The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering is dedicated to carry out fundamental and application-oriented research to develop scientific, engineering and management solutions that are appropriate to sustain the urban development in densely-populated cities, such as Hong Kong, in Mainland China and other major cities in Asia. We have a strong team of faculties and have achieved an excellent research and publication track record in civil engineering.
The Research Postgraduate Programmes offered by CEE are a combination of coursework and independent research leading to the degree of Master of Philosophy (MPhil) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). All of our academic staff are actively engaged in research activities through a range of funding from UGC, RGC, ITF and other sources. The principal research areas in CEE include: Environmental Engineering & Science Geotechnical Engineering Coastal & Hydraulic Engineering Structural Engineering and Construction & Transportation.
Aims and Learning Outcomes
The programme of research comprises coursework and thesis and is designed to enable the student to: (1) acquire competence in research methods and scholarship (2) display sustained independent effort and original thoughts and (3) to pursue lifelong learning capability for continual professional development. The programmes target to produce academics, researchers or industrial R&D professionals.
The main difference between a Mphil and a PhD degree is that, the Mphil seeks to understand how to stretch the limits of knowledge while a PhD seeks to add to that knowledge by creating more knowledge aside from what is already existent. The degree of Master of Philosophy or Doctor of Philosophy would be awarded to a student who, on completion an approved programme of study and research, presents a thesis embodying the results of his/her research and satisfies the examiners in an oral examination (and other examinations if required) in matters relevant to the subject of the thesis.
Mphil and PhD students are required to satisfactorily investigate or evaluate a chosen area, to show understanding of the context and significance of the work, and to present a clear, complete thesis of a quality worthy of publication.
Expected September 2026
Faculty of Construction and Environment, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
ZS1201, 12/F, South Tower, Block Z,
Hung Hom,
Kowloon City, Hong Kong, Kowloon
To register for the degree of PhD, a student must normally hold a postgraduate degree containing a significant research component, such as a dissertation, conferred by a recognized university.
In exceptional circumstances, applicants other than those stipulated above may be admitted directly to the PhD programme. For example, an applicant with a Bachelors degree with First Class Honours, or the equivalent. Such applicants may be required to pass an examination.
PolyU may accept other equivalent qualifications. The decision is made on an individual basis.
The requirements for those who do not have a degree for which English was the language of instruction at a recognised university are:
An overall score of at least 6.5 (with score for the writing component at 6.0 or above) in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS); OR
A Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of 80 or above for the Internet-based test (with a writing score of 23 or above) or 550 or above for the paper-based test (with a score of 4 or above in the Test of Written English).
Alternatively, consideration will be given to acceptable scores in other internationally recognised public examinations, such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT).
All English language test scores are considered valid for five years after the date of the test.
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