Department of Media and Communication Center for Communication Research

Ph.D. Studies in Media and Communication

To Apply

The application deadline for the academic year 2026/2027 is 1 December 2025 and the application results will be announced in early March 2026.
 
To apply, please consult the SGS website (https://www.cityu.edu.hk/pg/research-degree-programmes/steps-and-procedures) and draft a research proposal following the guidelines. You may wish to browse the department's website for information regarding faculty's research interest and expertise.
 

Research Proposal

Please bear in mind that the Research Proposal serves as a primary source for assessing your research interests and alignment with our expertise areas. It reflects your familiarity with the relevant literature, conceptual abilities, methodological skills, and proficiency in English writing. You may contact Prof Ye SUN, the Acting Research Degree Coordinator (till January 2026), Prof Marko SKORIC, the Research Degree Coordinator (available from January 2026), or any other faculty members for clarifications regarding our research interests and training approaches. However, please be aware that requests for advice on "how to write a good proposal (to get admitted)" will generally not be entertained, as this is precisely what we evaluate in your proposal.
 
The fundamental principle for a good Research Proposal is the presence of a serious question that warrants careful and thorough investigation. You should be able to articulate a proposition—or a series of related propositions—that are suitable for detailed research and analysis.
 
The proposal should be written in English and include:
 
  1. A clear statement of the aims of the research with justifications of significance or potential contributions.
  2. A description of the research background for the topic, with an overview of existing findings/current conversations in the area. It should be clear to a reader what phenomenon you wish to investigate, your research questions or hypotheses, and the theoretical framework you may use.
  3. An outline of the methodological process you plan to apply, including research method (e.g., experiment, survey, case study, or secondary data, etc.), the potential sample, how data will be collected, etc.. Make sure your methodological approach is appropriate for your research questions.
  4. A brief summary.
  5. A list of works cited in your proposal.

The proposal should be around 5 pages in single space, plus references.
 

Entrance Requirements

  1. BA, MA, or M.Phil degree from a recognized university;
  2. Strong GPA (over 3.5 out of 4; or total marks of over 85 out of 100);
  3. English proficiency (see below);
  4. Publications in recognized journals would be an advantage.
     

English Proficiency Requirements

Applicants whose first degree was obtained from an institution where the language of teaching is not English should satisfy the minimum English proficiency requirements specified by both the University and individual Colleges and Schools. The minimum English Proficiency Requirements for research degree applicants of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences is:
 

  1. a minimum TOEFL* score of 88 (internet-based), with a minimum of 21 for Reading, 21 for Listening, 25 for Writing, and 21 for Speaking; or
  2. a minimum IELTS 6.5 for overall band score and for the sub-categories of Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking

* TOEFL Paper-based test (before October 2017) and Paper-delivered test (after October 2017) will not be accepted as there is no Speaking component.


TOEFL and IELTS scores are considered valid for two years from the test date and must be valid at the time of submission of application.



Research Areas of Faculty Members

Please visit the personal profile of faculty members.