Overview

The Department of Politics at East China Normal University accepts applications from prospective students interested in pursuing a 2-year research-oriented Master of Law or 4-year Ph.D. in Politics. The program is based on ECNU’s main campus in Shanghai. Part-time, non-degree students are also welcome to apply for short-term studies leading to a graduate certificate or to complement studies elsewhere. The program focus is Chinese politics, and draws from the Department’s expertise in the areas of political philosophy, political history, political theory and systems, political communication and public relations, political education and participation, international relations, and research methods. Mandarin language learning support will be provided, and degree-seekers will be required to pass the HSK Level 3 Examination in order to graduate.  

All courses will be taught in English, and Master’s students in the program will be required to successfully defend a thesis written in English. Doctoral candidates may submit their dissertations in English or Chinese. The Department boasts a robust, diverse faculty, many of whom have trained abroad or earned their doctorates or completed substantial post-doctoral or visiting scholar positions abroad. All are regular faculty at ECNU and will therefore be available to form strong mentorships as they teach, advise, direct student research, and help graduates embark on post-graduate opportunities.

Courses of Study for the Master’s and PhD Programs

The Master’s program requires at least 2 years of study beyond the bachelor’s degree. It faces a time limit of 4 years. Research-oriented master’s programs in China generally require three years and around 30 credits, not including credits for the thesis. Because many master’s programs offered in other countries as well as many international master’s programs in China can be completed in a year or two, we believe that compressing the course of study so that it can be completed in two years is necessary. However, we also insist on maintaining and in some cases exceeding the basic requirements for a typical Chinese master’s program. Following many international programs, we will require 33 credits.

Commonly, the PhD program requires 4 years of study beyond the master’s degree. It can be completed in no less than 3, and faces a time limit of 6 years. Although students are required to complete only 15 credits with grades of 80 or higher, they are strongly encouraged to take more to enrich their studies and address any deficiencies. Students are required to complete at least 12 credits in the first year, and an additional 3 during the second year.

Credits Requirements for Master’s Program