Do curricula support interdisciplinary training objectives? Evidence from undergraduate programs in China

Purpose Interdisciplinary talent cultivation has been identified by the Chinese government as a national strategic goal in higher education. However, limited empirical research has examined whether stated interdisciplinary training objectives are effectively supported by curriculum design. Therefore, this study investigates the alignment between declared interdisciplinary goals and concrete curriculum design within undergraduate programs in China. Design/methodology/approach Using content analysis, this study evaluates 718 undergraduate training programs from 64 Chinese universities. A binary logit model is employed to assess the degree of knowledge integration within course structures and to identify institutional factors associated with the inclusion of explicit interdisciplinary objectives in curriculum design. Findings The results indicate a clear discrepancy between stated goals and real action: although most programs explicitly articulate interdisciplinary objectives, the level of curriculum integration remains relatively low. Regression results show that higher levels of curriculum integration and higher institutional rankings (based on the 2024 Soft Science China University Ranking) are positively associated with the explicit inclusion of interdisciplinary objectives. In addition, finance and economics universities place significantly greater emphasis on interdisciplinary development than other types of institutions. By contrast, higher graduation credit requirements are negatively associated with interdisciplinary objectives, suggesting that rigid curricular structures may constrain the effective realization of interdisciplinary goals. Originality/value This study contributes to the existing studies of interdisciplinary talent cultivation which is crucial for higher education’s responding to the society's demand today. The study underscores that systematic curriculum integration and practical application are essential for cultivating high-quality, versatile professionals. As far as the authors are aware, existing studies have not yet explored this research gap well.