China pursues interdisciplinary talent cultivation via 'doctoral + master's' program

China's national academic degrees committee has begun allowing qualified doctoral candidates to pursue interdisciplinary master's degrees concurrently with their doctoral studies.

On Monday, the State Council Academic Degrees Committee announced the launch of a "doctoral + master's" dual-degree program, enabling selected doctoral students to simultaneously pursue a master's degree in a different discipline.

The initiative, aimed at cultivating high-level interdisciplinary talent, will be piloted by a limited number of universities with strong academic foundations and cross-disciplinary platforms.

The program seeks to address major national needs in technological advancement, industrial transformation and the development of China's own knowledge systems.

According to the regulations, the pilot will follow a "small but refined" approach. Only institutions with high-quality disciplinary platforms and a proven record in talent cultivation may be eligible. The institutions should also have the authority to grant doctoral degrees in both disciplines.

Each participating university must submit detailed plans for program setup, implementation and training, which will undergo expert review and public notice before formal filing.

Students must meet the separate degree requirements of both the doctoral and master's programs, producing distinct dissertations or practical outputs for each degree. The master's degree will be conferred concurrently with or after the doctoral degree.

The committee emphasized strict quality control throughout the process, including reasonable exit mechanisms for students.

Dynamic monitoring of training and degree-awarding quality will be carried out, with institutions facing rectification requirements or even revocation of pilot approval in cases of significant program failures.