Sichuan University, one of China's most prestigious institutions, recently made headlines by eliminating 39 undergraduate majors in a single sweep. The cull targeted a diverse range of subjects, from traditional music and animation to once-lucrative fields like information security and material chemistry. This move is not an isolated event but rather a harbinger of a massive structural shift across China’s higher education landscape.
Following suit, the Communication University of China recently revoked 16 majors, including photography and translation, citing the arrival of the human-machine collaboration era. University leadership argued that in an age dominated by generative AI, many technical skill-based disciplines no longer merit standalone degree status. This philosophy reflects a growing consensus among Chinese policymakers that education must undergo a radical reconstruction to remain relevant in a shifting global economy.
According to Ministry of Education data, over 4,000 undergraduate major points have quietly disappeared from Chinese universities over the last five years. In 2024 alone, national institutions revoked 1,428 programs and suspended another 2,220, marking the most aggressive curriculum pruning in decades. The casualties are heavily concentrated in the arts, humanities, and traditional engineering fields that no longer align with the state’s industrial priorities.
While traditional degrees are being retired, a new generation of majors is rising to take their place, dominated by artificial intelligence, smart manufacturing, and the digital economy. AI programs have seen the most explosive growth, with over 400 new major points established in the last five years. Prestigious schools are now launching 'AI+X' initiatives, ensuring that artificial intelligence literacy is integrated into every primary discipline from agriculture to medicine.
This educational overhaul is a direct response to China's changing industrial needs and a saturated labor market for generalist degrees. High-profile programs in civil engineering and architecture, which thrived during the decades-long real estate boom, are now seeing their prestige evaporate alongside the property sector. Meanwhile, the state is aggressively funnelling resources into 'New Engineering' to support strategic sectors like semiconductors, quantum computing, and low-altitude economy.
For students and parents, this 'death wave' of majors has transformed the high-stakes college entrance exam, the Gaokao, into a frantic search for future-proof careers. New research-oriented universities that prioritize industrial application are seeing their admission scores eclipse established elite institutions. In this new era, the value of a degree is increasingly measured by its immediate proximity to the national industrial strategy rather than its academic pedigree.