A traditional Chinese boat with vivid red sails glides across the harbor, with the illuminated skyline of Hong Kong in the background.

Master of Chinese Economic and Political Affairs (MCEPA)

Ready to study contemporary China with a focus?

You’re interested in investigating the most important issues relating to contemporary China. In this innovative two-year, full-time degree program, you will be trained to use cross-disciplinary tools to dig deeply into the economics and politics of China, as well as to consider its place in the Asia-Pacific region and its relationship with the U.S.

Program Highlights

Pace & Duration

Full-time, 2 Years

Delivery

On-campus

Total Units

Cost

$51,198

Apply Today Request Information

Curriculum

The MCEPA requires 96 units for completion. All students take foundational courses during the first year and a capstone course in the second. Students in the program select 1 specialization.

Foundational Courses

28 required units during the first year in:

Economics
Management
Political Science
Quantitative Methods

Areas of Specialization

24 units selected to form one of these specializations:

Chinese Economy
Chinese Environment
Chinese Foreign Relations and Security
Chinese Politics and Public Policy

China-specific Coursework

24 required units from a selection of approved China-focused courses offered.

Capstone

The final 20 units are divided into a three-course research series, starting with “Sources and Methods” and followed by a two-quarter capstone requirement. The cornerstone of the degree is the design and implementation of an interdisciplinary capstone project. This research project is closely guided by our faculty over the last six months of the degree program. The capstone fosters a mastery of research design and methods for the study of contemporary China and requires critical analysis of original and secondary Chinese sources.

Language

Although proficiency in a foreign language is not required, 24 units may be counted toward the degree as long as the language matches an elective regional or country specialization.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the core curriculum for the degree?

Required Core (28 units; 7 courses):
Microeconomics for Policy and Management
Globalization
Quantitative Methods I
Quantitative Methods II
International Politics & Security or Accounting and Finance for Policy Makers
International Economics or Policy-Making Processes
Quantitative Methods III or an appropriate quantitative methods course

Required China Courses (24 units; 6 courses):
Three required China core courses will be taken during the first year of study:
Chinese Politics
Economic and Social Development of China
Chinese International Relations and Security

Then three additional courses will be chosen from a list of China-specific elective courses.

What are the requirements for the specialization I select?

Required Areas of Specialization Courses (24 units; 6 courses):

Students work with a faculty adviser who teaches and/or conducts research in their chosen area of specialization.

Students must build an individualized program of six courses with faculty approval. These courses include both advanced work in disciplinary subfields and comparative cross-country content.

Tell me more about the capstone.

Required Sources and Methods Courses (12 units, 3 courses):
Chinese Sources on Politics and Economics

In addition, students may select two from the following GPS courses:
GIS and Spatial Data Analysis
Designing Field Experiments
Big Data Analytics
Evaluating Technological Innovation

Alternatively, pending faculty approval, students may be allowed to enroll in methods or sources courses outside of GPS, provided it has a clear relationship to their research on China.

Required Capstone (8 units, 2 quarters):
Capstone Research
Capstone Project Development

Capstone projects may be a response to a real-world consultancy or defined independently by the student. The topic must be approved by the faculty member of record in the first quarter and by a second faculty member with expertise in the subject of the project, who will serve as the second quarter advisor.

The capstone project is expected to demonstrate mastery of the four components of the program including:

Development of the methodologies for rigorous data collection and analysis
An in-depth understanding of the historical regulatory, political and/or economic processes surrounding the chosen “problem” for analysis
Mastery of the working details of the “problem” at the center of the research
Demonstration of a requisite level of research proficiency in Mandarin Chinese

Optional: Students are strongly encouraged to conduct fieldwork in China during the summer between year one and year two of the program. GPS will work with partner universities in China to create opportunities for extended fieldwork and training that might include both summer and year two fall quarter.

Is there an online option?

We do not currently offer online or distance-learning courses or programs. All courses are conducted in person. While some courses are held in the evening hours, most of the classes are during the day.

Are there scholarship opportunities?

The GPS Admissions Committee evaluates every complete application submitted by Jan. 15 for fellowship awards. Fellowships range from nearly full support for the program to awards that cover fees or other expenses.

We strongly recommend that U.S. citizens and residents complete the FAFSA between Oct. 1 and June 30. You must complete a FAFSA to be considered for federal loans. Learn more detailed information on financial resources here.

Deadlines

Looking to apply for Fall 2026? The application opens on Sept. 3, 2025.

The deadline for early applications is Dec. 4 (early); for standard applications, the deadline is Jan. 15.

After Jan. 15, applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

All required application documents must be on file by the posted deadline. If documents are missing, your application may be moved to the next round.

More detailed information can be found here.

More FAQs

We invite you to explore additional frequently asked questions here.

People walking in the foreground with Shanghai in the background

Ready to gain a master’s focus on China?

Asia and the Americas serve as a pivot point for global dynamics, meaning it is more important than ever to understand the economics and politics of one of the major players in the region: China. The MCEPA degree offers you the opportunity to study with world-class scholars on the most important issues relating to contemporary China.