48 monthsProgramme duration
01 Dec, 2026Application Deadline
Programme overview
Main Subject
Art History
Degree
PhD
Study Level
PHD
Study Mode
On Campus
The Department of Art History at the University of Hong Kong is one of Asia’s leading centres of art historical research. We offer research postgraduate (RPg) programmes leading to the Master of Philosophy (MPhil) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees. For information on our taught postgraduate (MA) programme, go to the MA section. Please note that we do not offer any applied degrees in studio art or design.
Our MPhil is a two-year full-time (or three-year part-time) programme, while the PhD takes three or four years full-time (four-and-a-half or six years part-time). Both programmes are based primarily on the writing of a dissertation in English under the close supervision of a full-time faculty member from our department. It is possible to have a co-supervisor within or outside our department.
The Graduate School handles the overall management of the degrees; it sets policies for admissions and examinations, and also provides compulsory courses and optional workshops for RPg students. The Arts Faculty’s Higher Degrees Committee provides academic oversight of all RPg programmes and students. And the School of Humanities office handles most of the day-to-day administrative work for RPg students once they have begun their studies.
Note that we do not currently participate in the King’s College London and Hong Kong University Joint PhD programme.
Programme overview
Main Subject
Art History
Degree
PhD
Study Level
PHD
Study Mode
On Campus
The Department of Art History at the University of Hong Kong is one of Asia’s leading centres of art historical research. We offer research postgraduate (RPg) programmes leading to the Master of Philosophy (MPhil) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees. For information on our taught postgraduate (MA) programme, go to the MA section. Please note that we do not offer any applied degrees in studio art or design.
Our MPhil is a two-year full-time (or three-year part-time) programme, while the PhD takes three or four years full-time (four-and-a-half or six years part-time). Both programmes are based primarily on the writing of a dissertation in English under the close supervision of a full-time faculty member from our department. It is possible to have a co-supervisor within or outside our department.
The Graduate School handles the overall management of the degrees; it sets policies for admissions and examinations, and also provides compulsory courses and optional workshops for RPg students. The Arts Faculty’s Higher Degrees Committee provides academic oversight of all RPg programmes and students. And the School of Humanities office handles most of the day-to-day administrative work for RPg students once they have begun their studies.
Note that we do not currently participate in the King’s College London and Hong Kong University Joint PhD programme.
Admission Requirements
Admission is highly competitive, with only two or three funded research postgraduate places available in our department each year. To apply for the MPhil, applicants must have a bachelor degree and substantial experience in art history or in a related area of historical or cultural expertise (a degree in studio art is not a sufficient foundation for admission). If your art historical background is not strong, our MA programme will be a more suitable option. To apply for the PhD, applicants must already hold an MA or MPhil degree, usually in the history of art or architecture.
English Proficiency
Applicants should have a high standard of English, as well as proficiency in any other languages needed for their research. Applicants from institutions where English is not the medium of instruction are required to take and submit results from one of the following English language proficiency tests. The minimum entry requirements are:
- TOEFL (Paper-based): 550 or above, 4 or above in TWE.*
- TOEFL (internet-based): 80 or above, 25 or above in the Writing section.*
- IELTS: Band 7, with no subtest lower than 5.5.*
- Overseas GCE, IGCSE, or CPE: Grade C or above.
Research Proposal
A key element of the application for both MPhil and PhD programmes is the research proposal. This is a formal document describing the topic on which the applicant wishes to focus and the academic justifications for doing so. It should normally be 1,000 to 1,500 words in length and include the following elements:
- Abstract: a concise summary of the proposal.
- Topic description: a statement of the research issues or questions you propose to explore and the specific materials you plan to analyze.
- Background: a discussion of the current state of scholarship on the topic, including significant existing publications.
- Research plan: a preliminary schedule for completion of the research and writing, including information about any non-English languages you will need to use for research and any travel you will need to do to examine art or archives overseas.
- Bibliography: a preliminary bibliography of primary and secondary sources relevant to the proposal.
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