A Chinese PhD under the Degree Law: independent research and innovative results

Under the Degree Law of the People's Republic of China, a doctorate is granted to an applicant who has received doctoral education, passed the prescribed course assessments or earned the corresponding credits, completed academic research training or professional practice training, and passed the dissertation defence or the prescribed practice-result defence, and who then meets three levels set out in Degree Law, Article 21. Those three levels are: firm and broad basic theory together with systematic in-depth specialised knowledge in the discipline or professional field; the ability to work independently, which is independent academic research for an academic degree applicant and independent professional practice for a professional degree applicant; and innovative results, in academic research for an academic degree applicant and in professional practice for a professional degree applicant. Article 21 requires innovative results but names no number of publications, and Article 21 gives no number of years of study.

The English renderings of the Chinese text of the Degree Law in this article are this site's own translation. The sections below set out what Degree Law, Article 21, Article 26, Article 27, Article 30 and Article 33 state.

The three levels in Article 21

Article 21 lists three levels a doctoral applicant must reach. The first level is the same for both routes; the second and third levels differ for academic and professional degree applicants.

Level	What Article 21 requires	Academic degree applicant	Professional degree applicant
1	Mastery of theory and knowledge	Firm and broad basic theory and systematic in-depth specialised knowledge in the discipline or professional field	Firm and broad basic theory and systematic in-depth specialised knowledge in the discipline or professional field
2	Ability to work independently	Shall have the ability to independently undertake academic research	Shall have the ability to independently undertake professional practice
3	Innovative results	Shall make innovative results in academic research	Shall make innovative results in professional practice

If you are unsure which route you are on, see academic versus professional degrees in China.

The duties under Article 33

Degree Law, Article 33 states three sets of duties.

The doctoral degree-awarding institution shall base itself on cultivating high-level innovative talent, strengthen the development of doctoral degree-awarding sites, increase training, management and support for doctoral students, and improve the quality of doctoral degree awarding.

The doctoral supervisor shall conscientiously perform doctoral student training duties, exercise strict control at key training stages, strengthen guidance throughout the whole process, and improve training quality.

The doctoral student shall study and practice diligently, carefully prepare the dissertation or practice results, and ensure that they meet academic norms and innovation requirements.

The defence committee and the vote (Article 26)

Degree Law, Article 26 requires the degree-awarding institution to organise master's and doctoral defence committees by discipline or professional field.

For a doctorate, the defence committee shall have no fewer than five members, and among them no fewer than two shall be experts from outside the degree-awarding institution. Before the defence, the dissertation or practice results shall be sent to the committee members for review, and the members shall perform their duties independently and responsibly.

The committee shall organise the defence according to prescribed procedures, form a resolution on whether the applicant has passed the defence, and announce it on the spot. The decision is taken by vote and is passed by two-thirds or more of all the members. Except where the content involves state secrets, the defence shall be held publicly.

Article 26 requires the defence to follow prescribed procedures but gives no detail of those procedures itself. Suggestion: a practical planning step is to ask the degree-awarding institution which procedure it applies, since the article does not set it out.

If the defence is not passed (Article 27)

Under Degree Law, Article 27, first paragraph, if the dissertation defence or practice-result defence is not passed, then with the agreement of the defence committee the applicant may revise within the prescribed time limit and re-apply for the defence. Article 27 gives no length for that prescribed period.

Under Degree Law, Article 27, second paragraph, if the doctoral defence committee considers that the applicant has not reached doctoral level but has reached master's level, and the applicant has not previously obtained a master's degree in that discipline or professional field from the same institution, then with the applicant's consent the committee may make a resolution recommending that a master's degree be awarded. That resolution is submitted to the degree evaluation committee for review and approval.

After the defence: the dissertation and the archives (Article 30)

Degree Law, Article 30 requires the degree-awarding institution to preserve the applicant's application materials, the dissertation, the practice results and other archival materials. A doctoral dissertation shall also be deposited with the National Library and relevant specialised libraries.

Confidential dissertations, practice results and the degree-awarding process shall be managed in accordance with secrecy laws, administrative regulations and relevant state secrecy provisions, with strengthened confidentiality management.

Questions people ask

Does the Degree Law require a set number of publications for a PhD?

No. Degree Law, Article 21 requires innovative results in academic research or in professional practice, but Article 21 names no number of publications.

Does the Degree Law set a minimum number of years for a doctorate?

No. Degree Law, Article 21 gives no number of years of study.

How many people sit on a doctoral defence committee?

Degree Law, Article 26 requires no fewer than five members, of whom no fewer than two shall be experts from outside the degree-awarding institution. The defence is passed by a vote of two-thirds or more of all the members.

Can a failed PhD defence lead to a master's degree instead?

Yes, under the conditions in Degree Law, Article 27, second paragraph. The committee may, with the applicant's consent, make a resolution recommending that a master's degree be awarded, and that resolution is submitted to the degree evaluation committee for review and approval.

Will my doctoral dissertation be deposited somewhere after the degree?

Yes. Degree Law, Article 30 requires the doctoral dissertation to be deposited with the National Library and relevant specialised libraries, in addition to being preserved by the degree-awarding institution.

Sources

• Degree Law of the People's Republic of China (中华人民共和国学位法), Ministry of Education of the PRC (moe.gov.cn), text sourced from the National People's Congress website

Checked 11 October 2026

This page is an unofficial summary, is not published by or affiliated with the Ministry of Education, the China Scholarship Council, CHSI or any university, is not legal advice, and the official text and the current notice of the university or authority handling your case prevail if they differ.