phd in chinese philosophy

Warp, Weft, and Way

Chinese and comparative philosophy 中國哲學與比較哲學.

Graduate Programs in Chinese Philosophy

Here follows an alphabetic list of PhD programs in philosophy in which one can study Chinese philosophy in English. For each program, we include:

• Link to department
• Names of those whose specialization relates to Chinese philosophy, with links to their webpages
• Link to placement information
• Further information about studying Chinese philosophy there

At the bottom of the list, we also list MA-specific programs that include an emphasis on Chinese philosophy, as well as “ Cognate Programs ” (i.e., non-Philosophy PhD programs) with specialists in Chinese philosophy. (We hope to include more each information on programs in each of these categories in the near future.)

We have chosen to present descriptive information without guidance or evaluation. For discussion of how to pursue graduate training in Chinese philosophy, the following might be of use:

• Discussions of graduate study on Warp, Weft, and Way
• Discussion of and links to an APA Newsletter on the state of the comparative philosophy field (published 2008; includes some solid advice for graduate study)
• Chris Fraser’s “ Graduate Study in Philosophy ” page (mostly from 2009)
• Eric Hutton’s “ Advice for Students Wanting to Pursue a PhD in Chinese Thought ” page (also somewhat dated)

The initial work on this list was conducted by Yong Huang, Steve Angle, Jim Behuniak, and Alexus McLeod. We welcome additions, comments, or corrections.

Recent changes:

• Added Loyola University Chicago (March 21, 2024)
• Added Lancaster University; removed Princeton University and University of Connecticut; a few minor adjustments (March 5, 2024)
• Updated NUS (September 29, 2022)
• Updates to Hong Kong Baptist, HKUST, Lingnan, Nanyang, Princeton (September 26, 2022)
• Updated University of Hong Kong (September 25, 2022)
• Updated University of Macau faculty; moved Indiana University to main list from cognate list (October 19, 2021)

Australia National University Chinese University of Hong Kong City University of Hong Kong CUNY Graduate Center Duke University East China Normal University Georgetown University Hong Kong Baptist University Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Indiana University Lancaster University Lingnan University Loyola University Chicago Nanyang Technological University (Singapore) National University of Singapore University of New Mexico University of Auckland University of British Columbia University of California, Berkeley University of California, Riverside University of Hawaii University of Hong Kong University of Macau University of Michigan University of New South Wales University of Oklahoma University of Toronto University of Utah

Australia National University

Specialists:

• Bronwyn Finnigan , philosophy of action, ethics, philosophy of mind and epistemology in Western and Asian philosophical traditions
• Koji Tanaka , Buddhist Philosophy and Logic, Chinese Philosophy

Placement information

Further information:

Chinese University of Hong Kong

• David Chai , Daoist philosophy, comparative philosophy
• Chung-yi Cheng , Confucianism, Chinese philosophy, comparative philosophy
• Yong Huang , Chinese philosophy, comparative philosophy, moral philosophy
• Kai-chiu Ng , Chinese philosophy, Confucianism
• Zhihua Yao , Buddhist philosophy, Chinese philosophy, Indian philosophy

Placement information not available

City University of Hong Kong  (Department of Public Policy)

• Ho-mun Chan , comparative philosophy
• Ruiping Fan , Confucianism, comparative bioethics
• Sungmoon Kim , Chinese philosophy, political philosophy

CUNY Graduate Center

• Graham Priest , Philosophical logic, Philosophies of Mathematics and Language, Metaphysics, History of Philosophy (East and West), Buddhist Philosophy
• Hagop Sarkissian , Moral Psychology, Metaethics, Chinese Philosophy, Cognitive Science of Religion

Placement Information

Further Information:

Duke University

• David B. Wong , Chinese Philosophy, Comparative Philosophy, Ethics

East China Normal University

Specialists (for details on all the below individuals in English, see here ; for more on the department faculty in Chinese, see here ):

• Yang Guorong, metaphysics, ethics, history of Chinese philosophy, comparative philosophy
• Zong Desheng, philosophy of language, ethics, comparative philosophy
• Yu Zhenhua, metaphysics, epistemology and comparative philosophy
• Fang Xudong, Neo-Confucianism, Confucian Ethics, Interpretation of classics
• Xue Yu, Chinese Buddhism
• Liu Liangjian, Chinese philosophy, comparative study of Chinese and Western philosophy
• Paul Joseph D’Ambrosio, Chinese philosophy, Neo-Daoism (Xuanxue), comparative study of Western and Chinese philosophy, ethics

See the departmental link above for more information on the history and scope of the department’s English-language programs; see also this post from our blog (November, 2021).

Georgetown University

• Erin Cline (primary appointment in Theology; Associate Member of the Philosophy Department and a member of its Primary Dissertation Faculty), early Chinese ethical, religious, and political thought
• Philip J. Ivanhoe (Professor and Chair, East Asian Languages and Cultures)

Students can apply to the Philosophy PhD program to work with Professor Cline and/or other Philosophy department members with appreciation for Asian or comparative philosophy. Georgetown offers classical Chinese and has many other Asianists in East Asian Languages and Cultures, history, religious studies, and elsewhere. Students can also apply to the Ph.D. program in Theological and Religious Studies (housed in the Theology Department) to study Chinese philosophy.

Hong Kong Baptist University

• Benedict Chan , Social & Political Philosophy, Applied Ethics & Moral Philosophy, Comparative Philosophy, Chinese Philosophy, Philosophy of Religion, Philosophy of Mind
• Jonathan Chan , Chinese philosophy
• James Dominic Rooney, Chinese philosophy and metaphysics

Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

• Charles Wing-hoi Chan , Confucian philosophy
• Jenny HUNG , Chinese Philosophy, Buddhism, Philosophy of Mind, Metaphysics, Logic, Philosophy of Science
• Simon Man-ho Wong , Confucian philosophy
• Eric C Nelson , Chinese philosophy

Indiana University

• Aaron Stalnaker
• Michael Ing
• Nicholas Vogt
• Alexus McLeod

Stalnaker, Ing, and McLeod all have their main appointments in Religious Studies ; see here for more on Religious Studies’s “Chinese Thought” area. Vogt’s appointment is in East Asian Languages & Cultures. Stalnaker has an adjunct appointment in Philosophy and can direct dissertations there.

Lancaster University

• Philippe Major , Confucianism, Zen Buddhism, topics related to epistemic hegemony

Lingnan University

• Elton Chan , Confucianism, political philosophy
• Waiwai Chiu , Chinese philosophy

Loyola University Chicago

• Richard Kim , East Asian Philosophy, Ethics, Moral Psychology

Nanyang Technological University (Singapore)

• LI Chenyang , Chinese Philosophy, Comparative Philosophy Ethics, Social and Political Philosophy
• SUNG Hiu Chuk Winnie , Chinese Philosophy, Self-knowledge , Moral Psychology

The NTU Philosophy Group was established in view of the rich intellectual and cultural resources available at a research-intensive science and technological university located in culturally affluent Singapore. As such, the master plan of our programmes is focused primarily on (1) Philosophy of Science and (2) Chinese Philosophy. Both areas of research are conducted with an interdisciplinary approach and an East-West comparative perspective.

National University of Singapore

• LOY Hui Chieh , Chinese Philosophy, Greek Philosophy
• LO Yuet Keung  (Chinese studies; classes in Chinese), Chinese Philosophy
• Scott Cook (Yale-NUS), Chinese texts and intellectual history
• Matthew Walker (Yale-NUS), Ancient Greek philosophy, comparative philosophy

As a group, the NUS and affiliated Yale-NUS graduate faculty includes numerous philosophers actively working on projects in moral and political philosophy; metaphysics, epistemology, and philosophy of mind; Chinese philosophy, Indian philosophy, and the history of Western philosophy.

University of New Mexico

• Emily McRae,  Buddhist Philosophy, Ethics, Moral Psychology, Feminism

UNM has a number of faculty in areas that may also be of interest to some studying Chinese Philosophy, such as Indian Philosophy and Tibetan Philosophy.  They are making a hire this year in Buddhist Philosophy.

University of Auckland

• Jeremy Michael Seligman , Early Chinese Logic, Logic

Asian Philosophy is not listed as an area of expertise in the Auckland program’s listing of postgraduate specializations, but it does say that one can customize a course of study suitable to one’s particular needs and interests.

University of British Columbia

• Edward Slingerland , Chinese Philosophy, Cognitive Linguistics
• Evan Thompson , Philosophy of Mind and Cognitive Science, Cross-Cultural Philosophy
• Catherine Prueitt, Sanskritic pre-modern South Asian philosophies

As of 2021, Slingerland has moved into the Philosophy Department.

University of California, Berkeley

• Kwong-loi Shun , Chinese philosophy, Moral psychology

There is no regular track or concentration in Chinese philosophy in the Berkeley program, the department stresses however that its Ph.D. program is “structured to give students a high degree of independence in tailoring their studies to their interests.” Professor Shun “teaches two courses a year, primarily on Chinese philosophy and moral psychology, and devotes the rest of his time to researching and promoting the philosophical study of Confucian thought.”

University of California, Riverside

• Lisa Raphals , Chinese and Comparative Philosophy, Classical Greece
• Eric Schwitzgebel , Empirical Psychology and Philosophy of Mind, Ethics

Raphals is in the department of Comparative Literature and Foreign Languages, but is also affiliated with the Philosophy Department as “Cooperating Faculty”.

University of Hawaii

• Chung-ying Cheng , Chinese Philosophy (Classical and Neo-Confucianism), Comparative Philosophy
• Franklin Perkins , Classical Chinese Philosophy, Early Modern European Philosophy, Comparative Philosophy

A number of other faculty in the Philosophy Department work in areas possibly of interest to students of Chinese Philosophy, including Indian Philosophy, Japanese Philosophy.  Perkins starts at Hawaii in January 2017.

University of Hong Kong

• Daniel Bell , Confucianism, Chinese political and social philosophy
• JIN Yutang , Confucian and Chinese political thought, democratic theory, comparative political theory
• Mark Meulenbeld , Daoism and Chinese religions
• TANG Siu-fu , Early Confucianism (in particular the thought of Xunzi), ethics and political philosophy, comparative philosophy, and issues of modernity and Chinese thought.
• Justin Tiwald , Classical and post-classical Chinese philosophy, especially Classical Confucianism, Daoism, and Neo-Confucianism
• WANG Pei , Chinese intellectual history, French philosophy, comparative philosophy
• ZHOU Boqun , Early Chinese philosophy,  Chinese paleography, history of science and technology in China

Daniel Bell is in the Faculty of Law; JIN Yutang is in the Department of Politics and Public Administration; Mark Meulenbeld, Tang Siu-fu, WANG Pei, and ZHOU Boqun are in the School of Chinese.

University of Macau

• Victoria Harrison, analytic philosophy of religion with a focus on ancient Indian and classical Chinese philosophies.
• Ting-Mien Lee, Chinese philosophy, with a specific focus on the interaction of language, power-struggle strategies, and moral theories.
• Hans-Georg Moeller, Daoist philosophy, social theory, comparative philosophy, Chinese philosophy
• Qingjie Wang, East-West Comparative Philosophy, Chinese Philosophy, Ethics and Moral Philosophy, contemporary European Philosophy, esp. Heidegge and Hermeneutics
• Ellen Zhang, Chinese philosophy

https://fah.um.edu.mo/phd-in-philosophy-and-religious-studies/ https://grs.um.edu.mo/index.php/prospective-students/doctoral-degrees-programmes/

University of Michigan

• Sonja Özbey , classical Chinese philosophy and early modern European philosophy

University of New South Wales

• Karyn Lai , Chinese philosophy, Environmental philosophy

Classical Chinese philosophy is listed as one of several “History and Philosophical Traditions” concentrations offered in the program.

University of Oklahoma

• Amy Olberding , Early Chinese Philosophy, Ethics

University of Toronto

• Chris Fraser , Mohist philosophy, Daoist philosophy, Confucian philosophy, ethics, theory of action

The Toronto program prides itself on offering broad coverage in all areas of the history of Philosophy, as well as “in aspects of the history of non-Western philosophy.”

University of Utah

• Eric Hutton , Chinese philosophy, ancient Greek philosophy, ethics

The Philosophy department is willing to offer financial support to both MA/MS and PhD students. Students who are interested in Chinese philosophy may also wish to investigate the MA program in Asian Studies , if they are interested in pursuing a more inter-disciplinary track.

Beijing Normal University

• Details here . Instructors include BNU and Renmin University faculty, as well as international guest faculty (see website for details).

Colorado State University

• Details here .

Eastern Michigan University

• Details here . One of the department’s two MA tracks is in pluralistic philosophical “methodology.”

Fudan University (Shanghai)

• Fudan EMA Program Information

East China Normal University (Shanghai)

• Information on the English-language MA program at ECNU is available here

Loyola Marymount University (Los Angeles)

Renmin University (Beijing)

• Updated (December 2021) details on the English-language MA Program in “Chinese Philosophy, Religion, and Culture are here

San Francisco State University

• Details here

San Jose State University

West Chester University (Pennsylvania)

Wuhan University

• Details on the English-language International MA Program here  , and an update here .

Cognate Programs

Georgetown University (Erin Cline, Theology; see also above for Philosophy options)

Harvard University (Michael Puett, Peter Bol)

KU Leuven (Carine Defoort, Nicolas Standaert); see also here .

London School of Economics (Leigh Jenco)

Northwestern (Loubna El Amine)

Pennsylvania State University (Erica Brindley, On-cho Ng)

University of California, Berkeley (Mark Csikszentmihalyi, Michael Nylan)

University of Chicago Divinity School (Brook Ziporyn)

University of Pennsylvania (Paul Goldin)

Chinese Philosophy

CHINE-PHD - Chinese (PhD)

Program overview.

The PhD program is designed to prepare students for a doctoral degree in East Asian Languages and Cultures.

Admissions Information

https://ealc.stanford.edu/academics/applying-graduate-program

EALL East Asian Languages & Literatures

• Undergraduate Programs
• Graduate Programs
• Chinese Masters of Arts
• Japanese Master of Arts
• Korean Master of Arts
• Linguistics and Pedagogy Masters of Arts
• Chinese PhD
• Japanese PhD
• PhD Program in East Asian Linguistics
• Program Timelines
• Graduate Employee Fellowships
• Graduate Student Professional Activities & Accomplishments
• Graduate Student Resources
• SLAT Certificate

Doctor of Philosophy Degree Program: Chinese Studies

The PhD program in East Asian languages and literatures is designed to provide students with a high level of competence in their area of specialization and a familiarity with applicable methodologies and theories. The program has four components: course work, comprehensive examination, prospectus for the dissertation, and the dissertation itself.

Specific courses and projects used to fulfill requirements must be approved by the student’s advisor, who works with the other faculty members to develop the student’s program.

The PhD degree in East Asian languages and literatures with a specialization in Chinese literature requires completion of a minimum of six 4 credit graduate-level courses beyond those required for the MA degree. Depending on the student’s background or preparation at the time of admission to the PhD program, the number of required courses may be nine or twelve. Courses must be chosen in consultation with the student’s adviser.

Course Work

• Six courses in Chinese literature or film
• Three methods courses: Issues in Early Chinese Literature (CHN 523) Issues in Medieval Chinese Literature (CHN 524) Issues in Modern Chinese Literature (CHN 525) or equivalents-if the student has already taken these courses
• Demonstrate the ability to use a second foreign language substantively in research or pass a translation examination in the language
• Demonstrate advanced knowledge of a particular methodology or theory by taking three graduate-level courses, including one course in Reading and Conference (CHN 605) for which the student writes a paper applying the methodology to Chinese literature
• Complete three courses in a secondary literature

Additional Course Work Depending on the student’s background when admitted to the PhD program, additional course work may be required.

Admits beginning Fall 2014

Students in the EALL PhD track must successfully complete a comprehensive examination and prospectus defense (culture students) or qualifying paper (linguistics students) in order to advance to candidacy (ABD, all but dissertation) status. By the end of their second year in the PhD program at the very latest, each student should identify a committee of three professors who will oversee their training for the comprehensive examination. Since each person’s needs and interests may be different, students are expected to work closely with their primary advisor at all stages of the process.

Comprehensive Examination:

The goal of the comprehensive examination is to make sure that students are broadly enough trained that they are qualified to teach beyond the narrow research focus of their dissertation.  The comprehensive examination is composed of a written and an oral component.

In conjunction with their primary advisor, students will choose three fields: a major field and two minor fields, each to be advised by a professor in that area. Cultural fields may be determined by genre, time period, or methodology; Linguistic fields may be determined by theoretical orientation, language orientation, and methodology. In conjunction with their advisors, students will develop a reading list of 20-40 items for each field. For culture students these items may include both primary and secondary texts; the composition of each reading list will be tailored to the individual student’s needs. It is expected that reading lists will develop organically from graduate seminars and readings and conferences.

For each field, the student will submit a comprehensive examination paper. The papers may be developed from a term paper written for a seminar, or written for the sake of the examination, as determined by the advisor. These comprehensive examination papers should demonstrate the student’s broad knowledge of a field. Ideally, for the major field, this paper will be the basis for a dissertation chapter. In some instances, students may be asked to develop a syllabus rather than write a research paper.

Advisors have two weeks to read and approve each comprehensive examination paper. After the three comprehensive examination papers have been approved by the field examiner and the primary advisor, the student will schedule an oral examination. The oral examination, to last one to two hours, is an opportunity for the three examiners to engage the student in a broad conversation about the items on the reading lists. The goal of the oral examination is to ensure that students have enough familiarity with both the critical and primary works in the field to teach at the post-secondary level. The oral examination is not open to the public.

Both parts of the comprehensive examination should be completed by the end of the student’s third year in the PhD program. It is at the discretion of the committee to determine if students should have a second opportunity to sit for an oral examination if the first attempt is not successful. At the discretion of the committee, those students whose performance is deemed unsatisfactory may be granted a terminal MA.

Prospectus Defense (for Culture Track)

Before scheduling the prospectus defense, students need to notify the graduate secretary of the membership of their dissertation committee (three faculty from EALL and one outside member). The prospectus defense is the first meeting of the entire dissertation committee to provide feedback on the dissertation research project. The prospectus, a document of 20-30 pages, should introduce the research question, the methodology, and a basic outline of the dissertation, as well as include a bibliography. Once the advisors approve a draft of the dissertation prospectus, basically certifying that in their opinion the project is well-conceived and viable, the student will schedule a meeting of the entire committee. A defense is an opportunity for the committee to ask questions and provide advice and direction for the research project. The prospectus defense is public.

In order to leave enough time for the dissertation research and writing, the prospectus defense should take place during the third year of study and no later than the winter term of the fourth year. Students who are unable to complete a viable prospectus by spring of their fourth year in the PhD program will be granted a terminal MA.

Qualifying paper (Linguistics Track) As the equivalent of the prospectus defense for culture track students, linguistics students are expected to produce an original publishable paper, of substantial length and quality, in a subfield of linguistics. This qualifying paper should demonstrate the student’s ability to carry out an empirical study and to write an analytical research paper. The unmodified MA thesis cannot serve this purpose.

A committee consisting of the advisor and a second faculty member familiar with the sub-field will referee the qualifying paper. The student may be asked to revise the qualifying paper before it is accepted as satisfactory work. Upon documented completion of the paper, the student needs to identify a dissertation committee (three faculty from EALL and one outside member) and notify the graduate secretary. At this point the student will confirm the dissertation topic and present a prospectus, which for linguistics students constitutes a short abstract detailing their research topic. This should be done within one term of completing the qualifying paper. After the prospectus has been approved, the student will advance to candidacy.

In order to leave enough time for the dissertation research and writing, the qualifying paper and prospectus should be completed during the third year of study and no later than the winter term of the fourth year. Students who are unable to complete a viable qualifying paper by spring of their fourth year in the PhD program will be granted a terminal MA

The comprehensive examination is distinct from the dissertation prospectus (culture) or qualifying paper (linguistics). The comprehensive examination papers and oral examination involve general perparation and give the student an opportunity to show broad knowledge of a field. The prospectus defense for culture-track students is more narrowly focused on the dissertation project and demonstrates the student’s ability to identify and define a research project. Similarly, the qualifying paper for linguistics students is focused on the student’s main research area and demonstrates the ability to undertake a research project. The comprehensive examination and prospectus defense or qualifying paper enable students to demonstrate that they can be successful as teachers and researchers. Students will advance to ABD status after the successful completion of both comprehensive examination and prospectus defense (culture) or qualifying paper (linguistics) in addition to completion of all required coursework.

Comprehensive Examination (admits prior to Fall 2014) Candidates for the PhD in Chinese must pass a comprehensive examination that consists of six questions covering three fields. The student, in consultation with his or her advisor, will choose a committee consisting of three faculty members, at least two of whom are members of the department. With input from the student, each committee member will submit two questions based on an approved bibliography. The student will take the three sections of the examination over a period of five days; three hours is given to submit an answer to one of the two questions in each field. Students may use notes and their own laptop or a University laptop. Please make arrangements with the graduate secretary to reserve a room and arrange for the delivery of the questions. If the committee finds that the student has not performed adequately on one question, the student may, at the discretion of the committee, be allowed one opportunity to retake the examination in that subfield before the end of the following term. Students who fail more than one question may have their status as doctoral students terminated.

Prospectus and Dissertation Immediately following successful completion of the comprehensive examination, a dissertation committee is formed by the student and the graduate secretary. This committee advises the student on writing the dissertation and approves the completed dissertation. The student presents to this committee, within one month, a dissertation proposal with a bibliography. After approval of this prospectus, the student becomes eligible to enroll in Dissertation (CHN 603).

Timeline for Completion of the PhD Program

Course work: two years Comprehensive examination and prospectus approval: one year Dissertation writing and defense: two years

Kwong-loi Shun [home page]

Professor, Recalled

Office: Philosophy Hall 242 Office hours: By appointment E-mail: [email protected]

(B. Phil., University of Oxford; Ph.D., Stanford University). Kwong-loi Shun specializes in Chinese philosophy and moral psychology. His current research is a five-volume work on Confucian thought. The first volume, Mencius and Early Chinese Thought, was published in 1997, and a manuscript of the second volume, Zhu Xi and Later Confucian Thought, is under revision. The third volume, From Philology to Philosophy, discusses methodological issues in transitioning from philological studies to philosophical studies, and is close to completion. The fourth and fifth volumes, On Self and Self-Transformation and A Study in Confucian Moral Psychology, jointly provide a comprehensive study of Confucian moral psychology, the former being primarily philological and the latter primarily philosophical.

He started teaching at Berkeley in 1986, and was Professor of Philosophy and Dean of the Undergraduate Division in the College of Letters & Science when he left Berkeley in 2004. He returned to Berkeley in 2014 after having served as Principal of the University of Toronto at Scarborough and then Head of New Asia College in Hong Kong (founded by Confucian scholars Qian Mu and Tang Junyi to promote Chinese culture). Before his return, he was Chair Professor of Philosophy and Sin Wai Kin Professor of Chinese Culture at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Currently, in addition to teaching regular courses on Chinese philosophy and moral psychology, he devotes most of his time to the philosophical study of Confucian thought. He is also deeply interested in undergraduate education, and has published on liberal education in the U.S. and Confucian learning. He was President of the American Philosophical Association (Pacific Division) in 2017-18.

The department of Philosophy at East China Normal University was established in 1986, and since then has maintained national and international recognition as one of the most acclaimed philosophy departments in China. The department now accepts applications from prospective international students for a 2-year MA program or 4- year PhD program in Chinese Philosophy.

The graduate program in Chinese Philosophy at ECNU offers general courses in Chinese language, culture, and history with courses more specifically focusing on Classical, medieval, and modern Chinese philosophy, Chinese intellectual history, and reading classical Chinese.

The graduate program is centered around the foundational texts of Chinese philosophy, the intellectual and political debates of pre-Qin China, and their influence in Chinese intellectual and socio-political history. A further emphasis is placed on engaging these topics through the language native to the texts in which they are recorded, classical Chinese. Core courses include Readings in Confucianism, including the Analects of Confucius and the Mencius ; Readings in Daoism, including the Laozi and the Zhuangzi , as well as courses on Philosophical Chinese. Major elective courses include Neo-Confucianism, Neo-Daoism, The Five Classics, and Non-Canonical Chinese Philosophy amongst others. University requirements include Chinese language courses, Chinese Culture and Civilization, as well as interdepartmental electives.

Program Requirements

Degree Requirements

1. Requirements for the M.A. Program

The MA program at ECNU is a two-year program. The degree requirement has two components: 

（ 1 ） Completion of 30 credit hours of course work. The course work is comprised of 2 common-core courses (Chinese Language, Chinese Culture/Civilization, 7 credits), 4 required courses in philosophy (12 credits), 3 elective courses in philosophy (9 credits), and 1 outside course from any of the following departments: Chinese Language and Literature, History, Anthropology, Political Science, and other MA programs at ECNU (at least 2 credits). In addition, students are required to participate in at least 4 academic lectures, and submit a written report for each lecture attended (1 credit). Students MUST pass HSK Level 3 (≥180) or pass the “International Chinese Proficiency Standard Test” arranged by the university before graduation.

（ 2 ） Successful defense of an MA thesis of at least 10,000 words in length. Successful defense of the M.A. thesis research plan is also required in the end of the second semester. 

2. Requirements for the Ph.D.

The 4-year Ph.D. program requires course work of 15 credits and a Ph.D. dissertation. The Ph.D. program at ECNU is a four-year program. The degree requirement has three components:  

（ 1 ） Completion of 15 credit hours of course work. The course work is comprised of 1 common-core course (Chinese Language, Chinese Culture/Civilization, 2-3 credits), 3 required courses in philosophy (9 credits), and 1 or 2 elective courses (at least 3-4 credits). In addition, students are required to participate in at least 4 academic lectures, and submit a written report for each lecture attended (1 credit). Students MUST pass HSK Level 3 (≥180) or pass the “ International Chinese Proficiency Standard Test” arranged by the university before graduation. 

（ 2 ） At least 1 academic article published in A&HCI or SSCI journals, or at least 2 academic articles published in other journals (as the sole or first author, indicating ECNU as the sole or first academic affiliation). 

（ 3 ） Successful defense of a Ph.D. thesis of at least 50,000 words in length. Successful defense of the Ph.D. thesis research plan is also required in the third semester.

MPhil & PhD

The Department began offering MPhil programme in 1966 and PhD programme in 1980s, and has since provided solid philosophical training to more than 200 postgraduate students. Many of them now serving the local and international academic communities through their dedication to teaching and research.

We currently have about 30 MPhil and PhD students, who are under the supervision of our full-time professors. The diverse research interests of our faculty cover most areas of mainstream philosophy, being particularly strong in Chinese philosophy. In the past few decades, research in Anglo-American as well as Continental European philosophy has become prominent, with outstanding research outputs in the fields of phenomenology, ethics, and philosophy of mind.

MPhil and PhD Programme aim to:

• Provide solid academic training to students in philosophy, especially in the following specialized areas: Chinese/ Eastern philosophy, Anglo-American philosophy, Continental-European philosophy and comparative philosophy.
• Enhance student’s ability and skill to undertake rigorous independent research in specialized areas in philosophy.
• Cultivate excellent young scholars who will serve local and overseas academic communities and other professional sectors.

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Best Doctoral Programs in Chinese Philosophy outside China

This list is just one opinion regarding which doctoral programs are the best. Schools are arranged alphabetically, not by rank. At the end is a list of a few scholars at schools that do not offer doctorates, and some journals that publish articles on Chinese philosophy.

Related Papers

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Chenyang Li

He (和), or harmony, has traditionally been a central concept in Chinese thought, and to this day continues to shape the way in which people in China and East Asia think about ethics and politics. Yet, there is no systematic and comprehensive introduction of harmony as has been variously articulated in different Chinese schools. This edited volume aims to fill this gap. The individual contributions elaborate the conceptions of harmony as these were exemplified in central Chinese schools of thought, including Daoism, Confucianism, Legalism, Mohism, Buddhism, and trace their impact on contemporary Chinese philosophy. The volume explores the various meanings and implications of harmony so as to consider its relevance as a value and virtue in the modern world. It provides an accessible but substantial introductory work for readers interested in learning about pertinent core concepts and theories in Chinese thought, as well as engages specialists in Chinese philosophy by explicating its implications for ethical, political, epistemological, and metaphysical reflection as the basic point of reference. 和，是中国传统思想的核心概念。时至今日，这个概念仍然塑造着中国乃至东亚的伦理政治思想。然而，学界一直欠缺一部对和的系统阐释，以全面呈现它在各中国思想学派中的重要性和地位。这部编著试图完成这项工作，书中各章涵盖了道家、儒家、法家、墨家、佛教中对“和”的观念的探讨和运用，乃至这些思想遗产在当代中国哲学的影响。通过这个横跨各学派的综合研究，本书探索了“和”的各种含义和意涵，并考察了“和”作为一个价值和德性的当代意义。从“和”的哲学探讨中，更可以折射出传统中国哲学中的伦理学、政治哲学、认识论，乃至形而上学。这部深入浅出的引论适合对中国传统思想哲学有兴趣的入门者和研究专家。

Eric L Hutton

A growing number of scholars have come to view Confucians and other Chinese thinkers as virtue ethicists. Other scholars, though, have challenged this classification. This essay discusses some of the problems that surround this debate, points out shortcomings in some of the criticisms that have been made, and offers suggestions about how best to develop a productive discussion about the issue.

The study of Chinese philosophy in the English-speaking world has largely focused on ethical and political theories. In comparison, Chinese metaphysics—here understood primarily as theories regarding the nature, components, and operating principles of reality—has been far less researched and recognized. In this essay, we examine various meanings of “metaphysics” as it has been used in denoting a branch of philosophy and make the case that metaphysics is an important part of Chinese philosophy. We argue for the need to study Chinese metaphysics as a serious field of scholarship. We also present some most recent studies of Chinese metaphysics by leading scholars of Chinese philosophy who publish in the English-speaking world. This essay aims to show that not only that Chinese metaphysics is an appropriate and legitimate subject of scholarly research but it can also be a fruitful subfield of in the study in Chinese philosophy. A rapid growth of interest in Chinese philosophy has accomp...

Michael Ing

John Gittings

In this extract from my book , The Glorious Art of Peace (2012), I explore the way that peace and war were discussed in the main schools of political thought from Kongzi (Confucius) onwards, in a lively debate from which we can still learn today. This debate among China’s early thinkers casts interesting light on the Chinese government’s current claim to pursue a peaceful and harmonious foreign policy based on Confucian principles. It may also help us in setting out some basic principles on how to move from war to peace – particularly in focusing on human justice and welfare -- a task which remains as important today as it was in pre-imperial China. Do the debates over war and peace among China’s early thinkers cast light on contemporary issues, in China and globally, particularly on the preconditions for moving from war to peace?

Polish Political Science Yearbook

Daniel Komarzyca , Janina Fras

This is the accepted paper, i.e. after the peer reviews (two positive, double-blind) and author corrections, but before the copy editing and typesetting/formatting. THE PUBLISHED VERSION CAN BE FOUND HERE: Academic journal: “Polish Political Science Yearbook;” Volume: 49(4); Year: 2020 (December); Pages: 9-36; DOI: 10.15804/ppsy2020402 → ACADEMIA: https://www.academia.edu/45385333/Language_and_Politics_in_India_and_China_A_Cross_Cultural_Comparative_Study

Global Scholarly Publications of New York

A succinct introduction of Fang Dongmei's 方东美philosophy, with a English translation of his Three Wisdoms 哲学三慧。

Ady Van den Stock

Michael Paton

A review of the English language academic literature on East Asian business ethical practices reveals an inordinate focus on Confucian values. This paper argues that present day business value systems in East Asia are rooted in a much more complex array of philosophical stances including Legalism, Mohism, Daoism and Buddhism from a traditional perspective, and Christianity, Marxism and the will to power of Nietzsche as more contemporary influences. The paper then posits that the latter influences made great inroads into Chinese culture in particular because of the environmental history of China, and that such environmental influences have been much neglected in the conception of western business ethics. The paper concludes with discussion of the ubiquitous social embedding of marketing that faces the same human and social complexity explored by various East Asian scholars described in this paper. We note that modern marketers often fail to own up to their macro social responsibilities. Keywords: environmental history of China; Confucianism; scientism; the Dao; fengshui; bifurcation

Ramon Armas

Mentioning老子and his道德经in China is talking about something mystic and a very high aspect to be understood by specialized people. Around the world there are groups of people who understands and study constantly the way of the Tao, but they are still few. The Tao is mystic, but not something separate destined for a specific group of people. By mystic can be understand spiritual, something unknown, difficult to understand but at the same time fascinating. This issue leads to questioning. Why a thought so powerful and so well developed by two very high beings as they were老子and庄子has not spread the world as strongly as other thoughts? Why if the Taoism is so strong and it has the propriety to complement any other thought, it is not a pillar thought in the world? The answer to this question can be amply stated. It could be discussed extensively on the historical process of Chinese thought and the favorable social conditions that will lead other thoughts to prevail over Taoism. No doubt one would come to true conclusions because the facts are irrefutable. However, Taoist thought today is still valid in its pure essence with which it was born. It is true, is not a strong ideology follows by many people, but it is alive and takes strength in the interior of many. This research document intents to arise the Taoism philosophy in the daily life, giving the mystic way of the Tao an indispensable utility for human being. Spirituality, for many, is not something essential to do business, to wake up, to send children to school, to go to the job, to eat, to walk, to vacation, to attend classes, to do anything people do and is known as life. Spiritually conceptually, in the social conscience, is something destiny for old and sick people close to front facing death; for religious whose job is to provide spirituality to the community; for desperate people who is suffering a hard life situation in order to pray for holly help to change or accept their destiny. This research will be focus to demonstrate the fact that human beings essentially need the spirituality for living, and more specific the Taoist spirituality to govern their lives and their environments. Living the Taoist spirituality is living a balance between material and mystic world. It is to stand one foot in the unknown and one foot on the expressed. Living in the border of the mystery. Experience complete freedom and shared with all beings. The way to reach it is not certain because every human being have a different nature and also because spirituality is not a clear concept. There can be confusion talking about spirituality. Most of the times spirituality is totally linked to religion. Talking about religion is start to talk about believes, whit believes is get into a discussion of who has the true and who doesn´t. It is useless. But, it is possible to define spiritually separated from religion.

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Chinese Ph.D. Program

The student must meet such general admission requirements for the doctoral program as the Graduate School may set forth.

If you received a Masters from the UW Asian Languages and Literature Department: After successful completion of 45 credits (a minimum of three quarters) of graduate study in this Department, a student wishing to enter the Ph.D. program with specialization in Chinese language and literature shall, irrespective of any particular qualifications or background, submit a formal petition to the Department stating his or her post-M.A. academic plans and goals. (For a fuller description of the requirements of the petition to proceed into the Ph.D. program, please consult the Department's Policies and Procedures , 3.4.2 - 3.4.3f.)

If you received a Bachelors or Masters from another university or UW Department: Ideally, the prospective candidate will have completed an M.A. degree in the field of Chinese language and literature prior to entering the Ph.D. program. If the student has an M.A. in another pertinent field, e.g., in Linguistics, Comparative Literature, Philosophy, History, or Asian regional studies, it will not be necessary to take an additional M.A. in Chinese language and literature; the student will however be required to satisfy all course and examination requirements for the M.A. program in this department. Upon admission to the program, the student should be prepared to enter courses in modern Chinese at the 500 level, and should have at least two years of Classical Chinese. A student who intends to go directly from the B.A. to the Ph.D. program must present an unusually strong background preparation in the disciplines of literary study or linguistics. He or she will be expected in the course of his or her work to satisfy all curriculum requirements for the M.A., and must petition the department for special permission to bypass the M.A.

Degree Requirements

90 credits , as follows:

I. Course Requirements:

Students in the Ph.D. program must complete the course requirements for the M.A. in Chinese . Equivalent courses from other programs may be substituted subject to written approval by the regular instructor of the course in question. In addition, whichever quarters of the sequence CHIN 461, CHIN 462, CHIN 463 were not taken for the M.A. must be taken for the Ph.D. The student's post-M.A. course work should be designed, in consultation with the faculty adviser, to fill in gaps or strengthen weaknesses in the student's background, and to establish and develop three fields of special study that the student pursues in some depth in preparation for the general examination.

II. Field requirements:

The student is expected to familiarize himself or herself with both (1) the original texts and (2) the secondary scholarship of the field, and to show some potential for carrying out original research in the area or field in question. Each student must pursue three such fields of special study, and each is examined separately by an appropriate faculty member prior to the general oral examination.

The field examinations must be written.  The three fields that a student elects to study must, in the aggregate, reflect both of the primary components of the department's graduate-level offerings:

• language (linguistics and philology)
• and literature .

Students are encouraged in connection with at least one field to incorporate to a significant extent some aspect of: 

• Chinese history and culture , exclusive of strictly literary or linguistic facets thereof.

With permission of his or her faculty adviser a student may offer:

• One field from outside the Department (for example, in general linguistics, literary criticism, a non-Chinese literature, Chinese philosophy or religion, or a particular period of Chinese history). Such a field must be demonstrably related in a significant way to the student's overall course of study.

III. Examinations:

The student is examined in each of the three fields separately by an appropriate faculty member. Prior to the General Examination the student must demonstrate a reading knowledge of an additional Asian language or pertinent European language. The choice of language and measure of proficiency is determined in consultation with each student's faculty advisor.

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PhD Chinese Studies / Overview

Year of entry: 2024

• View full page
• Bachelor's (Honours) degree at 2:1 or above (or overseas equivalent); and 
• Master's degree in a relevant subject – with an overall average of 65% or above, a minimum mark of 65% in your dissertation and no mark below 55% (or overseas equivalent) 

Full entry requirements

Apply online  

Please ensure you include all  required supporting documents at the time of submission, as incomplete applications may not be considered. 

Application Deadlines 

For consideration in internal funding competitions, you must submit your completed application by  12 January 2024. 

If you are applying for or have secured external funding (for example, from an employer or government) or are self–funding, you must submit your application before the below deadlines to be considered. You will not be able to apply after these dates have passed. 

• For September 2024 entry:  30 June 2024 
• For January 2025 entry:  30 September 2024 

Programme options

Programme overview.

• Engage with world-class scholars of Chinese Studies, gaining access to their expertise, mentorship, and cutting-edge research that contributes to the global discourse on China.
• Join an extensive and interdisciplinary department that covers the rich tapestry of Chinese culture, history, language, and contemporary issues, ensuring a well-rounded and in-depth understanding of the subject matter.
• 92% of our research activity was recognised as 'world leading' or `internationally excellent' REF2021.

To find out what studying on a postgraduate research programme at Manchester is like, visit our Open days and study fairs page and explore our virtual open week or future on-campus and international events.

We will be conducting our PGR virtual open week in October 2024. Find out more about future events and postgraduate research sessions by signing up for our email alerts.

For entry in the academic year beginning September 2024, the tuition fees are as follows:

• PhD (full-time) UK students (per annum): £4,786 International, including EU, students (per annum): £21,500
• PhD (part-time) UK students (per annum): £2,393

Further information for EU students can be found on our dedicated EU page.

Please note for the majority of projects where experimentation requires further resource: higher fee bands (where quoted) will be charged rather than the base rate for supervision, administration and computational costs. The fees quoted above will be fully inclusive and, therefore, you will not be required to pay any additional bench fees or administration costs.

All fees for entry will be subject to yearly review and incremental rises per annum are also likely over the duration of the course for UK/EU students (fees are typically fixed for International students, for the course duration at the year of entry). For general fees information please visit: postgraduate fees . Always contact the department if you are unsure which fee applies to your project.

Scholarships/sponsorships

There are a range of scholarships, studentships and awards to support both UK and overseas postgraduate researchers, details of which can be found via the links below. 

To apply University of Manchester funding, you must indicate in your application the competitions for which you wish to be considered. The deadline for most internal competitions, including AHRC NWCDTP and School of Arts, Languages and Cultures studentships is 12 January 2024. 

All external funding competitions have a specified deadline for submitting the funding application form and a separate (earlier) deadline for submitting the online programme application form, both of which will be stated in the funding competition details below.  

For more information about funding, visit our funding page to browse for scholarships, studentships and awards you may be eligible for.

• ESRC North West Social Science Doctoral Training Partnership (NWSSDTP) PhD Studentships - Competition Closed for 2024 Entry
• AHRC North West Consortium Doctoral Training Partnership (NWCDTP) PhD Studentships - Competition Closed for 2024 Entry
• School of Arts, Languages and Cultures PhD Studentships 2024 Entry - Competition Closed for 2024 Entry
• China Scholarship Council - The University of Manchester (CSC-UoM) Joint Scholarship Programme - Competition Closed for 2024 Entry
• School of Arts, Languages and Cultures New Generation PhD Studentships - Competition Closed for 2024 Entry
• President's Doctoral Scholar (PDS) Awards - Competition Closed for 2024 Entry
• Trudeau Doctoral Scholarships 2024 Entry
• Commonwealth PhD Scholarships (High Income Countries)
• Humanities Doctoral Academy Humanitarian Scholarship 2024 Entry
• Commonwealth PhD Scholarships (Least Developed Countries and Fragile States)

Contact details

See: About us

Programmes in related subject areas

Use the links below to view lists of programmes in related subject areas.

• Chinese Studies
• East Asian Studies

Regulated by the Office for Students

The University of Manchester is regulated by the Office for Students (OfS). The OfS aims to help students succeed in Higher Education by ensuring they receive excellent information and guidance, get high quality education that prepares them for the future and by protecting their interests. More information can be found at the OfS website .

You can find regulations and policies relating to student life at The University of Manchester, including our Degree Regulations and Complaints Procedure, on our regulations website .

• Schools & departments

Chinese PhD

Awards: PhD

Study modes: Full-time, Part-time

Funding opportunities

Programme website: Chinese

Upcoming Introduction to Postgraduate Study and Research events

Join us online on the 19th June or 26th June to learn more about studying and researching at Edinburgh.

Choose your event and register

Research profile

Doctorate-level study is an opportunity to expand upon your interests and expertise in a community that really values research while making original, positive contributions to learning in Chinese and East Asian Studies.

Our research environment creates vital interdisciplinary linkages between China experts across the University of Edinburgh and beyond, including at other Scottish universities.

Research excellence

In the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021), our research was submitted in the following categories:

• Modern Languages and Linguistics
• Politics and International Studies
• Theology and Religious Studies

The results reaffirm Edinburgh’s position as one of the UK’s leading research universities - third in the UK based on the quality and breadth of its research in Modern Languages and Linguistics alone, according to Times Higher Education's REF power ratings.

Join our community and undertake a specialised research project under the guidance of experienced and well-published supervisors.

We have particular strengths in:

• classical and modern Chinese literature
• modern Chinese culture
• the performing arts and film
• ancient Chinese philosophy and religion
• modern Chinese politics and society

Explore our range of research centres, networks and projects in Chinese and Asian Studies

Working with colleagues elsewhere in the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures, and across the wider University, we are able to support PhD theses crossing boundaries between languages and/or disciplines, including comparative literature, film studies, and translation studies.

Be inspired by the range of PhD research in the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures

Over the course of your PhD, you’ll be expected to complete an original body of work under the expert guidance of your supervisors leading to a dissertation of usually between 80,000 and 100,000 words.

You will be awarded your doctorate if your thesis is judged to be of an appropriate standard, and your research makes a definite contribution to knowledge.

Go beyond the books

Beyond the Books is a podcast from the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures (LLC) that gives you a behind-the-scenes look at research and the people who make it happen.

Listen to a mix of PhD, early career and established researchers talk about their journey to and through academia and about their current and recent research.

Browse Beyond the Books episodes and hear our research community talk about their work

Training and support

This programme includes optional training on research skills, methods and problems, including those specific to Chinese/Asian Studies.

Between the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures (LLC), the Careers Service, and the Institute for Academic Development (IAD), you’ll find a further range of programmes and resources to help you develop your postgraduate skills.

You will also have access to the University’s fantastic libraries, collections and worldwide strategic partnerships.

Our graduates tell us that they value LLC’s friendliness, the connections they make here and the in-depth guidance they receive from our staff, who are published experts in their field.

As part of our research community, you will be immersed in a world of knowledge exchange, with lots of opportunities to share ideas, learning and creative work.

Activities range from a regular seminar series in Asian Studies (with talks by esteemed visiting speakers, staff, and research students), to film screenings and workshops.

Based in the Main University Library, the Centre for Research Collections is unique in the UK, bringing together a collection of more than 400,000 rare books (including Chengtze's 1440 Book of Changes), six kilometres of archives and manuscripts, and the University’s collections of art, historical musical instruments and other objects.

Notable collections include the East Asian Studies Collection of some 50,000 print and digital resources, the vast majority of which are in the Chinese language.

As a PhD candidate here, you will be based at the heart of the University of Edinburgh in a world-leading festival city with excellent links to China through the Confucius Institute for Scotland and Scotland China Association, and a thriving East Asian cultural scene.

The National Library of Scotland is a short walk from our buildings, and has total of 127 volumes of Chinese books in its collections printed between 1655 and 1912.

Likewise, the National Museum of Scotland holds a unique Chinese collection, including the second-largest collection of oracle bones outside of East Asia.

Meet our graduates

Carol Rennie came to the University of Edinburgh in 1995 as a graduate of Chinese and German. A decade on, she had completed an MSc by Research in East Asian Studies specialising in Chinese Literature, and a PhD in Chinese on Taiwanese women writers.

Carol now owns and runs an independent cinema in northern England where she has co-founded the MINT Chinese Film Festival. The first edition of the festival took place over three days in February 2023 - a “Chinese film extravaganza, founded and organised by women, and focussed primarily on films by women, and about women's experiences.”

• Read our interview with Carol

Entry requirements

These entry requirements are for the 2024/25 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2025/26 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2024.

A UK 2:1 honours degree and a masters degree, or their international equivalents, in a related subject. We may also consider your application if you have equivalent qualifications or experience; please check with the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures (LLC) before you apply.

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

• Entry requirements by country
• English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.5 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 23 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• C1 Advanced ( CAE ) / C2 Proficiency ( CPE ): total 185 with at least 176 in each component.
• Trinity ISE : ISE III with passes in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 70 with at least 62 in each component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS , TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE , in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

• UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

• Approved universities in non-MESC

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old* at the beginning of your programme of study. (*Revised 05 March 2024 to extend degree validity to five years.)

Find out more about our language requirements:

Fees and costs

Scholarships and funding, featured funding.

There are a number of scholarship schemes available to eligible candidates on this PhD programme, including awards from the Arts and Humanities Research Council.

Please be advised that many scholarships have more than one application stage, and early deadlines.

• Find out more about scholarships in literatures, languages and cultures

Other funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

• Search for funding

Further information

• Phone: +44 (0)131 650 4086
• Contact: [email protected]
• School of Literatures, Languages & Cultures
• 50 George Square
• Central Campus
• Programme: Chinese
• School: Literatures, Languages & Cultures
• College: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

Select your programme and preferred start date to begin your application.

PhD Chinese - 3 Years (Full-time)

Phd chinese - 6 years (part-time), application deadlines.

We strongly recommend you submit your completed application as early as possible, particularly if you are also applying for funding or will require a visa. We may consider late applications if we have places available.

• How to apply

You must submit two references with your application.

The online application process involves the completion of a web form and the submission of supporting documents.

For a PhD programme, you should include:

• a sample of written work of about 3,000 words (this can be a previous piece of work from an undergraduate or masters degree)
• a research proposal - a detailed description of what you hope to achieve and how

You will also need to supply two references.

• Guidance on the application process and writing a research proposal

Before you apply, you should also look at the interests and expertise of our research community on the programme website. This will help you decide if this programme is right for you and your supervision needs.

Programme website - research centres, networks and projects in Chinese and Asian Studies

Programme website - our postgraduate environment in Chinese and Asian Studies

Find out more about the general application process for postgraduate programmes:

University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews

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The Bloomsbury Research Handbook of Chinese Philosophy Methodologies

Sor-hoon Tan (ed.), The Bloomsbury Research Handbook of Chinese Philosophy Methodologies , Bloomsbury, 2016, 375pp., $176.00 (hbk), ISBN 9781472580313.

Reviewed by Eric L. Hutton, University of Utah

This 18-chapter anthology is potentially of interest to at least three distinct audiences: philosophers and other scholars whose primary focus is not Chinese philosophy, undergraduate and graduate students who aspire to become specialists in Chinese philosophy, and scholars who are already established specialists in Chinese philosophy. My review will be organized around what the volume offers and how well it serves each of these potential audiences.

In my experience, some philosophers and other scholars who have no familiarity with the Chinese tradition are hesitant to study or even discuss it, because they worry that the subject requires some methodology so different from their own that anything they might say would be horribly misguided, and the "entry costs" for acquiring the appropriate methodology are so high in terms of the time and effort required that it is not practically feasible for them to achieve even a rudimentary conversational competence in the area. One strength of Sor-hoon Tan's anthology is that it can help assuage such worries, for it conveniently collects such a wide variety of approaches that, almost regardless of your own orientation, you can find someone in the volume advocating or applying a kindred methodology to the Chinese materials. Yiu-ming Fung will speak to analytic philosophers, David Jones to continentalists, Roger T. Ames to process philosophers, Tan to pragmatists, Eva Kit Wah Man to feminists, Franklin Perkins to metaphysicians, Hagop Sarkissian and Ryan Nichols to experimental philosophers, and Peimin Ni to those who approach philosophy as a "way of life" focused on personal self-improvement. The list could go on, and the above descriptions are not meant to capture everything of interest in the chapters just mentioned.

On the other hand, not all the chapters will be equally accessible to those completely unfamiliar with the Chinese tradition. Perkins's contribution may well be the most accessible to neophytes. Ames's may be the least so (perhaps because portions of it were previously published in a specialized journal). The rest of the essays fall somewhere in between, though I think most of them will be largely intelligible to newcomers. Some disparity among the contributions on this score is perhaps unavoidable in an anthology of this size, especially if -- as seems to be the case with this book -- addressing readers outside the field was not a major priority for the project. Still, the unevenness of accessibility constitutes something of a missed opportunity, since pretty much all the authors clearly favor greater engagement with Chinese philosophy by scholars who currently have no such involvement.

For non-specialists in Chinese philosophy, the volume may hold interest for scholars who are interested in methodology per se, apart from its application to the Chinese tradition in particular. The chapters already mentioned demonstrate that specialists have advocated and applied a variety of methodologies to the Chinese materials, which itself may be noteworthy for those whose meta-methodological considerations have not previously extended to non-Western materials. Moreover, some essays seek to articulate methodologies that, in trying to do justice to the Chinese tradition, are not (at least as presented) identified with any particular Western philosophical orientation, and which operate at a fairly abstract level and might potentially be applied fruitfully to the study of Western philosophy. For example, Kwong-loi Shun advocates a three-stage approach for studying Chinese philosophy, which he divides into (i) a step of "textual analysis" that hews closely to the ideas and aims of a past thinker and strives "to minimize the influence of our present perspective and conceptions" (67), (ii) a process of "articulation" that "seeks to draw out the relevance of the thinker's ideas to us in the present" (68), and (iii) a process of "philosophical construction" that seeks "to build a reflective and systematic account that we, from our present perspective, regard as appealing" (69). Likewise, Bo Mou outlines a "constructive-engagement strategy" that he explicitly says "is not limited to studies of Chinese philosophy" (199). More provocatively, Leigh Jenco advocates applying methodologies developed within the Chinese tradition to a variety of fields outside the study of Chinese philosophy, in part on the ground that "without using or at least becoming open to Chinese methods, we cannot avoid reproducing the power relationships that dictate only Western forms of knowledge are legitimate, 'real' knowledge" (282). As before, these chapters will not all be equally accessible to those with no familiarity with the Chinese tradition.

Undergraduates and graduate students aspiring to become specialists in Chinese philosophy are explicitly identified as an intended audience on the back cover, which casts the volume as a "contribution to the education of the next generation of Chinese philosophers," where "Chinese philosophers" is intended as a label for "anyone who conducts research in Chinese philosophy, regardless of their ethnicity or geographical location" (8). [1] For future "Chinese philosophers," the book is useful simply in virtue of collecting in one place discussions of methodology, so students can get a clear sense of some of the issues that are commonly debated by scholars. To what extent does Chinese thought qualify as "philosophy" in the first place? Is the application of Western methodologies to Chinese materials necessarily distorting? When encountering ambiguous evidence in the Chinese sources, should one's guiding presumption be that their views are different from predominant ones in the West, unless proven similar, or should one's guiding presumption be that their views are similar, unless proven different? What are the benefits and perils of more purely historical readings versus more purely philosophical readings? Is Chinese philosophy something that one may grasp through bookish study , or is it something that one must also practice in some sense? Apart from the discussions of such questions that are spread across the individual chapters, Tan's Introduction does a commendable job in offering an overview of the relevant issues.

The volume also has three chapters that do not fit easily into any particular categorization, but will be of interest to aspiring "Chinese philosophers." In the first, Ronnie Littlejohn gives a very thoughtful and nuanced discussion of what it might mean to "let a text speak for itself." His chapter is not only replete with useful observations, but also nicely serves as a model for how even methodological slogans may require unpacking and interpretation. I find especially helpful his suggestion that in philosophizing with a classical Chinese text, the text "should provide resistance, guidance, and correction, just as the creation of understanding between speaker and hearer occurs in everyday discourse" (87). In the second such chapter, Lisa Raphals argues that "an exclusive focus on Confucianism as the dominant paradigm of Chinese philosophy and culture is destructive . . . because it obscures, to the point of elimination, [certain] fundamentally important elements of Chinese culture and history" (307). Her essay serves to highlight potential biases in the training that students may receive, and warns against any methodology that would privilege one tradition of Chinese thought over all others. By the same token, Raphals's discussion of scientific thinking and military strategy helpfully highlight other aspects of the Chinese tradition that have claim to consideration as part of "Chinese philosophy." The third such chapter, by Sarah Mattice, unlike the other contributions, focuses on pedagogy. Especially for graduate students looking to develop their own approaches to teaching the Chinese materials, Mattice offers a number of helpful reflections and techniques. (Seasoned instructors may perhaps find some new methods to consider adding to their repertoire.)

Since students on the path to becoming "Chinese philosophers" will probably already have some familiarity with figures and ideas from the Chinese tradition, the worries noted earlier about accessibility are less likely to be a problem for them. However, I must register a number of concerns about the usefulness of the volume as a handbook for them. First, the high cost of the book means that fewer students are likely to buy a copy, so the publisher's pricing is antithetical to one of the book's aims.

Second, some of the methodologies on offer are not the sort that undergraduate or graduate students could easily engage on their own. For example, among the more innovative approaches are those proposed by Edward Slingerland and by Sarkissian and Nichols. Slingerland's method involves study of the corpus of Chinese texts through "large-scale random sampling of data, coding or analysis by independent researchers, checks of intercoder reliability, and statistical analysis in order to evaluate the significance of any discerned trends" (328). The experimental method proposed by Sarkissian and Nichols involves designing and administering surveys to groups of people large enough to constitute a good sample size. Both methods are better suited to researchers working in teams that bring together researchers with different strengths, especially since the statistical expertise required for proper analysis of the data is not the kind of training most Chinese and Philosophy departments offer. For undergraduate or graduate students who have no opportunity to join such a team, such methods may simply be out of reach.

Third, there are other practical obstacles that would make it difficult for students to adopt some of the methods described. Undergraduates attracted to a particular methodology offered might seek to pursue graduate studies with the author(s) of the chapter(s) in question, but some of those authors are at institutions that lack graduate programs, though perhaps those authors might be willing and able to serve as outside members of a thesis committee. Graduate students, on the other hand, who are attracted to a methodology but whose advisors might be opposed to that methodology, or at least unwilling to direct a thesis using it, will likewise face difficulties. Even if neither of those problems apply, there may be other institutional obstacles. For instance, Alexus McLeod defends the value of doing Chinese-Indian comparative philosophy. After noting that most sinologists are expected to learn Classical Chinese, Japanese, and French, he adds, "Anyone who has the time and ability to learn Classical Chinese, Japanese, and French has the time and ability to learn . . . Sanskrit" (303n4). Even if that claim is true, not all institutions offer advanced courses in Sanskrit, so achieving the requisite skills to pursue this methodology (at least at a high level) may not be easy.

Fourth, even among those methodologies that consist mostly in particular approaches to reading Chinese texts, in a number of cases (e.g., Shun and Mou) the presentation of those methodologies is (perhaps due to space constraints) more an overview than a careful, step-by-step demonstration. As a result, students wanting to understand better how the methodology actually works in practice will need to read other works by the author(s) in question. Such extra reading is advisable for students anyway -- anyone intending to become a specialist will ultimately need to have broad familiarity with the work of many other experts in the field -- but this feature means that, in terms of exposing students to various methodologies, the book provides only a first step in some cases, rather than a thorough introduction.

In light of the preceding points, my assessment is that although the handbook does have something useful to offer aspiring specialists in Chinese philosophy, it is far from being a straightforward "how to" manual. Instead, it is perhaps best taken as a guide to "how might" one study Chinese philosophy, where students may get a sense of methodologies to which they have not previously been exposed, and where they will find theoretical reflections on both those methodologies and those which they have already encountered in their reading of the secondary literature.

Finally, I turn to what the volume has to offer specialists in Chinese philosophy. From a specialist's perspective, despite its large size the volume actually has rather limited coverage: it is confined almost exclusively to Anglophone studies of Chinese philosophy. In her editor's introduction, Tan is explicit in acknowledging this limitation and disowning any claim to comprehensiveness (30-31). One cannot blame her for this choice of focus, since if one were to try genuinely to cover all the methods that have been used to study Chinese philosophy, the volume would have to be many times longer. Still, I think it worth noting a few of the subjects that get no more than passing mention. For one thing, the Chinese themselves have a long history of studying Chinese philosophy reflected, for example, in the commentarial tradition. The methodology of Chinese commentators has been the subject of English studies by John Makeham, Daniel Gardner, and John B. Henderson, among others. A number of chapters mention the Chinese commentarial tradition, though none focus on it. Beyond the Chinese, the Japanese and Koreans also have centuries-long traditions of studying and commenting on Chinese philosophy. These traditions get some notice in Ming-Huei Lee's chapter, but only briefly. Modern European scholars have also produced substantial bodies of work on Chinese philosophy, and thus would also merit consideration in any more comprehensive review of methodologies. In addition, while most of the chapters are concerned with classical Chinese philosophical works, insofar as one might identify (at least some) later Daoist and Buddhist writings as forms of Chinese philosophy, then Daoist and Buddhist scholars studying and commenting on earlier Chinese texts, and subsequent work by other scholars writing in a variety of languages on later Daoism and Buddhism, would also deserve representation in a more comprehensive survey. Again, while I do not think the book should be faulted for not covering all these other topics, it does mean that specialists interested in the fullest range of Chinese philosophy methodologies, either for their own edification or for the sake of training their students, will need to supplement this book.

As to the Anglophone methodologies Tan does include, even though she does not claim to be quite comprehensive on that front, she does succeed in collecting a fairly balanced and representative sample of different approaches. Being a specialist in Chinese philosophy myself, I already knew something of almost all the methodologies being proposed (and I suspect many other specialists would be in the same position), so what was most instructive to me were those moments where the authors criticize or express reservations about the methodologies of other scholars, especially those of other authors in the volume. For example, Perkins criticizes earlier work by Slingerland. Slingerland criticizes the work of Ames and is joined in this criticism of Ames by Fung. Fung also criticizes methodologies that attempt to be more strictly historicist, with the famous scholar Hu Shi as his primary target. The overarching theme of Lee's chapter is a similar criticism, but aimed instead at the contemporary historian Yu Yingshi. Likewise, Littlejohn responds to certain worries raised by contemporary sinologists and historians about philosophical approaches to early Chinese texts. On the other hand, Michael Nylan criticizes (without naming names) specialists in Chinese philosophy for failing to take adequate account of the findings of specialists in Chinese history, though she herself is not opposed to philosophical studies of the Chinese tradition.

While these critical aspects of the essays are likely to be of interest to specialists, I would have liked to have seen more responses from the contributors to each other. For example, Ames does not respond to any of the criticisms of his methodology; perhaps the closest thing to a response that one gets is a brief discussion offered on Ames's behalf in Littlejohn's chapter. Likewise, it would have been interesting to hear Nylan's response to what Littlejohn says about what philosophers should make of the fact that many early Chinese texts are now thought to be multi-author compilations that came together over long periods of time, since Nylan castigates (some) philosophers for neglecting precisely this fact. Perkins does not indicate whether his criticism of Slingerland applies equally to Slingerland's essay in this volume, and Slingerland does not address Perkins' critique of his earlier work. Perhaps the contributors did not all have the opportunity to read each other's chapters prior to publication, or perhaps they did but for one reason or another did not or could not modify their chapters to create more dialogue among themselves, but either way I find it a pity that there is not more back-and-forth between them.

This last point brings me to a final observation about the value of the volume for current specialists in Chinese philosophy. Although some scholars do significantly alter their methodologies over the course of their academic lives (among the contributors, Slingerland is an example, if one compares his PhD thesis with his current approach), such shifts are not common, as far as I can tell. I therefore confess to being somewhat pessimistic about whether the criticisms made in the volume will have much impact on specialists, or whether any of them will genuinely be tempted to adopt in whole or part methodologies described in the volume that are not already largely in agreement with their own. Perhaps the volume might encourage some specialists to be more open-minded in their views of the methodologies that are not already their own, but if so, that is not a difference that will likely be reflected in a big change in their research. Arguably, these worries could apply to almost any anthology about methodologies (at least in the humanities), so in that regard the limitation is not peculiar to this book. Nevertheless, it does suggest that -- like other such anthologies -- the value of the handbook for specialists in Chinese philosophy would then be more as a pedagogical tool than as a research aid -- it is a resource to which one can point students for examples of certain (misguided or plausible) methodological positions and (misguided or plausible) criticisms of them. That is indeed a valuable feature, though probably not enough to justify it as a crucial volume that all specialists should have on their shelves.

[1] Though it is hardly a major objection, I think this way of applying the label "Chinese philosophers" has the potential to create significant confusion. By the same principle that Tan adopts, philosophers who are ethnically, culturally, and nationally Chinese, who live in modern-day China and write only in Chinese, but who happen to research primarily Hobbes, Locke, and Mill, would be British philosophers -- but that clearly is not what most people, philosophers or otherwise -- will think of when they hear the term "British philosophers." So, although I occasionally follow Tan's own usage in this section of my review, I do not endorse it and have otherwise avoided it, preferring the term "specialists in Chinese philosophy".

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• The School of Philosophy at Beijing Normal University, one of China’s premier institutes of higher education, offers a two-year Master’s Degree in Chinese Philosophy.
• The program offers a comprehensive range of courses in the major traditions of Chinese philosophy, including Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism, as well as an inclusive range of courses in the Chinese philosophies of history, ethics, and politics. Courses emphasize comparative and international perspectives while engaging with the Western and other great traditions of world philosophy.
• The program is conducted in English and is offered to students who intend to go on to pursue Ph.D. or other graduate-level international and professional studies in philosophy, comparative philosophy, or Chinese philosophy, as well as in international law, international political studies, and international cultural studies. It is also offered to students who intend to enter the professional work force at any international level with relevance to China.
• The International MA Program is fully accredited by Beijing Normal University and the Chinese Ministry of Education.
• Applications for admission beginning in Fall 2023 will end on April 30.

• To provide English-speaking students from all parts of the world the opportunity to develop a deep understanding of the rich traditions of Chinese philosophy nurtured over the last three thousand years.
• To direct a rigorous graduate-level academic program in which students develop a solid foundation for pursuing in-depth topics in Chinese philosophy.
• To encourage personal growth through a close engagement with Chinese philosophy from comparative perspectives.
• To enhance international philosophical and cultural exchange between China and other nations.

• The Core Faculty of the International MA Program includes internationally acclaimed Chinese and Western scholars with the highest levels of academic training.
• Each year the program invites world-renowned scholars to serve as International Guest Faculty.
• The program is run in cooperation with the University of California, Berkeley.
• The School of Philosophy publishes Frontiers of Philosophy in China, the only English-language academic journal of philosophy from China, published by Brill with world circulation.
• Students from the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Malta, Poland, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Nepal, and Mongolia have taken advantage of the School’s unique international standing and academic expertise to pursue higher education in Chinese philosophy.
• Each year, the School sponsors more than 60 eminent philosophers to deliver lectures in their specialized fields.
• Since 2015, the School has successfully conducted its Philosophy Summer School to enable young scholars around the world to gain a better understanding of traditional Chinese culture and philosophy.
• Students of the International MA Program are welcome to attend these sponsored lectures as well as the Philosophy Summer School.

Schoolships

• BNU Philosophy Summer School
• Ms. LIN Wanzhi
• E-mail:[email protected]
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• School of philosophy BNU
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Ph.D. in Chinese Linguistics

The Ph.D. program is designed to prepare students for a doctoral degree in Chinese linguistics.

Students should consult the most up-to-date version of the degree plan on the Stanford Bulletin  as well as the EALC Graduate Handbook . Each student should meet with their faculty advisor at least once per quarter to discuss the degree requirements and their progress.

Admission to Candidacy

Candidacy is the most important University milestone on the way to the Ph.D. degree. Admission to candidacy rests both on the fulfillment of department requirements and on an assessment by department faculty that the student has the potential to successfully complete the Ph.D.

Following University policy ( GAP 4.6.1 ), students are expected to complete the candidacy requirements by Spring Quarter of the second year of graduate study.

Pre-Candidacy Requirements

• CHINLANG 103 - Third-Year Modern Chinese, Third Quarter (5 units)
• CHINLANG 103B - Third-Year Modern Chinese for Bilingual Speakers, Third Quarter (3 units)
• CHINA 208 - Advanced Classical Chinese: Philosophical Texts (3-5 units)
• CHINA 209 - Advanced Classical Chinese: Historical Narration (2-5 units)
• CHINA 210 - Advanced Classical Chinese: Literary Essays (2-5 units)
• EALC 201 - Proseminar in East Asian Humanities I: Skills and Methodologies (3 units)
• CHINA 290  - Research in Chinese Linguistics (2-3 units)
• Four courses numbered above 200 in the field of China studies, at least two of which must be listed with the CHINA  subject code, and the other two of which may be in different sub-fields such as anthropology, art history, history, philosophy, political science, religious studies, or another relevant field, as approved by the student’s advisor.

All doctoral students must complete an MA qualifying paper. An MA thesis is accepted instead of a qualifying paper for students initially admitted as EALC MA students. Students seeking an MA en route to the PhD must secure approval from the primary advisor and submit an MA thesis.

A graded MA qualifying paper or thesis must be submitted to the DGS and SSO with an accompanying note from the student’s primary advisor by week five of spring quarter of the second year of study for the annual review and candidacy decision.

During the quarter when students complete the MA qualifying paper or thesis (25-30 pages), they must enroll in EALC 299 .

Teaching Requirement

• DLCL 301 - The Learning and Teaching of Second Languages (3 units)
• Demonstrate pedagogical proficiency by serving as a teaching assistant for at least three quarters, starting no later than autumn quarter of the third year of graduate study. The department may approve exceptions to the timing of the language teaching requirement.

Post-Candidacy Requirements

Demonstrate proficiency in at least one supporting language (beyond the near-native level required in Chinese and English) to be chosen in consultation with the primary advisor according to the candidate’s specific research goals. For this supporting language (typically Japanese, Korean, or a European language), students must be proficient at a second-year level at the minimum; a higher level of proficiency may be required depending on the advisor’s recommendation. Reading proficiency must be certified through a written examination or an appropriate amount of coursework to be determined on a case-by-case basis. This requirement must be fulfilled by the end of the fourth year of graduate study.

Students in Chinese linguistics must take at least one literature course.

Complete two relevant seminars at the 300 level. EALC 200  may be substituted for one of these two seminars.

Pass three comprehensive written examinations, one of which tests the candidate’s methodological competence in the relevant discipline. The remaining two fields are chosen, with the approval of the student’s advisor, from the following: Chinese literature, Japanese literature, Korean literature, archaeology, anthropology, art history, comparative literature, communication, history, linguistics, philosophy, and religious studies. With the advisor’s approval, a PhD minor in a supporting field may be deemed equivalent to completing one of these three examinations.

Students should submit a dissertation prospectus before advancing to Terminal Graduate Registration (TGR) status. The prospectus should comprehensively describe the dissertation project and include sections on the project rationale, key research questions, contributions to the field, a literature review, a chapter-by-chapter outline, a projected timeline, and a bibliography.

Pass the University Oral Examination (dissertation defense). General regulations governing the oral examination are found in Graduate Academic Policies and Procedures ( GAP 4.7.1 ). The candidate is examined on questions related to the dissertation after acceptable parts have been completed in draft form.

Following university policy ( GAP 4.8.1 ), submit a dissertation demonstrating the ability to undertake original research based on primary and secondary materials in Chinese.

The Path to Happiness: What Chinese Philosophy Teaches Us about the Good Life

Why should we care about Confucius? Explore ancient Chinese philosophy, ethics, and political theory to challenge your assumptions of what it means to be happy, live a meaningful life, and change the world.

Associated Schools

Harvard Faculty of Arts & Sciences

Graduate school of arts & sciences, what you'll learn.

Understanding ancient Chinese philosophy to live a better life

Tools for self-awareness, the power of ritual, and sensing the world around you

How personal actions and counteractions change the world

The philosophical theories of Confucius, Mozi, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, and Han Feizi

Course description

Today, finding happiness is about mindfulness and discovering your true self. You may have heard that happiness is found by looking within. Ancient Chinese philosophy challenges all of these modern assumptions. From Confucianism to Daoism, the philosophies developed over two thousand years ago are among the most powerful in human history. 

This course brings voices from the past into modern contexts to explore the path to a good life today. The philosophical concepts discussed provide tools to change your life and increase personal happiness by focusing on your actions, the power of ritual, and the importance of sensing the world around you. 

Through a series of lectures, animations, discussions, and reflection diaries, this course focuses on close readings from prominent Chinese philosophers. The course requires no prior knowledge of Chinese philosophy or history and all texts are in translation. 

Adapted from one of the most popular classes at Harvard, this course is now available online for the first time. Learn from award-winning professor Michael Puett and start on your path towards happiness.

Instructors

Michael Puett

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PhD in Chinese Philosophy

Sichuan university ( ).

The PhD in Chinese Philosophy at Sichuan University (SCU) is a 4 years long program for international students, taught in English.

📖 Introduction

Sichuan University is a national key public research university located in Chengdu, China and established on 1896. SCU is one of the top universities of China and wholly funded by the Ministry of Education. It is a Class A Double First Class University and a member of various education projects aiming at developing elite universities, including the Double First Class University Plan, the Project 211, and the Project 985.

🏫 About Sichuan University (SCU)

About Sichuan University (SCU)

Sichuan University is an institution that came from three national universities: the former Sichuan University, the former Chengdu University of Science and Technology, and the former West China University of Medical Sciences. SCU's history dates back to 1896. The university is one of the earliest modern institutes of higher education in Southwest China.

Sichuan University has an excellent tradition of providing quality education to Chinese students. In fact, it has a handful of renowned scholars as its alumni. This includes historian Gu Jiegang, writer Li Jieren, esthetician Zhu Guangqian, physicist Wu Dayou, botanist Fang Wenpei and more. The leaders and faculty and staff in SCU are competent, professional, and internationally acclaimed. 

SCU offers 354 doctoral programs, 438 master programs, 32 professional master's programs, 138 undergraduate programs, and 37 post-doctoral research stations. Sichuan University has formed a rich cultural heritage and laid a solid foundation in education. The university’s motto is “Sea, all water, receives all rivers; Utmost wit listens to all sides”, and its spirit is embodied in the following four words: preciseness, diligence, truth-seeking, and innovation.

SCU is located in Chengdu, Sichuan Province. Chengdu is a city rich in history and culture. It is popular as the land of abundance. The university has three campuses namely: Wangjiang, Huaxi and Jiang'an. SCU's location is peaceful, quiet and has a beautiful landscape. 

Scholarships 

If you have good academic standing, you can apply for scholarships offered by Sichuan University. These include the Chinese Government Scholarship-Bilateral Program, Chinese Government Scholarship-Chinese University Program, Chinese Government Scholarship China-U.S. People-to-People Exchange Degree Program Scholarships and the Sino-US Cultural Credits Students’ Program Scholarship. Undergraduate students, master’s students, doctoral students, general scholars, and senior scholars can apply for any of the scholarships mentioned. 

Campus Life

Sichuan University makes sure that every student learns inside the classroom, however, the school also emphasizes the importance of academic and social life balance. SCU has a beautiful and green campus where students can hang around while they are on a break from their classes. The university organizes fun activities, gatherings, and field trips during the year to enable you to meet new friends. 

You can join students groups according to your interests. SCU offers many free services to students. This includes postal services, easy access to sports facilities, psychological counseling, internet services, medical services, banking, dining and the use of the library which has thousands of available resources. 

Sichuan University is popular for its sports facilities. Near the West Dorm are the swimming pool, basketball courts, and tennis courts. Near the East Dorm, there are football fields, basketball courts, tennis courts, volleyball courts, and gyms.SCU's gym is huge and inside the gym is a badminton court and basketball court. Sports facilities at SCU are open for SCU students, the faculty and staff and the public. 

🏠 Accommodation

To make your stay in China and at SCU a memorable one, the university offers on-campus and off-campus accommodations.

SCU has a hostel inside the campus which offers comfortable single, double and triple rooms at an affordable price. On-campus hostels are available on all three campuses. The International Student Office at SCU will make sure that you enjoy your stay at the hostel. They will also help you resolve problems and meet your needs. All rooms have a separate toilet and bath, furniture, and other facilities. As with most campus residences, you have rules to follow so you should read them carefully.

If you don't want to stay inside the campus, SCU can arrange off-campus accommodation for you. Upon arrival, you need to register to the local police station within 24 hours.

• You will need to book the accommodation after you have been accepted.
• You can choose to live on campus or off campus in private accommodation.
• We have an article about how to find accommodation off campus here .

Application Fee:

Tuition fee:

26,000 CNY per year

104,000 CNY in total

Insurance is 800 CNY .

❓ ✅ ❌ Entry Requirements

The minimum age is 18 and the maximum age is 45.

Minimum education level: Master's

The program is quite competitive, you need to have a high grades of Average B, 60%, or a high GPA.

All student except from Nigeria are eligible to apply to this program

📬 Admissions Process

3 steps to apply to a chinese university.

Choose Programs

Apply Online

Enroll in China

Please choose the programs here , "You are advised to select 2-3 programs to increase your chances of getting accepted.

Required Documents:

• Bank Statement
• No Criminal Record Certificate
• Second Recommendation Letter
• First Recommendation Letter
• Medical Examination Form
• English Language Certificate
• Your Highest Academic Transcript (In English)
• Your Graduation Certificate (in English)
• Curriculum Vitae
• Personal Statement Letter or Study Plan
• Your Photograph
• Your Passport Copy

Preparing documents:

You can start your application now and send the application documents during your application. Some documents you can send later if you don’t have them right away. Some more info about preparing application documents is here

Application process:

Applying Online is simple in just a few steps. More information is available here .

The first steps are to choose the programs, pay the application fee and upload the application documents.

Once submitted to China Admissions, we will review your application within 2-3 days and proceed to the university or ask you for further clarification

After it has been processed to the university you will receive your unique application ID from each university.

The university may contact you directly for further questions.

We will then follow up each week with the university for updates. As soon as there is any update we will let you know. If you have made other plans, decide to withdraw / change address at any time please let us know.

After you have been accepted you will receive your admissions letter electronically and asked to pay the non-refundable deposit to the university.

Once you have paid the deposit the university will issue you the admissions letter and visa form to your home country.

❓ Have a Question?

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📝 Sichuan University (SCU) Reviews

🛏️ Accommodation

🏓 Facilities

💲 Value for money

👨‍🏫 Classes

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The Practical Value of Studying Philosophy

Posted in: Why Study Philosophy?

Transferable Skills

By studying philosophy, students develop cognitive transferable skills that pay off in a variety of professions—transferable skills such as Logical Reasoning • Analysis • Abstract Conceptualization • Problem-Solving • Creative Thinking • Clear and Persuasive Writing • Mental Dexterity • An Ability to Assess Different Perspectives and Frameworks • Information Management.

Earning Potential

The national median salary of Philosophy graduates is higher than nearly every other major in the social sciences, humanities, and higher than many other majors—higher than Psychology, Criminology, Communication, Special Education, Early Childhood Education, Business Management, Political Science, History, English, and so on (data source:  payscale.com ).

Which professions do philosophy graduates pursue? • Technology • Business • Law • Publishing • Government • Advertising • Journalism • Teaching • Sales • Human Resources • Public Relations • Activism • Public Policy, and so on.

Read about the practical value of studying philosophy

• Forbes  (2017) – “ A Case For Majoring In Philosophy ”

“Every year, college students choose their majors with an eye toward the return on investment. Among the usual lucrative suspects like finance and engineering, one liberal arts field stands out: philosophy. It turns out that philosophy majors earn significantly more than most majors, especially over the long term.”

“The surprisingly robust ROI [return on investment] for philosophy majors can be traced to its intellectual rigor. Philosophers are taught to seek out the pressure points in arguments and to reason for themselves. They dive into highly technical conversations, construct their own positions and arguments, and analyze relevant problems from multiple perspectives.”

“Beyond finances, the study of philosophy can also help students learn for themselves how they define the good life and how to go about living it.”

• U.S. News & World Report  (2020) – “ What You Can Do With a Philosophy Degree ”

“Philosophy students learn how to question conventional thinking, which is a marketable skill.”

“A Wall Street Journal analysis of the long-term earning potential of people with various college majors revealed that philosophy majors tend to get raises and promotions more quickly than individuals with other majors, and a result of this rapid career progression is that philosophy majors’ mid-career earnings are usually double the size of their starting salaries.”

• CNBC  (2018) – “ Mark Cuban says studying philosophy may soon be worth more than computer science—here’s why ”

“’I’m going to make a prediction’, Cuban told AOL in 2017. ‘In 10 years, a liberal arts degree in philosophy will be worth more than a traditional programming degree’…He views previously lucrative jobs in industries like accounting and computer programming as subject to the powers of automation. To remain competitive, Cuban advises ditching degrees that teach specific skills or professions and opting for degrees that teach you to think in a big picture way, like philosophy.”

• Times Higher Education  (2019) – “ What Can You Do with a Philosophy Degree? ”

“Philosophy graduates have highly transferable skills that are valuable to employers.”

“Graduates secure work in a variety of disciplines after their degree, such as teaching, PR or politics. Communications, publishing, HR and advertising can be attractive options for philosophy graduates, as well as law, banking, the civil service, business and science. Others go on to further study, research, academia and/or lecturing in philosophy or a related field.”

• Entrepreneur Magazine  (2017) – “ 5 Reasons Why Philosophy Majors Make Great Entrepreneurs ”

“When accomplished entrepreneurs like Reid Hoffman, Peter Thiel and Carly Fiorina credit their philosophy backgrounds for their success, you have to wonder if they’re on to something.”

• New York Times  (2018) – “ A Wall Street Giant Makes a $75 Million Bet on Academic Philosophy ”

“Philosophy, he [Bill Miller] added, ‘has made a huge difference both to my life outside business, in terms of adding a great degree of richness and knowledge, and to the actual decisions I’ve made in investing’.”

“Mr. Miller, 67, is not the only old-guard Wall Street figure with a background in philosophy. George Soros was heavily influenced by the Austrian philosopher Karl Popper. Carl Icahn was a philosophy major at Princeton . . . (On the watchdog side of the street, Sheila Bair, the former chair of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, was also a philosophy major.)”

• Harvard Business Review  (2014) – “ How Philosophy Makes You a Better Leader ”

“A CEO client . . . found that contemplating the teachings of an ancient philosopher (Socrates) and a 20th century philosopher (Habermas) empowered him to implement an enhanced process of dialogue, consensus building, and ‘communicative rationality’ with his leadership team.”

• National Bureau Of Economic Research  (2017) – “ The Costs Of And Net Returns To College Major ”

“Health and Engineering majors, where earnings returns are large on a per graduate basis, have per-dollar returns similar to those observed in education, math, philosophy , and language degrees. .  .”

Graduate Study

Some philosophy majors go on to graduate studies in philosophy in order to pursue an academic career. The philosophy major is also exceptional training for many other post-graduate paths, such as law school. In fact, statistics indicate that philosophy majors perform very well on standardized tests for post-graduate and professional study.

• The GRE (“the SAT for graduate school”) – Philosophy majors come out on top.

“When students are compared by major on how far above average they do on the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE), a standardized test used in many disciplines to assess applicants to graduate programs, philosophy majors come out on top , according to a new look at test score data over the past few years.” (Daily Nous)

• Our philosophy department and Montclair State’s Feliciano School of Business have partnered for a “4 + 1” Philosophy BA/MBA program .
• The LSAT (the entrance exam for law school admissions) – Philosophy majors tie for first place with Economics majors.
• Medical School – The Philosophy major is a solid path to medical school. Consider the data and facts as explained by Paul Jung, M.D: “ If you think biochemistry is your ticket into medical school, think again. “