This programme is designed for:

Graduates from disciplines of relevance to Sustainability and Development Studies, including:

• Asian Studies
• Anthropology
• Communications
• East and Southeast Asian Studies
• Economics
• Education
• Environmental Studies
• Geography
• History
• International Studies
• Political Science
• Public and Social Administration
• Sociology, including Applied Sociology

Mid-career professionals working in sustainability and development-related fields, including: 

• Government / Public Affairs
• Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs)
• Business
• Education
• Environmental Management
• International Organisations
• Journalism / Mass Media
• Public Relations

The programme caters to local students, as well as overseas students from both developed and developing countries, both within the region and elsewhere.

To be eligible for admission, you must satisfy the General Entrance Requirements and have a Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline of the social sciences or in a humanities discipline relevant to development studies from a recognised tertiary institution or an equivalent qualification.

Applicants with a bachelor’s degree in other fields who possess advanced experience in relevant professions will also be considered. A first degree in a social science or humanities subject would be an advantage.

One or more years of working experience in a development-related field would be an advantage.

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

• 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. 

Programme Core Courses (12 Credit Units)

• Theories and Approaches in Development Studies
• Sustainability Infrastructures and Measurements
• Sustainable Development: Theories and Policy
• Capstone Project or Master's Thesis

Stream Core Courses (15 Credit Units)

Development Challenges Stream

• Authoritarian Resilience and Democratic Change in East Asia
• Environmental Challenges in Asia and the World
• China and the Developing World
• Politics and Social Movements in Developing Asia
• Comparative Development in Asia
• Cutting-edge Cases in Development under Late Capitalism

Sustainability Strategies and Policies Stream

• Collaborative Governance for Sustainability
• Food Governance and Sustainability
• Managing Sustainable Development
• Labour, Sustainability and Development
• Urban Development and Sustainable Cities
• Financing Sustainability: Policy and Mechanism 

Note: Depending on the availability of resources, the Department will decide which four courses will be offered for the Development Challenges Stream and the Sustainability Strategies and Policies Stream respectively at the beginning of each academic year.

All applicants are required to indicate their preferred study stream at the time of application. While the University tries to accommodate applicants' preference as far as possible, applicants’ allocation to their first choice is not guaranteed. The University reserves the right to suspend a study stream in case of under-enrolment.

Programme Electives (3 Credit Units)

• Urban Design and Regional Planning History, Theory and Practice
• Energy Management for Building Sustainability
• Renewable Energy for a Sustainable Building Performance
• Sustainable Building Development
• Project Planning and Management for Development
• Research Design for the Social Sciences
• Women and Politics in Asia
• Understanding and Managing Smart Cities
• Environmental Governance in China
• Evidence-based Policy and Practice

Students will acquire the ability:

• To undertake the analysis of current sustainability and development issues
• To investigate practical problems using a comparative methodology
• To plan, manage and monitor sustainability and development projects
• To communicate and collaborate with partners from other countries
• To apply acquired knowledge and skills in a variety of work settings

Sustainability and Development Studies is a relatively new and an increasingly important field of study. But prior to this programme at the City University of Hong Kong, it was not taught at all in Hong Kong.

Heads and officers of development agencies, including non-governmental organizations and other non-profit organizations, have publicly communicated their felt need for professional training in Sustainability and Development Studies.

The Programme Leader and other colleagues of the teaching team have ample research, teaching and working experience on a wide range of sustainability and development issues in various parts of Asia.

Department of Public and International Affairs
College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences