National Taiwan Normal University
Department of Taiwan Culture, Languages and Literature
Academic Activity Participation FAQ
Part I
Participation in 8 Academic Activities
Q1. Is it mandatory to complete 8 academic activities before applying for my degree examination?
Yes. According to regulations, graduate students must complete at least 8 academic activity participation records during their period of study before they are eligible to apply for the Master’s or Doctoral degree examination.
Q2. Do all 8 academic activities have to be organized by our department?
No. Among the 8 required academic activities, a maximum of 3 may be external academic activities (organized by other departments or institutions).
Q3. How do I provide proof for external activities?
External activities must be verified with an official seal from the organizing unit (signatures are not accepted) or by providing a physical/electronic certificate of participation.
Q4. Does online participation count toward the requirement?
Yes, provided that the organizing unit is willing to provide an official validation seal or a certificate of participation for online attendees.
Q5. If I attend only half a day of a full-day conference, does it count as one academic activity?
For conferences organized by the department, students are required to attend the full-day sessions in order for the activity to be certified. If the conference lasts less than one full day, full participation is required. For conferences not organized by the department, partial attendance may be accepted based on official proof of participation issued by the organizers. Each conference, whether inside or outside the department, may be certified only once.
Q6. Can I count a guest lecture held during my regular class as an academic activity?
No. Lectures attended as part of your own regular course or as a requirement for your class cannot be counted toward the 8 academic activities requirement.
Q7. For students admitted since academic year 2025 Fall, at least one of the 8 activities must be an “Academic Conference.” What qualifies as one?
To qualify as an “Academic Conference,” the event (even if titled “Workshop” or “Forum”) must meet the following criteria:
- Feature either moderators and presenters, or presenters and discussants/commentators.
- Consist of multiple paper presentations per session.
- Include at least 2 sessions.
Q8. If I present a paper at a conference, can it also count as one of the 8 participation records?
Generally, no. Paper presentations used to fulfill graduation requirements cannot be double-counted as participation (attendance) records. Exceptions apply only if the presentation is not used for the graduation threshold.
Q9. If I present at the Graduate Student Workshop, do I still need to fulfill the graduation requirement for paper presentations or publications?
Yes. The Graduate Student Workshop is an informal presentation platform for internal academic activity participation and does not substitute for the graduation requirements for formal paper presentations or publications.
Q10. What if I lost my participation record form after attending an activity?
We strongly recommend keeping a digital copy of your records by photographing or scanning them. If the records are lost, please contact the original organizers to inquire whether the certificate can be re-verified or reissued.