This conversion program is designed to provide non-psychology degree holders with the knowledge, skills, exposure, and insights for (1) analyzing human behaviors from a psychological perspective, (2) developing research expertise in applying psychology to relevant settings, and (3) pursuing advanced professional training and a career in psychology and closely related areas. Upon completion of the program, students will be eligible to apply for graduate membership of the Hong Kong Psychological Society.

Programme Intended Learning Outcomes (PILOs):

Upon successful completion of this Programme, students should be able to:

• critically evaluate major principles/theories in core areas of psychology;

• apply major psychological theories/principles to analyze analyze human behaviors in real life situations;

• critically evaluate research evidence published in psychological journals; design and carry out psychological research independently; and

• appreciate the close connection between psychology and everyday experiences.

Programme Features

• Designed primarily to provide degree-holders having no undergraduate training in psychology to pursue further study and a career in psychology.

• Focus on the cultivation of a distinctive blend of knowledge and skills relevant to advanced training and different careers in psychology.

• Multiple concentrations catering for different interests and career aspirations.

• Classes meet primarily on weekday evenings.

• Credit transfer could be granted for equivalent level of study.

To be eligible for admission, you must satisfy the General Entrance Requirements and:

• have a recognized bachelor's degree from one of the universities in Hong Kong or from any overseas institutions recognized for this purpose by the University, or

• an equivalent qualification, or

• have evidence of academic and professional attainments acceptable for this purpose by the University.

Applicants who can provide documentary evidence that they have a) completed a course of introductory psychology offered by a recognized university or institution, or b) obtained relevant learning or working experiences related to psychology would be an advantage.

An introductory course in psychology is considered to be a course which is taught at the undergraduate level and (1) provides an overview of major topics in psychology such as biopsychology, perception, cognition, learning, motivation, emotion, intelligence, personality, and social psychology, and (2) lasts at least one semester.

Applicants who do not have previous experience in psychology may consider enrolling in a make-up course, e.g., SS1101 Basic Psychology or equivalent. For details, please read the Enrollment information.

Applicants who plan to apply for admission can complete or enroll in the make-up course before admission. Application for enrollment in the make-up course, e.g., SS1101 Basic Psychology, usually starts at the end of the first semester in which it is typically offered in the second semester (subject to annual review if applicable).

Remarks: For the Education stream, preference will be given to those who have had at least 2 years working experience in the educational setting. For both streams, prior knowledge about research methods and statistics would be an advantage.

English Proficiency Requirements

Applicants whose entrance qualification is obtained from an institution where the medium of instruction is not English should fulfil the following minimum English proficiency requirement:

• a score of 79 (for tests taken prior to 21 January 2026) or 4 (for tests taken from 21 January 2026 onwards) (Internet-based Test) in the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)^@#; or

• an overall band score of 6.0 in International English Language Testing System (IELTS)^@#; or

• a score 450 in the new College English Test (CET-6) of Chinese mainland; or

• other equivalent qualifications

@TOEFL and IELTS scores are considered valid for two years. Applicants are required to provide their English test results obtained within the two years preceding the start of the University's application period. 'TOEFL iBT Home Edition', ‘TOEFL MyBest Score’, ‘IELTS Indicator’, ‘IELTS One Skill Retake’ and ‘IELTS Online’ are not acceptable. All TOEFL results must be sent directly by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) using CityUHK’s institution code 3401, while IELTS results must be sent via the IELTS Results Service e-delivery to 'City University of Hong Kong - Graduate School'.

#Applicants with an IELTS overall band score of 6.0 or a TOEFL overall score of 4 will be required to pass an interview for English proficiency conducted by the concerned academic unit. Applicants with a comparable overall score of 79 or above shown on the TOEFL report may be exempt from the interview requirement. Interviews for other applicants may not be required.

Students may obtain the MSocSc degree by studying in either Applied Psychology Stream or Education Stream.

1. Common Core Courses (21 credit units)

* SS5798B is offered as an option to students who have strong interest and ability in research. The availability of this option is subject to the approval by the Course Leader of SS5798B.

2.  Courses for Respective Stream (9 credit units)
   
   Students are required to take any 9 credit units from respective stream course list.
   
   Applied Psychology Stream

Education Stream 

Upon completion of the program, students will be eligible to apply for graduate membership of the Hong Kong Psychological Society. However, membership is granted on the basis of individual merits but not automatically upon application

The master award allows graduates to pursuit further study in psychology via the enrolment in research-based programs (e.g. MPhil or PhD) or professional training (e.g. clinical, educational, occupational, or counseling psychology). A number of graduates of the predecessors of this program have already become either researchers (e.g. college professors) or registered psychologists in clinical, education, occupational or counselling psychology.

Upon graduation, students who are qualified teachers and with a concentration in the Education stream are expected to be competent in teaching in inclusive settings.

Programme Descriptions
Course Syllabus
Department of Social and Behavioural Sciences
College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences