Postgraduate Placements
The road to a degree from the Division of Social Science (SOSC) offers many rewards along the way. While most students find the collegial experience intrinsically valuable, they learn quickly upon graduation that their degrees provide them with equally valuable career advantages. Graduates from our various programs pursue fulfilling, high-paying careers in many industries and occupations.
Taught Postgraduate Programs
The MA in Social Science program offers training for individuals seeking employment in business, government, mass media, and education. MA Social Science graduates now work in the Hong Kong SAR government as executive or administrative secretaries, in quasi-governmental organizations such as “Invest HK”, in local industry in Hong Kong, in local newspapers (such as Ming Pao), and also as teachers in local primary and secondary schools. Other graduates have used their academic training as a springboard to pursuing research-based programs in one of the social science disciplines either at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) or elsewhere.
Research Postgraduate Programs
Our MPhil graduates typically either treat the degree as an end in itself or build on it as preparation for PhD candidacy.
Most individuals who have used the MPhil degree as preparation for pursuing a PhD have completed their PhDs in the Division of Social Science at HKUST, while others have pursued/completed their PhDs at prestigious universities abroad (a sample of whom is posted below).
| Name | Graduating Year | PhD Obtained From / Currently Underway At | Current Position and Organization |
|---|---|---|---|
| PITTS, Elizabeth Katherine | 1996 | The University of Queensland | |
| YU, Wing Yat | 1996 | The University of Hong Kong | Associate Professor University of Macau |
| CAI, Yongshun | 1997 | Stanford University, USA | Head and Chair Professor The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology |
| SHARIF, Naubahar | 1997 | Cornell University, USA | Acting Head and Professor The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology |
| ZHONG, Jing | 1999 | Indiana University | |
| CHEUNG, Hok Wong | 2002 | The City University of Hong Kong | Post-Doctoral Fellow The Hong Kong Polytechnic University |
| TANG, Yong | 2002 | The University of Hong Kong | Professor Shenzhen University |
| KIKON, Dolly | 2004 | Stanford University, USA | Senior Lecturer School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Melbourne |
| CHENG, Jinhua | 2005 | Yale University, USA | Distinguished Professor of Law & Vice Dean, Executive Director of the Law and Society Centre, Koguan School of Law,Shanghai Jiao Tong University, The Law and Society Center |
| TANG, Jialong | 2005 | Nankai University, People’s Republic of China | Vice Director & Associate Research Fellow Tianjin Institute for Science of Science, People’s Republic of China |
| GUAN, Kai | 2006 | Minzu University, People’s Republic of China | Associate Professor Minzu University, People’s Republic of China |
| GUO, Maocan | 2006 | Harvard University, USA | |
| SHEN, Jing | 2006 | University of Toronto, Canada | |
| SIU, Yu Kwan Kaxton | 2006 | The Australian National University | Associate Professor Hong Kong Baptist University |
| TIAN, Fangmeng | 2006 | George Mason University, USA | Associate Professor Minzu University of China |
| ZHOU, Hang | 2006 | PhD in Applied Social Science, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University |
Youtuber Self-employed in the United States |
| ZHU, Kejia | 2006 | University of British Columbia, Canada | |
| HAN, Jia | 2007 | The Chinese University of Hong Kong | Acquisitions editor Hong Kong University Press |
| ZHANG, Lei | 2007 | University of Minnesota | |
| CHE, Yi | 2009 | The University of Hong Kong | Assistant Professor Antai College of Economics and Management Shanghai Jiao Tong University, People’s Republic of China |
| CHEN, Tao | 2009 | Ph.D. in Finance, The Chinese University of Hong Kong | Associate Professor Nanyang Business School Nanyang Technological University, Singapore |
| WANG, Danqing | 2009 | PhD in Management,INSEAD (France) | Assistant Professor in Management, School of Business and Management, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology |
| WANG, Fang | 2009 | The Chinese University of Hong Kong | Assistant Professor College of Public Administration, East China Normal University, People’s Republic of China |
| JIANG, Da | 2010 | The Chinese University of Hong Kong | |
| LUO, Weixiang | 2010 | The Chinese University of Hong Kong |
Assistant Professor |
| SONG, Xi | 2010 | UCLA, USA | Assistant Professor in Sociology University of Pennsylvania |
| XU, Pianpian | 2010 | Yale University, USA | Founder and CEO Amotions, Inc. |
| CHAN, Wing Sun | 2011 | University of Manitoba, Canada | Officer Hong Kong Council of Social Service |
| LI, Lan | 2011 | Peking University | Assistant Researcher Institute of Higher Education Beijing University of Technology |
| SUN, Qi | 2011 | The University of Hong Kong | |
| WANG, Qian | 2011 | UCLA, USA | |
| MA, Sen | 2012 | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | |
| WANG, Yige | 2012 | The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology | |
| WEN, Fangqi | 2012 | New York University | |
| YANG, Feng | 2012 | UCLA, USA | |
| ZENG, Zhaojin | 2012 | University of Texas-Austin, USA | Assistant Professor, Texas A&M University-San Antonio |
| LI, Yiran | 2013 | Department of Politics and Public Administration, the University of Hong Kong | Assistant Professor, Hong Kong Baptist University |
| TANG, Yun Tong | 2013 | University of Manchester, UK | |
| WEN, Meizhen | 2013 | Anthropology, Australian National University | |
| FAN, Xinguang | 2014 | University of Washington | |
| TIAN, Yuan | 2014 | Northwestern University | |
| XIANG, Nuannuan | 2014 | University of Chicago, USA | |
| ZANG, Xiaolu | 2014 | Duke University | Assistant Professor, Yale University |
| CHEN, Bijia | 2015 | The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology / HKPFS Recipient |
|
| DAI, Yue | 2015 | Sociology, University of Virginia | |
| SHEN, Xiaoxiao | 2015 | PhD in Politics, Princeton University | |
| XU, Ruozhi | 2015 | The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology / HKPFS Recipient |
|
| ZENG, Donglin | 2015 | The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology | |
| CHEN, Jiaying | 2016 | The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology / HKPFS Recipient |
|
| JIANG, Siyun | 2016 | Political Science, University of Texas at Austin | Assistant Professor, IE University |
| LI, Zeren | 2016 | PhD in Political Science, Duke University | Assistant Professor, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy |
| SHI, Shuang | 2016 | The University of Hong Kong | |
| YANG, Wenhui | 2016 | PhD in Political Science, University of Texas at Austin | |
| YU, Zeyang | 2016 | PhD in Political Science, University of Chicago | |
| ZHANG, Jing | 2016 | MA in Social Science, University of Chicago | |
| CHO, Youn Soo | 2017 | Department of Public Policy, The City University of Hong Kong | |
| GE, Xincheng | 2017 | PhD in Politics, New York University | Assistant Professor, IE University |
| LI, Xiangning | 2017 | The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology / HKPFS Recipient | |
| LU, Yao | 2017 | PhD in Sociology, University of California Davis | |
| WANG, Yuqian | 2017 | Princeton University | |
| NG, Ka Lun | 2017 | PhD in Social Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology | |
| DIAO, Wentian | 2018 | PhD in Economics, National University of Singapore | |
| FANG, Jun | 2018 | PhD in Political Science, University of Michigan | |
| FU, Zheng | 2018 | PhD in Sociology, Columbia University | |
| HUANG, Bin | 2018 | PhD in Economics, University of Zurich | |
| HUANG, Jingyang | 2018 | The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology | |
| KANG, Siqin | 2018 | PhD in Politics and Public Administration, The University of Hong Kong | Assistant Professor, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen |
| REN, Bamboo Yunzhu | 2018 | The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology / HKPFS Recipient | |
| SHI, Jiaxin | 2018 | DPhil in Sociology, University of Oxford | Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Wisconsin-Madison |
| WANG, Qingyan | 2018 | PhD in Political Science, University of Georgia | |
| WU, Wenbing | 2019 | PhD in Hong Kong Institute for the Humanities and Social Science, The University of Hong Kong |
Research Fellow |
| CHANDRA, Kevin | 2019 | PhD in Business Administration, Boston University | |
| HUANG, Zhuojun | 2019 | PhD in Chinese and History, City University of Hong Kong | |
| KANG, Ke | 2019 | PhD in Economics, The University of Hong Kong | |
| WANG Runnan | 2019 | PhD in Economics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong | |
| HE, Ning | 2019 | PhD in Politics, New York University | |
| SHA, Wenbiao | 2019 | PhD in Social Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology | |
| PENG, Wenwei | 2019 | PhD in Social Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology /HKPFS Recipient | |
| YIN, Jun | 2019 | PhD in Social Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology | Post-doctoral Fellow, New York University, Shanghai |
| HE, Xin | 2020 | PhD in Social Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology | |
| LIU, Siqin | 2020 | PhD in Social Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology | |
| LIU, Zhengcheng | 2020 | PhD in Economics, The University of Hong Kong | |
| LU, Wenzhi | 2020 | PhD in Social Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology /HKPFS Recipient | Post-doctoral Fellow, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology |
| MA, Shaocong | 2020 | PhD in Social Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology | |
| CHEN, Ziyang | 2021 | PhD in Social Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology | |
| GANLY, Rachel | 2021 |
DPhil in Sociology, University of Oxford |
|
| SHEN, Minghong | 2021 |
PhD in Urban Governance and Design, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou) |
|
| TANAKA, Takanao | 2021 |
PhD in Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of California, Berkeley |
|
| YIN, Yabin | 2021 | PhD in Social Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology | |
| LAI, Ruilin | 2022 | Ph.D. in Political Science, Washington University in St. Louis | |
| WEI, Hanying | 2022 | Ph.D. in Political Science, Columbia University | |
| CHEUNG, Tsz Him | 2022 | Ph.D. in Public Health Sciences, the University of Chicago | |
| WANG, Chuyao | 2022 | MPhil/PhD in Social Research Methods,London School of Economics and Political Science | |
| WU, Jinfeng | 2023 | PhD in Social Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology | |
| WANG, Yilin | 2023 | PhD in Social Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology | |
| LEE, Wendy | 2023 | PhD in Sociology, the University of Hong Kong | |
| XIE, Muyu | 2023 | PhD in History, the University of Chicago | |
| DU, Xinting | 2024 | PhD in Politics, New York University | |
| HUANG, Xinzhuo | 2024 | PhD in Social Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology | |
| LAM, Hoi San | 2024 | PhD in Social Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology | |
| LI, Aidong | 2024 | PhD in Political Science, Brown University | |
| ZHANG, Shidai | 2024 | PhD in Development Studies, University of Cambridge |
Note: Information accurate as of Sep 2024
Most graduates who have used the MPhil degree as an end in itself (a sample of whom is posted below) pursue careers in education as project officers, research fellows, research associates, senior research assistants, instructional assistants, or lecturers at local tertiary education institutions or as teachers in local schools. Others have taken up similar positions in industry, as senior analysts and researchers.
| Name | Graduating Year | Position | Organization |
|---|---|---|---|
| LEE, Fung Sze | 1994 | ICAC Officer | Independent Commission Against Corruption |
| WONG, Ngar Lai | 1994 | Programme Director | Hong Kong Trustees’ Association |
| CHANG, Jingfeng | 1995 | Manager | Beijing Jiayuan Real Estate Investment Co. Ltd. |
| CHENG, Lai Ling | 1995 | Supervisor | SKH Dioceoean Walfare Council |
| SHIRO, Mitsumori | 1997 | Senior Specialist | The Institute for Future Technology |
| KAN, Ka Kit | 2000 | Lay Missionary | Hong Kong Alliance Mission |
| KWOK, Man Kit | 2000 | Director of Development | City University of Hong Kong |
| TANG, Wing Yan | 2003 | APSM | Kwong Ming School, Hong Kong |
| LEUNG, Suk Man | 2004 | Senior Planning Manager – Asia Pac | Shell Hong Kong Limited, Hong Kong |
| WONG, Pei Wai | 2004 | Research Associate (Part-time) | The Hong Kong Polytechnic University |
| CHENG, Fung Ping Rosangela | 2005 | Fieldwork Instructor (Part-time) | The Hong Kong Polytechnic University |
| HUANG, Yang | 2006 | Risk Analyst | Repsol |
| JIANG, Ying | 2008 | Learning Designer | Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. |
| LI, Siliang | 2008 | Business Manager, Strategic Clients Department | China Construction Bank (H.O.). |
| SUN, Yuanjia | 2008 | Equity Analyst | Boomway Asset Management Ltd. |
| WONG, Chi Hang | 2008 | Part-time Tutor | The Open University of Hong Kong |
| YAU, Tze Ken | 2008 | Lecturer | The City University of Hong Kong |
| YEUNG, Lai Shan | 2008 | Senior AO | HKSAR (Housing Department) |
| ZHUANG, Sijin | 2008 | Auditor | Earnest & Young, Hong Kong |
| FUNG, Pik Ki | 2009 | Organizer | 香港駐內地勞工, NGO |
| HOU, Miaomiao | 2009 | Editor | China Social Sciences Press |
| ZHANG, Chuncen | 2009 | Founder | TLINE Education |
| CHOW, Sik Yan | 2010 | Senior RA | The Education University of Hong Kong |
| YANG, Fan | 2010 | Credit Manager | China Development Bank, Hong Kong Branch |
| YANG, Zixiao | 2010 | General Strategic Director | China Mobile Games & Entertainment Group Ltd |
| YUEN, Chi Yan | 2010 | Lecturer | The Open University of Hong Kong |
| TO, Chi Wai | 2011 | Warden | Hong Kong Sports Institute |
| XIN, Jiyun | 2011 | CEO | 瀚一數據科技（深圳）有限公司 |
| YANG, Fan | 2011 | Credit Manager | China Development Bank, HK Branch |
| YU, Shanshan | 2011 | User Experience Researcher | NetEase, Inc |
| HU, Jing | 2012 | Program Manager | CEO Global Education Foundation |
| SUN, Meng | 2012 | Senior Research Executive | WITOP Research |
| WANG, Tong | 2012 | Research Assistant | The City University of Hong Kong |
| WONG, Wai Yin | 2013 | Project Director (Innovation and Technology for Ageing) | The Hong Kong Council of Social Service |
| XIA, Qing | 2013 | Economist | Daiwa Capital Markets |
| ZHENG, Runze | 2014 | Vice President | Taiping Assets Management (HK) Company Limited |
| YANG, Yang | 2016 | Research Assistant | The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology |
| HUANG, Bin | 2018 | Research Assistant | The University of Hong Kong |
| WU, Sixin | 2018 | Analyst | Deloitte Consulting |
| ZHONG, Zeming | 2018 | ByteDance | Market & User Researcher |
| LI, Xueying | 2019 | Research Assistant | The University of Hong Kong |
Note: Information accurate as of Sep 2023
The PhD in Social Science program provides students with rigorous training that prepares them for careers in academia or research-oriented positions in industry or government. That students receive world-class methodological and theoretical training is evidenced by the success of our Social Science PhD graduates. Although our program is relatively new, our graduates have achieved great success in the pursuit of their careers, as shown by the sample of Social Science PhD graduate placements listed in the table below.
Alumni who were awardees in the Hong Kong Postgraduate Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS) are starred.
| Name | Graduating Year | Position | Organization |
|---|---|---|---|
| ZHANG, Zhanxin | 2000 | Professor | Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, People’s Republic of China |
| LI, Qiong | 2001 | Epidemiologist | Tennessee Department of Health, Office of Cancer Surveillance |
| ZHOU, Fei Zhou | 2001 | Professor | Department of Sociology, Peking University, People’s Republic of China |
| ZHAO, Yang | 2002 | Chairman | China Agriculture Reinsurance Corporation |
| CHEUNG, Siu Lan | 2003 | Fellow; Adjunct Associate Professor |
Sau Po Centre on Ageing, The University of Hong Kong Practice in WHO Collaborating Centre, School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University |
| FANG, Huirong | 2003 | Associate Professor | China University of Political Science and Law, People’s Republic of China |
| TAO, Yick Ku | 2003 | Assistant Professor | Department of Psychology, University of Macau |
| WANG, Jianping | 2003 | Chief Statistician | CSM Media Research |
| HO, Wai Yip | 2004 | Associate Professor | The Education University of Hong Kong |
| SREEKUMAR, T. T. |
2004 | Professor | The English and Foreign Languages University, India |
| HUANG, Xianbi | 2006 | Senior Lecturer | La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia |
| LI, Yu | 2006 | Professor | Department of Sociology, Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China |
| WONG, Yin Yue Sharon | 2006 | General Manager & Publisher | Marshall Cavendish HK |
| LIANG, Yucheng | 2007 | Professor | Dept. of Sociology and Social Work, Sun Yat-sen University, People’s Republic of China |
| MA, Jianxiong | 2007 | Associate Professor | The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology |
| SUN, Xiulin | 2007 | Associate Professor | Shanghai University, People’s Republic of China |
| YU, Xiaomin | 2007 | Associate Professor | Beijing Normal University, People’s Republic of China |
| LAM, Gigi | 2008 | Lecturer | Division of Social Studies, Community College, The City University of Hong Kong |
| LEUNG, Chi Yuen | 2008 | Teaching Fellow | The Hong Kong Polytechnic University |
| LIN, Thung-hong | 2008 | Research Fellow | Institute of Sociology, Academia Sinica, Taiwan |
| TJIA, Yin Nor | 2008 | Assistant Professor | City University of Hong Kong |
| HAN, Donglin | 2009 | Professor | School of International Studies, Renmin University of China, Beijing, People’s Republic of China |
| LEUNG, Chi Yuen | 2009 | Teaching Fellow | Department of Applied Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University |
| GUAN, Bing | 2010 | Professor and Vice Dean | School of Public Administration, South China University of Technology |
| MAN, Chi Wai | 2010 | Solicitor | Di Lizio & Associates |
| CHEN, Shuo | 2011 | Professor | Fudan University, People’s Republic of China |
| LI, Bing | 2011 | Associate Professor |
Department of Economics, Lingnan College, Sun Yat-sen University |
| LI, Nan | 2011 | Professor | Department of Economics, Fudan University |
| MA, Chicheng | 2011 | Assistant Professor | The University of Hong Kong |
| ZHANG, Zhuoni | 2011 | Associate Professor | The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou) |
| JIANG, Qin | 2012 | Professor | Shanghai Jiao Tong University, People’s Republic of China |
| LI, Jun | 2012 | Professor | Institute of Sociology, Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, People’s Republic of China |
| YE, Hua | 2012 | Associate Professor | Dept. of Sociology and Social Work, Sun Yat-sen University, People’s Republic of China |
| ZHU, Lin | 2012 | Assistant Professor | Sun Yat-sen University, People’s Republic of China |
| LEUNG, Pak Nang | 2013 | Associate Professor | China University of Political Science and Law, People’s Republic of China |
| LEUNG Yee Man Yvonne | 2013 | Part-time Lecturer | Lingnan University / Hong Kong Baptist University |
| MA, Kwok Wai | 2013 | Assistant Professor | BNU-HKBU United International College |
| SHENG, Zhiming | 2013 | Professor | Shanghai University, People’s Republic of China |
| WONG, Tze Wai | 2013 | Research Fellow | Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies, The Chinese University of Hong Kong |
| ZHENG, Bingdao | 2013 | Assistant Professor | Department of Public Administration, Fudan University, People’s Republic of China |
| GU, Yanfeng | 2014 | Assistant Professor | Institute for Advanced Study, Fudan University |
| YU, Jia* | 2014 | Assistant Professor | Center for Social Research, Peking University |
| ZHOU, Titi | 2014 | Assistant Professor | The Education University of Hong Kong |
| BAI, Ying* | 2015 | Associate Professor | Department of Economics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong |
| CHEN, Ting | 2015 | Assistant Professor | Department of Economics, Hong Kong Baptist University |
| ZENG, Jing | 2015 | Post-doc Fellow | The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology |
| DONG, Hao* | 2016 | Assistant Professor | Center for Social Research, Peking University |
| HE, Guangye* | 2016 | Associate Professor | Nanjing University, People’s Republic of China |
| LI, Zhonglu | 2016 | Assistant Professor | Shenzhen University, People’s Republic of China |
| WANG, Yanrong | 2016 | Associate Professor | Huazhong University of Science and Technology |
| XU, Duoduo | 2016 | Research Assistant Professor & IAS Junior Fellow | The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology |
| ZHANG, Jing | 2016 | Associate Professor | Department of Sociology, Southeast University, China |
| MIAO, Jia | 2017 | Assistant Professor Faculty Fellow of Sociology | New York University Shanghai |
| XIE, Jiaxin | 2017 | Assistant Professor | Jinan University (Guangzhou) |
| CHAN, Hoi Wing | 2018 | Assistant Professor | The Hong Kong Polytechnic University |
| WU, Lingwei* | 2018 | Assistant Professor | Fudan University |
| ZENG, Donglin | 2019 | Postdoctoral Researcher | City University of Hong Kong |
| XU, Ruozhi* | 2019 | Economist | Bank of China (Hong Kong) |
| CHEN, Bijia* | 2020 | Postdoctoral Fellow | Institute of Qing History, Renmin University |
| CHEN, Jiaying* | 2020 | Associate Professor | Renmin University of China, School of Applied Economics |
| LIU, Mengyu | 2021 | Postdoctoral Fellow | The Hong Kong Polytechnic University |
| LUO, Wei | 2021 | Assistant Professor | Jinan University (Guangzhou, China) |
| Butaeva, Kristina | 2021 | Postdoctoral Scholar | Stone Center for Research on Wealth Inequality and Mobility, Harris School of Public Policy, University of Chicago |
| SHA, Wenbiao | 2022 | Assistant Professor | Lingnan College, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou |
| TIAN, Bing* | 2022 | Visiting Assistant Professor | Hong Kong University of Science and Technology |
| HUANG, Jingyang | 2022 | Post-doctoral Fellow | Hong Kong University of Science and Technology |
| MA, Shaocong Mary | 2023 | Post-doctoral Fellow | Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, USA |
| PENG, Wenwei | 2023 | Post-doctoral Fellow | Department of Economics, Harvard University |
| LAM, Pak Hung | 2023 | Postdoctoral Associate | Duke University |
| YIN, Jun | 2023 | Post-doctoral Fellow | New York University Shanghai |
| CHEN, Ziyang | 2024 | Assistant Professor | Nanjing University |
| LU, Wenzhi* | 2024 | Post-doctoral Fellow | Hong Kong University of Science and Technology |
Note: Information accurate as of Sep 2024
*HKPFS Awardee