The PolyU Curriculum Framework: Undergraduate · Postgraduate · GUR · Credits · Grading

Module: 01 Academic · Sub-file: Curriculum Framework Last updated: 2026-07-02 This article explains the structural skeleton of PolyU's curriculum — how programmes are assembled, how progress works, and what degree each pathway yields — rather than listing every course. For "which department offers which programme and JUPAS codes", see ../02-admissions/; for departmental affiliations, see academic-departments.md. For the six GUR components in detail, interdisciplinary scheme-based programmes (BDSIS), and the virtual college (CURI), see the companion piece programs-gur-and-colleges.md. Institutional data is based on official documents from PolyU's College of Undergraduate Studies and the Academic Registry, with years and effective periods noted. PolyU operates two GUR frameworks (one for students admitted in or before 2021/22, another for those admitted from 2022/23 onwards); this article distinguishes them clearly based on current official published documents.

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# 1. The Structure in One Sentence

PolyU's undergraduate programmes follow a four-year curriculum (aligned with Hong Kong's "3-3-4" academic reform). Graduation requirements are assembled from Major/Minor discipline courses + General University Requirements (GUR) + Electives. The GUR is the University-wide common general-education framework, coordinated by the College of Undergraduate Studies; every four-year undergraduate must complete 30 credits of GUR subjects.

At the postgraduate level, programmes fall into two tracks: Taught Postgraduate (TPg) and Research Postgraduate (RPg). The latter is coordinated by the Graduate School, established in 2020.

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# 2. The Four-Year Undergraduate System and “3-3-4”

PolyU's undergraduate curriculum adopted the four-year structure as the norm from 2012, in line with Hong Kong's "3-3-4" reform (six years of secondary school + four years of university). The fourth year is not simply "an extra year" — it institutionalises general education through the GUR as a common framework for "broadening horizons and promoting whole-person development". According to the University, the GUR "aims to broaden students' horizons and promote whole-person development at the undergraduate level"^※ and contributes to PolyU's desired graduate attributes.

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# 3. General University Requirements (GUR) at a Glance

Below is the GUR framework for students admitted in or before 2021/22 (based on the official GUR leaflet issued by the College of Undergraduate Studies in September 2025). Four-year students complete a total of 30 credits:

The above 3 + 9 + 3 + 12 + 3 = 30 credits (credit-bearing portion). For students admitted from 2022/23 onwards, the GUR components have been adjusted with the addition of "AI & Data Analytics Requirements" and "Innovation & Entrepreneurship Requirements" — see the companion piece programs-gur-and-colleges.md for the full component breakdown, four academic clusters, and a side-by-side comparison of the two frameworks.

# GUR for Associate Degree / Senior-Year Intake Students

For students articulating from associate degree (AD) or higher diploma (HD) qualifications, the GUR is a reduced version: according to the official document, a total of 9 credits of GUR (CAR 6 credits + Service-Learning 3 credits), including a China Studies Requirement of 3 credits^※, along with Chinese and English reading and writing requirements. Students whose prior qualifications already meet these requirements may apply for exemption from the relevant components.

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# 4. Postgraduate Programmes — Two Tracks

PolyU's postgraduate programmes are divided into two tracks:

• Taught Postgraduate (TPg): Primarily coursework-based, covering various master's degrees (MSc / MA / MBA, etc.) and postgraduate diplomas.
• Research Postgraduate (RPg): Primarily thesis-based, including Master of Philosophy (MPhil) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), coordinated by the Graduate School^※, established in September 2020.
• Some disciplines also offer professional doctorates (e.g., Doctor of Design, Doctor of Hotel and Tourism Management) and professional degrees such as the Doctor of Optometry (see health-sciences.md).

According to the University, PolyU offers about 220 programmes to over 32,000 students^※ annually, spanning undergraduate, taught and research postgraduate, and sub-degree levels.

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# 5. Degree Types and Grading

• Degree types: Bachelor's degrees (BA / BSc / BEng / BBA, etc.), master's degrees (MA / MSc / MPhil, etc.), doctoral degrees (PhD), and various professional doctorates.
• Grading system: PolyU undergraduates follow a credit-based system with a Grade Point Average (GPA). Pass marks, honours classifications, and minimum graduation GPA requirements for each programme are set out in PolyU's Academic Regulations and individual faculty/programme documents. At the postgraduate level, minimum GPA requirements also apply (detailed in Graduate School handbooks). Specific values vary by programme and cohort year; this site does not assert a University-wide single threshold. Readers should refer to the official regulations of the Academic Registry and their respective programmes.

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# 6. Key Flagship Undergraduate Programmes

Below is a representative selection of flagship undergraduate programmes by faculty/school, providing an interdisciplinary overview of PolyU. For detailed programme structures, refer to individual departmental admissions pages.

# 6.1 Faculty of Engineering

# 6.2 Faculty of Business

# 6.3 School of Design

# 6.4 School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM)

SHTM undergraduates must complete approximately two semesters of Work-Integrated Education (WIE)^※ and a placement in a real industry setting, and the school is known for its "classroom-as-real-world-lab" approach.

# 6.5 Faculty of Health and Social Sciences

# 6.6 Faculty of Computer and Mathematical Sciences (New Faculty from 2025)

This faculty was formally established on 1 January 2025^※, integrating the former Department of Applied Mathematics and the Department of Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence. Key undergraduate programmes:

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# 7. Professional Accreditation

Many PolyU undergraduate programmes hold accreditation from professional bodies, granting graduates exemptions or accelerated pathways to professional qualifying examinations:

Details and validity periods for professional accreditation are subject to the official websites of the respective professional bodies and the relevant departmental admissions pages at PolyU.

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# 8. Joint and Double-Degree Programmes

PolyU offers several joint-degree or credit-recognition arrangements:

• Programmes with leading mainland Chinese universities: Some programmes are co-organised with or offer joint-training projects with institutions such as Peking University, Tsinghua University, and Tongji University, predominantly at the postgraduate level;
• Credit transfer with overseas universities: Credits earned at partner institutions through student exchange programmes may be transferred (see 09-international/global-partnerships.md);
• Cross-faculty electives within PolyU: Students may take electives across departments under the GUR CAR framework — an engineering student can take a Design CAR course, a business student can take a Science one.

PolyU has established joint or collaborative programme arrangements with a number of well-known overseas universities, primarily at the postgraduate level:

Some undergraduate programmes permit students to pursue two disciplinary concentrations simultaneously and graduate with a single award incorporating both — referred to within PolyU as a "Double Major" or a faculty-approved "Double Degree programme". The BBA programme in the Faculty of Business, for example, offers multiple concentrations (Accounting / Finance / Marketing / Management), and students may apply to pursue two concentrations simultaneously, achieving dual professional qualification with a comparatively modest additional credit load.

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# 9. Sub-degree and Top-up Degree Programmes

PolyU offers a wide range of sub-degree and top-up programmes through its School of Professional Education and Executive Development (SPEED) and the College of Professional and Continuing Education (CPCE):

• Higher Diploma (HD) and Associate Degree (AD): Offered by SPEED / Hong Kong Community College (HKCC); upon completion, students may apply for senior-year articulation into the second or third year of a PolyU bachelor's degree programme;
• Articulation quotas: Some Engineering, Business, and Design programmes reserve AD/HD articulation places, allowing sub-degree graduates to enter with Advanced Standing;
• GUR for senior-year intake students: As noted earlier, the GUR for articulation students is the reduced 9-credit framework, not the full 30 credits.

See ../12-misc/continuing-education-and-affiliates.md for further details.

# Credit Transfer and Recognition Arrangements

Within Hong Kong's tertiary system, PolyU maintains a Credit Transfer application mechanism: credits earned in relevant courses at recognised institutions (including mainland universities under the "985/211" elite-university funding schemes) may be submitted to the relevant PolyU department for recognition, counting towards elective or specified course credits. The conversion is normally capped at a maximum of 30% of total graduation credits (actual limits subject to departmental rules). Credits earned by exchange students at overseas institutions may be converted according to the credit transfer agreements signed between the two parties. Students holding certain international professional qualifications may also apply for credit exemption — for example, those with passes in ACCA examination papers may apply for exemption from corresponding modules in programmes offered by the School of Accounting and Finance.

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# 10. Online Learning and Professional Development Pathways

PolyU does not currently offer large-scale full-time fully-online degree programmes (Full Online Degree). Flexible learning modes are available, however, in blended learning (some course content delivered online as pre-class preparation plus face-to-face sessions), online courses offered by SPEED/CPCE, and remote supervision arrangements for research postgraduates. According to the PolyU SPEED^※ website, the school offers flexible part-time programmes that allow working professionals to complete a degree or professional qualification without leaving employment.

Additionally, PolyU offers a suite of professional certificate programmes and career development courses — including professional certificates (in Data Science, Engineering Management, etc.), Continuing Professional Development (CPD) courses (accredited by bodies such as the HKIE and HKICPA), executive education for business leaders, and CPD-accredited programmes from the School of Nursing and the School of Optometry. These constitute the non-degree channels that embody PolyU's "lifelong learning" ethos and its deep industry connections.

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# 11. Side-by-Side: Which Faculties Make “Practicum/Real-World Pedagogy” a Graduation Requirement

A number of PolyU's flagship disciplines are not content with classroom teaching alone, but embed real-world industry training as a mandatory graduation requirement. This pattern recurs throughout the programmes listed above and is worth a dedicated comparison:

This tradition of real-world pedagogy is consistent with PolyU's overall identity as an applied university. Particularly in SHTM and the health sciences disciplines, placements and clinical training are not bonus enhancements — they are mandatory conditions of graduation. This is one reason why PolyU graduates are held in consistently high regard by employers (for specific employment data, see 02 Admissions · Graduate Outcomes).

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# 12. Frequently Asked Questions (Q&A)

Q1: How many credits does a PolyU undergraduate degree require?

Total credit requirements for four-year undergraduates vary by programme, but most are in the range of 120–135 credits. This total must include 30 credits of GUR, the major programme credits, and electives. The specific requirement for each programme is set out in the official Programme Handbook. This site does not assert a single University-wide figure; see individual faculty admissions pages and the PolyU College of Undergraduate Studies GUR page^※.

Q2: What double-degree or joint programmes does PolyU run with mainland Chinese universities?

Based on publicly available information, PolyU has joint training projects or academic exchange arrangements with several top mainland universities (including Peking University, Tsinghua University, and Tongji University), primarily taking the form of master's/doctoral student exchanges. The number of formal undergraduate double-degree programmes that award two separate qualifications is limited. Readers should consult the current announcements of the PolyU International Affairs Office^※; this site does not list specific collaborative programmes that may have changed.

Q3: Which professional body qualifications are recognised by PolyU programmes, and what examination exemptions are available after graduation?

Key accreditation statuses: engineering programmes are recognised by the HKIE; accounting programmes are recognised by the HKICPA, ACCA, and ICAEW; construction and surveying programmes are recognised by the HKIS and RICS; nursing programmes are approved for registration by the Nursing Council of Hong Kong (NCHK); and the optometry programme is regulated by the Optometrists & Opticians Registration Council. Detailed exemption arrangements for each accreditation should be confirmed on the official websites of the respective professional bodies and the relevant departmental admissions pages.

Q4: What are the GUR requirements for associate degree graduates articulating to a PolyU bachelor's degree? How do they differ from the standard four-year programme?

AD/HD articulation students must complete 9 credits of GUR, comprising CAR 6 credits, Service-Learning 3 credits, in addition to meeting Chinese and English reading and writing requirements and 3 credits of the China Studies Requirement (CSR) (per the official PolyU GUR articulation document^※). By contrast, standard four-year undergraduates must complete 30 credits of GUR. If the relevant requirements in a student's prior qualification have already been met, they may apply to the College of Undergraduate Studies for exemption from the corresponding component.

Q5: Does PolyU offer fully online degree programmes?

As of this file's last update, PolyU does not yet offer a formal degree (Full Online Degree) that can be completed entirely online for full-time undergraduates or postgraduates. PolyU's School of Professional Education and Executive Development (SPEED) offers some online or blended-learning professional certificates and associate degree programmes suitable for working adults. Blended-learning arrangements at the postgraduate level vary by department and interested parties should inquire with the relevant academic unit.

Q6: When did PolyU's BSc (Hons) in AI & Data Analytics begin admitting students?

According to a Pulse@PolyU report^※, the undergraduate programme in "AI & Data Analytics" began admitting students from the 2022/23 academic year, and has since expanded in scale with the establishment of the Faculty of Computer and Mathematical Sciences in January 2025. Led by DSAN, this programme aims to cultivate interdisciplinary talent with combined capabilities in mathematics, statistics, and AI applications.

Q7: How does PolyU's “scheme-based” (Broad-based Admission) intake work, and how is it different from applying directly to a specific major?

Many PolyU faculties use a "broad-based admission scheme" model: students enter via a JUPAS broad category code (e.g., JS3005 Engineering Scheme, JS3008 Science Scheme), take common foundational subjects within the faculty during their first one to two years, and are then streamed into specific majors (e.g., Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering) in later years based on their interests and academic performance. The advantage of this "broad entry, later specialisation" design is that it gives students more time to explore disciplines before committing; the trade-off is that the streaming stage may involve competition for quotas in popular majors within the faculty. The specific streaming mechanism, GPA thresholds, and quotas are set out in each faculty's official Programme Handbook.

Q8: What are the practical limitations of doing a Double Major versus a Major plus a Minor at PolyU?

As noted in the "Joint and Double-Degree Programmes" section of this article, PolyU permits Double Major or Major+Minor combinations for some programme pairings, but not all combinations of any two disciplines are feasible. Common viable combinations are concentrated within the same faculty (e.g., Accounting + Finance Double Major in the Faculty of Business) or in cross-faculty combinations with an explicit curriculum articulation agreement (e.g., English and Applied Linguistics + Linguistics and Translation). Students wishing to attempt an unconventional combination must normally seek approval from the individual department or programme leader, and may need to accumulate additional credits or extend their period of study. For specific arrangements, please consult the official Programme Handbook and Student Handbook of the intended departments; this site does not make University-wide blanket statements about "which combinations are definitely feasible".

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