The Yenching Academy of Peking University offers a highly selective Master's degree program in China Studies. It provides a full fellowship for outstanding international and Chinese students to engage in interdisciplinary study of China. The program includes core and elective courses across various research areas, field study trips, language learning, and thesis writing. Students gain in-depth knowledge of China and develop leadership skills through extracurricular activities. The Yenching Academy aims to cultivate future leaders with a deep understanding of China and its role in the world.

1. Yenching Academy of Peking University

2. The Yenching Academy
 A center for the study of China and
its role in the world, with the full
support of Peking University’s
unparalleled resources.
 Offering a Master’s degree program
in China Studies.
 A magnet for outstanding young
scholars and future leaders; people
eager to connect, learn, and lead.
 A model of interdisciplinary study in
the humanities and social sciences.
 A catalyst for international dialogue.

3. Master’s in China Studies
 A full fellowship residential program in
China Studies; for international students,
12 month full fellowship with the
possibility of a one year extension.
Chinese students stay for 2 years.
 A full range of courses is offered in
English; therefore, Chinese proficiency is
not required for admission.
 Students may attend classes in other PKU
departments taught in English or
Chinese.
 Interdisciplinary coursework includes
core and elective courses, field study
trips, language study, and thesis writing.
 Graduates receive Peking University
diplomas noting their research areas.

4. Scholarship
The Yenching Academy provides a
competitive postgraduate financial
package. All students receive a
fellowship that covers:
Tuition
Accommodations
Living stipend
Round-trip travel stipend
Basic insurance
Additional funding, in the form of
research or teaching assistantships, will
be available to international students
who choose to complete their theses in
Beijing during a second year.

5. Research Areas
Students are free to choose elective courses from any
research area; their thesis topics and advisers will
determine which area is noted on their Peking
University diplomas.
 Economics and Management
 History and Archaeology
 Law and Society
 Literature and Culture
 Philosophy and Religion
 Politics and International Relations

6. Compulsory Courses
 China in Transition
 A year-long, interdisciplinary course on post-
1978 China
 Chinese Language (International Students)
 Field Study
 Topics in China Studies Lecture Series

7. Fall Field Study: Xi’an
▲ After watching a local shadow-puppet
performance, students learn from the
master.
Scholars tried their hands
at traditional Chinese
instruments at the
Guanzhong Folk Art
Museum.

8. Spring Field Study
Scholars design their own field
study trips as part of the China
in Transition course. These
scholars are visiting a mosque
in the Ningxia Hui
Autonomous Region.

9. Spring Field Study
Sriharsha Masabathula visits Qionglai
Primary School in Sichuan Province for
his research comparing mainstream and
classics-based curriculum in schools.

10. Elective Courses
Economics and Management:
 China’s Financial Systems
 Chinese Economy and Institutions
 International Trade
 Macroeconomics and Policy Analysis
 Rural China Studies (Taught in Chinese)
History and Archaeology:
 Modern Chinese History
 Formation of Chinese Civilization
 Development of Chinese Civilization
 Archaeology of Cultural Exchange
between China and the West
Law and Society:
Contemporary Chinese Society
The Legal Dynamics of Chinese
Commerce and Society
Women in Contemporary China
Chinese Population
Social Stratification and Mobility in
China
Science and Society
Social Change and Social Problems in
Contemporary China
Critical Perspectives on Modern Sino-
Foreign Relations

11. Elective Courses
Literature and Culture:
Art of China
Twentieth Century Chinese Literature in
Translation: Literature and the Birth of A Nation
Guided Readings in Classics of Ancient Chinese
Literature (Taught in Chinese)
Representation of Reality in Chinese Literature
Philosophy and Religion:
Chinese Ethics and Values
Daoism: Body, Immortality, and Mysticism
History of Chinese Religion
Marxism and the Chinese Experience
Selected Readings from the Confucian Classics
(Taught in Chinese)
Politics and International Relations:
China’s Diplomacy and Global Governance in
the New Era
Theory and Practice of Chinese Foreign Policy
Multicultural Perspectives on International and
Global Affairs
International Political Economy of Sino-
American Relations
Chinese Perspective on Global Migration
Contemporary Chinese Public Policy and
Reforms
Retrospect and Prospect of International
Development Cooperation in China
Chinese Politics in a Historical Perspective
(Taught in Chinese)

12. Elective Courses
Other Electives:
Quantitative Reasoning
Critical Thinking and Academic Writing
Venturing into China Part 1: Hands-On Venture
Design
Venturing into China Part 2: Entrepreneurial
Innovation in the 21st
Century

13. Field Trips & Site Visits
Field trips to urban centers and rural
areas expand Scholars’ understandings
of China through on-the-ground
experience.
▲ Students visit FAST, the world’s
largest radio telescope, during a
trip to the Southwestern province
of Guizhou.

14. Field Trip to Anhui
▲ Students in History of Chinese
Religion explored Hui Culture
and architecture with a field trip
to Xixinan Village, Anhui
Province.

15. Field Trip to Dunhuang
▲ Dunhuang is a melting pot of cultural
exchanges between China and the West. This
trip was led by Prof. Giuseppe Vignato, from
the School of Archaeology, Peking
University.

16. Electives in other Departments
English Courses
Chinese Intellectual Property Law
Chinese Foreign Investment Law
Chinese Civil Procedure & Arbitration Law
International Law in China as applied in China: Theory and Practice
Chinese Economic Law
Chinese Politics and Diplomacy
Contemporary Sino-American Relations
Non-Traditional Security Studies
Comprehensive Studies on Africa
Chinese and Global Economics Studies
China, America and Global Safety
International Institutions
Innovation and Economic Development Strategy
Distributive Justice in Public Policy
Theories and Practices of International Organizations
Strategy and Management of Public and Non-profit Organization
China’s Regional Development and Strategy

17. Career Development and Training
 Networking
 One-on-one consultation
 PKU and Guanghua School of Management job fairs
Dr. Joachim Von Amsberg,
Vice President for Policy & Strategy,
Asian Infrastructure Investment
Bank, speaks to Yenching Scholars.

18. Internships
Places Our Scholars Have Interned
 Accenture
 Amazon
 Carnegie Tsinghua Center for Global Policy
 China Daily
 China Securities
 HNA Capital, Beijing
 HNA Tourism
 Penguin Random House
 Pinkerton
 Serve for China
 Sogou, Inc.
 Tencent Research Institute
 UNESCO
 UNDP
▶Yenching Academy has
invited Ambassadors from
various countries:
Singapore, Romania, the
U.S., Denmark, Nepal, etc.

19. Yenching Clubs
Running Club is one of the many
activities Scholars have
participated in and organized.

20. Yenching Clubs
Participants in The Greedy Tongues meet to
introduce their languages and learn about the
languages of other Scholars.
International Art Club meets
at Weiming Lake on the
Peking University campus.

21. Yenching Clubs
The Yenching Salmon basketball team won
the 2018 Peking University Cup with a total
score of 49:28. YCA Scholar Dominic Romeo
was named MVP for his outstanding
performance.

22. Yenching Global Symposium
Student-initiated and organized
One of China’s most selective conferences
2018 theme: Renaissance: China's
Journey in a Global Future
Aliza Warwick
kicked off the
conference as
Chair-Woman of
the YGS Executive
Committee.

23. Yenching Global Symposium
 The 2018 Symposium
focused on
“Renaissance" and
culture,
entrepreneurship,
women, economics,
education,
environment, health,
science and
technology.
 Hands-on activities
included cultural
workshops, delegate
presentations, and site
visits to local
organizations in
Beijing.

24. Yenching Social Innovation Forum
ycasocialinnovation.orgycasocialinnovation.org

25. Yenching Social Development
 Dandelions of Hope: Story of
Migrant Children and Leadership in
Social Development is a forum to raise
awareness about China’s 35 million plus
migrant children.
 Dandelion Middle School is the only
licensed middle school for migrant
children in Beijing.
Yenching Scholars and Schwarzman
Scholars come together to support
the Dandelion Middle School.

26. Visiting Lecturers
Yu HuaYu Hua
Yu Hua, author of the novels
Brothers and To Live, came to
speak, and the YCA auditorium
filled to capacity.

27. Visiting Lecturers
Dame Barbara WoodwardDame Barbara Woodward
Dame Barbara Woodward,
HM Ambassador of the
United Kingdom to the
People’s Republic of China

28. Visiting Lecturers
Mark SchwartzMark Schwartz
Scholars enjoyed a talk by Mark
Schwartz, former Global Vice
Chairman and Chairman of
Goldman Sachs Asia Pacific.

29. Visiting Lecturers
Wang HuiWang Hui
Wang Hui, Distinguished
Professor in Literature and
History, presents “The Beginning
of the Century: Imperialism,
Nationalism and Critical
Cosmopolitanism in Early 20th
Century China.”

30. Visiting Lecturers
Martin JacquesMartin Jacques
Martin Jacques presents his work
to scholars. Jacques’ book, When
China Rules the World, is a global
best-seller.

31. 31
2018 Yenching Scholars
 Scholars from 37 countries and regions
*For dual nationality students, each nationality is calculated at 0.5.
Asia 35
India 3.5
Japan 1.5
Hong Kong,
China
1
Mainland
China
22
Nepal 1
Singapore 1
South Korea 4
Vietnam 1
Africa 3
Benin 1
Nigeria 1
South Africa 1
Latin
America
4
Argentina 1
Brazil 1
Mexico 2
North
America
25
Canada 2
United States 23
Oceania 1.5
Australia 0.5
New Zealand 1
Europe 26
Bulgaria 1
Czech
Republic
2
Finland 1
France 1.5
Germany 1.5
Hungary 2
Ireland 0.5
Italy 1
Lithuania 1
Montenegro 1
Netherlands 2
Poland 1
Russia 4
Spain 3
United
Kingdom
3.5
Middle
East
4.5
Afghanistan 1
Israel 1.5
Turkey 1.5
Cyprus 0.5
Africa
Asia
Europe
North
America
Oceania

32. 32
2018 Yenching Scholars
University of
Oxford
4
University of
International
Business and
Economics
4
University of
Cambridge
3
Yale University 2
Peking University 2
Beijing Normal University 3
Wuhan University 3
Fudan University 2
Princeton University 2
Dartmouth College 2
University of Toronto St. George 2
NYU Shanghai 2
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor 2
University of Washington 2
Minzu University of China 2
Nanjing University 2

33. 33
2018 Yenching Scholars
International Relations, International Development and Diplomacy 27
Language, Translation, Literature and Culture 27
Economics, International trade, Finance, and Business & Management 26
Political Science, Public Policy and Government Research 26
China Studies, International and Regional studies 15
Sociology, Law 15
News, Media, Music 10
History 7
Anthropology 5
Philosophy 3
Religion, Theology 3
Statistics 3
Philosophy, Politics and Economics （ PPE ） 2
Food Safety 2
Mathematics 1
Chemical Engineering 1
Computer 1
Dentistry 1
Archaeology and Art History 1
Psychology 1
Structural Engineering 1
Accounting 1

34. 34
2018 Yenching Scholars
Research Areas
History and
Archaeology
4%
Philosophy and
Religion
4%
Literature and
Culture
7%
Law and Society
17%
Economics and
Management
29%
Politics and
International
Relations
39%

35. Peking University Campus

36. Partner & Cooperating Universities
The Yenching Academy has forged ties with 105
academic institutions around the world as Partner or
Cooperating Universities.
Partner Universities help to make the Yenching Academy
known on campus to potential applicants. They conduct internal
application processes and nominate top candidates to Yenching
Academy. Candidates from Partner Universities must apply
directly to their universities before applying through Yenching
Academy’s online portal.
Cooperating Universities serve as points of contact for
candidates, providing information about the Yenching Academy.
Students and alumni of Cooperating Universities should apply
directly through the Yenching Academy online admissions portal.

37. Applicants
A prospective Yenching Scholar has:
An outstanding academic record
Demonstrated leadership potential
Involvement in extracurricular activities
Active engagement with the community and strong sense
of social responsibility
Strong moral character
Demonstrated interest in exploring diverse cultures
Well-articulated rationale for how the Yenching Academy
program will enhance his/her career
English proficiency

38. Applicants
International Students & Students
from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan
Bachelor’s degree in any field
Preference will be given to those 25 years old or younger
on August 31, 2019; or 27 years old or younger for students
from countries with mandatory military service.
Chinese Mainland Students
Mainland Chinese students will be admitted according to
the regulations of the Chinese Ministry of Education. They
must be qualified to be exempt from the examination based
on their Mainland Chinese universities’ recommendations.

39. Application
Timeline:
August 2018: Application system opens to International, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan
candidates
December 7, 2018: Deadline for International, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan
candidates
Required documents:
Online application at www.yenchingacademy.org
Certificate of English proficiency (IELTS 7 / TOEFL 100 / Cambridge C1 / CEFR 180) for
students whose native language is not English or who are not enrolled in an English course
of study
Transcript from bachelor’s degree program and master’s program (if applicable)
Personal statement in English (maximum 750 words)
Resume
Two letters of recommendation

40. Will you be the Next Yenching Scholar?

41. Jingyuan Courtyard 3, Peking University, 5 Yiheyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, China 100871
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