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PhD Studies | Postdocs | Others
PhD Studies
We are accepting PhD students for the upcoming academic year. It is possible to apply directly to the PhD program in Linguistics or Psychology with only an undergraduate degree. We do not accept MPhil students into the lab. The application deadline is around Nov. Please also apply for the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme and list CUHK as your first choice for full consideration. Due to a large volume of inquiries, we may not be able to always respond. Please submit your CV with your inquiry.
There is an entrance exam for Linguistics that covers basic (Linguistics 101) knowledge about generative linguistics. Psychology expects applicants to have a degree highly related to Psychology.
We especially welcome students with solid quantitative skills, including those with an undergraduate degree from computer science and engineering fields, who are interested in pursuing research in human language and typical and atypical development.
Our research covers a range of basic and translational issues concerning language, language learning, communication disorders, and language and music. Both behavioral and biological techniques (MRI, fNIRS, EEG, genetic) are used. We attempt to address questions that appeal to a broad audience and questions that are for the most part explanatory in nature, regardless of the research technique. At present, we are especially interested in (but not limited to) these topics (see recent papers):
- Early language development, including bilingual acquisition, acquisition of Chinese dialects and minority languages, prediction of language learning outcome from infancy, prenatal and perinatal factors, impact of hearing loss and cochlear implantation on language, and early intervention and enhancement
- Wong, P. C. M., Pan, S., Chan, C. M., Chan, P. H. Y., Feng, G. Lam, H. S., Leung, T. Y., Novitskiy, N., & Leung, T. F. (2026). Speech Auditory Brainstem Response to Predict Language Delay. Pediatrics, 157(4), e2025073409. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2025-073409.
- Wang, Y., Yuan, D., Dettman, S., Xu, E. S., Thomas, D., Ryan, M. E., Wong, P. C. M., & Young, N. M. (2025). Forecasting Spoken Language Development in Children with Cochlear Implants Using Preimplant Magnetic Resonance Imaging. JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery. DOI: https://www.doi.org/10.1001/jamaoto.2025.4694.
- Mai, Z., Wong, P. C. M., Matthews, S., Yip, V., Liao, H., Nie, J., & Chen, Y. (2025). Zhuang-Mandarin Bilingual Children in Rural China and the Role of Grandparental Input in Early Bilingualism. PLoS One 20(6), e0326671. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.032667.
- Wang, L. C., Kalashnikova, M., Kager, R., Lai, R., & Wong, P. C. M. (2021). Lexical and Prosodic Pitch Modifications in Cantonese Infant-directed Speech. Journal of Child Language, 1-27. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0305000920000707.
- Language and communication in autistic children, including early detection and intervention
- Wang, L., Shi, Y., So, H. C., Hirai, H., Qi, X., To, K. S. C., Ng, F., & Wong, P. C. M. (2026). Who Benefits Most? A Randomized Controlled Trial for Parent-Implemented Social Communication Intervention for Chinese-Speaking Autistic Preschoolers. Molecular Autism, 17. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13229-026-00725-0.
- Lau, J.C.Y., To, C.K.S., Kwan, J.S.K., Kang, X., Losh, M, & Wong, P.C.M. (2020). Lifelong Tone Language Experience does not Eliminate Deficits in Neural Encoding of Pitch in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-020-04796-7.
We do not accept students whose primary interest is in music perception/cognition who do not have training in human biobehavioral sciences.
Postdocs
Postdoc positions are available from time to time. We are interested in candidates with solid quantitative skills as applied to human language and learning or those with clinical experience working with children. Please contact the PI if you are interested
Others
CUHK undergraduate and taught master's students are also being accepted for conducting research in our laboratory. A strong commitment and a sense of responsibility is the most important criterion. We cannot accept volunteers. Non-CUHK members must join an official program or otherwise establish a formal relationship with CUHK.
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