Degree Standard System of Higher Education in China

Abstract

The higher education degree standard is a social evaluation and academic norm for individual scholars pursuing academic achievements. It is believed that the prerequisite condition for establishing degree standard system is to acknowledge scientifically and rationally degree system. In this article, based on the analysis of the structural characteristics of degree system, we seek to deeply explore the degree awarding ways, degree standards and their interrelationships, and propose to start with the classification of talent training types and reconstruct the degree standard system framework in China’s higher education with quantitative analysis methods. In order to clarify the framework of the degree standard system of China’s higher education, we considered several elements, including the two dimensions of vertical degree level and horizontal degree type, and the relationship between these elements. In the vertical dimension, the degree standards from low to high are divided into three levels, such as the bachelor's degree standard, master's degree standard and doctoral degree standard. In the horizontal direction, there are three ways to cultivate talents through degree standards, namely degree standards, professional degree standards and honor degree standards. This research can be used as a development strategy and decision-making mechanism with a view to promote the transformation of China’s higher education from scale expansion to connotative development.