Beijing Normal University
Beijing, China • Founded 1902 • World Rank #207
Updated May 2026
Overview
Established in 1902, the Beijing Normal University is a non-profit public higher education institution located in the urban setting of the large metropolis of Beijing (population range of over 5,000,000 inhabitants).
Officially recognized by the Ministry of Education of The People's Republic of China, Beijing Normal University (BNU) is a large-sized coeducational Chinese higher education institution. Beijing Normal University (BNU) offers courses and programs leading to officially recognized higher education degrees such as bachelor's degrees in several areas of study.
This 122-year-old Chinese higher-education institution has a selective admission policy based on entrance examinations. International applicants are eligible to apply for enrollment.
BNU also provides several academic and non-academic facilities and services to students including a library, housing, sports facilities, financial aids and/or scholarships, as well as administrative services.
Location & Contact
Below are Beijing Normal University's address, location data, and primary contact channels. These are the basics you'll want before scheduling a campus visit or sending a formal admissions enquiry.
Academic Details
Beijing Normal University at the institutional level: enrolment, staffing, and accreditation summary. Accreditation has expiry and renewal cycles worth checking on the awarding body site for currency.
Academic Structures
Below is the academic-unit breakdown for Beijing Normal University. Inter-faculty credit transfer rules vary; check whether modules outside your home faculty count toward your degree before enrolling.
Unit 19 items
- College of Art and Communication of BNU
- College of Chinese Language and Culture BNU
- College of Chinese Language and Literature
- College of Economic and Business Administration
- College of Education
- College of Education Administration
- College of Foreign Language and Literature
- College of Information Science
- College of Life Science
- College of Management
- College of Mathematics
- College of Philosophy and Sociology
- College of Physical Education and Sports
- College of Psychology
- College of Resources Science and Technology
- Institute of Political Science and International Studies
- School of Continuing Education and Teacher Training
- School of Environment
- School of Geography
Degrees
The qualifications available at Beijing Normal University are grouped to make level comparison easy. Joint and dual degrees combine multiple awards and often span institutions or faculties.
Bachelor's 12 programs
Bachelor's programmes build foundational expertise, preparing graduates for entry-level professional roles and further postgraduate study.
- Arts and Humanities
- Economics
- Education
- Engineering
- Fine Arts
- History
- Law
- Management
- Mathematics
- Natural Sciences
- Philosophy
- Social Sciences
Master's 98 programs
Master's programmes develop advanced specialised expertise, suited to senior industry positions and applied research.
- Accountancy
- Acting
- Administrative Law
- Adult Education
- Aesthetics
- American Studies
- Analytical Chemistry
- Ancient Civilizations
- Ancient Languages
- Anthropology
- Archaeology
- Art Criticism
- Art Education
- Artificial Intelligence
- Asian Religious Studies
- Astrophysics
- Business Administration
- Chemistry
- Chinese
- Cinema and Television
- Civil Law
- Clinical Psychology
- Commercial Law
- Comparative Law
- Comparative Literature
- Constitutional Law
- Criminal Law
- Curriculum
- Dance
- Data Processing
- Design
- Developmental Psychology
- Distance Education
- Ecology
- Economics
- Education of the Gifted
- Education of the Handicapped
- Educational Administration
- Educational and Student Counselling
- English
- English Studies
- Environmental Engineering
- Environmental Studies
- Ethics
- Family Studies
- Finance
- Fine Arts
- Fiscal Law
- Folklore
- Foreigners Education
- Higher Education
- History
- Human Resources
- Hydraulic Engineering
- Information Sciences
- Inorganic Chemistry
- Institutional Administration
- International Law
- International Relations and Diplomacy
- International and Comparative Education
- Japanese
- Library Science
- Linguistics
- Literature
- Logic
- Mass Communication
- Mathematics Education
- Media Studies
- Modern History
- Music
- Music Theory and Composition
- Musical Instruments
- Pedagogy
- Philology
- Philosophy
- Phonetics
- Physical Education
- Political Sciences
- Preschool Education
- Primary Education
- Psychology
- Psychometrics
- Publishing and Book Trade
- Radio and Television Broadcasting
- Religious Studies
- Russian
- Science Education
- Singing
- Social Psychology
- Software Engineering
- Special Education
- Sports
- Sports Management
- Teacher Training
- Technology Education
- Vocational Education
- Waste Management
- Water Science
Doctoral 71 programs
Doctoral programmes train independent researchers, leading to academic, scientific, and senior advisory careers.
- Administration
- Aesthetics
- Ancient Civilizations
- Anthropology
- Applied Chemistry
- Applied Linguistics
- Archaeology
- Art Criticism
- Astronomy and Space Science
- Astrophysics
- Atomic and Molecular Physics
- Chemistry
- Chinese
- Civil Law
- Classical Languages
- Cognitive Sciences
- Commercial Law
- Communication Arts
- Computer Science
- Criminal Law
- Curriculum
- Distance Education
- Ecology
- Economics
- Education of the Gifted
- Educational Administration
- Educational Psychology
- Educational Research
- Educational Technology
- English Studies
- Environmental Management
- Environmental Studies
- Ethics
- Folklore
- Foreign Languages Education
- Foreigners Education
- Higher Education
- History
- Human Resources
- Inorganic Chemistry
- International Business
- International Law
- International and Comparative Education
- Japanese
- Law
- Linguistics
- Literature
- Logic
- Mathematics
- Mathematics Education
- Medieval Studies
- Modern History
- Natives Education
- Neurosciences
- Optics
- Philosophical Schools
- Philosophy
- Philosophy of Education
- Physical Education
- Physics
- Preschool Education
- Religious Studies
- Russian
- Sociology
- Solid State Physics
- Sports
- Sports Management
- Teacher Training
- Vocational Education
- Waste Management
- Water Science
Faculties & Divisions
All faculties operate under Ministry of Education of The People's Republic of China.
Beijing Cultural Development (Academy) 1 subject offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Cultural Studies
Disaster Reduction and Emergency Management (Academy) 1 subject offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Safety Engineering
Common Career Paths
- Operations Manager
- Project Manager
- HR Manager
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Analytical and Testing (Centre) 1 subject offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Social Sciences
Literary Theory and Criticism (Centre) 1 subject offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Social Sciences
Study of Folk Custom, Ancient Codes and Records and Characters (Centre) 1 subject offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Folklore
Chemistry (College) 6 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Analytical Chemistry
- Applied Chemistry
- Chemistry
- Inorganic Chemistry
- Organic Chemistry
- Physical Chemistry
Common Career Paths
- Chemist
- Lab Researcher
- Quality Control Specialist
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Chinese Language and Culture (College) 2 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Chinese
- Linguistics
Global Change and Earth System Science (College) 4 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Geography
- Geography (Human)
- Regional Planning
- Town Planning
Common Career Paths
- Research Scientist
- Lab Technician
- Analyst
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Information Science and Technology (College) 4 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Computer Science
- Information Management
- Information Technology
- Software Engineering
Common Career Paths
- Research Scientist
- Lab Technician
- Analyst
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Nuclear Science and Technology (College) 1 subject offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Nuclear Engineering
Common Career Paths
- Research Scientist
- Lab Technician
- Analyst
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Philosophy and Sociology (College) 2 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Philosophy
- Sociology
Common Career Paths
- Sociologist
- Researcher
- Community Specialist
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Physical Education and Sports Science (College) 2 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Physical Education
- Sports
Common Career Paths
- Teacher
- Educational Administrator
- Curriculum Specialist
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Resource Sciences and Technology (College) 5 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Geography
- Geography (Human)
- Natural Resources
- Safety Engineering
- Surveying and Mapping
Common Career Paths
- Research Scientist
- Lab Technician
- Analyst
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Water Sciences (College) 1 subject offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Water Science
Common Career Paths
- Research Scientist
- Lab Technician
- Analyst
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Astronomy (Department/Division) 1 subject offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Astronomy and Space Science
Physics (Department/Division) 1 subject offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Physics
Common Career Paths
- Physicist
- Research Scientist
- Data Analyst
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Education (Faculty) 9 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Adult Education
- Curriculum
- Educational Research
- Educational Technology
- Higher Education
- Pedagogy
- Preschool Education
- Special Education
- Vocational Education
Common Career Paths
- Teacher
- Educational Administrator
- Curriculum Specialist
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Agricultural Education and Development (Institute) 1 subject offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Agricultural Education
Common Career Paths
- Teacher
- Educational Administrator
- Curriculum Specialist
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Basic Education Research (Institute) 1 subject offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Education
Common Career Paths
- Teacher
- Educational Administrator
- Curriculum Specialist
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Chinese Information Processing (Institute) 1 subject offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Information Management
Cultural and Creative Industry (Institute) 1 subject offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Cultural Studies
Economics of Education (Institute) 2 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Economics
- Education
Common Career Paths
- Economist
- Policy Analyst
- Financial Consultant
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Educational Policy (Institute) 1 subject offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Educational Administration
Common Career Paths
- Teacher
- Educational Administrator
- Curriculum Specialist
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Higher Education (Institute) 1 subject offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Higher Education
Common Career Paths
- Teacher
- Educational Administrator
- Curriculum Specialist
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Mathematics and Mathematics Education (Institute) 2 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Mathematics
- Mathematics Education
Common Career Paths
- Teacher
- Educational Administrator
- Curriculum Specialist
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Medicine (Institute) 1 subject offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Medicine
Common Career Paths
- Physician
- Medical Researcher
- Clinical Specialist
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
National Assessment of Education Quality (Institute) Faculty details available
Specialisations & Subjects
No specified subjects listed.
Common Career Paths
- Teacher
- Educational Administrator
- Curriculum Specialist
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
National Educational Testing and Evaluation (Institute) 1 subject offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Educational Testing and Evaluation
Common Career Paths
- Teacher
- Educational Administrator
- Curriculum Specialist
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Publishing Science (Institute) 1 subject offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Publishing and Book Trade
Common Career Paths
- Research Scientist
- Lab Technician
- Analyst
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning (Laboratory) 2 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Cognitive Sciences
- Neurosciences
Common Career Paths
- Research Scientist
- Lab Technician
- Analyst
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Basic Education Curriculum (Research Division) 1 subject offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Curriculum
Common Career Paths
- Teacher
- Educational Administrator
- Curriculum Specialist
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Arts and Communication (School) 7 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Cinema and Television
- Dance
- Design
- Film
- Fine Arts
- Musicology
- Radio and Television Broadcasting
Common Career Paths
- Journalist
- Public Relations Specialist
- Content Strategist
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Chinese Ancient Books and Traditional Culture (School) 1 subject offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Ancient Books
Chinese Language and Literature (School) 2 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Chinese
- Literature
Continuing Education and Teacher Training (School) 2 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Continuing Education
- Teacher Training
Common Career Paths
- Teacher
- Educational Administrator
- Curriculum Specialist
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Economics and Business Administration (School) 2 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Business Administration
- Economics
Common Career Paths
- Business Analyst
- Operations Manager
- Strategy Consultant
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Economics and Resource Management (School) 1 subject offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Economics
Common Career Paths
- Operations Manager
- Project Manager
- HR Manager
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Environment (School) 2 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Environmental Management
- Environmental Studies
Foreign Languages and Literatures (School) 4 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- English
- Japanese
- Modern Languages
- Russian
Common Career Paths
- Translator
- Interpreter
- Language Teacher
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Geography (School) 1 subject offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Geography
History (School) 3 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Archaeology
- History
- Museum Studies
Law (School) 3 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Criminal Law
- International Law
- Law
Common Career Paths
- Lawyer
- Legal Consultant
- Compliance Officer
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Life Sciences (School) 14 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Biochemistry
- Biological and Life Sciences
- Biology
- Biotechnology
- Botany
- Cell Biology
- Ecology
- Genetics
- Molecular Biology
- Physiology
- Soil Conservation
- Water Management
- Wildlife
- Zoology
Common Career Paths
- Research Scientist
- Lab Technician
- Analyst
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Management (School) 5 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Administration
- Human Resources
- Information Management
- Management
- Public Administration
Common Career Paths
- Operations Manager
- Project Manager
- HR Manager
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Marxism Studies (School) 1 subject offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Political Sciences
Mathematical Sciences (School) 4 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Applied Mathematics
- Electronics and Automation
- Mathematics
- Statistics
Common Career Paths
- Research Scientist
- Lab Technician
- Analyst
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Psychology (School) 1 subject offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Psychology
Common Career Paths
- Psychologist
- Counsellor
- Clinical Researcher
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Social Development and Public Policy (School) 2 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Public Administration
- Social Sciences
Programs Offered
Beijing Normal University's programme catalogue is grouped by level below — use the filter to narrow your shortlist. Programme entry windows and admissions criteria typically appear on each programme's dedicated page.
70 programmes on record. Each level below shows a sample. Compare these on the programs page All programs in China
Bachelor's Degree 70 programmes
Showing 10 of 70.
How to apply to Beijing Normal University
The standard application path for Beijing Normal University, broken into five practical steps with the documents and channels you will need at each stage.
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1
Identify the right programme
Begin by reviewing the programmes section above. Beijing Normal University offers 70 programmes grouped by qualification level. Decide on a target tier (bachelor's, master's, or doctoral) before narrowing by subject.
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2
Check entry requirements
Each programme at Beijing Normal University has its own entry requirements — academic minimums, language proficiency, supporting documents, and sometimes interviews or portfolios. Check the programme-specific page or contact admissions to confirm eligibility.
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3
Prepare your application documents
Most applications require certified academic records, identification documents, language test certificates (IELTS, TOEFL, or equivalent for English-medium programmes), CV/résumé, and a statement of purpose. Allow extra time for document authentication.
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4
Submit via the institution
Apply directly via Beijing Normal University's online portal at www.bnu.edu.cn. Complete the application form, upload supporting documents, and pay any application fee. Confirmation emails typically arrive within a few business days.
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5
Get in touch with admissions
After submitting, confirm receipt with the admissions office and track your application status through the portal. Reach the institution by phone at +86 (10) 5880 8285. Set reminders for any interview requests, additional document submissions, or admission decision deadlines.
Frequently Asked Questions about Beijing Normal University
Concise answers to the most-searched questions about Beijing Normal University, useful as a quick orientation before exploring the rest of the profile.
In what year was Beijing Normal University established?
Beijing Normal University was founded in 1902 (approximately 124 years ago).
In which city is Beijing Normal University?
Beijing Normal University is based in Beijing, China.
Is Beijing Normal University a public or private institution?
It is a public higher-education institution.
How many students study at Beijing Normal University?
Beijing Normal University has approximately 20,000-24,999 students.
What is Beijing Normal University's ranking?
Beijing Normal University is ranked #207 globally and #54 in China.
What programmes are available at Beijing Normal University?
Programmes at Beijing Normal University cover bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes.
What is Beijing Normal University's academic structure?
Beijing Normal University is organised into 19 academic units across its disciplines.
Is Beijing Normal University officially recognised?
Yes, Beijing Normal University is recognised by Ministry of Education.
What is Beijing Normal University's official website?
The institution's website is www.bnu.edu.cn.
Top-Ranked Universities in China
The institutions topping China's rankings give national context for Beijing Normal University. Context matters because employer perception in China often correlates with national rankings.
Faculties at nearby universities
Within easy reach of Beijing Normal University, these institutions host comparable faculties and admissions structures — useful for regional shortlisting. Regional universities often coordinate on credit transfer and joint programme delivery.
Where Else to Study Economics
Cohort diversity (gender, nationality, prior experience) shapes the Economics classroom experience. Some China programmes publish demographic data; others do not, but the question is worth asking.
Universities Compared with Beijing Normal University
Cross-institutional admissions sharing exists in some networks — peers of Beijing Normal University sometimes accept shared application materials or recognise admissions decisions. Worth checking when batching applications.
Studying in China: guides and resources
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