IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v15y2023i2p1251-d1030130.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Approaches and Reforms in Undergraduate Education for Integration of Major and General Education: A Comparative Study among Teaching, Teaching—Research, and Research Universities in China

Author

Listed:
  • Changfeng Xue

    (College of Teacher Education, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China)

  • Tianping Yang

    (College of Teacher Education, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China)

  • Muhammad Umair

    (College of Life Science, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China)

Abstract

With the major education model as the dominant model, general education is squeezed in quality and quantity, and implementing the concept of general education is challenging. There are several problems in undergraduate education with “strong majors and weak general education” that need to be addressed in order to integrate major education with general education. Therefore, we selected three levels of universities: nine first-class research universities, seven key provincial teaching–research universities, and seven teaching universities from China. One-way ANOVA, principal component analysis (PCA), and cluster analysis were used to analyze the differences in three kinds of universities based on the total undergrad credits and “big category” majors. One-way ANOVA results showed that “total undergrad credits” and “big category” majors are significantly different between research universities, teaching–research universities, and teaching universities, but there are no significant differences in minor course credits, general course credits, disciplinary and major basic course credits, and elective course credits. Based on cluster analysis, the first cluster G1 showed that all the research universities had similarities in the total undergrad credits, minor course credits, general course credits, disciplinary and major basic course credits, elective course credits, and “big category” majors. PCA results confirmed that research universities are significantly separated from teaching universities and teaching–research universities at the PC1 axis, which has a higher number of “big category” majors. There are three key issues with strong majors and weak general education: (1) the difficulties in popularizing the progressive minor training model; (2) the low percentage of elective courses, general elective courses, and individualized courses; and (3) major transfer system restrictions. Based on their own student characteristics and school resources, teaching universities, research universities, and teaching–research universities are encouraged to enhance the cultivation of students’ compound knowledge and skills at the three levels of micro-major, double degree (minor degree), and minor-major (double majors or second majors), respectively. The universities should adhere to the diversified combination of general and major education, the integration-oriented undergraduate education, the reform concept of reducing burden and improving quality, appropriately increase students’ freedom of choice in undergraduate instructional management for an effective combination of “general education and major education”, and then bring the undergraduate education to a characteristic and high level.

Suggested Citation

  • Changfeng Xue & Tianping Yang & Muhammad Umair, 2023. "Approaches and Reforms in Undergraduate Education for Integration of Major and General Education: A Comparative Study among Teaching, Teaching—Research, and Research Universities in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-20, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:2:p:1251-:d:1030130
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/2/1251/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/2/1251/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Liu, Wan-Hsin & Ma, Ru, 2018. "Regional Inequality of Higher Education Resources in China," Open Access Publications from Kiel Institute for the World Economy 235203, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    2. Xiong, Weiyan & Yang, Jiale & Shen, Wenqin, 2022. "Higher education reform in China: A comprehensive review of policymaking, implementation, and outcomes since 1978," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Güneş Aşık & Ulaş Karakoç & Şevket Pamuk, 2023. "Regional inequalities and the West–East divide in Turkey since 1913," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 76(4), pages 1305-1332, November.
    2. Lee, Chien-Chiang & Wang, Fuhao & Lou, Runchi & Wang, Keying, 2023. "How does green finance drive the decarbonization of the economy? Empirical evidence from China," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 204(C), pages 671-684.
    3. Du, Yan & Yan, Jie & Cao, Fangzhou & Li, Yifei & Zhou, Mao, 2023. "Higher education expansion and domestic value added in exports: Theory and evidence from China," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    4. Zhicheng Zeng & Wenjun Zhong & Shumaila Naz, 2023. "Can Environmental Knowledge and Risk Perception Make a Difference? The Role of Environmental Concern and Pro-Environmental Behavior in Fostering Sustainable Consumption Behavior," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-23, March.
    5. Yujun Jiang & Ping Wang & Qiang Li & Yingji Li, 2022. "Students’ Intention toward Self-Regulated Learning under Blended Learning Setting: PLS-SEM Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-19, August.
    6. Chang Xu & Futao Xiang & Ruiqi Duan & Cristina Miralles-Cardona & Xinxin Huo & Junwei Xu, 2023. "An Analysis of Factors Influencing Chinese University Students’ Major Choice from the Perspective of Gender Differences," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-13, September.
    7. Yong Han & Ruixing Ni & Junbo Gao, 2023. "Regional Inequality of Higher Education Development in China: Comprehensive Evaluation and Geographical Representation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-13, January.
    8. Hasnain Raza & Anwar Ali & Nazia Rafiq & Liu Xing & Tahseen Asif & Chengjie Jing, 2023. "Comparison of Higher Education in Pakistan and China: A Sustainable Development in Student’s Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-21, February.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:2:p:1251-:d:1030130. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.