Instructions for Dissertation Writing

I The Master’s Degree Dissertation

The master’s degree dissertation is an important link in cultivating innovation

and applying the knowledge to discover, analyze and solve problems.
The subject selection of the master's degree dissertation should be carried out
under the guidance of the supervisor and shall have a great theoretical and practical
significance. The dissertation opening usually start in the third semester and the
process should take no less than one year from the beginning to the defense. The
requirements of writing, reviewing and defense shall be implemented under relevant
documents.

II Dissertation Proposal Procedure

The foreign postgraduate students studying in China (hereinafter referred to as

postgraduates) apply for the dissertation proposal defense on the premise that they
have carried out the subject selection, literature review and research. The following
materials must be provided when applying for the dissertation proposal defense:
1. Literature review
2. The dissertation proposal
The contents of the dissertation proposal should at least include:
(1) The research significance of the paper and the analysis of the research status
and trends at domestic and abroad;
(2) The research objectives, content, and key problems intended to be solved;
(3) The methodology, flow chart of dissertation writing, experimental scheme
and feasibility analysis adopted by the dissertation;
(4) The innovation of the dissertation;
(5) The research project, prospective progress and results;
(6) The achievements that have been accomplished in the research related to the
dissertation.
After consenting the dissertation proposal defense procedure, the supervisor
group will assemble an expert group and hold a meeting to review the dissertation
proposal. The expert group consists of at least 3 members with senior professional
titles in related majors or members with doctoral degree qualified to tutor foreign
postgraduates. Experts vote on the basis of full argumentation and discussion to
decide whether the proposal is qualified or not. The report is qualified upon
unanimous approval. The postgraduate who fails is allowed to restart the dissertation
proposal defense at least one month later and repeat until they pass.
The subject cannot be changed principally after the proposal has been approved.
If the postgraduate need to change the subject due to particular causes, he/she need to
file a written report signed by the supervisor, get approval from the leader of the
supervisor team, report to the Graduate School for the record and then restart the
procedure once again.

III The Preliminary Defense

When the first draft of the degree dissertation is completed and reviewed by the
supervisor, postgraduates can apply for pre-defense to the supervisor team. Then the
supervisor team assembles 3-5 experts in related majors to form a pre-defense
committee to carry out pre-defense procedure.
The dissertation that has been approved can be submitted for the review of
external institutions. There should be no less than 2 external reviewers for each
master’s degree dissertation. The evaluation results are divided into: "agree to
defense" and "disagree to defense".
If the degree dissertation is approved by external reviewers, the postgraduate
should make required revisions to the dissertation, and reply to the questions inquired
by the experts in written. After the dissertation is reviewed and approved by the
supervisor, the postgraduate can apply for the dissertation defense.

IV The Dissertation Defense

The dissertation defense should be conducted publicly (except for confidential

majors). The dissertation defense committee consists of 3-5 experts, of which the
chairman must be from the external institution. The reviewers of the dissertation can
be the defense committee members, but the limit is no more than 2 people. The
dissertation defense adopts the tutor conflict avoid system and the supervisor’s name
should be left out from the dissertation. The dissertation defense committee makes a
resolution by secret ballot on whether to grant a master's degree based on the defense.
With the approval of more than 2/3 (inclusive) of all members, a resolution to pass the
dissertation defense and grant a master’s degree can be made. If the postgraduate fails
to pass the dissertation defense, with the approval of more than half of all members,
he/she can revise the degree dissertation within one year and restart the dissertation
defense again. After the resolution is signed by the chairman of the defense
committee, it will be submitted to the Degree Assessment Sub-Committee for the
record. Any individual has no right to re-organize the dissertation defense without the
approval of the defense committee.
The postgraduate who has passed the dissertation defense should summarize the
opinions from the review experts and the defense committee, revise the dissertation
and write a revision explanation. The supervisor will review the revised dissertation
and the dissertation revision explanation, and write down the words "This dissertation
has been revised and improved based on experts’ opinions". The Graduate School
archives the revised dissertation and revision explanation confirmed by the supervisor
and arranges the follow-up degree review procedure.
The postgraduate should submit the revised e-copy of his/her master's degree
dissertation to the Degree Management Department of the Graduate School for the
detection of "dissertation academic misconduct" and "5/10000 error rate". The degree
dissertation that fails cannot be used to apply for the master’s degree.