Discipline development is a crucial foundation for scientific research and talent cultivation in universities, and the comprehensive strength of a discipline reflects the basic level of the college.
The Art Discipline at Southeast University was the first doctoral program in Art Studies in China. It was granted the right to confer master's and doctoral degrees in 1996 and 1997, respectively. It has led and completed several national projects, including the second phase of the National "985 Project" ("Science, Ethics, and Art" Philosophy and Social Sciences Innovation Base Project), the third phase of the National "211 Project" ("Art Theory Innovation and Application Research" Platform Project), and the third phase of the National "985 Project" ("Art and Creative Industry Research" Philosophy and Social Sciences Innovation Base Project). From the 10th Five-Year Plan to the 11th Five-Year Plan, it was consecutively designated as a key discipline in Jiangsu Province. In 2007, the Art Studies discipline, led by the college, was added to the list of national key disciplines by the Ministry of Education, making it the first and only national key discipline in Art Studies at the second-level discipline level in China. In 2008, the discipline led by the college was designated as a key discipline at the first-level discipline level in Jiangsu Province. In 2014, Art Theory was listed as a superior discipline in Jiangsu Province.
In 2004, in the first round of rankings of first-level disciplines in postgraduate education conducted by the Institute for Evaluation of Degree and Postgraduate Education of Higher Education Institutions under the Ministry of Education, our School of Arts ranked second nationwide.
In 2008, in the second round of rankings of first-level disciplines in postgraduate education conducted by the same institute, our School of Arts ranked third nationwide.
In 2012, in the third round of rankings of first-level disciplines in postgraduate education conducted by the same institute, our School of Arts Theory ranked first nationwide.
In 2016, in the fourth round of rankings of first-level disciplines in postgraduate education conducted by the same institute, our School of Arts Theory was selected as an A+ level discipline.
In 2017, our School of Arts Theory was selected as a national "Double First-Class" discipline.
The School of Arts at Southeast University has a postdoctoral research station in Arts Theory, one of the first such stations in the country. The department offers doctoral degrees in Art Theory (a first-level discipline), master's degrees in Design (a first-level discipline), and an MFA (Master of Fine Arts) degree. It also houses one of the first national bases for the inheritance of outstanding traditional Chinese culture in regular universities—the Guqin (ancient Chinese stringed instrument) Heritage Base.
The department has cultivated a large number of outstanding postdoctoral fellows, doctoral students, and master's students. Currently, there are over 200 doctoral and master's students and over 40 postdoctoral fellows. Some of its outstanding doctoral and master's students have become leading figures in art research in my country, and many graduates have become backbone members of art education and research in the country.
Currently, the art discipline at Southeast University has grown into an academic center for art education and research in my country.
