 In
the early 1950s, graduate studies were offered to those
being trained to be teachers. The length of study lasted
1-3 years. Later, it increased to four years for some
students. From 1962, China began offering three-year regular
graduate studies, which did not come with academic degrees.
Graduate studies were suspended during the "cultural revolution" (1966-1976) and were resumed in 1978.
In 1980
Regulations of the People's Republic of China on Academic
Degrees was promulgated. This is the first education-related
law after the founding of New China. The law promoted
the establishment of an academic degree awarding and graduate
study system by the country's institutions of higher learning
and research institutes. In 1981, the State Council approved
Interim Methods of Implementation for Regulations of the
People's Republic of China on Academic Degrees, establishing
a three-tiered academic degrees system for higher education
consisting of bachelor's, master's and doctor's degrees.
Graduate education thus entered a stage of regular and
orderly development. In 1985, the government approved
the establishment of post-doctorate mobile stations; and
in
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October of the same year, approval
was given to the establishment of the first batch of
102 post-doctorate mobile stations in 73 institutions
of higher learning and research institutes. The government
provides financial support for post-doctorate mobile
stations, and a national administration and coordination
committee for  post-doctorate
mobile stations works out relevant polices and provides
coordination. Also from 1985, the Ministry of Education
allowed people on the job to apply for master's and
doctor's degrees on a trial basis. The trial period
came to an end five years later when people on the job
who have equivalent record of schooling could apply
for master's and doctor's degrees.
Since
1991, the State Council Academic Degrees Committee has
approved the establishment of academic degrees for numerous
specialities, including master of business administration
(MBA), master of construction, master of law, master
of public administration (MPA) and MBA of sports industry.
This is a major reform measure for China's academic
degrees system. In 1995, the government formally approved
the establishment of graduate schools by 33 institutions
of higher learning, in the hope that China would have
a high-level, small but highly-trained research
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