The MSc in Contemporary Chinese Studies* is a three-term, nine-month course designed to provide high quality graduate research training with an emphasis on an appreciation of research methods and on deepening students understanding of modern China.

Students will develop or extend their knowledge and understanding of:

• the key approaches to the social scientific study of modern China
• research methods, strategies and ethics that will be of relevance to the social study of China
• critical analysis of sources and ability to present findings effectively, both verbally and in sustained writing exercises
• framing and executing a workable research topic
• interdisciplinary research and its potential

The degree is designed for students from a wide range of backgrounds. Students may well wish to proceed to this degree from undergraduate courses in such areas as History, Politics and International Relations, Economics, Geography, Anthropology, Sociology, Media or Cultural Studies with some element of coursework on China. However, previous undergraduate coursework on China is not a compulsory requirement for admission. We welcome also applications from students with a background in natural sciences, for instance, who may wish to develop knowledge and skills in History and the Social Sciences - whether in order to broaden their disciplinary range for natural science research, or to begin a switch in discipline. In addition, applications will be considered from those, whether or not they have an academic background on China, who have worked in NGOs, civil service, journalism, private sector, or similar fields and who wish to consolidate and extend their knowledge through sustained academic study. This course can also serve very well as first stage preparation for subsequent doctoral research on China.

The components of the course are as follows:

• Core Course 1: Research Methods
• Core Course 2: The Study of Contemporary China
• Two Option Courses
• A Dissertation of 10,000 words

The teaching on the MSc programme is built around the two Core Courses. The first core course - Research Methods - introduces students to the strengths and weaknesses of contrasting discipline-based approaches to the study of Asia.

The second Core Course teaches foundational knowledge of modern Chinese history, politics and society needed for further study or research in all disciplines, and introduces the different disciplinary approaches to the study of modern China.

In addition to the two core courses students will choose 2 options papers (see Option courses for current list).

Finally, all students will complete a research dissertation of 10,000 words on a research topic of their choosing, subject to approval by the Graduate Studies Committee.

Please address your enquiries concerning the MSc in Contemporary Chinese Studies to: chinesestudies@area.ox.ac.uk

* The School of Interdisciplinary Area Studies has decided to change the name of the MSc in Modern Chinese Studies to the MSc in Contemporary Chinese Studies with effect from 1st October 2013. This is a change of title, not a change of content.

The name “Contemporary Chinese Studies” is a more accurate description of the course, which broadly covers the post-1949 Chinese society, economy and culture but which now has a particular emphasis on key developments in China’s foreign policy, international relations, political economy and state structure after 1979 – defined as the contemporary “reform era”.  “Modern China”, by contrast, refers to a much longer history, dating back to the Opium War in the 19^th Century. The new name of the degree better reflects the course content and learning outcomes that will enable students to deepen their knowledge of China’s role and influence in the world today.