Teaching reform and practice of Materials and Chemical Engineering master’s degree from the perspective of Degree Law

The Degree Law of the People’s Republic of China enacted in 2024 sets clear requirements for the cultivation of professional degree postgraduates, who are expected to assume the responsibility for national rejuvenation while possessing the professional practice competence to solve complex engineering problems, thereby becoming high-level applied talents. This study takes master’s degree postgraduates majoring in Materials and Chemical Engineering at Hunan University of Science and Technology as the research subject. Focusing on the talent quality requirements stipulated by the new “Degree Law” and the practical skill demands of Materials and Chemical Engineering field, this research centers on the core goal of cultivating “strong and tough” emerging talents. Through the integration of ideological and political education, students’ sense of responsibility and volitional qualities in scientific research and engineering practice are cultivated, endowing them with the spiritual core of “toughness”. Relying on the integration of industry and education, interdisciplinary integration, and the integration of science and education, students’ professional practice competence is systematically strengthened. With the “four integrations” as the main framework, this study promotes educational and teaching reforms, exploring the cultivation pathway for “strong and tough” emerging talents from four dimensions, establishing the soul through value orientation, consolidating the foundation through knowledge building, strengthening the framework through competence enhancement, and achieving quality improvement through comprehensive development, so as to provide a reference for the reform of professional degree postgraduate education in the field of Materials and Chemical Engineering.