Students who complete a geoscience course often find themselves ready to conduct independent research in the earth sciences. These programs usually include detailed examination of topics such as fluid dynamics, geological theory and pollutant containment.

Hong Kong is one of the two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China, the other being Macau.

The PhD is a doctoral degree, specifically called a "doctor of philosophy" degree. This is misleading because PhD holders are not necessarily philosophers (unless they earned their degree in philosophy!). That said, PhD recipients are able to engage in thought experiments, reason about problems, and solve problems in sophisticated ways.

Part-time learning allows one to obtain a degree or qualification even if one cannot attend school on a full-time basis. One can learn at one's own pace, gradually accumulating credits that count towards a final qualification.