General Rules for Taking Part in Major Selection Exercise (MSE)(applicable to SBM programs only)
- All students, whether admitted through School-based (SBA) or Program-based (PBA) Admission, must join MSE if you want to declare or change their major. Once they have received a major offer, they cannot join MSE again.
- PBA students must give up their major quota when joining MSE. If no offer is received, they will be placed in the Business and Management Program and can join MSE again to choose a major in subsequent term(s) until the end of the 3rd term where they will be assigned General Business Management Program, GBM if there is still no offer.
- Senior year entry students (e.g. admitted through local Associate Degree or Higher Diploma) or PBA students admitted to ECOF and QFIN can join MSE in the first two terms.
- SBA students or PBA students admitted to BBA programs can join MSE in the first three terms.
- Students will be assigned GBM if they do not have a major by two terms for senior year entry students or by three terms for all other students.
- Students must be an active student at HKUST at the time of application.
Programs Available for Selection
Major Selection Exercises are conducted at the end of Fall and Spring. BIBU, MAEC, SGFN and DDP will be available in Year 1 Spring only, while EVMT and RMBI will be available in Year 1 Fall and Spring.
Offered by School of Business and Management
- BBA in Economics (ECON)
- BBA in Finance (FINA)
- BBA in General Business Management (GBM)
- BBA in Global Business (GBUS)
- BBA in Information Systems (IS)
- BBA in Management (MGMT)
- BBA in Marketing (MARK)
- BBA in Operations Management (OM)
- BBA in Professional Accounting (ACCT)
- BSc in Economics and Finance (ECOF)
- BSc in Quantitative Finance (QFIN)
Jointly offered by School of Business and Management, School of Engineering and School of Science
- BSc in Risk Management and Business Intelligence (RMBI)
Jointly offered by School of Business and Management and School of Science
- BSc in Biotechnology and Business (BIBU)
- BSc in Mathemcatics and Economics (MAEC)
Jointly offered by School of Business and Management and Division of Environment and Sustainability
- BSc in Sustainable and Green Finance (SGFN)
Offered by Academy of Interdisciplinary Studies (AIS)
- BSc in Environmental Management and Technology (EVMT)
- Dual Degree Program in Technology and Management (DDP)
Notes: For AIS Programs, please refer to AIS's website for details.
Eligibility
Major | Eligibility |
---|---|
ECOF, GBUS, QFIN, EVMT, RMBI, SGFN, DDP | Completion of at least 29 credits, including transferred credits upon admission. |
ACCT, ECON, FINA, GBM, IS, MARK, MGMT, OM | Completion of:
|
BIBU | Completion of:
|
MAEC | Completion of:
|
Notes:
1. The 7 major foundation courses are ACCT 2010, ECON 2103/2113/2123, FINA 2303, ISOM 2010, ISOM 2700, MARK 2120 and MGMT 2110.
2. Students indicate preference by ranking at least 1 and up to all of the programs that they are eligible to apply.
Program Requirements & Ranking Criteria
Major | Requirements | Ranking Criteria |
---|---|---|
Majors offered by SBM | ||
ECOF (Note 3i & ii) | CGA 3.0 or above; B- or above in any MATH course; C+ or above in LANG 1401/1402 & LANG 1403/1404 |
Holistic assessment based on CGA, selected course performance, CV profile and interview performance |
GBUS (Note 3ii) | CGA 3.0 or above; C+ above in MATH course (B+ or above in ISOM2500 for those who fail to meet the Math course requirement); B- or above in LANG 1401/1402 & LANG 1403/1404 |
Holistic assessment based on CGA, selected course performance, CV profile, personal statement and interview performance |
QFIN (Note 3ii) |
CGA 3.0 or above; B- or above in MATH 1012/1013/1020/1023; C+ or above in LANG 1401/1402; B- or above in LANG 1403/1404 |
Holistic assessment based on CGA, selected course performance, CV profile, personal statement and interview performance |
ACCT | C+ or above in ACCT 2010 | ACCT2010, then BCGA |
ECON | C+ or above in ECON 2103/2113 or ECON 2123 (Note: C- or below in any of ECON2103/2113/2123 will not be considered) |
Holistic assessment based on ECON2103/2113, ECON2123 (if taken), BCGA, selected course performance and CV profile |
FINA (Note 3iii) | C+ or above in FINA 2303 | FINA 2303, then BCGA |
IS | C+ or above in ISOM 2010 | ISOM 2010, then BCGA |
OM | C+ or above in ISOM 2700 | ISOM 2700, then BCGA |
MARK | C+ or above in MARK 2120 | MARK 2120, then BCGA |
MGMT | C+ or above in MGMT 2110 | MGMT 2110, then BCGA |
Majors jointly offered by SBM and SSCI | ||
BIBU | CGA 3.0 or above; C+ or above in LANG1403/1404 |
Holistic assessment based on CGA, CV profile, personal statement (Interview may be required) |
MAEC (Note 3iv) |
CGA 3.0 or above; |
Holistic assessment based on CGA, CV profile, selected course performance (Interview may be required) |
Majors jointly offered by SBM, SENG and SSCI | ||
RMBI (Note 3ii) |
B- or above in MATH 1012/1013/1020/1023 preferred; B- or above in LANG 1401/1402 & LANG 1403/1404 preferred |
Holistic assessment based on CGA, selected course performance, CV profile and interview performance |
Majors jointly offered by SBM and Division of Environment and Sustainability | ||
SGFN |
CGA 3.0 or above; B- or above in MATH 1003/1012/1013/1020/1023; C+ or above in LANG 1401/1402; B- or above in LANG 1403/1404 |
Holistic assessment based on CGA, selected course performance, CV profile, personal statement and interview performance |
Majors offered by AIS | ||
T&M-DDP |
For Engineering options: For Science option: |
Holistic assessment based on pre-admission exam result, CGA, selected course performance, CV profile, personal statement and interview performance |
EVMT | MATH 1003/MATH 1012/MATH 1013/MATH 1020/MATH 1023; CHEM 1004/CHEM 1008/CHEM 1020; any ENVR/SUST course | Holistic assessment based on pre-admission exam result, CGA, selected course performance, CV profile and interview performance |
Notes:
1. BCGA includes the following courses: ACCT 2010, ECON 2103/2113, ECON 2123, FINA 2303, ISOM 2010, ISOM 2020, ISOM 2500, ISOM 2600, ISOM 2700, MARK 2120, MGMT 2010 and MGMT 2110.
2. Credits transferred for the corresponding required courses are considered meeting the requirements.
3. Students without the corresponding major foundation course grade at HKUST will be assessed based on BCGA, selected course performance and CV profile, where in some situation, written exam, interview and personal statement may be required.
i. ECOF: A group of shortlisted students will be invited to attend an interview and to take a MATH test.
ii. ECOF, QFIN, GBUS and RMBI: In Fall MSE, students in the first term of study who have taken LANG 1401/1402 only may be considered.
iii. FINA: For students with credit transfer for FINA 2303, a holistic assessment based on in-person written exam, BCGA, selected course performance, CV profile, personal statement and interview performance is required.
iv. MAEC: Placement test will be required for students who have got credit transfer for MATH 1020. For students using IELTS score to substitute for LANG1401/1402, Band 6.5 or above in IELTS is required and they will need to obtain C+ or above in LANG1403/LANG1404 to fulfill the language requirement of MAEC program.
Quota
The quotas indicated below are indicative and may be adjusted depending on the size and the quality of the application pool.
Major | Total Quota | Major Quota | Fall 2023 Major Quota |
---|---|---|---|
Major offered by SBM | |||
ECOF | 60 | 60 | TBC |
GBUS | 60 | 60 | TBC |
QFIN | 40 | 40 | TBC |
ACCT | 210 | 165 | TBC |
ECON | 110 | 70 | TBC |
FINA | 140 | 110 | TBC |
IS | 220 | 110 | TBC |
OM | 150 | 75 | TBC |
MARK | 220 | 160 | TBC |
MGMT | 205 | 75 | TBC |
Major jointly offered by SBM & SSCI | |||
BIBU | 64 | 64 | TBC |
MAEC | 38 | 38 | TBC (shared between SBM & SSCI) |
Major jointly offered by SBM, SENG & SSCI | |||
RMBI | 45 | 45 | TBC |
Major jointly offered by SBM & Division of Environment and Sustainability | |||
SGFN | 30 | 30 | TBC |
Major offered by AIS | |||
DDP | TBC | TBC | TBC |
EVMT | TBC | TBC | TBC |
Notes:
1. "Total Quota" and "Major Quota" include students admitted to respective programs upon admission.
2. For ECOF, GBUS and QFIN, unfilled quota in Fall 2023 (first term) will be carried forward to Spring 2024 (second term).
3. For BBA programs except GBUS, unfilled quota in Fall 2023 (first term) and Spring 2024 (second term) will be carried forward to Fall 2024 (third term). Unfilled major quota in Fall 2024 will be added to the additional major quota in Spring 2025.
4. All quotas are indicative; quotas for ECOF and QFIN are subject to the size and the quality of the application pool.
5. BIBU, MAEC, SGFN and DDP are available in Year 1 Spring only.
6. EVMT and RMBI are available in Year 1 Fall and Spring.
Timeline
Fall 2023 MSE
Application period
- December 21, 2023 -
January 1, 2024
Interview (if required by programs)
- January 4 - 5, 2024 (January 8 for GBUS)
Result announcements
- January 11 , 2024
Spring 2024 MSE
Application period
- April 2024
Interview (if required by programs)
- Mid May 2024 during study break
Re-prioritization of first major choices after grade release
- Early June 2024 after grade release
Result announcements
- Late June 2024
Fall 2024 MSE
Application period
- December 2024 - Early January, 2025
Interview (if required by programs)
- January 2025
Result announcements
- January 2025