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Overview
Peking University was founded in 1898 as the first national university in modern China. It consists of five faculties -- Humanities, Social Sciences, Sciences, Medicine, and Information and Engineering -- and has 47 colleges and departments. It offers 105 undergraduate programs, 291 graduate programs, and 249 doctoral programs, emphasizing the basic sciences, while paying special attention to the applied sciences. In October 2010, it had 14,810 undergraduates, 12,082 graduate students, and 6,838 doctoral candidates. It also has approximately 2,300 long-term international students from around the globe, with 1,836 of them working on a degree.
Peking University is known for its outstanding research facilities, and teachers and researchers with wide-ranging research interests and vast knowledge. It has 5,866 full-time faculty members, 1,701 of them professors, 2,037 associate professors, 60 members of the Chinese Academy of Science, and eight members of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. The university has 11 key national labs, 46 key state labs, two national engineering research centers, and eight affiliated hospitals and health centers. Its library is Asia’s largest university library, with a 7.7 million books, along with many Chinese and foreign journals and newspapers. And it serves as a comprehensive modern information center.
Peking University is proud of its academic exchanges with foreign universities, research institutes, and multinationals, and has agreements with more than 200 universities in many countries and regions.
Programs
For international students there are the following options:
Undergraduate or graduate degree programs
Visiting student program (non-degree)
University-prep program
Short-term language courses or Chinese studies programs
Applicants must be non-Chinese citizens, in good health, with a passport, above the age of 18, and aware of university regulations and Chinese customs, and able to comply with them.
Undergraduate
Students are required to complete their study in 4 to 6 years with a designated number of credits, whereupon they receive a bachelor's degree with diploma.
Master's
Students are required to complete this within 2-3 years with a designated number of credits, then defend the thesis in front of a panel. If successful, they receive the Master's degree with a diploma.
Doctorate
Students are required to complete this in 4-6 years (under normal circumstances), with a designated number of credits, research, and a doctoral dissertation, defended in front of a panel. If successful, they receive the doctoral degree and a diploma.
Senior visiting students
The student must have at least a Master's degree and he or she will have a supervisor from the accepting college or department and will do research on a specific subject. The program runs for one year, but the student can apply for an extension under certain circumstances. Upon graduation, the student receives a certificate of achievement.
General visiting students
The student must have at least one year of undergraduate study at university, and has the option of taking undergraduate courses or enhanced Chinese language proficiency courses.
Research scholars
The participant must have a doctoral degree or Associate Professor title, or higher. The person has access to school resources and can work with professors in specific areas of research. Most candidates have already established contacts with professors in their particular field. Anyone wanting to use this program is advised to find a supervisor in advance. The application date is flexible and can be done anytime, while the duration of research can vary from one month to one semester or one year.
PKU Summer School International
The fourth Peking University Summer School International ran July 2-27, 2012, integrating the best of the school's teaching resources to provide a place for communication and learning. The goal was to develop a global outlook in students and improve their competitiveness internationally. In 2010, more than 110 students from such schools as Cambridge, Oxford, Yale, University of California, Australian National University, National University of Singapore, and elsewhere joined the summer program.
It offers 10 courses related to philosophy, economics, public policy, sociology, culture, literature, and music, and one Chinese language course. these are taught in English by prominent professors and experts at Peking University. There are also experienced teachers from the Chinese Language Studies College for the primary Chinese level. All courses take place on campus. Upon completion, the student receives a Peking University transcript. In addition to the classroom teaching, there are cultural tours and social practice to let students experience the university’s "Democracy and Science" tradition and for language and academic exchanges with other students face-to-face. They can also experience the rich academic atmosphere and colorful campus life. The places to visit include historical sites and relics, such as Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, and Great Wall, or exhibitions, such as Peking Opera. These enrich student lives in their spare time and provide a better understanding of Chinese culture.
LSE-PKU Summer School
The London School of Economics and Political Science and Peking University have held the LSE-PKU Summer School in Beijing, every year since 2004. The two-week English-language Summer School offers university-level courses in economics, management, international relations, media, and law, with the focus on China and Asia.
Peking University and LSE faculty members run the program, which attracts students and professionals from around the world. In 2011. there were over 340 students from several dozen countries. More than a fifth of the participants were graduate professionals in a wide range of fields, including business, finance, public policy, and international affairs, NGOs, media, and the law. The students were from 165 universities or other higher education institutions. They take one intensive course for the duration of the summer, typically consisting of four hours each morning, and two hours in the afternoon, for a total of 48 hours, over a two-week period. There is a final assessment, with an exam, and successful students get a certificate and transcript.
The Summer School is not a Chinese language course, but, the participants can enroll in Chinese language courses at Peking University’s Language School. Applications for the 2012 LSE-PKU Summer School were being accepted in January 2012.
Contacts
Address: International Students Division, Shaoyuan Building 3, Peking University, Beijing, China 100871
E-mails:
Long-term program: study@pku.edu.cn
Short-term program: learn@pku.edu.cn
University-prep program: yklb@pku.edu.cn
Website: http://www.isd.pku.edu.cn/eindex.jsp
