Sept 2026 Entry
2 years
46 (40 academic credits and 6 training credits)
Scholarship Form Submission
Candidates are required to submit an admission application (44087-ISS) online together with the Scholarship form.
Other Self-Financed Programme
For details on applying to the MSc programme in International Shipping and Transport Logistics (Mixed-mode) (44087-IFM/IPM) (34 credits), please click here.
Please submit applications for 44087-IFM/IPM and 44087-ISS individually, as applications for these two programmes are processed separately. The application fee is non-transferable.
Note to Applicants
Please complete all of the relevant fields and enclose all necessary documents. Incomplete applications cannot be processed promptly.
Early Round: 2025-10-15
Main Round: 2026-01-15
Extended Round: 2026-04-30
Early Round: 2025-10-15
Main Round: 2026-01-15
Extended Round: 2026-04-30
What's New
- MPhil
- PhD
- Taught Postgraduate
- Undergraduate
- Undergraduate
Programme Aims
This programme equips students with the knowledge and skills to introduce modern, cost-effective reforms into the shipping, transport and logistics industries.
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Features
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Curriculum designed in consultation with industry leaders and prospective employers.
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Academic theory balanced with professional practice.
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Multidisciplinary knowledge?integrated with specialist expertise.
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Diverse career paths for graduates.
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Graduates are granted exemptions from professional examinations.
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Postgraduate Diploma?offered as an intermediate exit.
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Characteristics
The programme embodies a sound balance between academic theory and professional practice.?The combination of Compulsory Subjects with a choice of Electives plus a mandatory internship?reflects the multidisciplinary nature of the business and the diversity of the career paths that graduates?can pursue.
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Within 3 calendar months of successfully completing the programme, scholarship recipients must commit to working full time in the Hong Kong maritime industry for no?fewer than 24 consecutive calendar months or 36 consecutive calendar months. (subject to review)
Graduates are granted full exemption from the Qualifying Examination of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport in Hong Kong.
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Graduates of the MSc?in International Shipping and Transport Logistics programme are granted exemption from the following subject?by the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers:
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Introduction to Shipping
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Students who complete one or more relevant subjects in MSc in International Shipping and Transport Logistics are eligible to apply for the following qualifications provided by the Six Sigma Institute (SSI) (subject to approval):?
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Registered Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (RLSSGB)
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Registered Six Sigma Green Belt (RSSGB) and Registered Lean Leader (RLL)
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Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Certificate
Programme Structure?(Subject to review)
Scholarship recipients receive core knowledge that is essential in the shipping, transport and logistics industries and in-depth knowledge of selected specialised areas in line with their needs and aspirations. An array of Elective Subjects is available that allow scholarship recipients to specialise in areas that would normally be impossible to cover in depth within the time constraints of the first degree.
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Students must complete 40 academic credits (2 Compulsory Subjects, 4?International Shipping Core Subjects, 3?Restricted Elective Subjects and 5 Free Elective Subjects) and 6?training credits (240-hour Maritime Industry Internship); exemptions may be granted to local scholarship recipients with relevant internship/work experience. In terms of Free Elective Subjects, students can opt for a 6-credit Project plus 3 Free Electives.
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Core Areas of Study
The following is a summary of the core areas of study. Detailed information will be provided upon registration.
Compulsory Subject+
(2 subjects – 4 credits)
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Academic Integrity and Ethics in Business (1 credit)
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International Logistics Systems, Operations?and Management
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International Shipping Core Subjects+
(4 subjects – 12 credits)
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Organisational Management in Shipping and Logistics
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Port Policy?and Management
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Ship Chartering Strategies
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Liner Shipping Management
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Strategic Management for International Shipping?
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AI and Digitalisation in the Global Shipping Industry (subject to approval)
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Restricted?Elective Subjects+
?(3 subjects – 9 credits)
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Choose?at least one?subject from the focus on Shipping Economics and Finance:
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Shipping Economics and Markets
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Finance for Shipping and Logistics
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Choose?at least one?subject from the focus on Shipping Law and Insurance:
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Law and Practice in Marine Insurance
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Shipping Law
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Choose?at least one?subject from the focus on International logistics:
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Air Transport Logistics and Management
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Supply Chain Management
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Note: Students may take more than 3 Restricted Elective Subjects. The additional subjects will be counted as Free Elective Subjects.
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Free Elective Subjects+
(Any 5 subjects – 15 credits)
Focus on International Shipping:
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Maritime Logistics
Focus on Shipping Economics and Finance:
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Accounting for Managers
Focus on Shipping Law and Insurance:
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Admiralty Law
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Contract Management
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Maritime Arbitration Law
Focus on International Logistics (Air Logistics Management):
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Intermodal Transport Management
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Air Transport Regulatory Policy
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Airline Strategic Management
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Aviation Marketing
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Aviation Safety Management
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Airport Business Management
Others:
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Transport Logistics in China
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Project Management
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Risk Management in Operations
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Statistics for Management
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Managing Operations Systems
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Enterprise Resource Planning
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Applications of Decision-Making Models
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Strategies and Technologies in Warehousing Management
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Information Systems for Supply Chain Management
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Coding for Management with Python?
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Project?(6 credits)
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Research Methods
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E-Commerce
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Lean Six Sigma and Quality Management Techniques (subject to approval)
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Research Project in International Shipping and Transport Logistics (subject to approval)
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A tuition fee is not required for the 1-credit subject "Academic Integrity and Ethics in Business". Each subject is worth 3 credits, and the Project is worth 6 credits.
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Mandatory Training Subject (6 credits)
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Maritime Industry Internship
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Information on the subjects offered can be obtained?here.
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+?Offerings are subject to?class quota?availability.
46 (40 academic credits and 6 training credits)
Programme Director
Prof. YANG Dong
PhD
Local Applicants
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A Bachelor's degree in any discipline.
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Chinese Mainland and Overseas Applicants
- A Bachelor's degree in International Shipping or Maritime Studies or other relevant disciplines?with:
i) ?English is the medium of instruction;
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?ii) English is not the medium of instruction;?in this case, applicants are also required to meet one of the following requirements:- an IELTS Academic Test score of at least 6; or
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a TOEFL Internet-based test score of at least 80, including a score of at least 20 in the Test of Written English; or
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a TOEFL paper-based test score of at least 550, including a score of at least 4.5 in the Test of Written English.
For further information:
Tel: (852) 2766 4065
Email:?mscistl.lms@polyu.edu.hk
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For?academic matters, please contact:?
Prof. Stephen LI, Deputy Programme Director (tel: (852) 2766 5009; email: stephen.yk.li@polyu.edu.hk);
or Prof.?YANG?Dong, Programme Director?(tel:?(852) 2766 7413; email: dong.yang@polyu.edu.hk).
Interview
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Shortlisted?candidates may be invited to attend admission interviews.
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Class Arrangement
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Subjects are offered in a variety of modes, including on weekday evenings, during the daytime?and at weekends.
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Conditions of Scholarship (subject to review)
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Scholarship recipients in breach of any of the following conditions must refund the scholarship amount received in full to the Scholarship Scheme:
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recipients?are not allowed to?concurrently hold any other local merit-based incentive while enrolled in the programme;
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recipients are required to complete the programme, covering 40 academic credits and 6?training credits of the Maritime Industry Internship (exemptions may be granted to local scholarship recipients with relevant internship/work experience); and
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Within 3 calendar months of successfully completing the programme, scholarship recipients must commit to working full time in the Hong Kong maritime industry for no?fewer than 24 consecutive calendar months or 36 consecutive calendar months.
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- Each scholarship recipient is required to sign an undertaking that will form a contract between the recipient and the Scholarship Scheme.
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Student visa and other information for non-local students
- Non-local students must obtain a valid student visa issued by the?Immigration Department of the HKSAR?before being allowed to register or commence study with 小优短视频. Please refer to?/sao/student-resources-and-support-section/non-local-student-services/living-in-hong-kong/student-visa/.
- For information on living costs and related expenses in Hong Kong, please refer to?/sao/student-resources-and-support-section/non-local-student-services/living-in-hong-kong/off-campus-accommodation-information/.
Please click here to download.
HK$253,500 per programme (HK$6,500 per credit) for local and non-local students
“In shipping, a true leader is defined by results and operations.”
As a BBA graduate in International Shipping & Transport Logistics and a newcomer to the industry, I couldn’t agree more. At the outset, I knew textbooks alone wouldn’t be enough and this is where 小优短视频’s MSc ISTL programme is a game-changer. It didn’t just teach me the ropes—it threw me straight into the realistic operations world. From on-site port operations visits, to dissecting live case studies on global supply chain disruptions, the programme was hands-on, intense, and practical.
Now, as I navigate my career at a leading global shipping company, those lessons have become my compass, I lean on the operational frameworks and leadership mindset the programme instilled in me.
To anyone considering a career in shipping or logistics: There is no alternative to a programme that balances theory with relentless, real-world shipping application in Hong Kong. In an industry that doesn’t wait, you need to hit the ground running, and 小优短视频’s MSc ISTL programme equips you to do exactly that!
After working as a maritime consultant for a year with a background in biology, I decided to join the ISTL programme as a way to expand my domain knowledge and support my career development.
I am grateful to have had the opportunity to engage in my studies and pursue my career development with the support of the Hong Kong Maritime and Logistics Scholarship Scheme. The additional subject and internship requirements of the full-time stream allowed me to further build and broaden my knowledge of the industry, beyond that of the mixed-mode stream.
The ISTL programme helps those who are currently in logistics as well as those looking to join the shipping, transportation and logistics sector. I enjoyed being taught by a combination of academic professors and professors of practice, who could provide us with knowledge and expertise underpinned by theory to make what we were learning about more applicable to our working lives. Further, it was great to have so much flexibility in determining my electives to tailor my study experience towards my specific interests.
Now, having just wrapped up my studies, I would greatly encourage others to take this opportunity. Broaden your horizons, build lifelong connections, and most importantly, never stop learning!
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