EMA Program in Chinese Philosophy and Culture

Fudan University
Shanghai, China

I. Academic Programs Overview

These programs are aimed to offer opportunities of learning Chinese and studying Chinese
philosophy to overseas postgraduates or college juniors and seniors who have not yet been
able to master the Chinese language. In addition to Chinese language classes, these
programs offer courses on Chinese philosophy as well as other related courses in English
at Fudan University. Fudan University is a leading institution of higher education in China,
and is experienced with and renowned for educating overseas students. The School of
Philosophy at Fudan is a top philosophy program in China. The university is located in
Shanghai, the most dynamic city in China that belongs to a region that is rich in Chinese
traditions and cultures. It has been 11 years since these programs were launched in 2011,
and 121 students have been enrolled in either the M.A. program (101 students) and the
visiting student program (20 students). They are from 38 countries (the U.S., Canada,
Puerto Rico, Mexico, Barbados, Uruguay, Brazil, Chile, Australia, the U.K., Ireland,
Iceland, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland,
France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Montenegro, Slovenia,
Russia, Israel, Turkey, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, India, Bangladesh, and
Gambia, with student from North America and Europe forming the majority of the student
body), and many of them are top students in their classes, majoring in philosophy, classics,
and/or East Asian or Chinese studies. The above facts make these programs simply the
most successful of their kind (English-based post-graduate programs in Chinese
philosophy) in mainland China.

M.A. Program
This is a two-year degree program. The students who apply for the program should have
a college degree from an accredited institution upon entering the program. The students
are required to get at least 36 credits (4 credits for 2 courses in Chinese Language, 15
credits for five required major courses, 8 credits for 4 elective courses, 3 credits for

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scholarly activities, and 6 credits for two university-wide required courses) in order to
graduate. All courses should be finished by the end of the third semester. A master’s
thesis is also required for obtaining the master’s degree. Other than the above courses,
students are also allowed to take courses that are offered by other departments at Fudan
University (up to 6 credits per semester).

Visiting Student Program

This is a one-year program. The students who apply for the program should be postgraduate
students or students who will be in their junior or senior years in college upon entering the
program. The students must complete 3-4 major courses, and 1-2 courses of Chinese. Upon
the completion of the program, the students will be given a certificate. Other than the above
courses, students are also allowed to take courses that are offered by other departments at
Fudan University (up to 6 credits per semester).

Audit Program
This program is based upon individual courses. The students must have a college degree,
or a proof of active enrollment in an accredited college and the completion of their junior
year of studies. A transcript of courses taken in this program will be offered upon request.
If the students decide to pursue either of the above two programs later, these courses may
be carried over.

II. Requirements for Master’s Degree Program

Chinese Language Courses
2 courses, and maximum of 4 credits will be counted toward your degree. If students take
a 4-credit language course, only 2 credits out of the 4 will be counted toward your degree.
For students whose Chinese is so good that they don’t consider taking Chinese Language
courses necessary, these courses can be replaced with Chinese philosophy courses offered
in Chinese. Please discuss with the department before you consider a replacement course.

Required major courses

3 credits/course * 5 courses = 15 credits

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Pre-Qin Confucianism and Legalism (Fall Semester)
Pre-Qin Daoism and Mohism (Fall Semester)
Introduction to Buddhist Philosophy (Fall Semester)
Confucian Classical Studies (Spring Semester)
Neo-Confucianism (Spring Semester)

Electives for philosophy majors

2-3 courses, 6 credits
Some elective courses offered in the past:
Chinese Spiritualities
Modern Chinese Political Philosophy
Indian Philosophy
Issues in Chinese Buddhism
Wei-Jin Xuanxue
Selective readings in Neo-Confucianism
Chinese aesthetics
Issues in 20th Century Chinese Philosophy
Other non-Chinese-philosophy courses offered by the School of Philosophy

Elective from other disciplines

2 credits
Students can choose any course from other departments.

University-wide required courses

3 credits/course * 2 course
China Panorama and Chinese Politics (This arrangement is based on requirement from
No.42 Order of Ministry of Education of China, 2017).

Scholarly activities and practical training

3 credits

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Students in the program are required to participate in lectures offered by visiting scholars
and arranged by the program. Students in the master program are also allowed to take an
internship (no more than six months), if it is related to students’ research. The internship
should be finished before the beginning of the Spring semester of the second year.

Classical Chinese Tutorial

0 credit
One Chinese tutor will be assigned to every two foreign students in the program who
have similar Chinese level. The tutor will meet with the two students for 2 hours every
week during the semester, studying classical Chinese together. The tutors are selected
from Chinese graduate students at the School of Philosophy and are paid by the program.

Thesis
Around 20,000 words and up with a 5,000 Chinese character summery
Students will discuss their thesis proposal at the end of their first year of studies. They
will be required to defend their proposals at the end of September in the second year. The
mid-term exam of their thesis will take place in the middle of December in the second
year. The complete draft of their thesis will be submitted in the middle of March in the
second year. The final defense takes place in June in the second year.

III. List of Faculty Members Who Regularly Teach Major and Elective
Courses
 Prof. BAI Tongdong (Ph.D., Boston University) is the program director. He is the
Dongfang Chair Professor of Philosophy at Fudan University in China, and a Global
Professor of Law at NYU’s Law School. His research interests include Chinese
philosophy and political philosophy. His book, China: The Political Philosophy of the
Middle Kingdom (in English), was published by Zed Books in 2012, and his new book,
Against Political Equality: The Confucian Case, was published by Princeton
University Press in 2019.
 Prof. CAI Qinghua holds a Ph.D. in philosophy from the Hong Kong University of
Science and Technology. Her research interests include Daoism and Wei-Jin Xuanxue.

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 Prof. Eberhard Guhe studied Indology, logic and mathematics at the University of
Münster as well as at the University of Vienna, where he passed his MA and PhD in
Indology with a thesis on Indian logic. His teaching interests include Indian philosophy
(especially logic).
 Prof. Lawrence Lau studied at various institutions in Hong Kong, mainland China, and
Canada before he obtained his Ph.D. from the Hong Kong University of Science and
Technology. He has published widely in the studies of Buddhism.
 Prof. LI Tiangang holds a Ph.D. from Fudan University under the supervision of Prof.
ZHU Weizheng, one of the leading scholars in Confucian classical studies (jingxue) in
China. He has been a visiting scholar to academic institutions all over the world. He
has published both in Chinese and English, and has regularly taught courses in English.
His research interests include jing xue (Confucian classical studies) and the cultural
exchanges between China and the West.
 Prof. Benoit Vermander holds M.A., Ph.D., and Th.D. from a few leading academic
institutions from France, the U.S., and Taiwan. He has taught at Fordham University
in New York, among other places. His research interests include political philosophy
and Chinese spiritualities and religions.
 Prof. CHANG Tzu-li holds a Ph.D. from National Chengchi University in Taiwan. His
research interests include Neo-Confucianism and comparative philosophy.
 Prof. CHEN Jia holds a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois-Urbana Champion, and
her research interests include Chinese aesthetics, aesthetics, and philosophy of
education.
 Prof. YU Zhejun holds a Ph.D. from the University of Leipzig, and his research
interests include the sociology of religion, Chinese popular religions, and the
philosophy of social sciences.
 Prof. XU Bo holds a Ph.D. from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
His research interests include 20th century Confucianism and Buddhism.

IV. Tuition and Living Expenses

Tuition for the M.A. and Visiting Students Programs is RMB 50,000 per year. Students are
also required to cover other expenses while living in Shanghai. Rooms are available in on-

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campus International Students Dormitories, and the monthly rent for a single room (with a
shared bathroom) ranges from RMB 1,350 per month to 2,700 per month. Meals at an on-
campus dining facility cost less than RMB 1,000 per month.

V. Scholarships
1) Government Scholarships through Fudan (available to applicants for the MA program
only, and not available to one-year visiting students). The Chinese and Shanghai
governments’ fellowships will cover either the tuition only or the tuition and
accommodation on-campus, as well as some living expenses. We have a great track-record
of securing these fellowships for our applicants for the MA program. Please note, if you
also apply for another MA program from another mainland Chinese university, and apply
for full scholarship through it, the Chinese government will decide which program you will
be sent to with the scholarship, and this scholarship cannot be carried to the program of
your own choosing. That is, if you apply for two or more MA programs in mainland China,
and apply for scholarships through them, you can only get governmental scholarship to one
of the programs and you cannot control which program you can enroll with the scholarship.
Important note: please apply for BOTH the Chinese and Shanghai government
scholarships in order to increase your chance of getting a full scholarship.
2) Government Fellowship applied independently. All applicants are also encouraged to
apply for the Chinese Government Scholarship (CGS, http://en.csc.edu.cn) and other
governmental scholarships independently. They should consult with the local Chinese
consulate or Confucius Institute about the opportunities. Please emphasize in your
application, as strongly as possible, that Fudan’s EMA program in Chinese philosophy is
your top choice. Otherwise, you may be assigned to a different program by China
Scholarship Council or other Chinese governmental agencies.
2’) Confucius China Studies Program (for visiting students). For students who have already
enrolled in a doctoral program outside of China and have passed HSK Level 3 test, you
can apply for the Confucius China Studies Program for spending one or two semesters in
the Fudan’s EMA program in Chinese philosophy. Please apply through this website:
http://ccsp.chinese.cn/article/2014-07/02/content_543429_3.htm Please inform us when

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you apply for this scholarship, so that we can track your applications and recommend you
to the Confucius Institute Headquarters.
3) Fudan University also offers Fudan Student Fellowships annually to second-year
International Students based on a campus-wide competition that can cover part of the
tuition, ranging from RMB 5,000 to 15,000/year.
4) The School of Philosophy offers RMB 20,000-35,000/year to students who pay tuition
out of their own pockets, take a full-course load (4 courses/semester), and maintain a B+
average. No separate application is needed.
5) Yan Zhuping Fellowship. RMB 5,000. Only students who pay for the tuition are eligible,
and no separate application is needed.
6) Fotile Scholarship. RMB 5,000. Only students who pay for the tuition are eligible, and
no separate application is needed.
7) In addition, help will be offered to students who wish to find part-time jobs (such as
instructor for spoken English) to support their studies in these programs.

VI. Application
For students who wish to enroll in the Fall semester in any given year (so far, no Spring
admission is available), the start date for applications is early December of the previous
year. The priority deadline in 2023 is February 06 for those applicants who wish to also
apply for government fellowships. Applications that are submitted after February 06 and
before May 31 may be considered, but government fellowships (through Fudan) won’t be
available for students who fail to submit their applications before the priority deadline. The
official admission results will be announced in late June or early July on this website:
http://iso.fudan.edu.cn, and an admission package will be sent out after the announcements.
A confirmation email can be sent to you earlier by request.

Application materials
(including scholarship application materials, requirements can be also found in ISO’s
website: https://iso.fudan.edu.cn/isoenglish/wnlinewwpplication/list.htm) :
1) Register on-line and fill out the on-line form: https://istudent.fudan.edu.cn/apply
Pay the application fee of RMB 800 (MA program) or RMB 400 (visiting and audit

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 programs). Then, print out two copies of the application form, attach a photo to
each copy, and sign. Please note: Chrome and Safari usually do NOT work, and
please try IE or Firefox.
2) Two copies of valid passport identification page, and it should be an ordinary
passport and be valid until Sep. 30 2023.
3) Two original copies of application form for the CGS/SGS scholarship with
applicant’s signature and photo (if you wish to apply for the scholarship).
4) A personal statement for scholarship application (either in Chinese or English),
which should include (but not limited to) the reason for applying scholarship,
family financial situation, study and work experiences, individual rewards and
special skills, etc.
5) Official Transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended (notarized
English translations are needed if they are not originally in English, and the
meaning of grades needs to be explained if it is different from the system commonly
used in American colleges).
6) Two Notarized copies of diploma of highest degree conferred from all post-
secondary institutions attended if applicable (notarized English translations are
needed if they are not originally in English). For college seniors applying for the
MA program, a letter from the university that claims that the student in question
will graduate by September is needed, and the student needs to bring the diploma
to Fudan upon registration.
7) Two letters of recommendation. If your referees prefer to send the letters directly
to us, you can select "Send a link to recommender to fill in the recommendation
letter" and the recommender can fill in the letter of recommendation online.
8) Proof of English language efficiency if the student’s native language is not English
and the student hasn’t attended college(s) in which courses are taught in English.
An IBT score of 90 or higher or an IELTS score of 6.5 or higher is required. (If it
is not the original copy, it needs to be notarized.)
9) A personal statement for admission to the program (study and work experiences,
academic achievements, research proposal, and career plan after the Fudan
programs, etc.).

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 10) A writing sample of less than 5,000 words.
11) A list of scholarly works if applicable.
12) Foreigner Physical Examination Form (for applicants who apply for scholarships
only). The form can be downloaded from http://iso.fudan.edu.cn/ziliao.htm It must
be filled up either in Chinese or in English. The physical report is valid for 6 months.
Please do this as early as you can, as it can take weeks before you get the result.
13) To fill out the forms, you might need the following information: Agency Number:
10246; Agency Name: Fudan University
Please note: Generally ALL of the above materials should be uploaded online,
printed out, and mailed to the address below. However, due to the COVID-19
Pandemic, we do not require applicants to mail hard copies and we will review
application materials by ISO’s online admission system. If you wish to apply for
scholarships, you should apply for them at the same time you apply for the
program, please follow the instructions offered by ISO:
https://iso.fudan.edu.cn/isoenglish/wrospectivewwtudents/list.htm; if you don’t
apply for scholarships, please remember to upload files online before May 31,
2023.

Contact address:
Yu Mingzhi
Admission Office, School of Philosophy, Fudan University
Room 2313 of West Guanghua Towers, Fudan University, 220 Handan Rd., Shanghai,
China
Phone Number: 86-21-6564-8470

In the meantime,
Please send an email informing ALL of us about your application to Mr. YU,
Mingzhi [email protected] , Ms. PAN, Sisi [email protected] , and Prof.
BAI, Tongdong [email protected] when you start your application, so that we

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can track the progress of your application from our side and offer you whatever help
necessary

For more information about these programs, please write to Mr. YU, Mingzhi, Dean’s
assistant of graduate affairs at the School of Philosophy ([email protected]), Ms.
PAN, Sisi, Dean’s assistant of foreign affairs at the School of Philosophy
([email protected]), AND Prof. BAI, Tongdong [email protected] .
Phone number: 86-21-6564 8470 and 86-21-6564 7936
Fax: 86-21-6564-2732
School’s website: http://philosophy.fudan.edu.cn

For general information about the application procedure and other related issues, please
also check with the International Student office: International Students Office, Fudan
University, 220 Handan Road, Shanghai 200433, China,
Phone: 86-21-6564 2258
Fax: 86-21-6511 7298
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://iso.fudan.edu.cn/ or http://iso.fudan.edu.cn/en/

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