Major of Political Science and Public Administration of Tongji University approved as a national first-class undergraduate major construction point

According to the Notice of the General Office of the Ministry of Education on the Announcement of the List of National and Provincial First-class Undergraduate Major Construction Points in 2021 (JGTH [2022] No. 14), the Ministry of Education has approved the national first-class undergraduate major construction points in 2021 after online application by universities, review by the competent departments of universities, and evaluation and voting recommendation by the Teaching Steering Committee for Higher Education Institutions of the MOE. The major of Political Science and Public Administration (including the track of International Politics) of Tongji University has been approved as a national first-class undergraduate major construction point, achieving a historical breakthrough in the development of first-class majors at the School of Political Science & International Relations of Tongji University.

In 1986, Tongji University established the Department of Social Sciences to actively explore and develop the discipline of Political Science and International Studies. In 2002, the undergraduate major of International Politics was offered; in 2007, the major of Political Science and Public Administration was offered; and in 2009, the relevant major was adjusted to the major of Political Science & Public Administration (including the track of International Politics). Since 2016, the construction of this major has made progress by leaps and bounds: in 2018, it was granted the right to confer a doctoral degree in the first-level discipline of Political Science; in 2019, it was approved as a postdoctoral research station in the first-level discipline of Political Science; and in 2020, the professional assessment organized by Tongji University was highly affirmed by academic authorities. In 2019, Tongji University began to implement a large class cultivation model for undergraduates, under which the first-year students of this major will be trained in the experimental class of social sciences.

Against the historical background of experiencing the “profound changes unseen in a century” and balancing “China’s domestic and international interests”, the major of Political Science and Public Administration at Tongji University is committed to becoming a first-class undergraduate major in China with a solid foundation, distinctive features and integration of liberal arts and sciences, and cultivating “future-leading pillars of society and professional elites” with a global vision and strategic thinking, who have the practical ability to solve major problems and a good knowledge of national governance and international affairs, and are able to meet major national strategic needs.

 The major of Political Science and Public Administration emphasizes the characteristic direction of “governance & strategy” and focuses on cultivating students to have theoretical foundation, historical knowledge, international vision and strategic awareness, enabling them to better meet the needs for national governance and strategic response to international issues. It stresses the connotation construction of “China and the world” and strives to create for the students a curriculum and teaching materials system that is aligned with both domestic and international situations, so that they can better serve as a bridge between China and the rest of the world in the new era. It emphasizes the cross-disciplinary teaching and research of “social sciences and science & engineering” and helps students to combine the strengths and advantages of social sciences and natural sciences, so that they can better demonstrate the humanistic care and scientific spirit of “the true, the good and the beautiful”.