Postgraduate Programs 2022/23
Master of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy Programs in Financial Technology
GENERAL INFORMATION
Award Title

Master of Philosophy in Financial Technology
Doctor of Philosophy in Financial Technology

Program Short Name

MPhil(FinTech)
PhD(FinTech)

Mode of Study

Both full- and part-time

Normative Program Duration

MPhil

Full-time: 2 years
Part-time: 4 years

PhD

Full-time: 3 years (with a relevant research master’s degree), 4 years (without a relevant research master’s degree)
Part-time: 6 years

Offering Unit

Financial Technology Thrust Area

Society Hub

Program Advisor

Program Director:
Prof Ning CAI, Professor of Financial Technology

INTRODUCTION

Financial Technology (FinTech) is an important emerging area that has been developing rapidly in recent years. It refers to the application of cutting-edge technologies and advanced analytics on various financial services, such as mobile banking, peer-to-peer lending, digital payments, blockchain, and cryptocurrencies, aiming to improve service efficiency, promote financial innovations, and increase end-user satisfaction.

The Master of Philosophy (MPhil) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Programs in Financial Technology provide training and education for students to undertake advanced research and have a sound grasp of developments in FinTech. Students graduating from these programs should be able to conduct and apply high-quality research that makes an impact on FinTech research and practice in academia and/or industry. The programs focus on advanced research with an aim to place graduates in academia, research institutes, and industry jobs that appreciate research capability and quality.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

On successful completion of the MPhil program, graduates will be able to:

  1. Identify and synthesize current research in FinTech;
  2. Compare and contrast state-of-the-art knowledge in FinTech and relevant reference disciplines (e.g., accounting, finance, computer science, mathematics), and apply such knowledge in driving FinTech research, practice, and innovation;
  3. Analyze, design, and execute FinTech research by utilizing proper research methodologies; and
  4. Communicate the developed FinTech knowledge and research with the academic and practitioner community.

On successful completion of the PhD program, graduates will be able to:

  1. Identify and synthesize current research in FinTech;
  2. Compare and contrast state-of-the-art knowledge in FinTech and relevant reference disciplines (e.g., accounting, finance, computer science, mathematics), and apply such knowledge in driving FinTech research, practice, and innovation;
  3. Analyze, design, and execute FinTech research by utilizing proper research methodologies;
  4. Communicate the developed FinTech knowledge and research with the academic and practitioner community; and
  5. Create original, substantive, and impactful knowledge to advance the state of FinTech research and practice.
CURRICULUM
  1. Minimum Credit Requirement

    MPhil: 15 credits
    PhD: 21 credits

  2. Credit Transfer

    Students who have taken equivalent courses at HKUST(GZ) or other recognized universities may be granted credit transfer on a case-by-case basis, up to a maximum of 3 credits for MPhil students, and 6 credits for PhD students.

  3. Cross-disciplinary Core Courses

2 credits

UCMP 6010
Cross-disciplinary Research Methods I
2 Credit(s)
UCMP 6020
Cross-disciplinary Research Methods II
2 Credit(s)
UCMP 6030
Cross-disciplinary Design Thinking I
2 Credit(s)
UCMP 6040
Cross-disciplinary Design Thinking II
2 Credit(s)

All students are required to complete either UCMP 6010 or UCMP 6030. Students may complete the remaining courses as part of the credit requirements, as requested by the Program Planning cum Thesis Supervision Committee.

  1. Hub Core Courses

4 Credits

Students are required to complete at least one Hub core course (2 credits) from the Society Hub and at least one Hub core course (2 credits) from other Hubs.

  Society Hub Core Course

SOCH 5000
Technological Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship
2 Credit(s)

  Other Hub Core Courses

FUNH 5000
Introduction to Function Hub for Sustainable Future
2 Credit(s)
INFH 5000
Information Science and Technology: Essentials and Trends
2 Credit(s)
SYSH 5000
Model-Based Systems Engineering
2 Credit(s)

  1. Courses on Domain Knowledge

MPhil: minimum 9 credits of coursework
PhD: minimum 15 credits of coursework

Under this requirement, each student is required to take a required course and other elective courses to form an individualized curriculum relevant to the cross-disciplinary thesis research. To ensure that students will take appropriate courses to equip them with needed domain knowledge, each student has a Program Planning cum Thesis Supervision Committee to approve the courses to be taken soonest after program commencement and no later than the end of the first year. Depending on the approved curriculum, individual students may be required to complete additional credits beyond the minimal credit requirements.

  Required Course List

FTEC 5040
Financial Technology Research
3 Credit(s)

  Sample Elective Course List

To meet individual needs, students will be taking courses in different areas, which may include but not limited to courses and areas listed below.

FTEC 5030
Statistical Methods for Financial Technology
3 Credit(s)
FTEC 5031
Advanced Probability Theory
3 Credit(s)
FTEC 5032
Optimization Theory
3 Credit(s)
FTEC 5050
Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence
3 Credit(s)
FTEC 5060
Stochastic Processes
3 Credit(s)
FTEC 5100
Research in Corporate Finance
3 Credit(s)
FTEC 5101
Microeconomic Theory
3 Credit(s)
FTEC 5110
Research in Asset Pricing
3 Credit(s)
FTEC 6000
FinTech Attachment
2-4 Credit(s)
AIAA 5024
Advanced Deep Learning
3 Credit(s)
AIAA 5025
Deep Reinforcement Learning
3 Credit(s)
DSAA 5009
Deep Learning in Data Science
3 Credit(s)
DSAA 5013
Advanced Machine Learning
3 Credit(s)
DSAA 5022
Data Analysis and Privacy Protection in Blockchain
3 Credit(s)
IOTA 5501
Convex and Nonconvex Optimization I
3 Credit(s)
IPEN 5130
Economics of Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship
3 Credit(s)
IPEN 5200
Uncertainty, Information and Decision Making
3 Credit(s)
IPEN 5250
Text Analysis and Machine Learning
3 Credit(s)
IPEN 5300
Experimental Economics and Organizational Behavior
3 Credit(s)
IPEN 5900
Policy and Technology for Carbon Neutrality
3 Credit(s)
UGOD 5020
Quantitative Social Science
3 Credit(s)

  1. Additional Foundation Courses

Individual students may be required to take foundation courses to strengthen their academic background and research capacity in related areas, which will be specified by the Program Planning cum Thesis Supervision Committee. The credits earned cannot be counted toward the credit requirements.

  1. Graduate Teaching Assistant Training
PDEV 6800
Introduction to Teaching and Learning in Higher Education
0 Credit(s)

All full-time RPg students are required to complete PDEV 6800. The course is composed of a 10-hour training offered by the Institute of Educational Innovation and Practice (IEIP), and session(s) of instructional delivery to be assigned by the respective Thrusts/Base. Upon satisfactory completion of the training conducted by IEIP, MPhil students are required to give at least one 30-minute session of instructional delivery in front of a group of students for one term. PhD students are required to give at least one such session each in two different terms. The instructional delivery will be formally assessed.

  1. Professional Development Course Requirement
PDEV 6770
Professional Development for Research Postgraduate Students
1 Credit(s)

Students are required to complete PDEV 6770. The 1 credit earned from PDEV 6770 cannot be counted toward the credit requirements.

PhD students who are HKUST MPhil graduates and have completed PDEV 6770 or other professional development courses offered by the University before may be exempted from taking PDEV 6770, subject to prior approval of the Program Planning cum Thesis Supervision Committee.

SOCH 6780
Professional Development in Innovation, Technology, and Social Responsibility
1 Credit(s)

Students are required to complete SOCH 6780. The 1 credit earned from SOCH 6780 cannot be counted toward the credit requirements.

PhD students who are HKUST MPhil graduates and have completed SOCH 6780 or other professional development courses offered by the University before may be exempted from taking SOCH 6780, subject to prior approval of the Program Planning cum Thesis Supervision Committee.

  1. English Language Requirement
LANG 5000
Foundation in Listening & Speaking for Postgraduate Students
1 Credit(s)

Full-time RPg students are required to take an English Language Proficiency Assessment (ELPA) Speaking Test administered by the Division of Language Education before the start of their first term of study. Students whose ELPA Speaking Test score is below Level 4, or who failed to take the test in their first term of study, are required to take LANG 5000 until they pass the course by attaining at least Level 4 in the ELPA Speaking Test before graduation. The 1 credit earned from LANG 5000 cannot be counted toward the credit requirements.

LANG 5001
Postgraduate English for Engineering Research Studies
1 Credit(s)
LANG 5002
Postgraduate English for Business and Social Science Studies
1 Credit(s)
LANG 5010
Postgraduate English for Science Studies
1 Credit(s)

Students are required to take one of the above three courses. The credit earned cannot be counted toward the credit requirements. Students can be exempted from taking this course with the approval of the Program Planning cum Thesis Supervision Committee.

  1. Postgraduate Seminar
FTEC 6101
FinTech Program Seminar
0 Credit(s)

MPhil: Students are required to complete FTEC 6101 for at least two terms.
PhD: Students are required to complete FTEC 6101 for at least four terms.

  1. PhD Qualifying Examination

PhD students are required to pass a qualifying examination to obtain PhD candidacy following established policy.

  1. Thesis Research
FTEC 6990
MPhil Thesis Research
0 Credit(s)
FTEC 7990
Doctoral Thesis Research
0 Credit(s)

  MPhil:

  1. Registration in FTEC 6990; and
  2. Presentation and oral defense of the MPhil thesis.

PhD:

  1. Registration in FTEC 7990; and
  2. Presentation and oral defense of the PhD thesis.

Last Update: 1 March 2023

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

To qualify for admission, applicants must meet all of the following requirements. Admission is selective and meeting these minimum requirements does not guarantee admission.

1. General Admission Requirements of the University

Please refer to Admission Requirements.

2. English Language Admission Requirements

Please refer to Admission Requirements.

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