Chinese Deluge U.S. Master’s Programs

Melissa Korn:

When the business school at the University of California, Davis, started its master’s program in accounting last year, administrators expected to attract aspiring accountants from nearby colleges.
What they got instead was a wave of interest from overseas: Roughly two-thirds of the 189 applications received for last fall’s entering class came from Chinese citizens.
“Frankly, we were shocked at the deluge of applications…for what we saw as a program that prepared students for a U.S. credential,” says James Stevens, assistant dean of student affairs.
Davis has plenty of company. Specialized master’s degrees in accounting, finance and other disciplines–generally aimed at students just out of college and lasting one year–have found tremendous popularity in recent years among Chinese nationals seeking a competitive edge and U.S. experience.