Architecture

Located in the northwestern suburbs of Beijing, Tsinghua University was established in 1911 on the site of “Qing Hua Yuan (Tsinghua Garden)” —a former royal garden of the Qing Dynasty. Tsinghua University is the best university in China and even one of the top universities in Asia.The university has 14 schools and 56 departments with faculties in science, engineering, humanities, law, medicine, history, philosophy, economics, management, education and art. Tsinghua University has a long tradition of actively developing strategic partnerships and collaborations with prestigious universities, international organizations and enterprises throughout the world.And it also provides rich English-taught courses of master's degree and doctoral degree for international students.

Introduction The School of Architecture at Tsinghua University is the first in China to offer an accredited Master degree to foreign students. The purpose of the program is to develop a major new platform of architectural education in response to the rapid urbanization of China.

The program offers a nationally-accredited professional Master degree, Master in Architecture (M. Arch II). With a particular focus on the architecture and design in China, the School of Architecture gives graduate students, preferably professional Bachelor degree holders, the opportunity to pursue advanced learning in professional knowledge and independent design research. The program adopts the credit system. A total of 27 credits, earned through courses and studios, are required for the students.

Courses Courses can be divided into 5 main categories: 1) studios, 2) theory, 3) seminars, 4) site visits, and 5) optional public courses. The course menu also covers different academic fields, including architecture, landscape architecture, urban planning and design, and profession-related knowledge in China.

The standard language for all courses is English.

Students are required to take the following studios and complete 18 credits: Architectural Design, Landscape Planning and Design, Urban Design, and Final Thesis.

Each studio is co-instructed by one internationally established professor and two coordinating Chinese professors. Design critics are selected from a pool established foreign and domestic architects currently active in China. Studio topics are often real projects in some of China’s most architecture "hot spots", including Beijing, Shanghai, Xi'an, Suzhou, Nanjing, Guangzhou, Lijiang and Qingdao, etc. In these studios, students are challenged to tackle difficult and sometimes controversial social, political, economic, ethnic and religious issues that are unique to contemporary China.

Students are required to complete 4 credits in seminars focusing on important issues in contemporary Chinese architecture, contemporary Chinese urban development, and heritage preservation. Each seminar is co-instructed by 2-3 professors and features guest panelists, including senior government officials, distinguished scholars, and developers.

Students are also required to complete courses on theory. These courses cover a wide range of fields: history, design theory, urban theory, contemporary practice, building technology, landscape and Chinese gardening, etc. These courses feature lectures by leading figures in different fields from inside and outside of China.

In addition, there is one required credit for a “site visit” which provides students with exposure to fresh Chinese cultural and professional perspectives. The destination places are chosen from influential sites and cities of great interests of history and contemporary practice.

Optional public courses are provided by Tsinghua University, offering training in Chinese language and learning in Chinese history and culture, 4 credits in total.

Semesters 1st Semester (Fall) 6 Credits in design studios (Space Design & Urban Design)

2 Credits in seminars (Theory and Practice of Regional Architecture & Contemporary Urban Planning and Design)

2 Credits in optional public courses

2nd Semester (Spring) 6 Credits in design studios (Green Building Design)

2 Credits in seminars (History of Chinese Architecture & Theory and Practice of Regional Architecture)

2 Credits in optional public courses

Summer 1 Credit in Architecture and City Visiting Study

3rd Semester (Fall) 6 Credits in design studios (Final Design)

Application Schedule Phase 1: Before December 24, 2011

Phase 2: Before February 22, 2012

Both the Online Application and a complete set of Application documents should be completed and the package should be received by February 22, 2012.

Please note that for the Government or University scholarship applicants, online application and all the application documents should be submitted before December 24, 2011.

Tuition Tuition for the whole program is RMB 120,000.

Accidental Injury and Hospitalization Insurance: RMB 600/year.

On-campus Accommodation

The Zijing Apartments of Tsinghua University provide rooms for foreign students to live on-campus. The reception is on duty for 24 hours, and is experienced in services for foreign students. For those who come to Beijing for the first time, living there is quite a good choice. It’s really a difficult task to find an appropriate apartment as soon as you arrive, especially when you also need to furniture it and settle all the things down. Zijing Apartment District is the same place where Chinese students live, but in different buildings. The living facilities, such as cafeterias, banks, post office, super market, are all located close to the apartment building. Our Foreign Student Affairs Office is also located here.

Since there are not enough rooms for all the students to live on-campus, students must book for rooms beforehand, following the guide sent in the admission package.

When you check in, please show your Admission Notice and passport. You need to pay 200 RMB Yuan as deposit and the rent for a semester. Cards are accepted at the reception.

According to the law and the relevant policy, the Zijing Apartments are only able to host foreign students who register in Tsinghua University. Neither the relatives or friends of students nor other persons are allowed to live in the apartments. Students living in the Zijing Apartments should comply with the administrative regulations. For instance, lighting fire, including using candles is strictly prohibited in the rooms; students are not allowed to host other people overnight in the rooms; etc.

Off-campus Accommodation

If you failed to reserve a room in the dormitory, and find an appropriate apartment off-campus, you can move there. Never foget to get a Temporary Residence Registration Form, which is issued by the local police station of your accommodation. Go to the local police station together with your landloard or other authorized organ with your passport.

The Temporary Residence Registration Form is another important certificate besides your visa. Take care of it with your passport. It is required if you apply for a new visa, visa extension, additional entry or residence permit.

Therefore, a special remind is that before you sign for the contract or pay for the rental, do confirm that the owner of the apartment/house property is able to process the accommodation registration for you. Otherwise you will get into trouble of illegal stay.

Moreover, you need to renew it if you have moved to another place, changed your passport or renewed your visa. While you live in Zijing Apartment, the reception will do all these things for you automatically; but you need to do them all by yourself if you live off campus.

3 Steps to Apply to a Chinese University

Applicant should have a Bachelor degree.

1.  Photocopy of valid passport
With photo, passport number &expiration date and name included.

2.  Passport-sized photo
A passport-sized photo taken recently of the applicant.

3.  Bachelor's degree diploma
Graduation certificate should be in Chinese or English.If not, it should be translated into Chinese or English and be notarized.

4.  Transcript of undergraduate school

5.  Two recommendation letters
From professor,associate professor or equivalents.

6.  Certificate of English proficiency test
IELTS or TOEFl will only be required if the applicant is not a native English speaker.

7.  Personal Statement
Personal Statement with the applicant's signature, written in Chinese or in English. You can download a template or sample from here.

8.  Resume
Written in Chinese or in English