Make a difference: Study Public Affairs and Management (PAFM) at CityUHK

• How do particular public policies emerge?

• Who make(s) public policy decisions and why?

• What are the roles of different stakeholders in public policy making?

• Why are public policies so important and how do they impact on our everyday lives?

• What can we learn from other societies in relation to government and governance?

• What are the key ethical issues in public policy?

Our PAFM programme will equip you with the essential analytical, communication, and leadership skills to prepare you for a successful career in a wide range of public, private and nonprofit sector jobs. Substantial training and practical opportunities will be provided in various learning modes to build your professional skills, competence and confidence.

Students are required to take courses to fulfil the University's requirements, such as Gateway Education, University Language and College Requirement courses.  Students majoring in Public Affairs and Management are also required to take foundation courses in their first year of study.

The Department of Public and International Affairs is a multidisciplinary department with a multinational faculty and a strong international orientation. With faculty members graduating from many of the world’s top universities and with a commitment to leading-edge research and high-quality teaching, the Department can lay a strong claim to be the leading department in its field in the region.  For ranking and Statistics, please see https://www.cityu.edu.hk/pia/page.aspx?p=Ranking 

The aims of the major in Public Affairs and Management (PAFM) are to:

• provide students with a comprehensive education in the common core theories, concepts, and knowledge bases of public policy, public management, as well as housing and urban studies;
• enable students to specialize in public policy, public management, or housing and urban studies for gaining an understanding of the essential theories, principles, dynamics, and analytic approaches of these bodies of knowledge;
• equip students with the theoretical, conceptual, and analytical tools to comprehensively understand public policy, public management, and societal developments in Hong Kong, China and the contemporary global world; and
• produce graduates who can effectively meet the human resources needs of a wide range of public and private sector employers in administrative, management, and policy analysis positions, as well as in the media and non-government organisations.

In the first year you will take a number of foundation courses essential to the basic understanding of public affairs and management - public management, political science, urban studies, and philosophy. These courses will give you a solid platform on which to build up your general knowledge of public affairs and management.

In the second year of study, you will specialize in one of the following streams:

• Public Affairs and Governance 

• Public Policy and Management

The Public Affairs and Governance stream will engage students in the study of wider public affairs and governance issues. The Department can effectively broaden students’ horizons, boost their analytical and governance skills, and eventually improve their general employability.

The Public Policy and Management stream focuses on human resources management, financial resources management, organizational behavior in public management, management ethics, public policy ethics and housing studies. Students of this stream may choose to specialize in “Housing Concentration” and may be eligible to become professional property management practitioners (Tier 1) licensed under the Property Management Services Ordinance.

A number of electives will also be offered to PAFM students to enrich their learning in the subject discipline.

We are proud to say that our PAFM graduates have been highly successful in the job market, with many of them employable in a wide variety of occupational fields, including government, social and market research, journalism, public relations, commerce, finance, project-planning and management, and social enterprises. Please refer to the diagram for more information on the employment sectors of graduates of our Department in 2022 and 2023.

Joint Bachelor’s Degree Programme between City University of Hong Kong and Columbia University for students in Public Affairs and Management (Political Affairs and Governance Stream)

Students in the Public Affairs and Management Programme (Public Affairs and Governance stream) may apply for admission to the Joint Degree Programme. Students admitted to the Joint Degree Programme will spend their first two years at City University of Hong Kong and stay at Columbia University for their third and fourth years. Upon graduation, students will receive two degrees: Bachelor of Social Sciences in Public Affairs and Management conferred by City University of Hong Kong and Bachelor of Arts in Political Science conferred by Columbia University.  

The PAFM major equips graduates for successful careers in a wide range of administration, management and policy positions in public, private and nonprofit sectors. PAFM graduates work as administrative officers and executive officers in various government departments. Some also work as administrators and managers in public organisations such as universities, public hospitals, the Housing Authority, Hospital Authority and Airport Authority. Some teach in secondary schools and some go on to work as anchors and reporters in the news media. Many of our graduates find employment in the private sector in the fields of public transport, banking, financial services and property management. PAFM graduates also work in the nonprofit sector and social enterprises, involving in community, social and personal services.

The Department of Public and International Affairs sends a large number of PAFM students to overseas universities in Europe, Australia, United States, Canada, and Asia for exchange study. The Department has achieved an impressive record in securing international exchange places with universities in Europe, North America and Australia. The Department also provides internship to PAFM students to gain practical working experience in a wide range of public, private and nonprofit organizations. This helps the career planning of PAFM students. Apart from these, PIA summer schools are very popular among PAFM students for spending a summer in a foreign setting. Various field trips and study tours to different places are organized by faculty in different courses to broaden the horizons of PAFM students to enable them to compare and evaluate the practices of public policy and the operation of government in different countries.

For more details, please click here.

Department of Public and International Affairs 
College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences 
Undergraduate Catalogue 
CityUHK Scholarships for Hong Kong Talents 
CityUHK Talents Programme

Starting in 2026/27, high school applicants can directly apply for Year 1 entry to the prestigious Joint Bachelor’s Degree Programme offered by CityUHK and Columbia University. Graduates will earn degrees from both institutions. For JUPAS applicants, a separate application to Columbia University is required after submitting the JUPAS application.