Long-standing practices requiring graduate students in China to submit a traditional thesis to earn a master's or doctoral degree are undergoing a major shift. A pathway is opening up for students to obtain degrees through practical achievements, such as developing medical technologies or creating innovative products in agricultural fields.

The Chinese government has decided to restructure its graduate degree evaluation system to prioritize practical, industry-applicable outcomes over academic research papers. This initiative reflects a strategic vision to focus graduate education on cultivating practice-oriented talents to strengthen advanced technologies and industrial competitiveness.

"Field Achievements Over Papers"

According to the Chinese economic media outlet Caixin and the Ministry of Education on the 25th, the Academic Degrees Committee Office of the State Council recently issued guidelines allowing professional degree graduate students to apply for degrees based on practical achievements. Five fields have been selected for the initial pilot rollout: translation, agriculture, clinical medicine, accounting, and arts. This expands a practice-oriented degree system previously implemented in engineering fields to other professional sectors.

The core of the initiative is to allow students to undergo degree evaluations using actual research and development or outcomes generated in industrial settings, replacing the traditional thesis.

However, this does not mean the complete abolition of thesis submission requirements for all graduate students. Rather, it is a pilot program that allows eligible professional master's and doctoral students to choose between a traditional thesis and practical achievements.

The driving force behind Beijing's overhaul of the degree system is the growing demand for high-level professionals suited for industrial environments. According to a graduate enrollment survey report released last year by China Education Online, the planned enrollment for professional master's programs reached 602,000 last year, accounting for 68.99% of the total master's enrollment plan. This marked a 1.19 percentage point increase from the previous year, bringing it close to the 70% threshold for the first time.

The Ministry of Education explained that the conventional thesis-centric evaluation method failed to adequately reflect students' practical innovation capabilities and industrial contributions. Consequently, the government aims to evaluate not only thesis-writing proficiency but also achievements in solving real-world problems and developing new technologies or products.

Real-World Precedents Emerge

Instances of students receiving degrees without traditional papers are already emerging. This past May, five master's students at China Agricultural University passed their degree evaluations by submitting agricultural products and technologies they independently developed. These included specialized wheat fertilizers and eco-friendly fertilizers tailored for summer corn in the North China Plain, both of which increased crop yields and economic returns. Their degrees were granted in recognition of identifying field challenges, developing products, and completing on-site validations—marking the first time agricultural universities in China approved degree applications based on practical achievements.

Changes are also unfolding in the medical field. Tie Dazhao, a doctoral student in orthopedic surgery at Peking University Third Hospital, developed a novel clinical classification system and preoperative planning software for patients with congenital cervical scoliosis.

When the Peking University Degree Evaluation Committee approved this work in June, Tie became the first in China's medical community to earn a professional doctorate in clinical medicine through practical achievements. The software is currently undergoing preliminary application and validation across various medical institutions in China.

Previously, at Tsinghua University, Nie Hailiang received an engineering doctorate last year for developing a technology to recycle dust generated during steel production. According to the Chinese government, approximately 140 graduate students applied for degrees using practical achievements during the engineering sector's pilot phase.

Nevertheless, earning a degree is not becoming any easier. The Chinese government stipulates that students must independently complete their deliverables under the supervision of their advisors or play a leading role in the core development process. Furthermore, industry experts are required to participate in performance verification and degree evaluations.

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