A Beijing-based university will begin enrolling students for China’s first ever marriage-related degree program this September, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Monday.

The program in Marriage Services and Management is being offered by the Vocational University of Civil Affairs, a new institution directly under the management of China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs.

According to the university, the course won’t solely focus on wedding planning and matchmaking, but train students to provide services “across the entire marriage cycle.”

“The program, set to enroll 70 undergraduate students from 12 provinces in 2024, is focusing on the marriage industry to cultivate students with comprehensive abilities,” Zhao Honggang, the university’s vice president, told CCTV.

The curriculum includes modules in management, sociology, family culture, ethics, and economics, along with practical training in areas including family counseling, wedding planning, and matchmaking services.

“Academic training will account for around 45% of the curriculum, while practical training will make up about 55%,” Yu Xiaohui, dean of the university’s School of Wedding Culture and Media Arts, told domestic media.

According to Yu, previous marriage-related vocational programs have mostly focused on wedding planning, a narrow segment of the industry. The Vocational University of Civil Affairs’ new program, by contrast, will cover everything from matchmaking and premarital counseling to marriage registration and pre-divorce counseling.

Students will have the chance to complete internships in four different fields, including marriage registration offices and matchmaking agencies. They will also take part in practice marriage registration and wedding ceremonies on campus.

“Upon graduation, students will have the opportunity to seek employment in industry associations, matchmaking agencies, wedding service companies, and marriage and family counseling organizations,” said Zhao.

China’s marriage rate has declined significantly over the past decade, though there was a slight bump in 2023 due to pent-up demand from the pandemic. But there is still a need for talent in marriage-related fields due to several factors.

The government has launched a drive to promote “equal, harmonious, and civilized marital and family relationships,” introducing new reforms to lower the cost of getting married and strengthen marriage and family counseling services.

There is currently a lack of highly trained professionals in the wedding and matchmaking industries, according to Yu. Matchmakers, known as hongniang in Chinese, often only have a high school education.

“In the mid-to-high-end market, there is increasing demand for innovative talents who can provide sophisticated wedding planning services and design and develop matchmaking services,” said Yu.

The online matchmaking industry, meanwhile, is still booming in China, with one report estimating that the country’s market for online dating and matchmaking nearly tripled in size between 2014 and 2023.

In addition to the Marriage Services and Management major, the Vocational University of Civil Affairs also plans to offer China’s first degree in Modern Funeral Management. More than 100 students will begin the new course in September.

Additional reporting: Yin Ziyuan.

(Header image: VCG)