Measures for Conferring Academic Titles at Religious Schools

Chapter 1 General Provisions

Article 1 These Measures are formulated in accordance with the Regulations on Religious Affairs and other relevant laws and regulations, and in light of the actual circumstances of religious schools, in order to strengthen the training of religious clergy and other specialized religious personnel and to raise the standard of education and teaching at religious schools, according to the standard of being politically reliable, accomplished in religion, of a moral character that commands respect, and able to play a role at critical moments.

Article 2 “Religious schools,” as used in these Measures, means full-time educational institutions established, in accordance with the Regulations on Religious Affairs and the Measures for the Administration of Religious Schools, by national religious bodies or by religious bodies of provinces, autonomous regions, or municipalities directly under the central government, to train religious clergy and other specialized religious personnel.

Article 3 In accordance with the principle of the separation of education and religion, education at religious schools is not part of the national education system. Religious schools implement a system of academic titles with three levels: the bachelor’s title, the master’s title, and the doctoral title.

The name of an academic title at a religious school generally consists of three parts: the name of the religion, the name of the discipline, and the level of the title.

The names of academic titles at religious schools are determined by the national religious bodies and filed with the State Administration for Religious Affairs.

Article 4 Graduates of religious schools may apply for the corresponding academic titles in accordance with the provisions of these Measures.

Article 5 To apply to study for a higher-level academic title at a religious school, one shall generally first have obtained the title of the level below.

Article 6 Degrees conferred by institutions of higher education and scientific research institutions lawfully qualified to confer degrees are applicable at religious schools.

Article 7 The education committee of each national religious body shall set up a working group on academic titles at religious schools, responsible for the conferral of academic titles at the religious schools of that religion.

The working group on academic titles at religious schools is composed of the relevant leaders of the religious body and relevant experts and scholars at the level of associate professor or equivalent or above from religious schools, institutions of higher education, and scientific research institutions. The list of members of the working group is filed by the national religious body with the State Administration for Religious Affairs.

Article 8 The conferral of academic titles at religious schools shall adhere to the principles of fairness and standardization, openness and transparency.

Article 9 National religious bodies shall, in accordance with these Measures, formulate detailed implementing rules for conferring academic titles at the religious schools of their religion and working rules for the working group on academic titles, and file them with the State Administration for Religious Affairs.

Chapter 2 Eligibility to Confer

Article 10 Religious schools that confer academic titles shall be qualified to confer them.

Article 11 To apply for eligibility to confer academic titles, a religious school submits an application to the religious body that runs it; that religious body reviews the application, seeks the opinion of the competent supervisory unit, and reports to the working group on academic titles of that religion. A religious school run by a national religious body applying for eligibility to confer academic titles reports directly to the working group on academic titles of that religion.

The working group on academic titles at religious schools reviews the applications of religious schools in accordance with the detailed implementing rules for conferring academic titles at the religious schools of that religion and the working rules of the working group, gives its opinion, and reports to the education committee of the national religious body for final approval. The education committee of the national religious body issues a certificate of eligibility to confer academic titles to each religious school approved as qualified, and the national religious body files this with the State Administration for Religious Affairs.

Article 12 A religious school that has obtained eligibility to confer academic titles shall, according to the titles it may confer, establish a corresponding bachelor’s title evaluation committee, master’s thesis defense committee, and doctoral dissertation defense committee.

The members of the bachelor’s title evaluation committee, master’s thesis defense committee, and doctoral dissertation defense committee of a religious school are proposed by that school, reviewed by the religious body that runs it, and reported to the working group on academic titles of that religion for final approval. A religious school run by a national religious body may report directly to the working group on academic titles of that religion for final approval.

Article 13 The bachelor’s title evaluation committee of a religious school is responsible for evaluating and awarding bachelor’s titles.

The master’s thesis defense committee and doctoral dissertation defense committee of a religious school are respectively responsible for reviewing master’s theses and doctoral dissertations, organizing defenses, and giving opinions on whether to confer the master’s or doctoral title; these opinions are reviewed by the working group on academic titles of that religion and reported to the education committee of the national religious body for final approval.

Article 14 A religious school that has obtained eligibility to confer doctoral titles may confer honorary doctoral titles on well-known figures in China and abroad. Honorary doctoral titles shall be nominated by the religious school, reviewed by the working group on academic titles of that religion, and reported to the education committee of the national religious body for final approval.

Article 15 The conferral of academic titles on international students studying at religious schools shall be handled in accordance with these Measures and the Measures for the Administration of Religious Schools.

Chapter 3 Conditions for Conferral

Article 16 Graduates who love the country and love their faith, abide by the Constitution and the law, adhere to the direction of the sinicization of religions in China, adhere to the principle of independence and self-governance, are of good ideological and moral character, are committed to the religious cause, have received religious education at a religious school, and have met the corresponding academic requirements, scholarly standard, or professional standard may apply for the corresponding academic title in accordance with these Measures.

Article 17 Those who have completed religious education at the undergraduate level with passing grades, have passed the evaluation of their bachelor’s thesis, and meet the following conditions shall be awarded the bachelor’s title:

(1) A systematic grasp of the basic theory, doctrines, and rules of their religion;

(2) A preliminary ability to engage in religious research;

(3) The basic ability to engage in religious affairs.

Article 18 Those who have completed religious education at the graduate level, have passed the master’s course examinations and thesis defense, and meet the following conditions shall be awarded the master’s title:

(1) A solid grasp of the basic theory, doctrines, and rules of their religion, and considerable accomplishment in their field of research;

(2) The ability to engage in religious research;

(3) A strong ability to engage in religious affairs.

Article 19 Those who have completed religious education at the graduate level, have passed the doctoral course examinations and dissertation defense, and meet the following conditions shall be awarded the doctoral title:

(1) A solid and comprehensive grasp of the basic theory, doctrines, and rules of their religion, and outstanding achievements in their field of research;

(2) The ability to engage independently in religious research;

(3) A strong ability to engage in religious affairs and to interpret the teachings, doctrines, and rules of their religion.

Article 20 The specific standards for applying for academic titles at religious schools are formulated by the national religious bodies.

Chapter 4 Supervision and Administration

Article 21 Where the working group on religious academic titles confirms that a religious school qualified to confer academic titles cannot guarantee the academic standard of the titles it confers, the school’s corresponding eligibility to confer academic titles may, after final approval by the education committee of the national religious body, be suspended or revoked, and the national religious body shall file this with the State Administration for Religious Affairs.

Article 22 Where an academic title already conferred is found to involve a serious violation of these Measures, it shall be revoked by the conferring unit.

Article 23 Where members of a bachelor’s title evaluation committee, a master’s thesis defense committee, a doctoral dissertation defense committee, or a working group on academic titles violate the procedures and provisions for conferring academic titles, the national religious body shall, according to the seriousness of the circumstances, order them to make corrections or disqualify them from membership of the committee or working group, and declare invalid any academic titles conferred in violation of the rules.

Where a bachelor’s title evaluation committee, a master’s thesis defense committee, a doctoral dissertation defense committee, or a working group on academic titles violates the procedures and provisions for conferring academic titles, the national religious body shall, according to the seriousness of the circumstances, order it to make corrections within a set time limit, suspend its conferral of academic titles, or reorganize the committee or working group, and declare invalid any academic titles conferred in violation of the rules.

Chapter 5 Supplementary Provisions

Article 24 Certificates of eligibility to confer academic titles at religious schools are printed by the national religious bodies and issued by the education committees of the national religious bodies, and are valid within the religious community.

Academic title certificates of religious schools are printed by the respective national religious bodies and issued by the religious schools, and are valid within the religious community.

Article 25 The conferral of academic titles at Tibetan Buddhist schools shall be carried out in accordance with the existing provisions of the State Administration for Religious Affairs.

Article 26 The State Administration for Religious Affairs is responsible for interpreting these Measures.

Article 27 These Measures shall take effect on January 1, 2025. The Measures for Conferring Degrees at Religious Schools (Trial) promulgated by the State Administration for Religious Affairs on November 5, 2012, are repealed at the same time.