Purpose of the program
“China Studies”is a comprehensive and interdisciplinarystudy area which combines sinology with contemporary China studies to form a new disciplinary. SDU Master ofChina Studies (MCS) program focuses on theunderstanding of China from economic, political and cultural perspectivesby applying multiple methodologies such as humanities and social sciences. The program is dedicated to educate those who aspire tobecome the professionals with broad knowledge and deep understanding of China.
Highlights of theprogram
Cross-disciplinary and inter-cultural concepts
A balanced mixture of theoretical research and practical social work
“Second classroom”: Field trips and on-site surveys to cities and institutions, etc.
Innovative course structuremeeting the needs of students and partner universities
Program overview
Theprogram will be fully taught in English. Upon the completion of the program, graduates will earn a Master’s Degree of Law, recognized by the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China.
This program covers not only the study of Chinese history and culture, but also the exploration of contemporary issues in China. Currently, the program supports studies in the following areas:
1. Chinese politics and public policy (contemporary political development and political thoughts in China, political system and government, public policy, China’s diplomatic policy and international relations, China and Asia-pacific, etc.)
2. Chinese economic development and reform (China’s economic restructuring and reform, China’s outward economy and policy, China’s international commerce, China’s attraction of foreign investment and China’s direct investment in foreign countries, comparative study of financial system and institutions between China and Western countries, contemporary China’s financial system and reform, etc.)
3. Chinese legal system (contemporary China’s legal system and thought, intellectual property law, human rights issues, corporate law, civil law, legislative procedures, and legal culture, etc.)
4. Chinese literature and culture (Chinese literature theory, Chinese poetry, Chinese novels, Chinese drama, Chinese film, Chinese TV, contemporary Chinese media, and comparative literature and culture research, etc.)
5. Chinese history (ancient, modern and contemporary history, Chinese archaeology and cultural relics, social history, and Sino-West exchange history, etc.)
6. Philosophy and Chinese culture (introductory courses covering Confucius, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Confucianism and Chinese culture, Daoism and Chinese culture, Buddhism and Chinese culture, and Yi-ology and Chinese culture, etc.)
Curriculum
Core Courses for all students (3 courses, 8 credits)
Mandarin Chinese (4 credits, first and second semester)
China Survey (2 credits, first semester)
Social Science Research Method (2 credits, second semester)
Required Courses(3 credits for each course, students must enroll at least 6 courses / 18 credits)
Public Policy in China (first semester)
History of Society in China (first semester)
Higher Education Development in China (first semester)
Chinese Politics and Legal System Development (second semester)
Diplomacy of Contemporary China (second semester)
Economic Development and Reform in Contemporary China (second semester)
Chinese Literature (second semester)
Chinese Ancient Philosophy and Thought (second semester)
Social Development and Change in Contemporary China (second semester)
Elective Courses (1 credit for each course, students must enroll at least two courses / 2 credits)
Chinese Calligraphy (third semester)
Ancient Chinese Characters (third semester)
Traditional Chinese Medicine (third semester)
Chinese Fine Arts (third semester)
Inter-cultural Communication in the Chinese Context (third semester)
Lectures (2 credits)
Students are encouraged to attend related lectures in the field and submit at least 10 reports which equals 2 credits. The reports can include both lecture summary and literature review for a chosen topic, which present recent research development and personal reflections. The submitted reports are to be evaluated as pass or fail by the committee which is comprised of academic team and supervising professors.
Field trips
To help our students better experience China and deepen their understanding about Chinese society, a variety of field trips and on-site surveys toward different institutions and sectors of people will be arranged. Students are strongly encouraged to participate in various research and survey projects in the School and University.
Credit requirements
Degree candidates for the program should obtain no less than 30 credits.In general, 16 hours equal 1 credit.
Students with authorized HSK Certificate (Level III or higher) may be exempted from the required Mandarin Chinese courses. Students should pass HSK Level III test or possess the same level of Chinese language proficiency before they are eligible for thesis defense.
Shandong University recognizes the courses and the credits of the same or similar courses from its partnerinstitutions. The maximum number of credits that can be transferred and accepted from partner institutions is 18. Credit recognition and transfer should follow the university guidance and procedure.
Interim evaluation
Students are expected to maintain satisfactory progress toward the completion of their degrees. To ensure education quality, all of the full-time students should undergo the interim evaluation in the first month of the third semester. During the interim evaluation, students’ compliance with the university Code of Conduct, course study and research performance, lecture attendance, thesis proposal preparation, comprehensive examination, etc. will be assessed.
Students who have passed the interim evaluation are eligible to enter the thesis write-up phase. Those who have failed the interim evaluation will be treated according to the Shandong University Regulations of School Status Management for Graduate Students.
The interim evaluation arrangement for students who are studying under joint degree programsshall be carried forward according to the contracts.
Thesis
The thesis should be written in English.
In the third semester, students are expected to work closely with their supervisors to define focused topics from the above-mentioned six research areas. Topic selection and proposal defense shall be assessed by the academic committee.
Students should independently conduct and be actively engaged in the thesis write-up and the corresponding research activities under the supervision of their supervisors. Normally, the thesis write-up lasts at least six months and is subject to evaluation once every two months. During this period, students are required to report their progress to the supervisors or the academic committee.
Final draft of the thesis must be submitted for evaluation by the end of April in the fourth semester. After being approved by the supervisor, students must then file an application for the thesis defense.
Thesis defense will be conducted at the end of May in the fourth semester. Graduates who have passed the thesis defense will earn a Master’s Degree of Law.
Scholarships
A list of scholarships for prospective and current students can be found atwww.istudy.sdu.edu.cn
As one of the key English-taught programs, students enrolled in MCS will enjoy preferential financial and education support from both the university and the school.
Fees
Registration Fee:400 RMB
Tuition: 32,000RMB/year
Medical Insurance: 800RMB/year
Entrance Requirements &Online Application
Applicants should have a bachelor’s degree in humanities and arts. Admission of candidates who do not meet this criterion may be approved if satisfactory evidence of postgraduate study, research or professional experience can be provided.
“Online Application System” is available for prospective international students, please access www.apply.sdu.edu.cnfor more details, submit application and track application status.
Contact Information
For questions regarding admission,
International Admission Office
Department of International Affairs
Email: admission@sdu.edu.cn
For other inquiries regarding the program,
MCS Program Office, Department of International Affairs
Email: chinastudies@sdu.edu.cn
For more details, please refer to www.chinastudies.sdu.edu.cn
