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Department of Life Sciences 生命科學系
A scientist in a lab coat standing in a bright research laboratory
Taught Postgraduate · Entry September 2027

Three Routes into
Biopharma and Biobusiness

Master the science, business and regulation of getting a therapy from the bench to the patient — in Hong Kong, Singapore, or the Greater Bay Area.

01 Hong Kong

MSc in Biopharmaceutical Development & Commercialization

The flagship route — one year in Hong Kong, from biologics to market entry.

1 yr FT31 creditsInternship in HK
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02 Dual Award · NTU

Dual Degree with MSc in Biomedical Data Science

Two universities, two master's degrees — Year 1 PolyU, Year 2 NTU Singapore.

2 yr FT61 creditsInternship/capstone in SG
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03 Zhongshan · GBA

With Internship at the PolyU-Zhongshan Institute

The same degree, plus an industry placement in the Greater Bay Area.

1 yr FT31 creditsInternship in Zhongshan
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Curriculum

What you actually study

Seven subjects form a common spine across all three routes. Everything after that is where they diverge — what you specialise in, and where you do it.

Core subjects Seven subjects taught on all three routes
ABCT5T01Academic Integrity and Ethics in ScienceUniversity requirement
ABCT5103Intellectual Property Strategy for Biotech Entrepreneurship
ABCT5104Regulatory Science for Biotech Products
ABCT5105Ethics and Management in Life Sciences
ABCT5106Technology Platforms in Drug Discovery
ABCT5107Advanced Therapeutic Products
ABCT5108 / ABCT5109 Investment Financing and Risk Management in Biobusiness or Entrepreneurship: From Lab to Launch Choose 1 of 2
Hong Kong31 credits

MSc BDC · 17004

Foundation

The seven shared subjects above.

Plus on this route
  • ABCT5101Modern Approaches in Biopharmaceutical Development
  • ABCT5102Pharmacology and Toxicology in Biotherapeutics
Optional core · 6 credits

Choose one of two paths:

Path A · industry
  • ABCT5110Industrial Attachment (6)

Roughly 400 hours on placement. The department lists openings in a range of countries, and you may also source your own — either way, you interview and secure the position yourself.

Path B · research
  • ABCT5113Research Project (6)

You approach a PolyU professor to supervise you, then spend six months on a hands-on research project in their group.

If you're aiming at a PhD Gives you genuine research experience to draw on in future applications. It is research training only — not a PhD placement, and no commitment from the supervisor beyond the project.

Dual Award61 credits

PolyU × NTU Singapore

Year 1 · PolyU

The seven shared subjects, plus:

  • ABCT5102Pharmacology and Toxicology in Biotherapeutics
Year 2 · NTU — Trimester 1
  • BS6200Essential Machine Learning for Biomedical Science
  • BS6201Essential Programming for Biomedical Science
  • BS6202Techniques in Biomedical Data Mining
  • BS6203Story-telling with Graphics and Visualizations
  • BS6204Deep Learning for Biomedical Science
  • BS6205Essential Bio-statistics and Biomathematics
Trimester 2 · pick a track
AIBioinformaticsBiotechnology

Three subjects from the chosen track (BS6206–BS6220).

Trimester 3 · practicum
  • BS6211Practicum
  • BS6222/23Self-designed Practicum
Zhongshan31 credits

MSc BDC · 17005

Core · at PolyU Hong Kong

The seven shared subjects, plus:

  • ABCT5101Modern Approaches in Biopharmaceutical Development
GBA specialisation · 9 credits
Internship · arranged for you
  • ABCT5115PIndustrial Attachment (GBA)

400 hours on placement in the Zhongshan area, arranged by the PolyU-Zhongshan Technology and Innovation Research Institute. Your internship is assigned to you, so there is no need to find one yourself.

Taught subject · in Zhongshan
  • ABCT5102PPharmacology and Toxicology in Biotherapeutics

Delivered on Saturdays, in Zhongshan — the Zhongshan counterpart of the Hong Kong route's ABCT5102.

Hosted inside the Cuiheng Group industrial ecosystem.

Subject lists follow the official curriculum pages for each programme (Hong Kong, Dual Award, Zhongshan). Per-subject credit values are shown only where the curriculum pages publish them; totals are taken from the programme pages. Subject offerings are subject to change — confirm with the department before applying.

Side by side

Which route fits you?

All three share the same core philosophy. They differ in length, location and what you walk away holding.

 Hong KongDual Award (NTU)Zhongshan
Programme code1700417004 (Dual degree stream)17005
Duration1 yr FT / 2 yr PT2 years full-time1 year full-time
Credits316131
TuitionHK$8,400 / creditHK$176,400 + SGD 63,595HK$8,900 / credit
AwardOne MScTwo MSc degreesOne MSc + internship
WhereHong KongHong Kong → SingaporeHong Kong + Zhongshan
Details View → View → View →

Swipe left for Dual Award & Zhongshan →

Why this degree

Science alone doesn't reach patients. Strategy does.

The curriculum integrates the scientific, business, regulatory and ethical dimensions of the biopharmaceutical landscape — so you can move a therapy from discovery all the way to approval and launch.

🧬

Cutting-edge therapeutics

Biologics, protein engineering, and cell & gene therapies — the modalities defining the next decade of medicine.

⚖️

Regulatory expertise

Clinical trials, drug approval pathways and the intellectual property strategy that protects an asset's value.

📈

Commercial acumen

Market entry, pricing and business development — how a therapy becomes a viable, fundable product.

🤝

Interdisciplinary teams

Work the way industry works: scientists, regulators, analysts and commercial leads solving problems together.

🌏

Three geographies

Hong Kong, Singapore and the Greater Bay Area — choose the market where you want to build your career.

🎓

Led by practitioners

Directed by Prof. Wong Tsun-ting, Clarence (PhD) within PolyU's Department of Life Sciences.

Student Sharing

What our graduates say

Hear directly from students of the MSc in Biopharmaceutical Development and Commercialization.

The perfect combination of course learning and industry practice is particularly valuable! The MSc BDC Programme not only broadens my professional horizons but also enables me to master hands-on workplace skills.
Cecilia Wu Class of 2026
Cecilia Wu
This interdisciplinary programme bridges research and commercialisation — spanning the science, regulation and business of biopharma. The second-semester internship and entrepreneurship projects let me apply it all in a real company setting.
Gu Peiyuan Class of 2025
Gu Peiyuan
Admission

Entry requirements

A Bachelor's degree or the equivalent in biological/life sciences, chemistry, biomedical sciences/engineering, health science, or a related discipline.

Please refer to the Admission Requirements section for details.

Admissions

Key dates for the September 2027 intake

Applications are reviewed in two rounds and places fill quickly. Early applications are strongly encouraged across all three programmes.

31Credits (HK route)
3Programme routes
Round 1

Early Round closes — 20 October 2026

Strongly recommended. Best availability and earliest decisions.

Round 2

Main Round closes — 25 February 2027

Remaining places are offered on a competitive, rolling basis.

Start

Studies begin — September 2027

Registration and orientation at PolyU, Hung Hom, Hong Kong.

Ready when you are

Take biopharma from the bench to the market.

Questions about entrance requirements, subjects or which route suits your background? The programme team is happy to help.

Apply · Hong Kong & Dual Award (17004) Apply · Zhongshan (17005) msc.bdc@polyu.edu.hk

Hong Kong and the NTU dual award share one application (17004) — indicate your dual-degree interest during the application. Zhongshan is a separate application (17005).