School of Global Policy and Strategy Launches New Master of Chinese Economic and Political Affairs

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Global Policy and Strategy students annually organize a Lunar New Year Festival that includes cultural entertainment such as taiko drummers, lion dancers and more.

The School of Global Policy and Strategy at the University of California San Diego will now offer a Master of Chinese Economic and Political Affairs, solidifying it as one of the premier locations to gain expertise in China and United States-China relations.

A full-time degree program, the Master of Chinese Economic and Political Affairs is an innovative opportunity for students to work with UC San Diego’s world-class community of China scholars investigating the most important issues relating to contemporary China. The high-quality, professional degree will allows students to combine the school’s rigorous professional training with a specialist’s interest in China.

Students are trained to use cross-disciplinary analytic tools to dig deeply into the economics and politics of China, as well as to consider its place in the Asia Pacific region and its relationship with the U.S. The degree is individualized to tailor to each student’s particular interest in China from four areas: economy, environment, foreign relations and security, or politics and public policy.

“China is a major force in the global economy, with changes in its domestic policies being felt throughout the world,” said Gordon Hanson, acting dean of the School of Global Policy and Strategy. “Understanding their markets and society is vital to pursuing bilateral collaboration between U.S. and China in policy analysis, research and teaching.”

The analytically focused, intensive degree is unique in that students will take a three-course research training series followed by a two-quarter capstone project, allowing one-on-one work with a faculty member. Field research in China will be strongly encouraged and will enhance the student’s mastery of Mandarin Chinese while perfecting rigorous data collection techniques.

Courses range from economics, management, political science and quantitative methods at the core, with additional specialized courses in Chinese politics, economic and social development in China, and Chinese security.

Barry Naughton, Sokwanlok Chair of Chinese International Affairs at UC San Diego.

“The expertise of the degree’s core faculty is supplemented by other UC San Diego scholars who specialize in Chinese politics, society, history and language,” said Barry Naughton, the Sokwanlok Chair of Chinese International Affairs at the School of Global Policy and Strategy. “This training will prepare international and domestic graduates for a wide array of academic, business, diplomatic and government positions upon graduation.”

UC San Diego has the largest number of faculty dedicated to high-quality, innovative research covering economics, management, political science and policy analytics of China. Additionally, the school leads the Fudan-UC Center on Contemporary China, the 21st Century China Center and the student-run program and blog, China Focus. Students have the opportunity to engage with major research centers that emphasize both scholarly research and interactive engagement, and are able to participate in conferences, workshops, industry roundtables, public lectures and cultural events.

“Given our all-encompassing strength on China studies, we can offer students a comprehensive and in-depth curriculum on many different aspects of China,” said Victor Shih, associate professor of political economy and research affiliate of the 21st Century China Center. “At the same time, we also offer a rigorous quantitative focus and courses on general public policies, international relations, and international political economy. I firmly believe that the School of Global Policy and Strategy is the best place in the world to get a master’s degree.”

The School of Global Policy and Strategy is now accepting applications for the new degree program, for students to start fall quarter 2017. The 96-unit degree program can be completed in two years. For more information, visit the Master of Chinese Economic and Political Affairs website.