Hainan University

Master-Program
Duration	2 years
Starting Date	September
Tuition Fee / Year	￥22,000 (RMB)
Teaching Language	English

Program Infomation

1. Brief Introduction
Plant biodiversity is of fundamental significance for our planet and human life.
Tropical region has the most diverse plant taxonomy in the world, with many globally
important biodiversity hot spots. Understanding the evolution and maintenance of
plant biodiversity in tropical regions is very important to understand the nature of
biodiversity and our planet. Tropical Asia is consisted largely with ocean islands
acting as a main original place for modern angiosperms. This region is also distinctive
for its very high proportion of both palaeoendemics and neoendemics. Such rich plant
diversity, unfortunately, is currently under severe threatens due to increasing human
interventions and global climate changes. Studies on biodiversity in tropical region,
especially the tropical Asia, are therefore an urgent task for modern botanists to
understand the evolution of biodiversity and to propose strategies for both in situ and
ex situ conservation.
Program The teachers consist of Chinese and non-Chinese outstanding experts in
Botany and Ecology. Most courses are taught jointly by one Chinese scientist and
at least one scientist from Europe or other countries.
2. Cultivation Objectives
1) Grasp sound and basic knowledge and systematical knowledge in plant sciences
and tropical ecology. Gain the ability to independently make researches in the field of
botany, ecology, and conservation biology. Based on national botany traditions and
tracking the forefront of international botany and ecology, make innovative
achievements on studies of tropical plants.
2) Master at least one foreign language, preferably Chinese. It’s required you can read
English materials of the discipline proficiently, and can write papers with the English.
It’s also required you can possess the preliminary ability to read Chinese materials of
the discipline, which will greatly facilitate scientific studies.
3)Physically and mentally healthy
3. Cultivation Requirements
1) Curriculum Requirements
The Master course consists of three semesters. The Mater course requires 25 total
Credits, including degree program 13~15 credits, compulsory courses 4 credits,
optional courses 8~9 credits. There are 30 courses in this major, including 4 public
courses, 2 basic theoretical courses, 2 specialized classes, 16 optional classes, and 6
supplementary courses (field courses). According to overseas students’ needs, in order
to intensify Chinese education, it is proper to have more Chinese optional courses.
2) Dissertation Requirements
According to Rules of Postgraduates’ Publishing Scientific Dissertations in Hainan
University, all the students should publish at least one Scientific Dissertation in
journals, which will be the indispensable element for getting the master’s degree.
Opening report of the graduate paper will be carried out at the end of the second
semester or in the middle of the third semester. It will take nearly one year to finish
the final paper. The subject of paper should have some academic significance.
Students should be aware of creativity, practicability and progressiveness, which are
essential elements for selecting a subject. It is more appreciated if the topic of the
paper is related to Hainan Island or tropical Asia.
The format of opening report and dissertation should follow The Requirements of
Opening Report for Postgraduates’ Scientific Dissertation in Hainan University and
The Format of Scientific Dissertation in Hainan University.
4. Main Courses
1) Fundamental Botany
2) Biodiversity Sciences
3) Biological Conservation
4) Ecology and evolution of tropical plants
5) Island Biogeography
6) Tropical Floriculture
7) Tropical Crops
8) Fieldworks: theory and method