I、Brief Introduction

Tongji University’s philosophy department was originally established in 1946, the first of the kind in Shanghai. It was incorporated into another university in 1949 and was re-established at Tongji University in the beginning of this century, when two master programs, in foreign philosophy and aesthetics, were set up in 2003 and the undergraduate program was resumed in 2004. It was permitted to set up the doctoral program in foreign philosophy (level 2 discipline) and the master program in philosophy (level 1 discipline) in 2005, its program in foreign philosophy (level 2 discipline) was established as a key discipline in Shanghai in 2007. Permission was granted for it to set up the doctoral program in philosophy (level 1 discipline) in 2011, and in the same year its program in philosophy was included in the plan for building up top disciplines in Shanghai.

With comprehensive and distinctive programs, Tongji University is a leading institute in China in the studies of ancient Chinese thought, classics, German philosophy, French philosophy, Christian philosophy, philosophy of psychology, philosophy of fine arts, cultural theory and cultural criticism, etc. Its body of staff is reasonably composed, consisting mainly of relatively young and middle-aged scholars with outstanding academic records. Of the four modules of its programs, Ke Xiaogang, Zeng Yi,Chen Hui,Chen Chang etc. are representative scholars of the module of Chinese philosophy (Chinese philosophy, classics); Sun Zhouxing, Liu Riming,Chen Lixin,Xu Weixiang,Han Chao,Xie Zhibin etc. those of the module of foreign philosophy (foreign philosophy, political philosophy, religion studies); Wang Jing, Xu Xianjun,Hu Gengdan,Zeng Jianping, Zhao Xudong etc. those of the module of contemporary philosophy (philosophy of science and technology, ethics, philosophy of psychology); and Zhang Yongsheng,Zhang Hong,Ye Jun,Lu Xinghua,Xie Xuefang,Wang Hanwei etc. those of the module of aesthetics (aesthetics, philosophy of culture), all of them recognized scholars in their field of research. There is also a stock of promising young and budding scholars, an indication of the vivid potentiality of the department.

This discipline awards Ph.D. Degree in philosophy.

II、Objectives

To cultivate high-level and innovative talents with all-round development in morality, intelligence, physique, art and labor to become social pillars and professional elites leading the future.

1.To have a firm and correct political orientation loving our socialist motherland and supporting the leadership of the Communist Party of China; to grasp Marxism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, the important thought of “Three Represents,” the scientific outlook on development and Xi Jinping's socialist ideological system with Chinese characteristics in the new era; to dedicate oneself to serving the people and striving hard for the prosperity and strength of the motherland; to abide by the law and regulations; and to obtain good moral characters.

  2.To lay a solid and broad foundation in the basic theory of the field concerned and grasp a systematic and deep professional knowledge; to have the scientific spirit of seeking truth from facts, exploration and innovation; to obtain the ability to engage independently in scientific research and make creative achievements in science or specialized technology; to gain an international perspective, skilled in international academic exchanges; and to develop a strong ability in cooperation, organization and leadership.

  3. In regard to language capacity, students should master at least one foreign language, be capable of academic research and international exchange. They should also learn to be a responsible citizen, and upon the completion of the program, be competent in teaching undergraduate students in relevant subjects, and be ready to use their knowledge and training to serve the party, the government, and the country, in areas of the public media, publication industry, cultural exchange or corporate management etc.

4.The candidates should be healthy both physically and mentally.

  5.Become a social pillar and professional elite leading the future development. 

III、Research Orientations

The discipline offers four cultivating and teaching modules, which cover 25 research areas:

3.1 Chinese Philosophy Module:

(1) Chinese Philosophy (studies of ancient thoughts, modern Chinese philosophy)

(2) Classics (studies of classical texts, studies of ancient poetics)

3.2 Foreign Philosophy Module:

(1) Foreign Philosophy (German philosophy, French philosophy, Renaissance studies, studies of future philosophy and new civilisation)

(2) Religious Studies (European Christian philosophy, studies of Christian culture in Chinese-speaking world)

(3) Political Philosophy (European Marxism)

(4) Marxist Philosophy (modernity reflection and new forms of civilization)

3.3 Contemporary Philosophy Module

(1) Philosophy of Science and Technology (analytic philosophy, philosophy of technology and science of mind, artificial intelligence and future society)

(2) Ethics (life sciences and philosophy of life, philosophy of ecology and environmental ethics)

(3) Philosophical Psychology (existentialist philosophy and psychanalysis, cultural psychology and somato-psychic cultivation, psychology and cognitive science)

3.4 Aesthetics Module

(1) Aesthetics (art history and art theory)

(2) Aesthetics (criticism and practice of contemporary art)

(3) Aesthetics (studies of cultural industry)

(4) Aesthetics (aesthetics of literature and art)

(5) Philosophy of Culture (cultural theory and cultural criticism, cultural history and comparative cultural studies)

IV、Program Duration

The duration of schooling for the Ph.D. students is 4 years with a maximum of no more than 7 years.

V、Credit

Academic Ph.D. students should complete at least 23 credits, including 4 credits for public degree courses, 4 credits for the professional degree courses, 6 credits for the non-degree courses (including at least 1 inter-college or interdisciplinary course with 2 credits), and 9 credits for the compulsory courses (including 1 credit for dissertation topic selection, 2 credits for the graduate students' dissertation writing and academic norms, 2 credits for Tongji advanced lectures,3 credits for the mid-term assessment and 1 credit for academic reporting conference on the phase achievement of the dissertation.

VI、Dissertation

I、Dissertation

Graduate students should complete their dissertations independently under the supervision of their tutors. In principle, theses the dissertation should be written in Chinese, but overseas students may write in English or other languages approved in advance by the Degree Evaluation Subcommittee and Graduate School, but they must attach to their dissertations detailed Chinese abstracts.

1. Dissertation Topic Selection:

The discussion of the Ph.D. dissertation topic selection should be organized by each discipline according to the time required by the university. In the course of the research, if there are significant changes in the thesis topic , the topic selection meeting shall be reorganized. If students fail to pass the first report, another topic selection meeting will be held 6 months later.  

2. Mid-term Comprehensive Review

  The mid-term comprehensive assessment of doctoral students should be organized by each discipline. Examination results will be recorded in the management information system according to each college in the form of grades. The proportion for excellence, fairly good is less than 40%, respectively; while the proportion for pass or fail is no less than 20%. Those who fail to pass the mid-term comprehensive assessment for the first time may apply for re-assessment six months later.

3. Pre-defense

The pre- defense will take place in the seventh semester of the program.The dissertation drafts will be graded and sorted into two categories: accepted or subject to revision.The candidate whose draft is subject to revision must take the pre-examination again within 3 months.Should he/she fail again,she would not be permitted to proceed to the Plagiarism Check and the Oral Examination,and her study would be terminated,or re-matriculated as master student (in the cases of the candidate of a master-doctoral successive program). The blind trial of the dissertation can only be carried out after the pre-defense is passed.

4. Blind trial

it should be conducted in accordance with the relevant provisions of the university and its colleges.

5. Review and oral defense

For the review, organization, approval and process of the doctoral dissertation, as well as the provision of advanced and deferred oral defense, please refer to the Regulations on the Doctoral Graduate Students of Tongji University.

6. Confidential theses:

  Confidential theses: Confidential management of secret-related thesis and applications for the academic degrees shall be carried out in accordance with the Regulations on the Management of Confidential Graduate Students and Confidential Thesis of Tongji University (No. 65, Tongji Graduate School, 2018). 

VII、Research Papers

Refer to the "Doctoral Standards of the Humanities Degree Evaluation Sub-Committee and Regulations on Publishing Academic Achievements".

VIII、Transfer and Dismissal Policy

1.If students fail to pass more than two (including two) courses during the period of study, they shall be dismissed from school.

2. Students who fail to pass the topic selection or the mid-term comprehensive assessment twice shall be regarded as automatically terminating their studies and shall be dismissed from school. If the student who studies directly for a Ph.D. degree without having a master’s degree is in the Ph.D. stage and whose discipline and specialty committee considers that the student has met the requirements of master training program, the committee may put forward the suggestion of transferring the student to master training program and the student can be diverted into master training program only with the consent of the graduate school.

3. Ph.D. students who fail to pass the mid-term comprehensive assessment within schooling shall be dismissed from school.

IX、Remark

1.  Courses are generally arranged in the first academic year after admission. In the compulsory links, graduate students' academic behavior norms, topic selection and Tongji advanced lectures must be completed before the mid-term assessment.

2.  There should be at least a 6-month interval between the topic selection and the mid-term comprehensive assessment and a 12-month interval between the mid-term comprehensive assessment and the dissertation defense.

3.  Tongji Advanced Lectures is high-level academic lectures organized by the Graduate School and colleges. Ph.D. students should attend no less than 16 academic lectures listed in the management of Tongji Advanced Lectures before the mid-term comprehensive assessment, and put their reflection into the management information system for graduate students.

X、Curriculum