Approved Courses for Research Degree Students (PIA)

Department of Public and International Affairs

MPhil/PhD students are required to fulfill the stipulated core course and electives requirements.

Please refer to the University Home Page for historical catalogue information. (CityUHK > Academics > Programme and Course Catalogue > Research Degree Programmes > Archives)

Core Courses for PhD Students (9 Credits) for 2026 cohort and thereafter:

Code	Course Title	Credits
PIA8618	Qualitative Methods	3
PIA8619	Independent Study	6

Core Courses for PhD Students (10 Credits) for 2022 - 2025 cohort:

Code	Course Title	Credits
PIA8123	Comparative Politics and Political Economy @	3
PIA8618	Qualitative Methods	3
PIA8616	Politics and Political Philosophy	3
PIA8619	Independent Study	4

Core Courses for PhD Students (formerly POL) (10 Credits) for 2019 - 2021 cohort:

Core Courses for PhD Students (formerly AIS) (9 Credits) for 2019 - 2021 cohort:

Code	Course Title	Credits
PIA8123	Comparative Politics and Political Economy @	3
PIA8124	Development and International Studies @	3
PIA8616	Politics and Political Philosophy	3
PIA8619	Independent Study	4
PIA8620	Policy Studies and Public Management	3

Core Courses for PhD Students (formerly POL) (14 Credits) for 2018 cohort or before:

Core Courses for PhD Students (formerly AIS) (7 Credits) for 2018 cohort or before:

Code	Course Title	Credits
PIA8123	Comparative Politics and Political Economy @	3
PIA8125	Research Methods and Ethics for the Social Sciences	3
PIA8616	Politics and Political Philosophy	3
PIA8617	Research Design, Methodology, and Ethics	3
PIA8618	Qualitative Methods	3
PIA8619	Independent Study	4

Core Courses for MPhil Students (3 Credits) for 2026 cohort and thereafter:

Code	Course Title	Credits
PIA8618	Qualitative Methods	3

Core Courses for MPhil Students (6 Credits) for 2022 - 2025 cohort:

Code	Course Title	Credits
PIA8616	Politics and Political Philosophy	3
PIA8620	Policy Studies and Public Management	3

Core Courses for MPhil Students (formerly POL) (6 Credits) for 2019-2021 cohort:

Core Courses for MPhil Students (formerly AIS) (3 Credits) for 2019-2021 cohort:

Code	Course Title	Credits
PIA8123	Comparative Politics and Political Economy @	3
PIA8616	Politics and Political Philosophy	3
PIA8620	Policy Studies and Public Management	3

Core Courses for MPhil Students (formerly POL) (8 Credits) for 2018 cohort or before:

Core Courses for MPhil Students (formerly AIS) (7 Credits) for 2018 cohort or before:

Code	Course Title	Credits
PIA8123	Comparative Politics and Political Economy @	3
PIA8125	Research Methods and Ethics for the Social Sciences	3
PIA8616	Politics and Political Philosophy	3
PIA8617	Research Design, Methodology, and Ethics	3

Research Methodology and Ethics Courses for PhD and MPhil Students (3 Credits):

Code	Course Title	Credits
PIA8617	Research Design, Methodology, and Ethics	3

Research Methodology and Ethics Courses for PhD Students (formerly POL) (9 Credits) for 2019-2021 cohort:

Research Methodology and Ethics Courses for PhD Students (formerly AIS) (3 Credits) for 2019-2021 cohort:

Code	Course Title	Credits
PIA8125	Research Methods and Ethics for the Social Sciences	3
PIA8617	Research Design, Methodology, and Ethics	3
PIA8618	Qualitative Methods	3
PIA8621	Quantitative Methods	3

Research Methodology and Ethics Courses for MPhil Students (3 Credits) for 2019-2021 cohort:

Code	Course Title	Credits
PIA8125	Research Methods and Ethics for the Social Sciences	3
PIA8617	Research Design, Methodology, and Ethics	3

Electives for PhD Students (6 credits) for 2026 and thereafter:

Code	Course Title	Credits
(i) With the agreement of the supervisor, select one of the courses below (3 credits):
PIA8621	Quantitative Methods	3
PIA6204	Data Science for Public Policy and Management	3
(ii) Select one MA-level course (3 credits) offered in MA Housing and Urban Management (MAHUM), MA International Studies (MAIS), MA Public Policy and Management (MAPPM) or MSocSc Sustainability and Development Studies (MSSSDS) programmes

Electives for PhD Students for 2025 cohort or before: Select 2 from the following for a total of 6 credits

Code	Course Title	Credits
PIA8620	Policy Studies and Public Management	3
PIA8621	Quantitative Methods	3
PIA8124	Development and International Studies	3
PIA6204	Statistical Analysis for Public Policy and Management	3
PIA8123	Comparative Politics and Political Economy@	3
PIA8616	Politics and Political Philosophy	3

Electives for MPhil Students (3 credits) for 2026 and thereafter:

Code	Course Title	Credits
With the agreement of the supervisor, select one of the courses below (3 credits):
PIA8621	Quantitative Methods	3
PIA6204	Data Science for Public Policy and Management	3

% Special approval of programme leader is needed.
# Elective courses which may not be offered every year.
@ PIA8123, PIA8124 have to be taken in separate semesters.
Remark:
1) Students should - with the agreement of the supervisor - take either PIA8616 or PIA8123
2) PIA8621: required for students in political studies, policy studies, and public management
3) PIA6204: enrolled with supervisor permission
4) PIA8123 and PIA8616: If students take this course as programme core course, they are not allowed to take this course as an elective

Please refer to the University Home Page for historical catalogue information. (CityUHK > Academics > Programme and Course Catalogue > Research Degree Programmes > Archives)