Chinese studies allow scholars to engage with contemporary China by studying religion, popular culture, and economics. Students may also learn about history and literature and study the changes in China’s international relations and law.

The PhD is a doctoral degree, specifically called a "doctor of philosophy" degree. This is misleading because PhD holders are not necessarily philosophers (unless they earned their degree in philosophy!). That said, PhD recipients are able to engage in thought experiments, reason about problems, and solve problems in sophisticated ways.