MA in Chinese Literature, Language and Culture | FASS, HKBU (fictional demo)
Hong Kong Baptist University Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences HONG KONG BAPTIST UNIVERSITY Staff / Students / Alumni / 繁體中文
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←BACK Home / Taught Postgraduate Programmes / MA in Chinese Literature, Language and Culture ACADEMY OF CHRP DEPARTMENT OF CHINESE LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE

MA in Chinese Literature, Language and Culture

文學及文化研究文學碩士 · A research-informed master's degree for teachers, editors, curators and writers working in Chinese.
AWARD Master of Arts
DURATION 1 year full-time
2 years part-time
CREDIT UNITS 27 units
MEDIUM Chinese (Cantonese / Putonghua)
NEXT DEADLINE 28 Feb 2027
Overview Aims and Objectives Curriculum Entrance Requirements Fees and Funding Student Support How to Apply FAQs APPLY NOW
PROGRAMME OVERVIEW

Read the Chinese-language world closely

The programme takes Chinese literature, language and culture as one field rather than three. You move between close textual reading, linguistic analysis and cultural criticism, and you finish with a substantial piece of independent work — a dissertation, a curated project or a translation with critical commentary.

Teaching is by the Department of Chinese Language and Literature, whose staff research classical poetics, modern fiction, Hong Kong literature, dialectology and the transmission of Chinese culture across the region. Classes are small and taught in the evenings and on Saturdays, so part-time students in teaching, publishing or the cultural sector can study while working.

Graduates teach in secondary schools and universities, edit and publish, work in museums, arts organisations and broadcasting, or continue to an MPhil or PhD in the Faculty.

AT A GLANCE
Programme code RM1234 Mode of study Full-time / Part-time Class schedule Weekday evenings, Saturdays Intake September 2027 Campus Kowloon Tong
PROGRAMME AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

What you will be able to do

Four programme intended learning outcomes, assessed across coursework and the final project.

01 Read critically Analyse classical and modern Chinese texts with an informed grasp of genre, period and transmission.
02 Argue in writing Construct a sustained scholarly argument in Chinese, with proper citation and a defensible method.
03 Situate culture Relate literary and linguistic evidence to the social, historical and regional contexts that produced it.
04 Apply professionally Carry this training into teaching, editing, curation, translation or doctoral research.
CURRICULUM AND COURSE DESCRIPTION

27 credit units

12 CORE UNITS 9 ELECTIVE UNITS 6 FINAL PROJECT
CORE COURSES · 12 UNITS
Research Methods in Chinese Studies Bibliography, textual evidence, archives and research design. CHI7010 · 3 UNITS Topics in Classical Chinese Literature Poetics, prose traditions and canon formation from the Tang to the Qing. CHI7020 · 3 UNITS Modern Chinese Fiction and Its Publics Fiction, periodicals and readership from the 1920s to the present. CHI7030 · 3 UNITS Chinese Language: Structure and Variation Grammar, lexicon and regional variation, with Cantonese as a working case. CHI7040 · 3 UNITS
ELECTIVES · CHOOSE 9 UNITS
Hong Kong Literature and the CityCHI7110 Chinese Culture and Material HeritageCHI7120 Teaching Chinese as a Second LanguageCHI7130 Editing and Publishing in ChineseCHI7140 Creative Writing WorkshopCHI7150 Religion, Ethics and Chinese ThoughtCHI7160
FINAL PROJECT · 6 UNITS
Dissertation A 20,000-character supervised study on a topic of your own. Curated or creative project An exhibition, anthology or translation with a critical commentary. Capstone seminar Presentation of work in progress to staff and peers before submission.
ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS

Who we admit

Applicants are assessed on their degree, their command of written Chinese and the fit between their interests and our supervision.

ACADEMIC A bachelor's degree from a recognised institution, normally with a Second Class Honours standing or equivalent. Degrees in Chinese, humanities and education are typical, but a strong applicant from any discipline is considered.
LANGUAGE A high level of written Chinese is required, as coursework and the final project are written in Chinese. Applicants whose first degree was not taught in Chinese may be asked to submit a writing sample.
ENGLISH The University's general English requirement applies: TOEFL 79 (internet-based), IELTS 6.0, or an equivalent qualification, unless your first degree was taught in English.
SELECTION Shortlisted applicants are interviewed by the Department, in person or online. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee an offer — places are limited.
FEES AND FUNDING

What it costs, and what help there is

Fee schedule (PDF) →
HK$5,200 PER CREDIT UNIT
HK$140,400 FULL PROGRAMME, 27 UNITS
HK$300 APPLICATION FEE
CEF REIMBURSABLE COURSES AVAILABLE
Faculty Level Scholarships Entrance and academic achievement awards for taught postgraduates, considered automatically from your application and results.
Student Experiential Learning Grant Support towards fieldwork, archive visits, conferences and competitions taken as part of the programme. Two rounds a year.
Continuing Education Fund Selected courses are CEF-reimbursable for eligible Hong Kong residents. The Faculty Office can confirm which ones.
SUPPORT TO STUDENTS

Advice, funding and someone to talk to

Every postgraduate is matched with a programme director and an academic adviser for course selection, dissertation planning and progression. Alongside the three Faculty schemes, the University provides counselling, careers advice and accessibility support, and the Language Centre offers academic writing help.

1:1 ADVISER MEETINGS 2 days ENQUIRY RESPONSE TIME ALL STUDENT SUPPORT
HOW TO APPLY

Four steps

Applications are made online through the Academic Registry and assessed on a rolling basis — early applications are advised.

STEP 01 Check that you qualify Read the entrance requirements above, including the written Chinese and English conditions.
STEP 02 Prepare your documents Transcripts, two referees, a statement of purpose and a Chinese writing sample where requested.
STEP 03 Submit online Apply through the Academic Registry portal and pay the HK$300 application fee on submission.
STEP 04 Interview and offer Departmental interview, then an offer with any conditions stated in writing.
MAIN ROUND OPENS 1 November 2026 SCHOLARSHIP DEADLINE 28 February 2027 APPLY NOW ASK A QUESTION
PROGRAMME FAQS

Questions applicants ask

All Faculty FAQs →
Can I study part-time while teaching? Yes. Most part-time students are working teachers. Classes run on weekday evenings and Saturdays over two years.
Is my first degree acceptable if it isn't in Chinese? Often, yes — provided your written Chinese is strong. You may be asked for a writing sample at interview.
Do I choose a dissertation or a project? You decide in the second semester with your adviser, based on your topic and what you want to do next.
Which courses are CEF-reimbursable? Selected courses each year. The Faculty Office confirms the current list when you enrol.
Can this lead to a PhD? Yes. A strong dissertation is the usual route into our MPhil and PhD in Chinese studies.
Who do I contact about my application? The Faculty Office at WYS 1325, or the online enquiry form — answered within two working days.