When you finally build up your courage, ready to face the challenge of studying alone in a foreign country, leaving the familiar Chinese environment, but suddenly you find...
—How come all the classmates and teachers around me are Chinese?
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Source: Xiaohongshu
“Reverse study abroad” is nothing new.
A student in the Accounting and Finance master’s program at the University of Nottingham in the UK said that out of 180 people in the program, 160 were Chinese; another student in the Media program at the University of Leeds said that out of 30 in their program, 27 were Chinese students.
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But there are exceptions, like many niche majors where, not to mention Chinese people, you might not even have many classmates at all...
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Source: Xiaohongshu
It really is a case of feast or famine.
However, many niche majors are indeed worth recommending. Not only are they less competitive in applications, but you can also discover many interesting aspects and gain unexpected study abroad experiences~
Family Wealth Management
Family Wealth Management
I originally thought studying this major was to manage other people’s family wealth, but unexpectedly many applicants want to manage their own family’s wealth!!!
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With the growth of global wealth and the increasing demand for wealth management by high-net-worth families, the need for professional wealth management talent is also growing.
Therefore, graduates of this program don’t necessarily have to go home to inherit family fortunes; they can find job opportunities in more fields, such as private banking, wealth management institutions, etc.
Like the recently popular ‘Queen of Tears’, and the well-known ‘King of Gambling family’, many high-net-worth families have family offices, which is also one of the employment directions for this program.
Source: Interview program
For instance, HKU added the Master of Family Wealth Management (MFWM) in the 24Fall intake, offered under the University of Hong Kong’s independent research institute, the Hong Kong Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences (HKIHSS), which is highly authoritative.
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Source: HKU official website
The MFWM curriculum emphasizes the intersection between the historical roots and cultural dimensions of families, family businesses, and investment markets.
Core courses cover key topics such as family business history, estate planning, asset allocation, investment management, and family office management.
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Source: HKU official website
Recommended Schools and Programs
University of Hong Kong
- Master of Family Wealth Management
Buddhist Studies
Buddhist Studies
One of the standards to judge whether a person has been beaten down by society is
—whether they believe in metaphysics.
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International students are no exception; forwarding lucky koi fish posts no longer satisfies them, and going together to burn incense and worship Buddha has become a routine activity.
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Source: Xiaohongshu
However, as a fervent fan of metaphysics, just burning incense and worshiping Buddha is far from enough. Perhaps, one could directly pursue a graduate degree in Buddhist Studies~
The University of Hong Kong offers a Buddhist Studies program with a very strong academic atmosphere.
Its Buddhist Studies program has two tracks: the Master of Buddhist Studies and the Master of Buddhist Counselling, both unique and profound master’s degree programs.
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Source: HKU official website
After reading the program introduction, the biggest concern for everyone is probably employment. According to past graduate outcomes, many HKU students choose to stay in Hong Kong to work, or pursue a second master’s or a PhD.
Some students treat Buddhist Studies as a gap year to relax and contemplate the philosophy of life.
Additionally, Buddhist Studies students can also engage in research and dissemination of Buddhist culture, or become planners and managers for Buddhist tourist attractions.
It’s worth mentioning that in some high-end religious sites, such as thousand-year-old temples, the abbots and managers are often elites in Buddhist Studies.
However, studying Buddhist Studies doesn’t mean you have to become a monk. Although there are monks among classmates and professors, the student body is not entirely monastics; there are also many Buddhist enthusiasts.
Recommended Schools and Programs
University of Hong Kong
- Master of Buddist Studies
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
- Master of Arts in Buddhist Studies
University of Oxford
- MPhil in Buddhist Studies
Art Healing / Therapy
Art Therapy
With the rapid development of society, people are under increasing psychological pressure. Some choose to burn incense and pray to Buddha, while others choose to just go crazy, and this is when art healing is needed.
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Art healing is a therapeutic approach that uses artistic methods to help people process emotions, reduce stress, enhance self-awareness, and promote mental and physical well-being.
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Art healing spans the two major fields of art and psychology. The presentation forms of the works are mainly visual art, such as illustration, installation, interactive media, dance, theater, and other performing arts.
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Source: School of the Art Institute of Chicago official website
Although art healing-related jobs have high professional requirements, the prospects are quite optimistic. For example, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, educational institutions, or community service centers are gradually beginning to need art therapists.
Although the industry is gradually maturing abroad, it is currently only widespread in first-tier cities in China. After obtaining relevant qualifications, you can also choose to gain work experience abroad first.
Recommended Schools and Programs
University College London
- Creative Health MASc
School of Visual Arts
- MPS Art Therapy
New York University
- MA Art Therapy
Museum Studies / Museology
Museum Studies/ Museology
If the above programs can be called truly niche, then Museum Studies is the representative of 'fake niche.' Why is that?
As early as 2014, the Palace Museum’s creative emojis became a nationwide hit, and cultural programs like 'Masters in the Forbidden City' became wildly popular, making the Palace Museum a major IP that successfully broke out of its circle. As a result, the niche program Museum Studies was seen by more people.
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Source: 'Yongzheng: Feeling So Cute'
In recent years, Museum Studies has also gained favor among some prospective study-abroad students, as courses in the US and UK have developed relatively maturely.
Japan’s Princess Mako majored in Museum Studies at the University of Leicester’s graduate school in the UK and even interned at a museum for two months.
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Princess Mako at the University of Leicester
Master’s programs in Museum Studies cover the historical development, basic concepts, principles, operational management, exhibition display, cultural relic protection and restoration, and social education aspects of museums.
It involves not only art history and cultural studies but also knowledge in areas like business management and marketing, which is quite different from the stereotype that Museum Studies is just archaeology.
Although the program is still considered niche, its employment prospects and earning potential are very optimistic.
Graduates can work in management roles in museums, art galleries, cultural institutions, etc. Additionally, with the explosive development of the cultural tourism industry in recent years, Museum Studies graduates also have opportunities in cultural and creative industries, cultural tourism, and other fields.
Recommended Schools and Programs
University College London
- MA in Museum Studies
University of Manchester
- MA Art Gallery and Museum Studies
New York University
- MA in Museum Studies
Columbia University
- MA in Museum Anthropology
Final Words
In fact, universities in various countries and regions offer many niche programs.
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Source: UCL Archaeology official website
But absolutely do not fall into the misconception of blindly pursuing 'niche.' After all, since the program is 'small,' you might very well receive a blow from the admitting school: the program’s professor left, the major was discontinued, or...
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This is definitely not alarmist! As early as 2022, the University of Glasgow’s International Competition Law & Policy program was canceled for that year due to insufficient faculty.
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Source: University of Glasgow official website
For students who applied for that program at the time, this was undoubtedly a confusing and frustrating piece of news.
Fortunately, the school provided them with an alternative: all students who received offers could transfer to an LLM in another direction.
Such phenomena are not unique. Especially in the post-pandemic era, due to funding shortages, many schools have been forced to suspend the opening of some programs.
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Source: CNBC
Additionally, niche majors may also face issues like uneven employment and low return on investment. Therefore, prospective study-abroad students should carefully consider whether a major truly suits them based on their own circumstances.
Here, CheersYou（清柚教育） also advises everyone: during the early application stage, do thorough research when choosing a major; during application, you can adopt a strategy of mixing multiple majors/programs; after submitting, always monitor your online application and keep an eye on the latest updates of your applied programs. This way, you can minimize risks and ensure your offers are foolproof.
Finally, I wish everyone can apply to their desired schools and programs, and have a smooth study abroad journey!
