Master of Chinese Philosophy and Culture

The two-year master's program provides a comprehensive introduction to the Chinese philosophy (Confucianism and Daoism), religions (Daoist religion, Buddhism and Christianity in China), and Chinese history and literature. In the second year, the program supports students as they conduct independent research on a topic of their choice. Upon the completion of the program, graduates will earn a Master of philosophy degree, as recognized
by the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China.

Courses for M. A. Program:
Students must complete 12 courses. In general, the students can complete 12 courses in the first 3 terms and leave the last term for their thesis.
CPCP's courses vary from year to year. Each term, the students must enroll in all the substantive courses offered. The students might also attend a weekly lecture series. Finally, all students should take at least one semester of Chinese language.

CPCP's courses:

1. Introduction to Chinese Philosophy
2. Introduction to Chinese Literature
3. Chinese History
4. Confucianism
5. Daoism and Daoist Religion
6. Chinese Buddhism
7. Christianity in China
8. Chinese Arts
9. Contemporary Chinese Thoughts and Cultures
10. Chinese and Western Comparative Philosophies
11. Methodology in Chinese Culture Studies
12. Basic/Intermediate Chinese Language

Visits:
In each spring semester, the first-year students will visit approximately ten cultural relics, museums and sites to gain a greater an appreciation and understanding of Chinese philosophy and culture. Previous destinations have included the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Confucian Temple, Haidian Church, etc.

Master's Thesis
In the second year, the students must finish their master thesis, which must be 30-50 pages in length, and defend it in front of their thesis committee. The students must work closely with their thesis advisor to define a focused topic and conduct the research.