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.

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^{^}:

• 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); 

^@ 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 CityUHK is 3401.

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

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

Please refer to the updated admissions website for information.

The definitions of non-local applicants and local applicants are set out below:

Non-local Applicants

Persons holding the following documents issued by the Immigration Department (IMMD) of the HKSAR are classified as non-local applicants: 

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

Due to immigration restrictions, nationals from Afghanistan, Cuba, Laos, North Korea (DPRK), Nepal and Vietnam may not be able to obtain a student visa to study in Hong Kong. For details, please click here.

Local Applicants

Persons holding any of the following documents issued by the Immigration Department (IMMD) are classified as local applicants:

• Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card
• Documents issued by the IMMD certifying the right of abode / right to land in Hong Kong
• One-way permit for entry to Hong Kong
• Dependant visa / entry permit for applicants who were below 18 years old when they were issued with such visa / entry permit by the IMMD
• Full-time employment visa / work permit (for part-time study)
• Visa / entry permit for Quality Migrant Admission Scheme (QMAS)
• Visa / entry permit for Capital Investment Entrant Scheme (CIES)
• Visa / Entry permit for Admission Scheme for the Second Generation of Chinese Hong Kong Permanent Residents
• Visa label for unconditional stay

If you need further advice on visa requirements, please contact the IMMD. 

Full-time students may take an optional Internship/Project course in their second year of study.

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^{^}:

• 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); 

^@ 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 CityUHK is 3401.

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

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

Please refer to the updated admissions website for information.

The definitions of non-local applicants and local applicants are set out below:

Non-local Applicants

Persons holding the following documents issued by the Immigration Department (IMMD) of the HKSAR are classified as non-local applicants: 

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

Due to immigration restrictions, nationals from Afghanistan, Cuba, Laos, North Korea (DPRK), Nepal and Vietnam may not be able to obtain a student visa to study in Hong Kong. For details, please click here.

Local Applicants

Persons holding any of the following documents issued by the Immigration Department (IMMD) are classified as local applicants:

• Hong Kong Permanent Identity Card
• Documents issued by the IMMD certifying the right of abode / right to land in Hong Kong
• One-way permit for entry to Hong Kong
• Dependant visa / entry permit for applicants who were below 18 years old when they were issued with such visa / entry permit by the IMMD
• Full-time employment visa / work permit (for part-time study)
• Visa / entry permit for Quality Migrant Admission Scheme (QMAS)
• Visa / entry permit for Capital Investment Entrant Scheme (CIES)
• Visa / Entry permit for Admission Scheme for the Second Generation of Chinese Hong Kong Permanent Residents
• Visa label for unconditional stay

If you need further advice on visa requirements, please contact the IMMD. 

Full-time students may take an optional Internship/Project course in their second year of study.

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 ecommerce 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
• Internship/Project
• 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

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 ecommerce 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
• Internship/Project
• 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

Frequently Asked Questions

Department of Computer Science

Department of Information Systems

Frequently Asked Questions