Master of Science in Urban Design ADMISSIONS 2020-21

Admission to Master of Science in Urban Design 2020-21

The Master of Science in Urban Design Programme is organized as a self‐financed programme of the Graduate School at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. The provisional tuition fee is $180,000 for academic year 2020‐21. The places for the programme are given based on the academic and professional merit of the application.

Online application can be made at the website of Graduate School Office https://www.gs.cuhk.edu.hk/ Deadline of application for 2020 entry: 11 May 2020

Application Requirements

1. Applicants should have an undergraduate degree in Architecture, Landscape Architecture,

Urban Planning or a related area recognized by the country where the school is located, normally achieving an average grade of not lower than "B".

2. Priority will be given to applicants with one year or more of relevant working experience.

3. To fulfill the English Language Proficiency Requirement for admission, applicant should: a) obtained a degree from a university in Hong Kong or taken a degree programme of

which the medium of instruction was English; or

b) achieved scores in the following English Language tests as indicated: - TOEFL: 550 (Paper-based)/79 (Internet-based); - GMAT (Verbal): Band 21; - IELTS (Academic) (Band 6.5); or - (*TOEFL and IELTS are considered valid for two years from the test date. GMAT is considered

valid for five years from the test date) c) obtained a pass grade in English in one of the following examinations: - Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination (AS Level); - Hong Kong Higher Level Examination; - CUHK Matriculation Examination; - General Certificate of Education Examination (GCE) Advanced Level (A-Level)

/Advanced Subsidiary Level (AS-Level); or d) achieved Level 4 or above in the English Language subject of the Hong Kong

Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) Examination; or e) obtained a recognized professional qualification, provided that the examination

was conducted in English.

4. Statement of purpose - Explanation of your reasons for applying

5. Portfolio including:

a. Selection of previous school work - Evidence of your design abilities b. Practical work with declaration and comment on your own contribution

Admission to Master of Science in Urban Design 2020-21

6. Supporting material: a) Official transcripts with grading scheme from the University attended by applicants * b) Copies of degree certificates c) Copies of certificates of academic/professional qualifications, if any d) English language proficiency test reports, if any* e) Confidential recommendations from two referees# f) Employer’s evaluation form (Preferably direct supervisor) ^ g) Record of practical experience (Evidence that the requirements have been fulfilled) h) Proof of 1 year or more practical experience* i) Declaration of academic integrity j) Copy of HK identity card or passport k) Other documents as required by the University I) Applicants who obtained degrees from universities in Mainland China are required

to provide an Online Verification Report of Higher Education Qualification Certificate (教育部學歷證書電子註冊備案表) issued by the CHESICC (學信網)

Please refer to Graduate School Office’s website for the latest announcement on the admissions requirements. Additional forms can be downloaded at http://www.arch.cuhk.edu.hk/programme/master-science-urban-design/ All application materials shall be uploaded (except item e and f) to the School of Architecture application materials collection platform no later than 11 May 2020. More information on the supporting documents required by the University can be found at the Graduate School website. *The supporting documents must be sent to the School of Architecture directly from the University/institution/referees/employers or in sealed envelopes and sent by the applicant. #The supporting documents must be submitted directly by referees/employers on Graduate School Online Confidential Recommendation System or sent directly to School of Architecture via email (msud@arch.cuhk.edu.hk) no later than 11 May 2020. ^The supporting documents must be submitted directly by employers on School of Architecture Employer’s Evaluation Form System or sent directly to School of Architecture via email (msud@arch.cuhk.edu.hk) no later than 11 May 2020.

Notes

More detailed information on the supporting documents required by the University can be found at the Graduate School website. The portfolio of independent work should illustrate independent studies and your own work from practical experience and should be accompanied by a commentary of not more than 1500 words. The portfolio should not exceed A4 size and no more than 20 pages. It should be selected to fit best to the materials which you want to present. In general, the portfolio should inform in a concise way about your school and practical work. It should not be a loose collection of material; but be clearly structured to reflect your educational and practical experiences. Proper credit and context must be given for all work shown including author, collaborators, and professional office in

Admission to Master of Science in Urban Design 2020-21

which the work was completed. Failure to properly credit work may result in the portfolio being discounted or the applicant being disqualified. Please put down your full name on the front cover of the portfolio for ease of identification.

All application materials should be submitted directly to the School of Architecture, Room 106, ARC Building, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong SAR ( Attention: MSc in Urban Design Admission Team) right after the submission of online application, and in any case not later than 11 May 2020. The evaluation and reference letters are confidential and should be sent directly by the referees. The application form can also be filled out and submitted online at the Graduate School website. Please refer to https://www.gs.cuhk.edu.hk/admissions/faqs for frequently asked questions (FAQ). Application procedures

Admission to Master of Science in Urban Design Programme 2020-21

1. Apply for admission through the CUHK Graduate School website's online application

system by filling out the online application form.

2. Download the Confidential Recommendation Form and the Transcript Submission

Covering Sheet from the online application system, fill in your personal particulars and send the forms to 2 referees and your university respectively. The completed forms and the official transcript (original) should be sent back to our School directly by your referees and your university in a sealed envelope before 11 May 2020. Please also upload a copy of your academic transcript onto Graduate School application system if you have the student copy.

3. Submit the following documents to the School of Architecture in person or by post, and

upload to the application materials collection platform:

i) Statement of Purpose ii) Record of Practical Experience with proof (e.g. reference letters, employment

contracts) iii) Employer’s Evaluation Form (to be sent by the employer to the School by email or

post in a sealed envelope before 11 May 2020) iv) Proof of payment of application fee of HK$300 v) Copy of identity document, e.g. HKID card or passport vi) Copy of Graduation Certificate of your Bachelor’s / Master’s Degree vii) Original copy of the official test report of TOEFL, GMAT (verbal), or IELTS, showing

that the applicant from a non-English speaking country has fulfilled the English Language Proficiency Requirement, i.e. TOEFL (Paper-based: 550; Internet-based: 79); GMAT (verbal) (Band 21); IELTS (Academic) (Band 6.5).

4. Portfolios of (a) previous school work and (b) independent work with your full name and

application number marked on the cover should be to the School of Architecture application materials collection platform no later than 11 May 2020. No Hardcopy is accepted, please upload to the application materials collection

Admission to Master of Science in Urban Design 2020-21

platform. Design Portfolio Requirements: i_Cover

Indicate clearly your full name and application number on the cover of the portfolio for ease of Identification

Include the date and programme you are applying to

ii_Format

PDF format smaller than 10MB, as softcopy

iii_Content

• 4 Academic projects only • Each project to be titled • Chronological order, with the most recent project placed first • Include architectural drawings (Plans, Sections, etc..) • Include evidence of the Design Process, i.e. the thinking behind teach project • 2 pages maximum dedicated to Professional work • No models of physical artifacts can be sent

iii_Credit and Plagiarism

Proper credit and context must be given for all work shown in the portfolio, including authors, collaborators, and professional offices in which the work was completed

Failure to credit work properly or appropriating other people’s work is a serious offence and may result in the portfolio being discounted or the applicant being disqualified

6. Official transcripts together with the Transcript Submission Covering Sheet must be sent

from the University or in sealed envelope and sent by the applicants. Applicants should download the Transcript Submission Covering Sheet from the online application system and send it to their respective University to apply for transcripts. There should be explanatory notes printed/attached to the transcripts indicating the grading scheme of the University. Certificates and transcripts which are not in English or Chinese should be accompanied by an official certified translation in either English or Chinese. Please note that photocopy/certified true copy of transcripts will not be accepted.

7. Submit proof of fulfillment of 1 year or more practical experience in person or by post to the

School of Architecture by 11 May 2020, the latest. The letter should include your position, date of commencement and termination, and that it was a full-time post. The letter should include the start and end dates of employment, the position, and that it was full-time employment. The ultimate judgment and decision as to whether the conditions for admission are fulfilled by the applicants shall be vested with the School of Architecture. As a general policy, no refund will be arranged upon acceptance of an offer except under special circumstances as deemed by the School of Architecture.

8. Applicants with degrees awarded by overseas universities by distance learning or by completing a curriculum of short duration are required to provide assessment report from the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic & Vocational Qualifications (HKCAAVQ)

Admission to Master of Science in Urban Design 2020-21

on the level of qualification obtained by the application deadline. 9. Certificates of academic/professional qualifications should be sorted in chronological order in

submission.

9. Applicants must fulfill the English language proficiency requirement prescribed by the University no later than 11 May 2020. Applicants who hold a degree from a non-English speaking country are required to take and submit one of the following original score reports for assessment:

- TOEFL: 550 (Paper-based)/79 (Internet-based); or

- IELTS (Academic): 6.5; or

- GMAT (Verbal): Band 21

TOEFL and IELTS are considered valid for two years from the test date. GMAT is considered valid for five years from the test date. The original score reports must be sent from the institutions concerned to the School of Architecture directly. Photocopy/ certified true copy of transcripts will not be accepted.

10. Record of practical experiences should be listed in chronological order in submission.

11. The Chinese University of Hong Kong places very high importance on honesty in academic work submitted by students, and adopts a policy of zero tolerance on cheating in examinations or plagiarism. Any related offence will lead to disciplinary action including termination of studies at the University. Applicants are required to submit Academic Honesty Declaration for application materials submitted.

12. All non-Hong Kong applicants are required to submit the copy of passport.

13. Applicants should list their accomplishments and professional qualifications in chronological

order.