MSc Electronic Commerce

This programme aims to equip students with the skills necessary to become IT professionals that are competent in evaluating and developing e-Commerce systems and services within a business context. Students will gain knowledge and skills in core business and technical related subjects, together with an in-depth understanding of the specific managerial, regulatory, and technical issues involved in the exploitation of eCommerce. Students will also acquire the necessary knowledge and skill to analyze, plan, design, develop, and maintain eCommerce systems.

Upon completion of the programme, graduates should have attained skills and competencies in the following areas:

• understanding of the technologies underpinning the implementation of e-Commerce systems;
• ability to help evaluate and develop electronic commerce opportunities for business;
• competence in evaluating and using software and security methodologies and tools in support of electronic commerce operations;
• knowledge and skills to construct a variety of electronic commerce systems in support of service and business goals;
• skills in the use of software technology to support accounting, marketing and analysis of electronic commerce operations; and
• understanding of the legal environment surrounding e-Commerce, as well as changes in traditional marketing brought about by e-Commerce.

To be eligible for admission, you must satisfy the General Entrance Requirements and have:

• a recognised bachelor's degree in a Computing discipline (e.g., Computer Science, Information Systems, Information Technology); or
• a recognised bachelor's degree in a related discipline (e.g., Electronic Engineering, Economics and Finance, Applied Mathematics, Manufacturing Engineering, Business Information Technology) preferably with applicable IT experience; or
• have obtained a good alternative qualification with substantial IT professional experience acceptable to the University; and
• sufficient command of the English language.

Applicants whose entrance qualification is obtained from an institution where the medium of instruction is NOT English should also fulfill the following minimum English proficiency requirement^{^}:

• a score of 59 (revised paper-delivered test)^{^} or 79 (Internet-based test) in the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)^@#; or
• an overall band score of 6.5 in International English Language Testing System (IELTS)^@; or
• a score of 450 in the Chinese mainland’s College English Test Band 6 (CET-6); 

^{^} Effective from 11 April 2021, the TOEFL revised paper-delivered test is no longer offered.

^@ TOEFL and IELTS scores are considered valid for two years. Applicants are required to provide their English test results obtained within the two years preceding the start of the University's application period.

^# Applicants are required to arrange with the Educational Testing Service (ETS) to send their TOEFL results directly to the University. The TOEFL institution code for CityU is 3401.

Only the above English tests are accepted for MSc Electronic Commerce (P17) and the following English tests are NOT accepted for the programme:

• Duolingo
• GMAT
• GRE
• IELTS Indicator
• TOEFL iBT Home Edition
• TOEIC
• others

Please refer to the updated admissions website for information.

Applicants holding the following documents issued by the Hong Kong Immigration Department are classified as non-local students: 

• Student visa / entry permit
• Visa under the Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates (IANG Visa)
• Dependant visa / entry permit who were 18 years old or above when they were issued with such visa / entry permit by the Immigration Department of the HKSAR

The programme consists of 33 credit units of required courses and elective courses. Students are expected to complete the programme within 1 to 2 years.

The courses fall into one of the following categories:

• business and legal aspects of e-commerce
• e-commerce systems management and applications
• technical knowledge and skills for developing e-commerce systems

The required courses are:

• Introduction to e-Commerce
• Internet Application Development
• Information Security for e-Commerce
• e-Business System Integration
• Analysis and Design of e-Commerce Systems

A student must take all the 5 required courses. Up to 3 required courses can be either credit transferred (waived) based on the student's previous taken postgraduate-level courses or exempted based on the student's previous taken senior undergraduate-level courses. There is a rich set of elective courses to choose from. Examples are:

• Big Data Algorithms and Techniques
• Cloud Computing: Theory and Practice
• Computer Networks and Internets
• Corporate Finance
• Data Warehousing & Data Mining
• eCommerce Project
• Economics for Business
• Financial and Management Accounting
• Information Security Technology Management
• Information Systems Planning and Strategy
• Information Systems Infrastructure and Security Management
• Knowledge Management
• Law Relating to Business and Companies
• Management Support and Business Intelligence Systems
• Multimedia Technologies & Applications
• Privacy-enhancing Technologies
• Supply Chain Management
• Topics on eCommerce Technologies

Department of Computer Science

Department of Information Systems

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