Sept 2027 Entry
1 year (Full-time)
2.5 years (Part-time)
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Early Round: 2026-10-20
Main Round: 2027-02-25
Early Round: 2026-10-20
Main Round: 2027-02-25
What's New
- Taught Postgraduate
- Undergraduate
- Undergraduate
Programme Aim
The programme will take students who are from diverse backgrounds (business and non-business) but with an enthusiasm and interest to deal with global business. It aims at providing students with a wide range of skills, both quantitative and qualitative ones, and equipping them with qualifications necessary for working in a global business environment.
Features
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Provide students with solid training in strategic thinking and scientific decision-making
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Provide students with a comprehensive understanding of how operating across borders will impact various business functional areas (including supply chain/operations, logistics, accounting, finance, and other related management areas)
Characteristics
This programme aims to prepare students with a portfolio of business skills and industry knowledge to meet the challenges in a fast-moving global commercial landscape. The well-designed programme curriculum will not only provide students with comprehensive understanding on various functional areas of global business (including supply chain/operations, logistics, accounting, finance, and other related management areas), but also prepare them with solid training in scientific and analytics tools necessary for managerial decision-making.
Students who complete one or more relevant subjects in MSc in Global Business and Decision Analysis are eligible to apply for the following qualifications provided by the Six Sigma Institute (SSI):
- Registered Lean Six Sigma Green Belt (RLSSGB)
- Registered Six Sigma Green Belt (RSSGB) and Registered Lean Leader (RLL)
- Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Certificate
Structure (Subject to review)
This programme helps students to build a comprehensive knowledge framework of various business function areas in global business, and develop the analytical skill set and knowledge that is appropriate in addressing the challenges in global business strategy and operations. This programme will carry out an exciting and innovative mix of theory and practice-based lectures, seminars, and hands-on workshops.
The curriculum includes 5 Compulsory Subjects, 3 Restricted Elective Subjects, and 3 Free Elective Subjects or a 6-credit Research-based Project.
Students may graduate with a Postgraduate Diploma upon completing 5 Compulsory Subjects and 2 Restricted Elective Subjects (19 credits).
Compulsory Subjects+
(5 subjects - 13 credits for both MSc and PgD)
- Academic Integrity and Ethics in Business (1 credit)
- Global Business
- International Trade and Logistics Management
- Models for Decision Making*
- Business Analytics*
Restricted Elective Subjects+
(3 subjects - 9 credits for MSc; two subjects – 6 credits for PgD)
- At least one of these methodology-focused subjects:
- Project Management*
- Statistics for Management*
- Applications of Decision-Making Models*
- Global Risk and Decision Analysis
- Coding for Management with Python
- At least one of these supply chain, logistics, and operations-focused subjects:
- Global Sourcing and Supply*
- International Operations Management*
- Contemporary Issues in Operations Management*
- International Logistics Systems, Operations and Management
- At least one of these accounting, finance, management and marketing-focused subjects:
- International Accounting*
- Accounting for Managers
- Managerial Finance*
- International Management*
- Marketing Management*
- Global Marketing in Cross-Cultural Perspectives
- Managing Innovation
Students may take more restricted elective subjects than necessary; these will be counted as free electives.
Free Elective Subjects+
(Any 3 subjects – 9 credits for MSc; 0 credits for PgD)
- International Financial Management
- Global Economic Environment for Management
- Managerial Economics with an Application to China Business
- Organisational Management in Shipping and Logistics
- Shipping Economics and Markets
- Air Transport Logistics and Management
- Supply Chain Management
- Intermodal Transport Management
- Risk Management in Operations
- Digital Procurement Management and Analytics
- Contract Management
- Managing Operations Systems
- Managerial Thinking and Skills Workshop
- Lean Six Sigma and Quality Management Techniques
- Marketing Management in China
- Research Project in Global Business and Decision Analysis (3-credit project)
- Project (6 credits)
A tuition fee is not required for the 1-credit subject "Academic Integrity and Ethics in Business". Each subject and the Research Project are worth 3 credits, whereas the Project is worth 6 credits.
+ Subjects are offered according to class quota availability.
* This course has been included in the list of reimbursable courses under the Continuing Education Fund. The mother course (MSc in Global Business and Decision Analysis) of this module is recognised under the Qualifications Framework (QF Level 6).
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Programme Director
Prof. XIAO Guang
PhD
- A Bachelor's degree or equivalent in any discipline.
If you are not a native speaker of English, and your Bachelor’s degree or equivalent qualification is awarded by institutions where the medium of instruction is not English, you are expected to fulfil the University’s minimum English language requirement for admission purposes. Please refer to the "Admission Requirements" section for Taught Postgraduate Programmes of Study@PolyU for details.
For further information, please contact:
Tel: (852) 3400 3866
Email: mscgbda.lms@polyu.edu.hk
For academic matters, please contact:
Prof. XIAO Guang, Programme Director (tel: (852) 2766 5628; email: guang.xiao@polyu.edu.hk);
or Prof. Raymond WONG, Deputy Programme Director (tel: (852) 3400 3619; email: raymond-lm.wong@polyu.edu.hk).
Interview
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Departments will consider applications on a rolling basis. Shortlisted candidates may be invited to attend admission interviews. Applicants who submit their applications before 20 October 2026 will be invited to attend the first round of interviews in November 2026. Other rounds of interviews will be conducted thereafter.
Class Arrangement
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Classes are normally scheduled on weekday evenings in three semesters (including an optional Summer Term) within an academic year.
Student visa and other information for non-local students
- Non-local students must obtain a valid student visa issued by the Immigration Department of HKSAR before being allowed to register as students or commence study with PolyU. Please refer to https://www.polyu.edu.hk/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 https://www.polyu.edu.hk/sao/student-resources-and-support-section/non-local-student-services/living-in-hong-kong/off-campus-accommodation-information/.
Please click here to download.
HK$423,000 per programme (HK$14,100 per credit) for local and non-local students
Both entry scholarships and merit scholarships are provided. Please click here for details.
PolyU reserves the right to change or withdraw the scholarship at any time. In case of any dispute/disagreement, PolyU’s decision is final.
My two years of work experience showed me that qualitative intuition alone is insufficient for precise business decisions; solid data skills are indispensable. Seeking this synergy, I joined the MSc in Global Business and Decision Analysis, a rigorous yet flexible programme that transformed me into a data-driven decision-maker.
What sets GBDA apart is its remarkable balance. Core modules such as Global Business and Business Analytics equipped me with the quantitative rigour to translate chaotic data into actionable strategies. Meanwhile, electives such as International Operations Systems and Project Management broadened my perspective beyond spreadsheets, revealing how logistics, operations, and finance interconnect across global markets.
Beyond academics, PolyU’s rich ecosystem, from industry alumni lectures to extensive library data resources, created countless growth opportunities. Collaborating with peers from diverse backgrounds broke down functional silos, preparing me to integrate or lead cross-cultural teams with confidence.
Ultimately, GBDA does more than confer a degree. It reshapes how you perceive global business, instilling a mindset grounded in analytical thinking and professional confidence. It is a highly rewarding choice for anyone aspiring to thrive in tomorrow's business landscape.
Over the past year, the MSc in Global Business and Decision Analysis programme has offered both flexibility and strong practical value. Subjects like BUSINESS ANALYTICS and MODELS FOR DECISION MAKING have strengthened my data analysis skills, while subjects like GLOBAL BUSINESS and INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND LOGISTICS MANAGEMENT blended theoretical knowledge with real-world cases, cultivating my ability to analyse complex business situations. The programme also allows students to explore different fields according to their interests, which is an approach I truly value.
I have been deeply impressed with the faculty. Every lecturer I have encountered has been outstanding. They do not treat teaching as a routine task; instead, they encourage students to develop their own dialectical insights. Rather than focusing on “the one right answer,” they invite us to question, debate, and reason during class. This open academic atmosphere taught me to think independently rather than accept information passively.
I have long been interested in business behaviour and decision-making logic in complex international environments. The MSc in Global Business and Decision Analysis programme provided the platform and resources for me to explore these interests in-depth. This year of systematic learning brought me closer to my research interests and clarified my future direction.
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