Program Overview

Introduction to the MA in Communication Programme

The MA in Communication Programme at the School of Communication, Hong Kong Baptist University, approaches communication at the individual, organizational, and societal levels, with a focus on communication in Hong Kong, Mainland China, and Taiwan. The programme also pays attention to the impact of changing media technologies.

Programme Overview

The Master of Communication (MACO) is a flagship postgraduate programme that unites a long tradition of excellence with a global community and a forward-looking focus on developing the next generation of communication leaders. The programme equips students with critical insight, creative mindset, and intercultural fluency needed to thrive on the international stage.

Curriculum Design

The programme is an academically based professional programme, with courses and syllabi designed for the integration of theory and practice in the field of communication and media. The programme offers three Common Core courses:

• Foundations of Communication Study
• Approaches and Methods in Communication Research
• Perspectives on Media and Society

Elective Courses

The programme's elective courses aim to educate professionals in the application of conceptual knowledge about communication management and equip students with analytical concepts and skills for examining issues in media or mass communication practices. All courses are 3 credits each, and a student is required to fulfill a total of 27 credits to graduate.

Interactive Media Concentration

The programme offers an Interactive Media Concentration, which aims to provide students with cutting-edge knowledge and skills in interactive media content and product planning, development, and research. Students are expected to become familiar with the essential design and development processes of interactive media products as well as the global industry of interactive media communication.

Concentration Core Courses

The Interactive Media Concentration core courses include:

• Transnational Studies of Interactive Media
• Interactive Media Narrative and Storyboarding
• Interactive Media Studies Workshop

Concentration Elective Courses

The concentration elective courses include:

• Interactive Media Economy
• AI for Interactive Media Design
• Online Media Management
• Interactive Media Cultures and Ethics
• Media Psychology
• Data Mining and Knowledge Discovery for Digital Media
• Dynamic Web & Mobile Programming for Digital Media
• All other elective courses offered by the programme

Faculty and Staff

The School has a faculty team of well-established scholars and seasoned practitioners who possess expertise in mass, interpersonal, and cross-cultural communication, rhetoric and discourse analysis, public relations and advertising research, globalization, as well as cultural and critical studies.

Admission Requirements

The programme will be of interest to Bachelor's degree holders who are employed in media organizations or in the communication functions of the public or private sector, or who aspire to such positions, and who see the in-depth understanding of media industries and management as contributory to executive leadership in their career and in the society.

Admission Criteria

Applicants should:

• Hold a Bachelor's Degree from a recognized university or institution
• Be able to communicate in English at an advanced level, possessing one or more of the following qualifications:
  • A minimum score of 79 in TOEFL
  • A minimum score of 6.5 in IELTS

Tuition Fee

The tuition fee is HK$180,000 per year for one-year full-time students and HK$90,000 per year for two-year part-time students (local Hong Kong students only).

Frequently Asked Questions

1. My English is only passable. Is that a problem? The main medium of class instruction is English, with very limited Cantonese and Putonghua as auxiliary devices. Although proof of English proficiency is not a necessary condition for Admissions, applicants whose English is weak will find it difficult to understand lecturers, complete required reading materials in time, and complete assignments and term papers.
2. Am I required to pay the full amount of the tuition fee upon entry? All full-time students should pay half of their tuition fees prior to entry, with the remaining half to be paid before the beginning of the second semester. Part-time students should pay a quarter of their tuition fees prior to the beginning of each semester.
3. Do you offer scholarships? Merit-based scholarships will be awarded in the second semester to students with outstanding academic performance in the first semester. Awarded students receive between HK$10,000 and $20,000.
4. Can I live on campus? The student halls are not available to post-graduate students, but there is a private on-campus dorm called the NTT International House that some students like to stay in. Most students find private housing off campus.
5. What is Hong Kong like? Hong Kong is a dynamic, international 24-hour city that is full of people, cultural events, and food from all over the world. Cantonese is the main language, but English is also widely used. Hong Kong is one of the safest cities in the world, is an excellent travel hub for exploring the rest of Asia, and has a large variety of outdoor activities and tourist attractions.
6. Is a dissertation required? No. We recommend dissertations only for students interested in pursuing further studies.
7. Can I work in Hong Kong on a student visa? Students can work on campus up to 20 hours per week and are allowed to have short-term internships while studying. Students may also work in the summer, and the Hong Kong government allows students to spend one year working in Hong Kong after graduation without a work visa.
8. Does tuition include health insurance? Yes. We have committed a substantial subsidy for all students of the programme to enjoy the same privileges and services as those of UGC-funded programmes at the University Health Clinic.