2018 Forbidden City Scholarship for PhD Applicants from
“Belt and Road” Countries

2018 Forbidden City Scholarship for PhD Applicants from “Belt and Road” Countries

CAU Doctoral Scholarship in Development Studies

College of Humanities and Development Studies

China Agricultural University, Beijing

The Forbidden City Scholarship, funded by Beijing Municipal Government, aims to sponsor excellent oversea students from countries along the “Belt and Road” routes for full time doctoral studies. As one of the project’s affiliated institutions, China Agricultural University (CAU) now offers PhD program in Development Studies to international students who wish to engage in doctoral researchin the field. The program is based in the College of Humanities and Development Studies (COHD) at CAU. With competitive English courses taught by a group of leading scholars in their fields and a three-year full scholarship, we welcome all aspirational candidates to join us.

CAU is the institution that initiated development studies in China. Development Studies in COHD is led by two themes: development and change, and focuses on four particular fields: international development, national development, international agrarian change and national agrarian change. With rich research and teaching experience, COHD scholars have enjoyed high academic reputation at home and abroad. The college is also visited regularly by well-known international scholars including Henry Bernstein, Jan Douwe van der Ploeg, Saturnino (‘Jun’) M. Borras Jr. , Carlos Oya and Jennifer Conroy Franco as adjunct professors. Since 2011, the COHD Seminar Series - Critical Issues in Agrarian and Development Studies (CIADS) has organized 83 sessions and invited keynote speakers from all over the world, including Teodor Shanin, James Scott, Michael Lipton, Paul Richards, Sir Gordon Conway, Barbara Harriss-White, James Ferguson, Bridget O'Laughlin, Ben White and Tania Li, among others. The college is also the first in China to offer doctoral degree in Development Studies since 2017.

Basic Information

Field：Development Studies

Discipline：Sociology

Degree：Doctor of Law

Duration：Three years (full time), starting from early September, 2018.

Scholarship: Forbidden City Scholarship, provided by Beijing Municipal Government, covering the three-year tuition fee, accommodation fee, living expense and medical insurance. It will also support one round-trip ticket to Beijing and back home (Economy Class).

Targeting Students: Oversea students from the countries under the “Belt and Road” initiative. 

Deadline for the application: 27th June, 2018.

Program Description

Courses Highlights:

Development Theories, Critical Development Studies, Political Economy of Development, Agrarian Sociology, Research Methodology in Development Studies, Research Methods of Social Sciences, Regional Development Planning and Management, Public Policy Analysis, Community-based Natural Resource Management, Development Patterns of China, etc.

PhD Dissertation:

Each candidate is required to complete a dissertation in English under supervision (above 70,000 words).

Eligibility

Nationality: Citizen of the “Belt and Road” countries.

Degree: A strong academic record, and holding at least a Master Degree obtained from an institution with good academic reputation. A first degree in social sciences or humanities and prior working experiences in the field of development would be an advantage.

Language: The doctoral program is in English and the applicants should have an excellent English proficiency to be able to accomplish the doctoral study and thesis writing. We expect applicants to have passed IELTS with scores over 6.5 and writing over 6, or equivalent qualifications. 

Age: Under 40 and in good health condition.

Application Documents

1.Completed Application Form for Foreigner Wishing to Study at CAU. The blank form can be found in the website http://admissions.cau.edu.cn/en/download?cid=157&pid=144. Please fill the column “Source of Funding” with “Forbidden City Scholarship”.

2.Certificate or proof of education in academic institution, and academic transcript (scanned). The certificates provided should be the original documents in Chinese or in English, otherwise notarized translations in Chinese or English are required.

3. Two academic recommendation letters from scholars of associate professorship or higher.

4. The scanned page with personal information on the passport (ordinary passport).

5. A letter from your current employer to certify your employment status, or a letter from your current university to certify when you expect to graduate.

6. Scanned copy of Foreigner Physical Examination Form. The blank form can be found in http://admissions.cau.edu.cn/en/download?cid=157&pid=144.

7. The abstract of your master thesis.

8. A personal statement that includes a research proposal indicating your future research project during doctoral period (about 2000 words).

9. Other materials that can support your application, such as published academic papers or other academic achievement proofs.

Please send the application materials to chaoqun.liu@cau.edu.cn. All the original documents will be checked in the enrollment.

Contact

Chaoqun Liu

E-mail: chaoqun.liu@cau.edu.cn  

Tel: +86-010-62732374

Fax: +86-010-62731027 

Address:

Room 221, Minzhu Building

College of Humanities and Development Studies

China Agricultural University

No.17 Qinghua Donglu, Haidian District, Beijing 100083

People's Republic of China

 Website: http://admissions.cau.edu.cn

Application Form for Foreigner Wishing to Study in CAU.doc

FOREIGNER PHYSICAL EXAMINATION FORM.doc