This major is the first and only program in Hong Kong to focus on the increasingly important Asian region in this Asian age.

It strengthens students’ international perspectives.

It is staffed by scholars conducting field-based research in Asian countries and provides students with up-to-date and in-depth regional knowledge.

It features opportunities for students to join overseas exchange programs and field trips to different countries in and beyond Asia to broaden their horizons.

PIA’s internship program offers on-site job training in a number of fields, such as non-government organizations, marketing and research firms, private companies, media sectors, political parties and policy consultancy agencies.

Entrance Requirements for Direct/Non-JUPAS Applicants

To be considered for admission, you must satisfy the General Entrance Requirements.

For details of the program’s curriculum structure, please visit the Undergraduate Catalogue.

The Department of Public and International Affairs is a multidisciplinary department with a multinational faculty and a strong international orientation. With faculty members graduating from many of the world’s top universities and with a commitment to leading edge research and high quality teaching, the Department can lay a strong claim to be the leading department in its field in the region.

This major explores Asia’s significance in contemporary world politics and Hong Kong’s strategic positions within China, Asia and the world. It aims to develop students’ knowledge of the socio-political, economic and cultural changes occurring in Asian countries and to situate them in the broader international context. Students will learn to contemplate Asia's increasingly significant roles in world affairs and examine these roles with both theoretical and practical analytical tools. Through its interdisciplinary curriculum and social research training, the major seeks to equip students with analytical skills that are of great value to organizations in different administrative and economic sectors throughout Hong Kong, Asia and beyond. In addition, it enhances students’ critical reasoning and problem-solving skills, and will deepen their regional and global perspectives.

This major emphasises good knowledge and analytical skills in local, regional and global issues and training to enhance students' oral and written skills. It offers both theoretical thinking and practical analytical perspectives.

Core components

• Courses on the foundations of social sciences
• Courses on social research methods
• Courses on Asian societies
• Courses on international and development studies
• Courses on environment and globalization

The major offers three specialized streams: Asian Studies, International Studies and Development Studies. Students are encouraged to choose electives based on their interests. Elective courses include HK and China studies, specific regional, international and development topics, problem-based studies, migration issues and youth politics. All courses strengthen students’ practical skills and analytical abilities.

This major aims to develop vital human resources that are of strategic importance to Hong Kong. It will develop your knowledge and skills, and broaden and deepen your international and regional perspectives to prepare you for a career in government, social and commercial sectors. Graduates are employable in a wide variety of occupational fields, including social research, market research, journalism and mass media, political groups, public relations, commerce, project-planning and management, social enterprises and non-government organizations.

Our graduates have obtained jobs in teaching positions at all levels, as well as jobs in the private sector, such as editors, non-governmental organization workers, journalists, public-relations personnel, researchers, management trainees, etc.

Department of Public and International Affairs 
College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences 
Undergraduate Catalogue 
CityU Scholarships for Hong Kong Talents

Make a difference: Study Public Affairs and Management (PAFM) at CityU

• How do particular public policies emerge?
• Who makes the decisions and why?
• Why are public policies so important and how do they impact on our everyday lives?
• How do politics and policymaking interact?
• What can we learn from other societies in relation to government and governance?
• What are the key ethical issues in politics and public policy?

PAM will give you the essential analytical, communication, and leadership skills to prepare you for a successful career in a wide range of public and private sector jobs. Substantial training and practical opportunities will be provided in various learning modes to build up your professional skills, competence and confidence.

Entrance Requirements for Direct/Non-JUPAS Applicants

To be considered for admission, you must satisfy the General Entrance Requirements.

For senior-year (Advanced Standing II) admission, applicants are normally expected to have completed an Associate Degree/Higher Diploma with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of ≥3.0 or an equivalent overall mark, or a credit award.

For details of the programme’s curriculum structure, please visit the ‘Undergraduate Catalogue’.

The Department of Public and International Affairs is a multidisciplinary department with a multinational faculty and a strong international orientation. With faculty members graduating from many of the world’s top universities and with a commitment to leading edge research and high-quality teaching, the Department can lay a strong claim to be the leading department in its field in the region.

The aims of the major in Public Affairs and Management (PAFM) are to:

• provide students with a comprehensive education in the common core theories, concepts, and knowledge bases of public policy, public management, and political science;
• enable students to specialise in public policy,  public management, or political science for gaining an understanding of the essential theories, principles, dynamics, and analytic approaches of these bodies of knowledge;
• equip students with the theoretical, conceptual and analytical tools to understand comprehensively public policy, public management, and political developments in Hong Kong, China and the contemporary global world; and
• produce graduates who can meet effectively the human resources needs of a wide range of public and private sector employers in administrative, management, and policy and political analysis positions, as well as in the media and non-governmental organisations.

You will specialise in one of the following streams:

• Political Affairs and Governance
• Public Policy and Management 

The Political Affairs and Governance stream will engage students in the study of wider political and governance issues, the Department can effectively broaden students’ horizons, boost their political and governance skills, and eventually improve their general employability.

The Public Policy and Management stream focuses on human resources management, financial resources management, organisational behavior in public management, management ethics, public policy ethics, and housing studies.

A number of electives will also be offered to PAFM students to enrich their learning in the subject discipline.

We are proud to say that our PAFM graduates have been highly successful in the job market, with many of them employable in a wide variety of occupational fields, including government, social and market research, journalism, public relations, commerce, finance, project-planning and management, and social enterprises. Please review the employment statistics of PPP graduates from 2021:

The PAFM Major equips graduates for successful careers in a wide range of administration, management, politics, and policy positions in both the public and private sectors.  PAFM graduates work as administrative officers and executive officers in various government departments.   Some also work as administrators and managers in public organisations such as universities, public hospitals, Housing Authority, Hospital Authority, and Airport Authority.  Some teach in secondary school and some have gone on to work as anchors and reporters in the news media.  Many of our graduates find employment in the private sector in the fields of public transport, banking, financial services, and property management.

The Department of Public and International Affairs sends a large number of PAFM students to overseas universities in Europe, Australia, United States, Canada, and Asia for exchange study. The Department has achieved an impressive record in securing of international exchange places with universities in Europe, North America and Australia. The Department also provides internship to PAFM students to gain practical working experience in a wide range of both public and private organizations. This helps the career planning of PAFM students. Apart from these, PIA summer schools are very popular among PAFM students for spending a summer in a foreign setting. Various field trips and study tours to different places are organized by faculty in different courses to broaden the horizons of PAFM students to enable them to compare and evaluate the practices of public policy and the operation of government in different countries.

For more details, please click here.

Department of Public and International Affairs 
College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences 
Undergraduate Catalogue 
CityU Scholarships for Hong Kong Talents

Make a difference: Study Public Affairs and Management (PAFM) at CityU

• How do particular public policies emerge?

• Who makes the decisions and why?

• Why are public policies so important and how do they impact on our everyday lives?

• How do politics and policymaking interact?

• What can we learn from other societies in relation to government and governance?

• What are the key ethical issues in politics and public policy?

Our PAFM programme will equip you with the essential analytical, communication, and leadership skills necessary for a successful career in both the public and private sector jobs. We will provide substantial training and practical opportunities, both locally and abroad, in various learning modes to build up your professional skills, competence and confidence.

Students are required to take courses to fulfil the University's requirements, such as Gateway Education, University Language and College Requirement courses.  Students majoring in Public Affairs and Management are also required to take foundation courses in their first year of study.

The Department of Public and International Affairs is a multidisciplinary department with a multinational faculty and a strong international orientation. With faculty members graduating from many of the world’s top universities and with a commitment to leading-edge research and high-quality teaching, the Department can lay a strong claim to be the leading department in its field in the region.

The aims of the major in Public Affairs and Management (PAFM) are to:

• provide students with a comprehensive education in the common core theories, concepts, and knowledge bases of public policy, public management, and political science;
• enable students to specialize in public policy, public management, or political science for gaining an understanding of the essential theories, principles, dynamics, and analytic approaches of these bodies of knowledge;
• equip students with the theoretical, conceptual, and analytical tools to comprehensively understand public policy, public management, and political developments in Hong Kong, China and the contemporary global world; and
• produce graduates who can effectively meet the human resources needs of a wide range of public and private sector employers in administrative, management, and policy and political analysis positions, as well as in the media and non-government organisations.

In the first year you will take a number of foundation courses essential to the basic understanding of public affairs and management - public management, political science, urban studies, and philosophy. These courses will give you a solid platform on which to build up your general knowledge of public affairs and management.

In the second year of study, you will specialize in one of the following streams:

• Public Affairs and Governance 

• Public Policy and Management

The Public Affairs and Governance stream will engage students in the study of wider political and governance issues, the Department can effectively broaden students’ horizons, boost their political and governance skills, and eventually improve their general employability.

The Public Policy and Management stream focuses on human resources management, financial resources management, organizational behavior in public management, management ethics, public policy ethics and housing studies.

A number of electives will also be offered to PAFM students to enrich their learning in the subject discipline.

We are proud to say that our PAFM graduates have been highly successful in the job market, with many of them employable in a wide variety of occupational fields, including government, social and market research, journalism, public relations, commerce, finance, project-planning and management, and social enterprises. Please review the employment statistics of our graduates from 2022:

Joint Bachelor’s Degree Programme between City University of Hong Kong and Columbia University for students in Public Affairs and Management (Political Affairs and Governance Stream)

Students in the Public Affairs and Management Programme (Public Affairs and Governance stream) may apply for admission to the Joint Degree Programme. Students admitted to the Joint Degree Programme will spend their first two years at City University of Hong Kong and stay at Columbia University for their third and fourth years. Upon graduation, students will receive two degrees: Bachelor of Social Sciences in Public Affairs and Management conferred by City University of Hong Kong and Bachelor of Arts in Political Science conferred by Columbia University.  

The PAFM major equips graduates for successful careers in a wide range of administration, management, politics and policy positions in both the public and private sectors. PAFM graduates work as administrative officers and executive officers in various government departments. Some also work as administrators and managers in public organisations such as universities, public hospitals, the Housing Authority, Hospital Authority and Airport Authority. Some teach in secondary schools and some go on to work as anchors and reporters in the news media. Many of our graduates find employment in the private sector in the fields of public transport, banking, financial services and property management.

The Department of Public and International Affairs sends a large number of PAFM students to overseas universities in Europe, Australia, United States, Canada, and Asia for exchange study. The Department has achieved an impressive record in securing international exchange places with universities in Europe, North America and Australia. The Department also provides internship to PAFM students to gain practical working experience in a wide range of both public and private organizations. This helps the career planning of PAFM students. Apart from these, PIA summer schools are very popular among PAFM students for spending a summer in a foreign setting. Various field trips and study tours to different places are organized by faculty in different courses to broaden the horizons of PAFM students to enable them to compare and evaluate the practices of public policy and the operation of government in different countries.

For more details, please click here.

Department of Public and International Affairs 
College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences 
Undergraduate Catalogue 
CityU Scholarships for Hong Kong Talents 
CityU Talents Programme

This major is the first and only program in Hong Kong to focus on the increasingly important Asian region in this Asian age.

It strengthens students’ international perspectives.

Four-year degree students enrolled at the City University of Hong Kong have a chance to apply for admission to the Joint Bachelor’s Degree Program between City University of Hong Kong and Columbia University during their second year.  Students admitted to the Joint Program will earn two bachelor degrees, awarded by the two universities.

It is staffed by scholars conducting field-based research in Asian countries and provides students with up-to-date and in-depth regional knowledge.

It features opportunities for students to join overseas exchange programs and field trips to different countries in and beyond Asia to broaden their horizons.

PIA’s internship program offers on-site job training in a number of fields, such as non-government organizations, marketing and research firms, private companies, media sectors, political parties and policy consultancy agencies.

For details of the program’s curriculum structure, please visit the Undergraduate Catalogue.

The Department of Public and International Affairs is a multidisciplinary department with a multinational faculty and a strong international orientation. With faculty members graduating from many of the world’s top universities and with a commitment to leading edge research and high quality teaching, the Department can lay a strong claim to be the leading department in its field in the region.

This major explores Asia’s significance in contemporary world politics and Hong Kong’s strategic positions within China, Asia and the world. It aims to develop students’ knowledge of the socio-political, economic and cultural changes occurring in Asian countries and to situate them in the broader international context. Students will learn to contemplate Asia's increasingly significant roles in world affairs and examine these roles with both theoretical and practical analytical tools. Through its interdisciplinary curriculum and social research training, the major seeks to equip students with analytical skills that are of great value to organizations in different administrative and economic sectors throughout Hong Kong, Asia and beyond. In addition, it enhances students’ critical reasoning and problem-solving skills, and will deepen their regional and global perspectives.

This major aims to develop vital human resources that are of strategic importance to Hong Kong. It will develop your knowledge and skills, and broaden and deepen your international and regional perspectives to prepare you for a career in government, social and commercial sectors. Graduates are employable in a wide variety of occupational fields, including social research, market research, journalism and mass media, political groups, public relations, commerce, project-planning and management, social enterprises and non-government organizations.

Our graduates have obtained jobs in teaching positions at all levels, as well as jobs in the private sector, such as editors, non-governmental organization workers, journalists, public-relations personnel, researchers, management trainees, etc.

Department of Public and International Affairs 
College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences 
Undergraduate Catalogue 
CityU Scholarships for Hong Kong Talents 
CityU Talents Programme