Research Postgraduate Studies at LSGI

The Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics (LSGI) offers postgraduate degrees, i.e. Master of Philosophy (MPhil) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), by research.

The PhD and MPhil programmes aim to provide rigorous training to students who aspire to become researchers and/or scholars capable of conducting independent and original research, and of producing research findings that are relevant and significant to their chosen fields of specialization.

The MPhil study requires candidates to undertake critical study of a chosen area but the PhD study demands candidates to accomplish a study which makes a significant contribution to knowledge deserving of publication.

Entry Requirements: Academic

For PhD study, the basic academic requirement is a recognized master/ postgraduate degree containing a significant research component, such as a dissertation, conferred by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University or another recognized university.

For MPhil study, the basic academic requirement is a bachelor degree with first or second class honours from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University or from another recognized university in the disciplines relevant to the research focus of the Department. However, any applicant possessing a bachelor degree with first class honours may apply directly for PhD studies. An MPhil student might also be directly transferred PhD study if his performance is exceptionally good.

The Department may accept applications with other equivalent qualifications. The decision is made on an individual basis.

Entry Requirements: English Language

For those applicants who do not have a degree from a recognized university at which the language of instruction is English and have not lived in English-speaking countries for more than one year, there is an English language requirement as follows:

• A score of 6.0 or above in IELTS (International English Language Testing System); or
• At least 550 or above in TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) for the paper-based test, at least 213 in the computer-based test, or at least 79 in the internet-based test.

Other internationally-recognized public examinations, such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), may also be considered.

Duration of Study

The normal duration of study for MPhil is 24 months for full-time mode and 48 months for part-time mode.

The normal duration of study for PhD is 36 months for full-time mode and 72 months for part-time mode. However, one extra year (full-time) is normally required for those students who were admitted with a Bachelor's degree only.

There is also a residence requirement. That is, all research students must spend at least 12 months of their study period at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

Requirements for degree awards

A PhD or MPhil degree is awarded to a student who, on completion of an approved programme of study and research, presents a thesis that embodies the results of his/her research and satisfies the examiners in an oral examination in matters relevant to the subject of the thesis.

In addition, each student is required to complete certain taught and guided-study subjects before submitting their theses. These subjects are chosen by the student, with advice from his/her supervisor(s), from a wide range of subjects on offer. The requirements for this compulsory coursework component are 15 and 9 credits for PhD and MPhil studies, respectively.

Financial Support to Research Students

The Department offers a limited number of full studentships (funded by the Government) for MPhil or PhD study each year. For the academic year 2009/2010, the number is 7. (Due to such a limited number, full student scholarships are normally not offered to non-local applicants for MPhil study).

As the competition for full studentship is very strong, the Department now offers partial financial assistance to research students (no matter local or non-local) for MPhil or PhD study, with students working as part-time research assistants or teaching assistants.

The department also accepts self-financed research students.

Major Research Areas

The main research areas of the Department include cadastre, cartography, engineering surveying, geodesy, geographical information science, global positioning systems, hydrographic survey, photogrammetry and remote sensing.

Supervision team

LSGI is an internationally leading department in land surveying and geo-informatics with a number of its academic staff members being internationally recognized researchers. They are actively involved in international and national learned societies/associations and publish widely in prestigious international journals. Some of them have been presented with prestigious international and national awards.

Enquires & Application

All applicants must lodge applications online at: http://www.polyu.edu.hk/rowas

For inquiries about the research study, please contact Prof. Zhi-lin Li, Chairman of Departmental Research Committee (tel: 2766 5960; email: lszlli@polyu.edu.hk). Alternatively, you may pay a visit to the home page of the Department at http://www.lsgi.polyu.edu.hk to find a staff member with appropriate specialty for advice.

For general information on research postgraduate schemes at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, please refer to http://www.polyu.edu.hk/ro