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Professional degree: the practice-oriented type of degree in China's Degree Law

Unofficial entry · Sources checked

A professional degree (专业学位) is one of the degree types that Article 2 of the Degree Law of the People's Republic of China (中华人民共和国学位法) names. Article 2 names it alongside academic degrees, and degrees are awarded by discipline category and professional degree category. For how professional degree categories are listed, see Universities and degrees.

Definition

Article 2 of the Degree Law states that the State implements a degree system, that degrees are bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees, and that they include academic degrees, professional degrees and other types. It also states that degrees are awarded by discipline category, professional degree category and other means.

The Chinese text is the authority. The English wording here is this site's translation of the Chinese text.

What the official text says

Article 20 (master's degree). The Law provides for a master's degree to be awarded to an applicant who completes the required coursework or credits, completes academic research training or professional practice training, and passes a thesis defence or a specified practice-achievement defence. The applicant must reach two levels:

  • solid basic theory and systematic specialist knowledge in the discipline or professional field;
  • for a professional degree applicant, the ability to take on professional practice work.

Article 21 (doctoral degree). The same pattern applies to a doctoral degree, with stronger wording at each level:

  • solid and comprehensive basic theory and systematic, in-depth specialist knowledge;
  • for a professional degree applicant, the ability to take on professional practice work independently;
  • for a professional degree applicant, innovative achievements in the field of professional practice.

Q6 of the press Q&A. The Q&A was published on the day the Law was adopted, 26 April 2024, by the Office of the State Council Academic Degrees Committee and the Department of Policies and Regulations of the Ministry of Education. Q6 states that the Law's wording "academic degrees, professional degrees and other types" is a major breakthrough. It states that the phrase "等类型" (and other types) in Article 2 leaves institutional room for exploring other degree types in practice.

Q6 also refers to a 2023 Ministry of Education opinion on the differentiated development of academic and professional graduate education. According to Q6, that opinion states that the two types are of equal status and equal importance. Q6 describes the opinion as strengthening differentiated requirements for positioning, standards, admissions, training, evaluation and faculty. This entry does not render the text of that opinion.

Graduate Education Discipline and Programme Catalogue (2022). The catalogue's explanatory notes set out the following:

  • The catalogue is divided into discipline categories, first-level disciplines and professional degree categories.
  • Discipline category codes have two digits. First-level discipline and professional degree category codes have four digits, and codes whose third digit starts from 5 are professional degree categories.
  • A professional degree category is awarded by its name.
  • A name followed by "*" may be awarded only as a professional master's degree. The other professional degree categories may be awarded as professional master's or doctoral degrees.

The catalogue lists professional degree categories under discipline categories. Some examples, with codes and names as printed, are below.

Discipline category (as printed) Professional degree categories (as printed)
03 法学 0351 法律; 0352 社会工作; 0353 警务; 0354 知识产权; 0355 国际事务*
04 教育学 0451 教育; 0452 体育; 0453 国际中文教育; 0454 应用心理
12 管理学 1251 工商管理*; 1253 会计; 1257 审计
13 艺术学 1352 音乐; 1353 舞蹈; 1357 设计

The table shows only a few categories. The full list is in the catalogue.

Related terms

  • Academic degree (学术学位), named in Article 2 of the Degree Law
  • Discipline category (学科门类), in the 2022 catalogue
  • First-level discipline (一级学科), in the 2022 catalogue
  • Professional degree category (专业学位类别), in the 2022 catalogue
  • Universities and degrees

Sources

Checked 11 October 2026.

This entry is an unofficial summary. It is not legal or immigration advice, and it is not published by the bodies named. If the official text or the instructions of the body handling your case differ from this entry, the official text and those instructions prevail.

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