A staff member grooms a dog at a pet salon in Fengtai District, Beijing, capital of China, June 9, 2022. (Photo/Xinhua)
Chongqing - As China’s university application season heats up, unique and emerging majors are gaining attention. These innovative programs break from tradition, aligning with today’s economy and unlocking fresh career opportunities.
Their rise highlights how universities are quickly responding to job market changes, creating programs that equip students with practical skills and a competitive edge.
New majors respond to shifting social needs
China Agricultural University’s launch of the country’s first undergraduate program focused on pets has generated significant interest. The "Animal Science (Companion Animals)" track, part of animal science, trains students to meet the growing demand for expertise in caring for pets like dogs, cats, and horses. This four-year program leads to a Bachelor of Agriculture degree.
"Because companion animals are those that live closely with humans, communicate intimately, and bring joy to people's lives, many prefer to simply call it the 'pet major,'” Liu Guoshi, deputy dean of the university's College of Animal Science and Technology, told Tide News.
The major's curriculum shows courses in pet nutrition and food, breeding and genetics, behavior, and care, addressing the needs of China's booming dog and cat industries.
KPMG's market report on China's Pet Industry in 2025 shows that China's urban pet market for dogs and cats reached over 300 billion yuan ($41.88 billion) in 2024 and is expected to surpass 400 billion yuan by 2027.
About 500,000 pet-related businesses—from food and supplies to grooming and insurance—are registered in China, but the sector faces "acute labour shortages," Xinhua reported.
The shortage extends to pet care, with more than 30,000 pet hospitals nationwide relying on just 40,000 certified veterinarians, averaging only one per clinic, according to the news agency.
"The pet industry has become a new growth area in the field of animal husbandry and urgently needs large numbers of professionals with expertise in companion animal science," Liu said. "Demand for specialized talent is also steadily rising across universities, research institutes, veterinary clinics, government departments, and industry organizations."
In 2024, China Civil Affairs University's launch of undergraduate programs in marriage services and management, along with associate degree programs in wedding planning and management, also reflects a severe shortage of qualified professionals in this field.
According to Beijing Daily, industry experts estimate that the marriage and family counseling sector alone faces a talent gap of 200,000 professionals. As marriage-related work becomes more complex, the demand for highly educated specialists with strong theoretical training is growing rapidly.
Wang Xiaomei, head of the marriage services and management program, said the curriculum includes courses such as online matchmaking product design and marriage services and new media communication. After completing their coursework, students practice simulated marriage registration scenarios, sometimes holding classes inside local civil affairs bureaus. They can also take certification exams to become third-level matchmakers or marriage and family counselors.
At the same time, the field of home economics has also gained increasing attention in recent years. An official from the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security's Migrant Worker Division pointed out that the long-standing difficulty in finding qualified domestic workers has constrained the development of China's home service industry. With growing demand for eldercare and childcare services, alongside strong government support, home economics programs have gradually come into the public spotlight.
Wang Yu, executive president of the Henan Home Service Association, emphasized that equating college-trained home economics graduates with high-end nannies is a misunderstanding of the modern industry.
In April 2019, Jilin Agricultural University established China's first college of home economics, offering core courses such as introduction to home economics and family psychology.
Targeting emerging sectors with innovative programs
Meanwhile, many universities are setting up distinctive majors in emerging fields. This year, six universities, including Beihang University, have added a new program in low-altitude technology and engineering, enrolling students for the first time.
Meng Zhijun, professor for the Low-Altitude Technology and Engineering program at Beihang University, said that with China's recent policy easing in the low-altitude airspace sector, the low-altitude economy is developing well. However, a shortage of skilled professionals remains a key bottleneck limiting high-quality industry growth.
The program focuses on the design, operation, and management of low-altitude aircraft such as drones and flying cars, covering the entire chain from manufacturing and airspace management to application.
Zhu Keli, head of the Bay-Area Institute of Low-Altitude Economy, told Top News Express, a platform under China News Service, that establishing this program can systematically address talent gaps. However, challenges remain, including difficulties in integrating teaching resources and the rapid pace of industry technology outpacing textbook updates.
Looking ahead, Zhu emphasized the need to build a collaborative system among universities, enterprises, and the government to streamline technology transfer and prevent laboratory results from staying confined to academic papers.
In another field, as the body becomes language and movement transforms into a bridge for healing, dance therapy is emerging as a new "medical prescription". Nanjing Normal University of Special Education has launched China's first undergraduate program in dance therapy, designed to help children with autism, patients with Alzheimer's, and other special groups release stress and heal trauma through improvisational movement and mirror exercises.
Liu Shanshan, a faculty member in the program, told Top News Express that dance therapy is a niche field similar to music therapy. Using dance as a medium, it is essentially a form of healing that emphasizes the therapeutic process itself. The program will enroll its first students this September, offering a curriculum focused on practical courses such as dance movement practice and analysis, alongside theoretical courses in developmental psychology and clinical therapy.
Zhang Qiang, dean of the School of Music and Dance at the university, told People's Daily Health App that for individuals with autism or cognitive disorders, traditional psychological counseling based mainly on verbal intervention often has limited impact, as they rely more on nonverbal communication. Meanwhile, rising stress in the workplace, an aging society, and post-traumatic stress disorder are driving surging demand for arts-based therapy.
"Today, there are already more than a thousand public special education schools across China, in addition to community care centers, neurology hospitals, and medical rehabilitation departments. The shortage of qualified professionals is significant," Zhang said.
Zhang believed that the addition of a well-trained, professional team of dance therapists would significantly help close the gap in China's demand for art-based therapy.