School of LawCity University of Hong Kong

Tat Chee Avenue

Kowloon

Hong Kong

Tel: (852) 3442 8008

Fax: (852) 3442 0190

E-mail: lwllm@cityu.edu.hk

Website: http://www.cityu.edu.hk/slw/Website: http://www.sgs.cityu.edu.hk/programme/JSD

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Enquiries

CurriculumProgramme Leader

Mr Romesh Weeramantry

Address : School of Law

5/F Academic Building (lift no.6)

City University of Hong Kong

Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Tel No. : 3442 8008

Fax No. : 3442 0190

Email : slwjsd@cityu.edu.hk

Website : http://www.cityu.edu.hk/slw/

Application and General EnquiresAddress : Chow Yei Ching School of Graduate Studies

Unit 7B, Block 1

To Yuen Building

31 To Yuen Street

Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong

Tel No. : 3442 4767

Fax No. : 3442 0330

Email : sg@cityu.edu.hk

Website : http://www.sgs.cityu.edu.hk/

The information given in this brochure is accurate at the time of printing in April 2011. Change to the information may by made from time to time without prior notification.

This brochure is provided for information and to facilitate applications to the Doctor of Juridical Science programme, and does not form part of a contract between any person and the University.

A Law SchoolAiming at Global Leadership

andRegional Pre-eminence

A Law SchoolAiming at Global Leadership

andRegional Pre-eminence

1

CONTENTSMessage From The Dean 2

Message From The Programme Leader 4

Programme Aims, Duration and Content 5

List of School of Law Staff who are Qualified 10

to Supervise JSD Students

Students' Thesis Titles 13

Credit Transfer 17

Residence Requirement 18

Intermediate Awards 19

Entrance and English Proficiency Requirements 20

Assessment of Applications 21

Observations from our Graduates 22

Library 23

Application and Programme-related Fees 24

Application Procedures 25

Appendix 26

2

It is my great pleasure to introduce to you the School of Law at City

University of Hong Kong.

Established in 1987, the School of Law offers quality education to

undergraduate and postgraduate students. High on our agenda are three

goals: becoming a world renowned centre for research and teaching of

law; equipping students with global knowledge, skills and perspectives;

and establishing a trusted relationship with local and international legal

establishments. These goals are reflected in the composition of our faculty,

our curriculums and enrichment activities.

Our School is staffed by a stellar international faculty with a multicultural

profile, bringing with them a diversity of quality. With the combined

efforts of staff and students, our School has established expertise in a

wide range of fields including Chinese law, comparative law, Hong Kong

Basic Law, commercial law, environmental law, constitutional law, human

rights, criminal justice, WTO law, international trade and investment law,

international economic law, arbitration and alternative dispute resolution.

To meet the challenges of globalisation, our School has established an

International Advisory Board, comprising renowned professors from

Harvard, Yale, Oxford and other leading universities and distinguished

practitioners, to further enhance teaching and research.

Our School has developed close links with its counterparts on the Mainland,

in Europe, North America and across the Asia-Pacific region. Students

have many opportunities to gain a global perspective in the study of law

through various activities organized by the School, such as the Global Legal

Education and Awareness Project (G-LEAP) in cooperation with the Monash

University and University College, Oxford, legal placements in Mainland

China and international mooting competitions.

MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN

3

We invite professors from Yale Law School and Oxford Law Faculty to teach

our students through video-link facilities and intensive seminars. The video-

link lectures enable the students to learn from these leading masters and

interact with them without leaving the campus.

Last but not least, our School has concluded a tripartite arrangement

with the Supreme People’s Court of China and Columbia Law School for

educating Chinese judges. Every year, 30 Chinese judges are admitted to

our Master of Laws (LLM) programme. In addition, we also organize a one-

month advanced programme for Chinese senior judges two times a year.

The presence of these mainland judges in our School offers an exceptional

opportunity to our students for exchange of views with these judges as well

as understanding of the Chinese legal system and its development.

Professor Wang Guiguo

Dean & Chair Professor of Chinese and Comparative Law

School of Law

4

I am delighted to introduce you to our Doctor of Juridical Science ( JSD)

Programme.

The City University JSD Programme is a natural extension of our Master of

Laws Programme. The JSD Programme strives to provide candidates with

the necessary intellectual tools and environment to undertake rigorous and

ground-breaking postgraduate legal research in their areas of professional

expertise or in legal fields that require comprehensive analysis or reform.

The JSD degree is well-recognised in the United States and some other

common law jurisdictions. After graduation, successful candidates may use

the abbreviation “Dr” before their names.

Our JSD Programme consists of two components: a taught component and

a doctoral thesis. In the taught component students will undertake two

compulsory courses, namely “Advanced Legal Research Methodology” and

“Jurisprudence and Political Theories”, as well as other elective postgraduate

courses, usually from our LLM and JD Programmes. This first phase of

the degree provides students with a solid academic foundation to embark

upon the doctoral thesis. In the doctoral thesis component, a wide range

of research areas is possible, including international law, commercial law,

international arbitration, development law, international economic law and

public law. Each student will be assigned a full-time member of the School

of Law as a supervisor. All supervisors are highly qualified experts who

have an established research track record. They will guide students through

the process of thesis writing. The Programme aims to provide students

with a supportive and dynamic learning environment that enables them to

achieve their fullest academic potential.

Starting from 2011, the School will offer a Chinese Judges JSD programme

in collaboration with the Supreme People’s Court of the PRC and the

National Judges College. The taught component of this degree will be

conducted both at CityU and the National Judges College in Beijing. The

programme will provide an opportunity for our other JSD students to

engage in substantive exchanges with the Chinese judiciary.

You will find more detailed information on our Programme in this brochure.

Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

I invite you to join us in exploring the frontiers of legal research and

scholarship and look forward to receiving your JSD admission application.

Romesh Weeramantry

Programme Leader

MESSAGE FROM THE PROGRAMME LEADER

5

The Doctor of Juridical Science (法學博士) ( JSD) programme includes both

taught and research components. It provides an opportunity for students

who wish to pursue higher studies in law in Hong Kong. The successful

completion of the programme will lead to the degree of Doctor of Juridical

Science. JSD graduates may use the abbreviation “Dr” before their names.

The degree is well-recognised in the United States and some other common

law jurisdictions.

Programme AimsThe programme aims :

• toprovidean integrated curriculumof theory,practice and research

methodology;

• todevelopanadvancedknowledgeandunderstandingof law in the

particular areas of research chosen by the JSD student;

• to promote scholarship in the areas of law that are relevant to

contemporary society with a view to understanding their current content

and proposing required changes; and

• toprovideasoundframeworkforpursuingpostgraduate legal research

in an intellectually stimulating environment with a view to making a

significant contribution to the particular field of research.

The programme is designed for candidates :

• todemonstrateacriticalunderstandingof theknowledgebase in their

selected research areas;

• toanalysecriticallyinformationandpracticeinthoseareas;

• tocomprehendandevaluatethemaintheories,principlesandconcepts

in those areas;

• todemonstratecreativity incontributing to theknowledgebaseby the

formulation of research questions and the selection, development and

implementation of appropriate research strategies;

• tocreate,deployanddefendanargumentinwritingandorally.

PROGRAMME AIMS, DURATION AND CONTENT

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Programme DurationThe normal study period of the programme is three years. The maximum

period of study is six years. Any periods of leave of absence and academic

suspension are counted towards the maximum period of study.

Students who encounter any difficulties in their studies should talk to their

supervisors as early as possible so that it will not hamper their completion

by the specified maximum period.

Local students can take 4 to 16 credit units per semester in different

semesters without seeking approval from the University. For non-local

students, they will be admitted for either full-time or part-time studies. Non-

local students must maintain the required credit load for their full-time (at

least 12 credit units per semester) or part-time studies (no more than 11

credit units) and any changes will require approval from the University.

Programme Content (2010–11)The programme consists of a taught component and doctoral thesis.

Taught component: 8 credit units of core courses and 24 credit units of

elective courses

Doctoral thesis: a thesis equivalent to 22 credit units

Taught Component (2010–11) The taught component is designed to ensure that a JSD student attains a

very high level of academic skills through the study of taught courses. He/

she will then possess the appropriate academic foundation to progress to

the thesis stage. Through the taught component a student is expected to

learn not only advanced legal research methodology but also substantive

law in his/her chosen area of study.

7

JSD students must choose from the following list of courses:

CoreCourses(8 credit units)

1. Advanced Legal Research Methodology

2. Jurisprudence and Political Theories

4 credit units

4 credit units

ElectiveCourses(24 credit units)

Select a total of at least 24 credit units from the following : •LLMtaughtcourses(LLMDissertationcoursesand Independent Research courses are excluded)

•JDcourses(uptoamaximumof9creditunits)

JSD students who have previously completed LLM course(s) at CityU are not allowed to take the same or similar

course(s) under the LLM programme.

If a JSD student requests to take a CityU JD course and he/she has

previously completed a similar course in a common law jurisdiction, he/she

will not be allowed to take the course.

JSD students who have not taken Basic Law or constitutional law course are

encouraged to take LW6520C/E Basic Law of Hong Kong, which is a course

under the LLM programme.

Advanced Legal Research Methodology (LW8700D)This course aims to develop the students’ ability to conduct research at

an advanced level. The skills taught will have a wide application to both

scholarly inquiry and problem solving generally.

Jurisprudence and Political Theories (LW8701D)This course aims to:

•familiarize students with different conceptions of law and their

relationship with the political theories and political economy;

•makestudentsunderstandlawinrelationtosocietywhichrelationshipis

dependent on a number of social, economic, cultural, historical and other

considerations;

•developcreativethinkingamongstudentsaboutthefunctionsoflawand

its effective realization.

7

8

Doctoral Thesis (LW8703D)The second component of JSD programme is the writing of a Doctoral

Thesis. Students have to satisfy the requirements of the taught component

and obtain the Programme Leader’s approval of the proposed thesis topic

and outline before they can start the Doctoral Thesis.

After the start of the Doctoral Thesis, a JSD student must provide a report

on his/her progress to his/her Qualifying Panel at least once per year. The

Panel must be satisfied that the work is being conducted independently

by the student and has been undertaken substantially during the student’s

candidature.

Students are also required to make one presentation at a JSD Colloquium

and to attend at least one presentation made by another student at any

other JSD Colloquium. After submission of their thesis, students will be

required to attend an oral examination of the thesis.

The thesis must display a high level of intellectual accomplishment and

must: (1) make a substantial intellectual contribution to legal scholarship;

and (2) be of publishable quality. The length of a thesis should be around

80,000 words.

The following are the five categories of research and the possible areas

under each category :

a. Commercial L aw

•arbitrationanddisputeresolution

•bankingandsecuritieslaw

•comparativecontractlaw

•comparativetortlaw

•corporategovernance

b. Development L aw

•humanrightsanddevelopment

•lawandgovernance

•lawanddevelopment

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c. International Economic Law

•internationalfinanciallaw

•internationalinvestmentlaw

•internationaltradelaw

•internationaltaxation

•intellectualpropertylaw

•internationaltransportationlaw

•WTOlaw

d. International L aw

•publicinternationallaw

•privateinternationallaw

•lawofthesea

•airandspacelaw

e. Public L aw

•theBasicLaw

•civilandcriminaljustice

•comparativeadministrativelaw

•comparativeconstitutionallaw

•comparativecriminallawandprocedure

•comparativelegalsystemsandlegaltraditions

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Name Research Interest

Prof Wang Guiguo • WTO Law

• International Economic Law

• International Banking and Finance Law

• International Investment Law

• Comparative Law

• Chinese Law

Prof Nadja Alexander • Negotiation and Mediation

• Alternative Dispute Resolution

• International and Comparative Mediation

• Intercultural Conflict Engagement

• Participatory Theories of Justice

• Peace-Building and Development Law

Dr Chen Lei • Property law

• Comparative law

• Legal history

• Chinese civil law

Prof M J A Cooray • Constitutional and Administrative Law

• Planning and Environmental Law

• Regulatory Framework of Finance and Banking

Dr Surya Deva • Corporate Social Responsibility

• Indo-Chinese Constitutional Law

• International Human Rights

• Globalisation

• Sustainable Development

Dr Ding Chunyan • Medical Law

• Tort Law

• Public Health Law

• Chinese Civil Law

Mr Gu Minkang • Chinese Company Law

• Antidumping Law

• Competition Law

• European Business Law

• Criminal Justice

LIST OF SCHOOL OF LAW STAFF WHO ARE QUALIFIED TO SUPERVISE JSD STUDENTS

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Name Research Interest

Dr Guan Wenwei • WTO Law and Practice

• TRIPS and Intellectual Property Theory

• (Contemporary Western) Legal Theory

• Law and Development

• Trade and Investment in the PRC

Dr Frank He • Law and Society

• Law and Development

• Chinese Legal Systems

Dr John K S Ho • Business Law

• Corporate Governance

• Business Ethics / CSR

• Financial Regulation

Dr Avnita Lakhani • ADR (Negotiation, Mediation, and Arbitration) and Dispute Systems Design

• International Conflict Resolution

• Environmental and Sustainable Development Law

• International Investment Disputes

• Comparative International Law

Dr Priscilla Leung • Comparative law between Hong Kong, PRC and Taiwan

• (Conflicts of Law, Civil and Civil Procedure Law, Family Law)

• The Hong Kong Basic Law

• Human Rights

• (racial discrimination, language discrimination and gender discrimination)

• Cyberlaw in China

Dr Lin Feng • Public Law (Constitutional Law, Administrative Law)

• Environmental Law

• Comparative Labour Law

• Intellectual Property Law

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Name Research Interest

Dr Fozia Lone • Public International Law Including issues involving Statehood, State Continuity,

Restoration of Historical Title, Occupation & Self-determination

• International Human Rights Law — Minority Rights, Women Rights & Children

Rights

• Armed Conflict

• Humanitarian Law & International Criminal Law

• UN System and its mechanisms

• South Asian perspective to the international law

• Relationship between Law and Politics

• Colonial history of the British Indian Empire

Dr Vernon Nase • Transportation law generally

• Aviation Law including Intergovernmental Aviation Disputes, the Warsaw-

• Space law

• Tort law

• Mooting and Advocacy Skills

Dr Rebecca Ong • Information Technology Law

• Intellectual Property Law

• E-Commerce Law

• Law of Succession

Dr Shen Wei • Commercial Law (company law, banking law, capital markets)

• International Commercial Law

• International Commercial Arbitration

Dr Poomintr

Sooksripaisarnkit

• Admiralty and Maritime Law

• Insurance Law

• Comparative Law

• Conflict of Laws

Dr Steven Wan • Intellectual property law

• Cyberlaw

• Government regulation

• Chinese law

Dr Zhu Guobin • Constitutional & Administrative Law of the PRC

• The Basic Law of Hong Kong

• Public Administration of the PRC

• Chinese and Comparative Legal System

• Law of Human Rights in China

13

Examples of Past and CurrentStudents’ Thesis Titles•AComparativeStudyofSomeLegal IssuesonRegional Investment—

China’s Basic Position and Strategy

•AComparative studyon theanti-money launderingmeasures in the

People’s Republic of China with reference to the Financial Action Task

Force.

•ASocial-legalStudyontheNormsandRegulationsofFinancialServices

Intermediary in Hong Kong

•ASocial-legalStudyontheNormsandRegulationsofFinancialServices

Intermediary in Hong Kong

•AStudyofLegalProblemsonAnti-takeover

•AStudyonFiduciaryDutyofStockbrokerOwnedtoClient

•AStudyonInjuryDeterminationinAntidumpingLaws

•ActionagainstSecuritiesTortiousConductinChina

•AdministrativeLitigationinChina:PostWTORevolutionandComparison

with HK Administrative Law System

•Analysis ofAnti-Dumpingmeasureswithin theContext ofNational

Treatment Provisions of the WTO

•Anti-dumpingundertheWTO:HowtoProtectChina’sEnterprises

•AutonomyintheBuildingManagementSysteminMainlandChina

•BankingLaw

•China’sCourtReformagainsttheBackgroundofWTO

•ChineseCommercialLitigation:MajorLegalIssues

•ComparativeCompany Law among theUnitedKingdom,USA and

Germany: The Protection of Creditors and Minority Shareholders

•ComparativeinsurancelawbetweenHongKongandPRC—Thepresent

application of the main principles of insurance (utmost good faith,

insurable interest and proximate cause) in China and its necessary

revisions

•ComparativeLegislativeSystembetweenHongKong,PRCandTaiwan

•ComparativeStudyonPiercingCorporateVeiland ItsDevelopment in

China

STUDENTS’ THESIS TITLES

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14

•ConstructionDisputeandResolutioninHongKong

•DataProtectioninHongKong

•DeliberativeDemocracyinContemporaryChina:ConsultationorControl?

•DevelopmentAnti-moneyLaunderingRegimeand ImplementingAnti-

money Laundering Preventive Messures in China — The Perspective of

Financial Institutions

•Dispute-PredictionModelforInternationalInvestments

•Dispute Settlement Mechanism of ACFTA [ASEAN (Association of

Southeast Asian Nations) — China Free Trade Area]

•FinancialRegulationandGlobalization

•GenderinPeople’sCourts—AStudyofFemaleJudgesinMainlandChina

•GlobalizationandLegalServiceTradeofChina

•Havepre-existingsocialand legalnorms influenced thenature,extent

andpaceofdemocratization in formerBritishcolonies?Acriticalstudy

of the “shadow of democracy” in South Africa since 1910 and India since

1947 in order to better understand the jurisprudence and process of

democratic reform in Hong Kong under Chinese sovereignty

•HowtoImprovetheProtectionofGeographicalIndicationsinChina

•InternationalListingsandEquityIssuesbyPRCCompanies

• IsthePowerofFinalAdjudicationofCourtofFinalAppealFetteredby

the Standing Committee of National People’s Congress under the Basic

Law

•LegalRegulatoryFrameworkof ForeignCompanies Listing inChina

under Economic Globalization

•LegalResolutionofPoliticsandEconomicDisputesinASEAN

•MajorProblemsof InternationalArbitration inChinaandVietnam:A

Comparative Study

•MedicalNegligenceinHongKong

•Medico-LegalLiabilityofPracticingOffsiteTelemedicine inHongKong

and Mainland China

•MinorityShareholderProtection inPubliclyListedCompanies inChina:

Institutional Deficiencies and Challenges

15

•OnChineseForeignDirectInvestmentLaws:DuringtheTransitionPeriod

of China's Economic Growth Mode

•Preventing Abuse of Intellectual Property in China—from the

Antimonopoly Perspective

•Protectionof theEnvironmentandHumanHealth through Investment

Treaties

•ReexaminationandHarmonizationof the Standardsof Patentability

Requirements in the Field of Biotechnology: Lessons and Strategies for

the Developing Countries

•RegulationoftheCapitalMarketinHongKong

•RegulationofRelatedPartyTransactionsofFinancialInstitutionsinChina

•Researchon the ImplementationandEnforcementMechanismof the

WTO Dispute Settlement System

•ResearchontheLegalIssuesofForeignCapitalsM&AinChina

•RethinkAnti-dumpingLawundertheWTO

•StudyonJudicialMediationinPRC

•Studyon the LegalApplicability and Limitations of the Substantive

Conditions of WTO Safeguard Measures

•TaxAvoidanceinElectronicCommerce

•TheAnti-moneyLaunderingMeasuresintheChineseRegime

•TheConstitutionalRoleofJudicialReviewActionsinHKSAR

•TheEffectivenessofInternationalEnvironmentalLaws

•TheFairandEquitableTreatmentStandard in International Investment

Law

•TheHongKongInsolvencyLaw:CurrentissuesandDevelopment

•TheImpactofRuleofLawonFDIdecisionsinHongKong

(and Mainland China via Hong Kong)

•The inextricablenatureofconstruction lawandenvironmental law in

China

•TheJudicialRemedies for theInvestorProtections inChineseSecurities

Market

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•TheLegalRegulationofRealEstateInvestmentTrusts(REITs)inChina

•TheNeed forPluralityConsciousness—AComparativeStudyofAnti-

Trust Laws in Hong Kong and PRC

•ThePoliticalEconomyofDigitalCopyrightinHongKong

•TheRealEstateLawandInvestorProtectioninChina

•TheReformoftheJuryOrdinanceinHongKong

•TheRoleofPrecedentinInternationalInvestmentArbitration

•TheTransplantoftheLawsinHongKong,PRCandTaiwananditsEffect

in Modern Society

•TheTrustApproaches inAssetSecuritization:AComparativeLegaland

Economic Study

•TortRecoveryofPureEconomicLoss:AComparativeAnalysis

•Under the influence of globalization and framework ofWTO, the

Prospects for the Anti- Trust Law Legislation in China

17

(Applicable in 2010–11)Credit transfer is permitted only from relevant, formal studies at

postgraduate level and may count only against the taught course

requirement.

Transfer credits will not be counted in the calculation of a student’s GPA,

except where special arrangements have been made.

Students should not take the courses for which transfer credits have been

granted.

The maximum number of credits that can be transferred is 16 credit units of

taught courses.

A student applying for credit transfer in respect of CityU courses will have

to attain a course grade of B or above in the completed course for which

credit transfer is requested, except for courses graded on a pass-fail basis.

No credit transfer will be granted for the following CityU research-based

courses and non-taught courses:

LLM courses

•LW6537C&E Dissertation

•LW6548CandLW6551E IndependentResearch

LLMArbDR courses

•LW6404 ResearchProject

•LW6409A Dissertation

Applications for credit transfer for Postgraduate Certificate in Laws (PCLL)

courses will not be considered.

Applications for credit transfer for non-CityU courses will normally not be

considered if those courses do not have equivalent LLM courses taught at

CityU.

Students who have obtained CityU MA/LLMArbDR degree with CGPA of

at least 3.0 will be approved a general credit transfer (i.e., not course-by-

course basis) of up to 8 credit units of taught courses.

CREDIT TRANSFER

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RESIDENCE REQUIREMENT

18

A student is expected to be in residence, i.e. spend the whole period

of study in Hong Kong and attend classes at CityU, for the taught

component of the JSD programme. After successful completion of the

taught component, a student can apply to return to his/her own country

to write his/her thesis. But the student must report regularly to his/her

supervisors on a monthly basis.

RESIDENCE REQUIREMENT

19

Students who have satisfied the programme requirements of LLM and

choose not to write the Thesis (or who failed the Thesis) may be granted

the following intermediate awards as appropriate:

•MasterofLaws(ChineseandComparativeLaw)

中國法與比較法法學碩士

•MasterofLaws(InternationalEconomicLaw)

國際經濟法法學碩士

•MasterofLaws(CommonLaw)

普通法法學碩士

•MasterofLaws(MaritimeandTransportationLaw)

海事法與運輸法法學碩士

•MasterofLaws

法學碩士

INTERMEDIATE AWARDS

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ENTRANCE AND ENGLISH PROFICIENCY REQUIREMENTS

20

Minimum Entrance RequirementsApplicants should hold one of the following qualifications:

•anLLMdegreefromarecognizeduniversity(admissionwillberestricted

to those whose performance in the LLM indicates a level of attainment

sufficient to justify admission to a doctoral programme); or

•anLLBdegree, JDdegreeorequivalent froma recognizeduniversity

with first class honours or equivalent; or

•anLLBdegree, JDdegreeorequivalent froma recognizeduniversity

with upper second class honours or equivalent plus 3 years relevant

professional experience; or

•any relevant professional qualifications or scholarly achievements

recognized by the University.

English Proficiency RequirementApplicants whose entrance qualification is obtained from an institution

where the language of instruction is not English should fulfil the following

minimum English proficiency requirements:

•aTOEFLscoreof580(paper-based)or92(internet-based);or

•anoverallbandscoreof7inIELTS;or

•ascoreof490intheChinesemainland'sCollegeEnglishTestBand6;or

•otherequivalentqualifications.

(The School of Law has stipulated a validity period of three years for results

of the above tests. Applicants are required to provide their English test

results obtained within the three years preceding the commencement of the

University’s application period.)

ENTRANCE AND ENGLISH PROFICIENCY REQUIREMENTS

21

In reviewing each application for admission, the School of Law will

consider the applicant’s:

•academicachievements;

• legalscholarshiptodate;

•experienceinacademicorotherlaw-relatedactivities;

•purposesinseekingtopursueadvancedstudies;

• recommendations;and

• interviewperformance,ifany.

The applicant must satisfy the University that he or she is capable of

pursuing advanced studies, of completing substantial research in a subject

relating to law, and of making, in his or her thesis, a significant contribution

to legal scholarship.

Shortlisted applicants may be invited to attend an interview as part of the

selection process.

Applications will be considered on a competitive basis based on

the information provided in the application form and the applicants’

performance at the interview, if any.

ASSESSMENT OF APPLICATIONS

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OBSERVATIONS FROM OUR GRADUATES

“Before commencing the JSD I was a legal practitioner for almost 20 years. The JSD programme provided me with a unique opportunity to study topics related to my legal practice. I found that studying for the JSD was extremely satisfying because it enabled me to work with ideas distilled from my legal practice; master jurisprudential concepts and their application to legal issues in my chosen field; use multidisciplinary approaches to the study of these legal issues; develop the skills of investigation, analysis and argumentation; and make a contribution to the existing knowledge pool on these legal issues. The experience was a challenging, frustrating and yet a rewarding one. Because of the practical relevance to my legal practice, the knowledge gained and analytical skill acquired though the CityU JSD programme helped me to develop a better understanding, deeper insight and a broader perspective in relation to my legal practice. I would highly recommend this JSD programme to those students who are willing to accept the intellectual challenge and possess the determination to become one of the leading voices in their chosen legal field.”

Dr Wan Charn WingDoctor of Juridical Science 2009

“我在香港城市大學的學習深深受益於城市大學法律學院學識淵博的教師、熱忱勤勉的行政管理人員、藏書豐富的城大圖書館、完善優良的教學設施、優美舒適的校園環境。I enjoyed great benefit from the learned professors’ instructions, the administrative staff’s conscientious efforts, the University’s excellent library, advanced facilities and beautiful campus.”

Dr Sui PingDoctor of Juridical Science 2009

“The CityU JSD programme taught me how to do in-depth research on a particular topic and, more importantly, how to put my ideas into scholarly writings. I have benefited tremendously from my JSD experience: I have acquired expert knowledge on the fields that I am interested in and I am also able to convey my ideas and research results to people who are in the same industry, not to mention that the JSD qualification has also helped me to advance my career! The professors of the JSD programme are all excellent and helpful, and I would whole-heartedly recommend this programme to all people who want to excel in their respective legal areas.”

Dr Alex WongDoctor of Juridical Science 2010

“With the opportunity to study JSD programme, I genuinely believe that it will not only provide me with academic knowledge but also enable us to think independently. The freedom of independent learning helps to catalyze the maturity of students and fulfil my curiosity. Indeed, the guidance and support from the Professor have instilled us much self-confidence and motivation during this learning process.”

Dr Lam Sau PingDoctor of Juridical Science 2010

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As our students find out, the City University of Hong Kong is a well-

equipped place to study law. The Library supports the research and

teaching of the CityU School of Law faculty and students. It provides

an excellent collection of law materials as well as an extensive array of

facilities. Law materials include the legal literature of Hong Kong, China,

Great Britain and other common law countries. The print collection

contains more than 113,000 volumes. It is enriched by a growing number

of electronic resources, comprising electronic databases, electronic

journals and electronic books. A majority of these electronic resources

can be accessed throughout the campus as well as remotely. It also

features two special collections, the English Law Special Collection and

the Chinese Legal History Special Collection. The former focuses on pre-

1900 English law materials while the latter covers the period from Ancient

China to the 1949. To further extend the resource base, the Law Section

staff carefully selects and organizes important legal sites. Their web page

(http://www.cityu.edu.hk/lib/collect/law/index.htm) serves as a gateway

to legal information worldwide. On the equipment and facilities side, the

Library provides numerous computer workstations, networked printers,

photocopiers and law discussion rooms.

LIBRARY

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Application Fees (Non-refundable and Non-transferable)The application fee for admission to a programme is HK$200 per online

application. The application fee is non-refundable and non-transferable.

You are required to pay the application fee online using a credit card (VISA

or MasterCard), before submission of the online application.

Programme-related FeesThe following are the major fees (rates for 2011–12) that need to be paid by

JSD students. Please note that fees are subject to review from time to time

without prior notification.

APPLICATION AND PROGRAMME-RELATED FEES

* When credit transfer is granted, students do not need to attend the exempted courses or pay the relevant course fees.

# Students are required to pay the registration fee until their theses (or the revised theses if revision is required) are supported for acceptance by Dean of the School of Law (SLW). If the Dean (SLW)’s acceptance is granted before the end of Week 5, the student will not be required to pay the registration fee for that semester. If the acceptance is granted in Week 6 or afterwards, the student will be required to pay the registration fee for that semester.

Type of Fee Amount Remarks

Taught Component

Course fee* HK$4,200 per credit unit Non-refundable; to be paid on a semester basis

Doctoral Thesis

Registration fee HK$20,000 per semester Non-refundable; to be paid on a semester basis#

Fee for thesis (22 credit units) HK$4,200 per credit unit Non-refundable

Oral examination HK$10,000 Non-refundable

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Applications for admission can be made through on-line application (http://www.sgs.cityu.edu.hk/programme/JSD).

The application information and procedures can also be obtained from the above website.

Applications are invited during the following period:

Entry Term Application Period

September 2011 15 November 2010 – 31 May 2011

Applicants are also required to nominate two academic referees who can

comment on their academic performance (the proposed supervisor and

persons from non-academic circles are normally not acceptable as academic

referees). Please send the referee’s report form to the referee and invite

them to complete the forms and return them directly to the Chow Yei Ching

School of Graduate Studies under confidential cover.

Successful applicants are required, on registration, to produce for

verification the original copy of the supporting documents for qualifications

claimed in the application form. Provision of any false or misleading

information therein will lead to disqualification of the application for

admission to the University. All fees paid will not be refunded.

APPLICATION PROCEDURES

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Guidelines for Preparing a Research Proposal for Graduate Studies in the School of Law

IntroductionIt is very important in preparing your Research Proposal for graduate studies in the School of Law that

you devote time and thought to produce a sound proposal. You owe it to yourself to do justice to your

planned research by presenting it thoroughly and clearly. You also need to explain:

•Exactlywhatyourproposalis;

•Whyitisagoodproposal;and

•Whyitshouldbeapproved.

Think about your proposal carefully therefore. You also should seek comments on your proposal by discussing it

with other people experienced in research. It is also a good idea to seek comments on your proposal in draft written

form before finalizing it.

Note: Due to the close relationship between students and supervisors, it is necessary, also, for an appropriate staff

member to be available to undertake the required supervision.

Contents of the Research Proposal

a Introduction The guiding principle for a good Research Proposal is that you must have a serious question (or questions)

in mind worthy of careful, thorough research. That is, you must be able to state a proposition (or a series of

related propositions) worthy of detailed research and analysis. It is likely be that, in the process of conducting

your research, this agenda for investigation will be adjusted. That is, the statement of your research topic may

be refined. This is normal. At the outset, however, you should be able to explain your proposed research plan

in terms of:

•Aclearstatementoftheissue(orissues)tobediscussed;

•Aclearjustificationofwhyitisworthyofdiscussion;and

•Aclearexplanationofhowyouintendtoconductresearchandanalysisonyourchosentopic.

This basic explanatory material should appear at the beginning of your proposal.

APPENDIX

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b Background You also will need to specify the research background of the topic. You should give an overview of some

current findings in the area, with references. Setting out the background will help you to state clearly what

you consider the research problem to be and what hypothesis you wish to test.

c Methodology You need to explain the methods you intend to use in your research. You may use a largely traditional legal

research method including detailed library (and other data base) researching of primary sources (such as

cases) and secondary sources (such as commentaries) in your topic area.

You may need to use less traditional methods also, such as case studies, statistical analysis, questionnaires or

textual analysis. You must explain clearly the methodology you will apply. This means you have to make clear

what you understand the methodology to be, what it can achieve and why it is relevant to your research. For

example, if you are proposing field surveys, you need to explain which group you are surveying and why

and, generally, what you wish to find out from the group.

d Concluding Remarks Finally, you should provide a succinct summary of your:

•Question(orquestions)toberesearched;

•BackgroundtotheResearch;and

•Methodology

in the conclusion.

You may wish to explain your thesis with greater precision, at this point, in the context of the background

and methodology explanations previously given.

e Chapter Outline Although not mandatory, it is useful to sketch out how you plan to structure your written thesis by providing

a list of chapter headings. It is often possible to give a paragraph summarizing what you expect each chapter

to cover, also.

f Bibliography You should attach a bibliography of those publications to which you have referred and other relevant

publications you know of.

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Length of Research Proposal/Checking Research ProposalThere is no set length for a Research Proposal. But it should cover the matters set out above. Proposals should

always be typed double-spaced and carefully checked for formal correctness (spelling, presentation, etc.). You

should always have your Research Proposal carefully proof read. Failure to check the presentation thoroughly for

clarity and correctness almost certainly will result in instances of distracting sloppiness in the Research Proposal.

Such sloppiness always creates a poor impression in the minds of reviewers. You must put in the effort required to

eliminate repetitive sloppiness.

Prior WorkIf you have a good example of prior written work which you have had published, you may submit it with your

research proposal.

What Makes a Good Written Thesis ?The thesis must display a high level of intellectual accomplishment and must: (1) make a substaintial intellectual

contribution to legal scholarship; and (2) be of publishable quality.

The best start to achieve this standard is a carefully prepared Research Proposal.

Enquiries

CurriculumProgramme Leader

Mr Romesh Weeramantry

Address : School of Law

5/F Academic Building (lift no.6)

City University of Hong Kong

Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Tel No. : 3442 8008

Fax No. : 3442 0190

Email : slwjsd@cityu.edu.hk

Website : http://www.cityu.edu.hk/slw/

Application and General EnquiresAddress : Chow Yei Ching School of Graduate Studies

Unit 7B, Block 1

To Yuen Building

31 To Yuen Street

Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong

Tel No. : 3442 4767

Fax No. : 3442 0330

Email : sg@cityu.edu.hk

Website : http://www.sgs.cityu.edu.hk/

The information given in this brochure is accurate at the time of printing in April 2011. Change to the information may by made from time to time without prior notification.

This brochure is provided for information and to facilitate applications to the Doctor of Juridical Science programme, and does not form part of a contract between any person and the University.

A Law SchoolAiming at Global Leadership

andRegional Pre-eminence

A Law SchoolAiming at Global Leadership

andRegional Pre-eminence