tuition fees paid for the withdrawn courses.

To apply for course add or withdrawal after the add/drop period, students are required to submit an “Application for Class Enrollment/Withdrawal after Add/Drop Period” (form RR-22) to the department for approval.

Academic Accommodations or Adjustments for Students with Special Educational Needs HKUST is committed to providing equal educational opportunities to all students. Students with any learning difficulties may reach out to instructors and/or the Counseling and Wellness Center for support. The Counseling and Wellness Center provides a wide range of services and resources: (a) It coordinates with course instructors to provide reasonable academic accommodations or adjustments to courses for students with special educational needs (SEN) and/or temporary health conditions. Students may contact sen@ust.hk to arrange a confidential discussion regarding equitable access to the chosen program and reasonable accommodations; (b) It also provides personal counseling service for students who have concerns on their well-being and personal problems. Students may make an online appointment or contact counsel@ust.hk to arrange a confidential discussion to get help and advice.

Course Substitution and Credit Transfer

Course Substitution Credit Transfer Transfer of Course Grades and Credits on Resumption of Studies Course Substitution Course substitution may be granted if the student can provide evidence, such as a transcript and course syllabus, that a course is equivalent in content and level to another course taken elsewhere, for which a satisfactory grade has been obtained. The course taken previously should be equivalent to 4000-level or above. No credits will be given for the exempted course and the student will be required to take an approved alternative course to fulfill program requirements.

Applications for course substitution must be made to the department during students’ first term of study after admission. Students on postgraduate diploma and postgraduate certificate programs must submit their applications within the first month after admission. The application must first be reviewed by the course instructor on the equivalency in course content and level; if supported, approval from the department head/program director is required.

Credit Transfer Credit transfer may be granted to students in recognition of studies completed elsewhere at an appropriate level as recognized by the University. Students applying for credit transfer must provide evidence, such as a transcript and course syllabus, to illustrate that a course is equivalent in content and level to another course taken elsewhere, for which a satisfactory grade has been obtained.

Applications must be made to students’ department during their first term after admission. Students on postgraduate diploma and postgraduate certificate programs must submit their application within the first month after admission. For students who complete studies elsewhere during their registration at HKUST, for example on an exchange program, applications must be submitted to the department for approval within one month after students’ return to their study at HKUST. Late applications will not be considered.

Applications must first be reviewed by the course instructor; if supported, approval from the department head/program director is required. The number of transfer credits to be granted will be determined by the department following a review of past academic records and the level of equivalence to HKUST courses concerned. Conditions on the granting of transfer credits to taught postgraduate students are as follows:

Credits earned at the undergraduate level can only be used for credit transfer purpose if the credits had not been used to earn another academic qualification, and that the course must be at 4000-level or above. Transfer credits cannot be granted in recognition of non-coursework experience or research work completed either at the University or at other institutions. Credits for transfer must be at grade ‘B’ or above. No more than half of the required coursework may be granted transfer credits. Credits previously used to satisfy the requirements of other academic qualifications cannot be transferred. Subject to the approval of the department, credits earned from a postgraduate certificate or postgraduate diploma of the University may be transferred to its articulated postgraduate diploma or master’s degree program. Transfer credits granted will not be included in the calculation of grade averages but the courses approved for credit transfer will be reflected on students’ transcripts.

Transfer of Course Grades and Credits on Resumption of Studies Students who have previously withdrawn from their program of study at the University but who, after a period of time, are re-admitted to a program at the University, may be allowed to transfer their previous course grades and credits to the new program of study. Such a transfer of course grades and credits is restricted to courses which have been completed within five years prior to the resumption of study at the University. In addition, these credits must not have been used to earn any academic qualifications either at the University or elsewhere.

Course Grading

Grades for Postgraduate Courses Assignment of Course Grades Grade Announcement Illness or Other Circumstances Affecting Assessment Grade Review Course Repeats Grade Averages Grades for Postgraduate Courses Students receive a grade for each course in which they are enrolled. Grades used in postgraduate courses are shown in the table below. For the purpose of calculating the grade averages, numerical grade points are assigned to each course grade, except HP/P/LP/U/Y, AU, I, P, PP, T and W which are not included in the calculation of the grade averages.

Letter Grade Grade Points Definition A+

A

A-

4.3

4.0

3.7

Excellent Performance

B+

B

3.3

3.0

Good Performance

B-

C+

C

2.7

2.3

2.0

Marginal Performance

F(1) 0 Failure HP/P/LP/U/Y Grade(2) Definition HP High Pass P Pass LP Low Pass U(3) Unsatisfactory Y(4) Incomplete Other Grades Definition AU(5) Audited I(6) Incomplete P(7) Pass, Ungraded PP(8) Permitted to Proceed T Transferred W(9) Withdrawal without Penalty Notes: A failed course (graded F) will not be credited toward a degree. The “F” grade, including that under the P/F grading system, will be included in the calculation of the grade averages. The HP/P/LP/U/Y grade is for use exclusively on courses of the Executive Master of Business Administration programs offered by the School of Business and Management. An Unsatisfactory (U) grade will not be credited toward a degree. An Incomplete (Y) grade is used when there is initial delay in coursework. This grade must be converted to a regular grade within a specified deadline; otherwise it will be converted to a “U” grade. The Audited (AU) grade will be assigned when an auditing student has completed, to the satisfaction of the instructor, any conditions established at registration as an auditor. If the conditions are not met, the course will be deleted from the student’s record. An Incomplete (I) grade is used when work is necessarily delayed through no fault of the student, such as a medical problem or an equipment breakdown. This grade must be converted to a regular grade at least one working day before the start of the following regular term; otherwise it is converted to an “F” grade. The “I” grade given to students on programs not following the regular term system must be converted to a regular grade within one month from the last day for grade reporting for courses, which is normally the sixth working day from the last day of examinations; otherwise it is converted to an “F” grade. The Pass, Ungraded (P) grade is given only under the P/F grading system for courses that are indicated in the course description in the Course Catalog that they will be graded as such. When progress in thesis or project work is satisfactory but not scheduled for completion at the end of a regular term, the Permitted to Proceed (PP) grade is used. The Withdrawal without Penalty (W) grade is given when a student is granted special approval for withdrawal from a course after the add/drop period.

Assignment of Course Grades Grades with grade points assigned are the default grades for courses. Other grading scheme may only be used where this is approved for the course.

Grades given in each course are based on student performance in the final examination, tests, essays and reports, presentations and other forms of classroom participation, assignments, and laboratory exercises, although not all these elements may be present in each course. A failing grade in the laboratory component, if any, of a course may result in a failure in the whole course. The grading scheme for each course will be announced to the class at the beginning of the course.

Grade Announcement After the examination period, students are required to check their own course grades which are available on the web-based student information system. Course grades will be posted on this web-based system as soon as they become available but not later than six working days from the last day of the examination period for the term.

Illness or Other Circumstances Affecting Assessment If students wish the University to take into account medical reasons or some other extenuating circumstances beyond their control that have affected their performance in an examination, or ability to attend an examination, or to complete other assessment activities, they must report the circumstances of the case in writing and provide appropriate documentation to the Academic Registry within one week of the scheduled date of the assessment activity.

The Academic Registrar will review the case and make a recommendation to the relevant Dean or the Dean’s designee. The student will be notified of the result of the request within one week from the date the request is lodged with the Academic Registry. A make-up examination, if any, will be held within five weeks after the regular examination period. The format of the make-up examination will be decided by the course instructor concerned.

Grade Review Students may apply for a grade review of a course in which they were enrolled in the term just completed. They should first discuss the matter with the course instructor as soon as the course grades are released. Where a clerical or administrative error has been made, the course offering department will report the revised grade to the Academic Registry.

If the student’s concern remains unresolved after this informal discussion, the student may submit a request for a grade review to the head of the course offering department in writing within two weeks from the day on which grades are released:

Stating the grounds for the request for review; Describing the relevant facts; and Providing supporting evidence. If a review is granted, the department head will arrange for the review within three weeks after the release of the grade.

Requests for review of course grades should normally be resolved at the department level. Students who wish to appeal against the decision of the department must do so in writing to the Dean within two weeks of receiving the decision stating the grounds for the appeal. Upon receipt of the written appeal, the Dean will determine whether or not a further review of the grade should be granted and how the review will be conducted. The Dean’s decision is final.

Course Repeats A course with a grade lower than C shall not be credited toward a program although it will be reflected in the student’s record. Only two courses (excluding audited courses) in a postgraduate program may be retaken, and unless otherwise specified, each may be repeated only once. The new grade obtained at the second attempt will replace the previous grade in the calculation of the grade averages.

Grade Averages A grade average (GA) is the weighted average grade point obtained in a group of courses with letter grades where each course is given a weight equal to its credit value. Courses graded HP/P/LP/U/Y, AU, I, P, PP, T or W are not included in the calculation.

There are three grade averages. The term grade average (TGA) is the grade average covering all courses taken in a specific term. The cumulative grade average (CGA) is based on all the courses taken by the student up to the time of calculation. Students’ TGA and CGA will be calculated at the end of each of the four terms. At graduation, a graduation grade average (GGA) will be calculated from the courses that are presented for an academic award. The GGA for graduation for all postgraduate programs must at least be 2.850.

Progression and Academic Standing

Academic Standing The academic standing of all postgraduate students is reviewed at the end of each regular term and assessed by their departments. Unsatisfactory performance may result in students being denied the opportunity to continue their study.

In order for postgraduate students to attain good academic standing, they must, at the end of each regular term,

obtain a cumulative grade average (CGA) of 2.850 or higher; and show a reasonable progress toward program completion. Students who fail to maintain good academic standing in a regular term will be issued a letter of warning by the department head.

Academic Leave and Academic Dismissal Students who fail to maintain good academic standing in two consecutive regular terms will have their records reviewed by the department and may be required to take academic leave and have their study suspended. The academic leave will last from one to three regular terms during which students may apply for re-enrollment in their program of study at the end of their suspension. If this application for re-enrollment is approved, certain conditions may apply and the student must regain good academic standing in the regular term immediately following re-enrollment. Students will be dismissed from the University if the conditions are not met. If re-enrollment in the program is not granted by the expiry of the academic leave, the suspension will be converted to a dismissal from the University.

Graduation

Graduation on Completion of Studies Graduation Grade Average (GGA) Graduation Approval Conferment of Awards Congregation Award Diploma Graduation on Completion of Studies When students have completed, or are registered in courses that will complete, the academic and non-academic requirements for an award, they will be included in the list of pending graduates. The non-academic requirement includes the settlement of all fees or fines payable and that there is no serious case pending decision with the Student Disciplinary Committee.

To be considered for graduation, a student must:

Complete the specific program requirements for graduation within the specified time limit; and Achieve a graduation grade average of at least 2.850 in the courses used to satisfy the program requirements.

Graduation Grade Average (GGA) At graduation, a graduation grade average (GGA) will be calculated from the courses that are presented for an academic award. The GGA for graduation for all postgraduate programs must at least be 2.850.

If a student has taken more courses than required by the award, upon recommendation of the department, certain courses included in the calculation of the CGA may be excluded from the GGA calculation to improve the GGA of the student. Otherwise, all courses taken will be included.

Graduation Approval Endorsement by School Boards or their Postgraduate Studies Committees is required to confirm the graduation list and any special recommendations by departments for program completion. Departmental and School recommendations are then considered and approved by the Committee on Postgraduate Studies, as delegated by the Senate.

Conferment of Awards The University confers academic awards twice a year, once in May/June and once in November. The official diploma is issued only after conferment of the awards.

Congregation The Congregation is the formal graduation ceremony at which students are conferred their awards by the Chancellor or other officers of the University as stipulated in the University Statues. This graduation ceremony is held in Fall Term of each year at a time and place determined by the University.

Attendance at the Congregation is not compulsory. The award will be conferred in absentia to those graduands who are not present at the ceremony.

Award Diploma Diplomas are distributed to graduates after the conferment of the award. Diplomas show in Chinese and English the following:

Name of the graduate as shown on the graduate’s Hong Kong Identity Card, with the surname capitalized and appearing first, followed by a comma and the given names; Award title, which is shown the same as the program title, with no concentration given; and The date of award conferment. (In the case of diplomas for postgraduate diploma and postgraduate certificate programs, the date the graduation case was approved by the Committee on Postgraduate Studies will be shown.)

Appeals and Grievance Channels

Appeals A student may make an appeal in writing to the Associate Dean of the relevant School responsible for postgraduate studies for matters related to his/her study.

Grievance Channels If students have any grievance about their program or their study, channels are readily available to help them settle their grievance and alleviate their concerns.

When a student encounters any difficulty or has any concern that he/she feels should be conveyed to or discussed with the University, the first stop should normally be the program director. If this does not work or is not appropriate for some reasons, the next level for voicing grievance is to the department head. If the issue cannot be settled satisfactorily in the department, the student may approach the Associate Dean of the School responsible for postgraduate studies for advice. In the event that the issue still cannot be resolved within the School, the next stop is the HKUST Fok Ying Tung Graduate School. If the issue-in-question involves existing academic policies, the matter may be referred to the Committee on Postgraduate Studies or Senate for consideration.

In general, if the grievance is of a personal nature, the student may consider talking to a student counselor of the Counseling and Wellness Center of the Dean of Students' Office for advice.

Committee on Postgraduate Studies Calendar Dates in the 2019-20 Academic Year Bad Weather Arrangements for Classes and Examinations Useful Forms and Guidelines Contact of Schools/Departments Supporting Services Maps