INTERNATIONAL GRADUATE PROGRAM IN POLITICS

Contact Us

For information about the program:

Department of Politics: http://www.dp.ecnu.edu.cn/
Email: politics@dlps.ecnu.edu.cn
Add: Department of Politics, East China Normal University, No. 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, China, 200241

For information about the application processes for both the program and scholarships:

International Students Office, ECNU, http://lxs.ecnu.edu.cn/
Contact: Mrs. Claire Zhang, Email: xzhang@gec.ecnu.edu.cn
Tel: +86-21-62238353
Fax: +86-21-62238352
Add: Room 253, Physics Building, East China Normal University, 3663 North Zhongshan Road,
Shanghai 200062, China

Overview

The Department of Politics at East China Normal University accepts applications from prospective students interested in pursuing a 2-year research-oriented Master’s of Art 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 4 Examination in order to graduate.

All Courses in English

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.

Scholarships Available

Qualified degree-seekers can expect generous scholarship support, including free tuition, housing, health insurance and a monthly stipend. On-campus, part-time employment is also possible for those needing to supplement their incomes.
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Universal Design for Learning

The program applies the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to accommodate and integrate students from different cultures, backgrounds and capacities. This includes creating teaching environments for better instructional presentation and student engagement, doing in-service teacher training to implement multiple methods in teaching, engaging and assessing, as well as leveraging the latest technological innovations available.

Why Politics at ECNU?

ECNU is a national 985 and 211 research university under the supervision of the Chinese Ministry of Education. As a 985 and 211 university, particularly one based in Shanghai, the University hires only the most highly qualified professors with demonstrated expertise in teaching, research and international exchange. As a university under the MOE, ECNU enjoys numerous opportunities to offer cutting edge, innovative programming, and has taken the lead in international exchange. Presently, there are nearly 5,000 foreign students on ECNU’s campuses at any one time. With its famous, main “garden campus” in the heart of Shanghai and large suburban campus providing additional space and opportunity, ECNU offers graduate students all the resources they would expect at a leading institution in one of the world’s leading cities. The garden campus is a green oasis located steps from three subway lines, more than a dozen bus lines, as well as China’s largest international shopping mall. ECNU students enjoy cordial relations with other Shanghai-area universities, including Fudan, Tongji, and Shanghai Jiaotong, who taken together with ECNU offer ready access to a rich compendium of locally-based experts and a steady stream leading scholars visiting from abroad. While program graduates will enjoy the normal benefits associated with earning a graduate degree, foreign students will enjoy the unique qualification of studying politics in China, and complementing their studies with relevant research projects and language studies with the guidance and support of proven researchers, teachers, and international student services.

A Large Department with Global Connections

Most of our program faculty trained abroad, completing either their doctorates or post-doctoral fellowships at highly ranked international universities in the United States, Europe, Australia, Hong Kong and Singapore. All of them are research-oriented and regularly publish in leading journals. In all, we have 46 faculty and staff who serve more than 261 undergraduates, 135 master’s students and 38 doctoral candidates. Additionally, as a department we have relationships with the University of British Columbia, Nottingham University, Bergen University, Monash University and Australia Catholic University.
For doctoral applicants, we are one of the few departments to offer six doctoral supervisors, i.e., twice as many as most departments. Each of our supervisors specializes in different areas of study, thereby offering applicants a broader range of expertise. More importantly, we can host a larger number of doctoral students than most departments can; therefore, doctoral candidates can form their own community through doctoral seminars, study and writing groups, and so on.

Program Admission and Scholarship Support

The general rules of the University apply to requirements for international student admission to the program. Applications procedures can be found here: http://lxs.ecnu.edu.cn/
At the start of matriculation all master’s applicants must have a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university; all doctoral applicants much have a master’s degree, also from an accredited university. This means that one can apply to the program prior to completing one’s degree requirements with the expectation that those requirements will be completed and the degree awarded before beginning studies at the next level). No prior coursework in Politics or Mandarin is required, but applicants with both are strongly encouraged to apply and will be considered better candidates for scholarships. A student whose native language is English or completes his or her undergraduate studies in English-based studies or institutions faces no requirement to demonstrate English language proficiency. All others, however, are encouraged to provide evidence of English proficiency. This may include scores from TOEFL, IELTS or other international or national exams, or it can be demonstrated through an interview with program faculty if the candidate is in Shanghai. Admissions officers will assess such applications on a case-by-case basis. Each qualified applicant who meets the application deadline will automatically be considered for scholarship support, which can include free tuition, free on-campus housing, free health insurance and a monthly stipend.
In addition to the basic application procedures required by ENCU’s International Students Office, applicants will need to submit two letters of recommendation indicating their suitability for graduate studies in politics in China as well as a well-written personal statement (500 to 800 words for master’s applicants and 800 to 1000 words for doctoral applicants) introducing themselves and touching on their qualifications, interests, reasons for pursuing such studies and goals.

Graduate Certificate, Non-Degree and Exchange Students

We offer a Graduate Certificate as an option for students seeking such an opportunity. The certificate probably requires 15 credits completed at ECNU, and must be drawn from the courses directly associated with the program. We will develop the specific requirements and seek official approval on a tailored, student-by-student basis. For admission as a non-degree seeking or exchange student, or to enroll in the Graduate Certificate program, then please contact the program for more information:

A Digital Library and Electronic Courseware

The program has maintains a digital library for student use. This library begins with the digital resources already provided and maintained by the University’s library. It also maintains electronic versions of every text required for every course taught in the program.
Additionally, the program employs online, electronic courseware in tandem with UDL practices. The University already provides access to these types of services and we make them central to our work.