Department of Political Science

The Department of Political Science at Tsinghua was formally established in 1926 as one of the core departments during the transition from Tsinghua School to Tsinghua University. When Tsinghua University was acknowledged as a national university in 1928, the Political Science Department was designated as one of the key programs of the university. As one of the earliest teaching and research institutions of political science in China, the Department was ranked among the best in China and was also the home to many renowned Chinese political scientists in the first half of the 20th century.

In the era of Reform and Opening-up, when Tsinghua University moved towards a comprehensive research university, the Department of Political Science was re-established in 2000 after a half-century’s interruption. It went through another organizational restructuring in 2009. Since then, the Department has held the principles of local understanding, global vision, and scientific methods that emphasize the combination of ancient and modern, China and foreign, science and humanity, and integration and innovation. Bringing back the academic traditions in its founding era, the Department strives to restore its academic reputation and become one of the top programs nationally and internationally.

The Department is in the process of rapid expansion. It has recruited several young talented scholars, some of whom are from internationally renowned universities, while others are leading scholars in their respective fields. These young and active faculty have made great achievements in both research and teaching. The full-time faculty of the department now consists of three full professors, two associate professors, and three lecturers. Several world-renowned professors and researchers are recruited as affiliated faculty and contribute to research, teaching, and international exchange for the department.

While continuously strengthening its research in political theory and methodology and history of political thought, the Department’s current and future emphases are placed on three subfields, including Chinese Government and Politics, Comparative Politics, and Methodology in Political Science. So far, the Department has established three research centers, including the Center for Democracy and Governance, the Center for China’s Political Development, and the Center for Comparative Regional Integration Studies.

The Department offers undergraduate and graduate (Master’s and Ph.D.) programs. In addition, it provides postdoctoral training in the fields of Political Transition Studies and Quantitative Analysis. The curricula retain the features that are distinctive and strong within the discipline: high-quality education on scientific methodology and policy thinking, infusion of historical experience and political wisdom, orientation toward scientific methodology and policy thinking, and development of the ability to reflect on political values and theories.