Programme Code   : A3D054 / A2M053 Study Mode   : Full-time Enquiry Hotline   : (852) 2948 6611 E-mail   : rpg@ied.edu.hk INTRODUCTION As a research student at the Institute, you will follow a programme of study under the guidance of a principal supervisor and a supervision committee. At the start of your programme you will draw up a plan for your research in consultation with your supervisor for completion of your thesis within the period of registration for the degree. Your work plan and training programme will be reviewed annually in the light of your research needs and progress. The research training programme at HKIEd consists of core and specialist courses. The core courses provide a broad coverage of the central skills and ethical and methodological issues of research in education, social sciences, humanities, languages and linguistics, and creative arts and culture. The specialist courses provide greater depth in specialised skills. The courses, workshops and seminars provide the opportunity for you to become part of the Institute’s larger research community. You will be able to meet and discuss your work with students and staff from different academic departments and learn more about the research taking place at the Institute. PhD AND MPhil CURRICULUM Completion of a PhD degree normally requires 3 years of full-time study; completion of a MPhil degree normally requires 2 years of full-time study. Students pursuing MPhil or PhD studies are first required to register provisionally for the degree and their registration will be confirmed after successfully undertaking a Confirmation of Candidature. The Confirmation of Candidature is expected to be taken after 12 months of study. This confirmation process provides an opportunity for the students to submit and obtain recommendations on a plan for the structure of their research program, describe the investigative program and identify the range of expertise necessary to complete the research. Application for upgrade from MPhil to PhD will be considered after confirmation of candidature and completion of the course work requirements. MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION The medium of instruction and assessment is English. ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS PhD A Master’s degree (or equivalent qualification) from a recognised university; or A Bachelor’s degree with first class honours (or equivalent qualification) from a recognised university. MPhil A Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent qualification) from a recognised university. English Language Requirements* Applicants with a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree at a university where the programme was taught and assessed in English are not required to demonstrate competency through one of the following minimum requirements: 1. IELTS 6.0 with no subtest lower than 5.5; or 2. TOEFL 550 (paper-based test) or 80 (internet-based test) or 215 (computer-based test); or 3. other equivalent qualifications. * Individual field of study such as English language may have higher requirement. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE Full-time research students at the Hong Kong Institute of Education are offered financial supports to cover their tuition fees, daily subsistence, and other expenses that may incur during the course of their studies. There are mainly three types of financial supports as outlined below. Postgraduate Studentship All full-time research students admitted to the RPg programme are automatically considered for Research Postgraduate Studentship (RPGS). As a form of scholarship, RPGS provides the RPg students with financial assistance to study the programme. RPGS are given based on academic merit; and the award is not taxable income. The value of the studentship shall be determined by the Institute from time to time. The monthly stipend for the 2012-13 academic year is HK$13,800. RPGS shall be tenable on an annual basis and awards for the subsequent years will be reviewed and determined by the Institute, subject to satisfactory performance of the RPGS holder. RPGS holder may also simultaneously be recipients of government loans and grants, and they may receive other scholarship awards on condition that this does not violate the terms and conditions of the other awards. Holder of RPGS are required to undertake duties that carry educational benefits for the holder, such as, but not limited to, other research/academic activities, as assigned by the Institute. The amount of the duties shall not exceed, on average, 10 working hours per week in any full twelve-month period. The Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme The Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS) is designed to attract the best and brightest students in the world to pursue their PhD programmes in a tertiary institution in Hong Kong funded by the University Grants Committee (UGC). The scheme awards applicants with outstanding qualities of academic performance, research ability/potential, communication and interpersonal skills, and leadership abilities. It provides a monthly stipend of HK$20,000 (approximately US$2,600), plus HK$10,000 (approximately US$1,300) per year for conference and related expenses. For more details, please visit www.ugc.edu.hk/eng/rgc/hkphd/hkphd.htm. Other Forms of Financial Aids Contingent on satisfactory progress and availability of funding, research centres or academic units of the Institute may be able to offer part-time assistantship (research assistantships or teaching assistantships) to research students. You are advised to talk with department or research centres you affiliate with for such opportunities. TUITION FEE The tuition fee for the 2012-13 academic year is HK$42,100 per annum, which is provisional and subject to adjustment. Tuition fees paid are normally not refundable or transferable.