Geography (Taught in Chinese)

I. Discipline & Program Overview

The first-level master’s degree program in Geography at Zhejiang Normal University was established in 2011. It is the earliest first-level master’s program in Geography among provincial universities in Zhejiang Province, and the sole Provincial First-Class Discipline of Geography in the province, ranking among the top 30% of geography disciplines nationwide. This first-level master’s program covers three secondary sub-disciplines: Physical Geography, Human Geography, and Cartography and Geographic Information System (GIS). The Geography discipline hosts the only Provincial-Ministry Collaborative Innovation Center featuring African research in China, the sole National First-Class Undergraduate Major in Geographic Science in Zhejiang, a Provincial Featured Major, and one of the country’s first pilot institutions for cultivating high-quality interdisciplinary master’s graduates. It boasts nearly 10 provincial and ministerial research platforms, including the Provincial International Cooperation Base for Ecosystem Carbon Sink Enhancement, the Provincial Soft Science Research Base for African Science and Technology & China-Africa Cooperation, the African Geography Research Center of the Geographical Society of China, the African Science and Technology Issues Research Center of the China Association for Science and Technology, the Joint Research and Training Center for Sustainable Development of Typical China-Africa Ecologically Fragile Zones, the International Center for Geographical and Environmental Education Research, and the Zhejiang Research Institute for Study Tours. The discipline also serves as the China Secretariat of the Commission on Geographical Education of the International Geographical Union (IGU). Two Provincial Teaching Demonstration Centers are available: the Geographical Processes Laboratory, and the Laboratory for Geographical Resource Analysis and Planning & Environmental Science Experiments. The centers are equipped with a full array of advanced instruments such as ICP-MS, stable isotope mass spectrometers, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) systems, and X-ray fluorescence spectrometers (XRF). Formed through the interdisciplinary integration of Geographic Science and Environmental Science, this master’s program bears distinctive disciplinary characteristics. It has built a well-structured teaching and research team with outstanding academic achievements, comprising 24 professors, 16 doctoral supervisors, and more than 40 master’s supervisors. Among them are 1 recipient of the National New Century Talent Program, 3 Distinguished Professors, 23 full professors, 4 members of national and provincial teaching guidance committees, 1 National Excellent Supervisor for Master of Education candidates, 7 talents under Zhejiang Provincial “151 Talent Project”, 4 Provincial Young and Middle-aged Academic Leaders of Universities, and 8 Distinguished “Shuanglong Scholars” Professors. Over the past five years, faculty members have undertaken more than 60 national research projects and over 50 provincial and ministerial projects, with total research funding exceeding 60 million RMB. As Zhejiang’s largest talent training base for geography, the discipline remains committed to advancing geographical studies. It enrolls 70% of all geography undergraduates and 60% of geography postgraduates across the province annually. In the last five years, postgraduate students have published over 200 papers in high-impact journals including Geophysical Research Letters, Journal of Geophysical Research, and Water Research. Around 20% of master’s graduates pursue doctoral studies at the Chinese Academy of Sciences or "985 Project" universities. The high quality of master’s training has been widely recognized by society, with numerous outstanding graduates entering educational institutions, scientific research institutes and administrative authorities nationwide.

II. Duration of Study

The program has a standard duration of 3 years, with a maximum study period not exceeding 5 years.

III. Research Directions

IV. Supervisor Directory

https://dlhj.zjnu.edu.cn/dsjj/list.htm

V. Degree Courses

Overview of China, Contemporary China, Advanced Chinese Reading, Advanced Chinese Writing, Geoinformatics, Mathematical Models and Methods in Geography, Fundamental Issues in Geography, Global Climate Systems, Basic Research Methods in Physical Geography, Theories and Methods of Human Geography, Theories and Methods of Regional Planning, GIS Theories and Technologies, Remote Sensing Theories and Technologies, Frontiers of Geographical Theories, Literature Retrieval and Thesis Writing, etc.