Schoools&Departments

  

Organizations
Administrative work regarding postgraduate education at SIFT is jointly conducted by SIFT Postgraduate Office and Student Affairs Office at the university level, and by specific schools that run postgraduate programs. At the school level, postgraduate education is generally the duty of a deputy dean.


Duration of Study
Postgraduate programs normally last for two years and a half (for academic degrees) and three years (for professional degrees). Students outstanding in academic performance can apply for earlier graduation, but the minimum duration of programs is two years for academic degrees and two years and a half for professional degrees. Students who have completed all program courses but who have not completed degree dissertation, and students who, with valid justification, have not completed program courses, can apply to extend their study duration, but the maximum duration is four years and a half for academic degrees and five years for professional degrees.


Postgraduate Programs
School deputy deans in charge of postgraduate education and directors of disciplines are responsible for formulating postgraduate programs, which must be approved by their School Degree-Conferring Sub-Committees.
All programs should include:


   1.Postgraduate program coursework;
   2.Plan for encouraging students’ social practice and innovation;
   3.Plan for improving students’ research capacity, including requirements for degree dissertation.

Postgraduate Education

  

Quality Control for Postgraduate Education
In coordination with all SIFT schools, SIFT Postgraduate Office is responsible for the quality control of postgraduate programs, including coursework and degree dissertations. The Office submits a yearly program quality report, together with suggestions for improvement, to the vice president in charge of postgraduate education and to school management.


Major Items for Quality Control
a. Coursework
All programs courses should meet the standards set by the Ministry of Education and should highlight SIFT features. All degree courses are mandatory, including basic-level courses and advanced-level courses. Academic depth and width in course content are expected of all courses.
SIFT encourages efforts to enhance the comprehensive quality of postgraduate students, promote cross-disciplinarity in research and boost students’ competitiveness in the job market. All SIFT postgraduate programs should include, in their elective coursework, cross-disciplinary courses in economy, management, finance and law.
b. Lectures
Lecture attendance is a part of postgraduate mandatory coursework.
c. Foreign language
Non English Majors at SIFT must take spoken English course and English listening course.


1. Postgraduate Education: Goal and Mode


As the only business higher education institution in Eastern China, Shanghai Institute of Foreign Trade (SIFT) is known for its unique and glorious history. SIFT post-graduates have always ranked among the country’s best with their academic performance, business training and foreign language proficiency.


a. Academic training


At SIFT, rigorous academic training is always the core of our programs, which provide them with a unique educational experience that can transform their future.


b. Social practice and academic output


All SIFT postgraduate students must take internship, which is vital to cultivating their ability to find, analyze and solve problems, independently and innovatively.
In order to improve students’ capacity for independent academic research, SIFT encourages all degree candidates to participate in all sorts of academic projects. To quality for his/her candidacy, all students must publish (either independently or in collaboration with their supervisors) at least two articles, one of which must appear on a peer-reviewed academic journal.


c. Capacity for Innovation


Students’ capacity of innovation is a key part of all SIFT postgraduate programs. Siyuan Academic Festival has been held for many years to facilitate and encourage campus culture, innovation and exchange.

Postgraduate Education

  

Postgraduate Programs


Founded in 1960, SIFT was authorized in 1985 by the State Council Academic Degrees Committee to grant master’s degrees. In 1986, SIFT recruited its first postgraduate students. Currently, SIFT has four master-degree-awarding first-level disciplines, and twenty master-degree-awarding second-level disciplines, covering international trade, finance, foreign languages and management.
Among them, SIFT’s International Trade program is a key discipline of Shanghai municipality. Foreign Linguistics and Applied Linguistics, Finance, International Law, Business Management and Industrial Economy are key disciplines of Shanghai Education Commission. In addition to full-time programs, SIFT also offers postgraduate training courses, through which in-service candidates can apply for master’s degree.
Each year, SIFT recruits around 400 postgraduate students. SIFT has over 200 master-degree supervisors, most of whom have overseas study or research experience.
SIFT attaches great importance to enhancing student’s capacity of academic innovation. Students can benefit from a great range of policies that encourage them to conduct innovative scientific research and write high-quality papers. They can also make use of the platforms provided via “Siyuan Academic Festival”.
SIFT has exchange programs with 20 overseas higher education institutions from eight countries and regions. These programs are great opportunities for academic exchange, during which students can also gain overseas experiences and learn about foreign cultures.