<p>全日制 = full-time (something)</p>

<p>非全日制 = part-time (something)</p>

<p>非全日制的学生 = part-time student (implies part-time study)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-07T06:41:35.907Z
Looks like the London School of Business and Finance Singapore does translate part-time course as 非全日制课程, but what a mouthful. https://cn.lsbf.edu.sg/programmes/sop/acca/part-time-acca/
Mou某
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-07T10:19:21.117Z
Hmm but that would mean '非全日制' could be used to mean 'part time' and potentially be used with anything. Like for example part time degree 非全日制学位'. Possibly better than 兼 which seems to contain the meaning of an occupation even as a single character.
Hasen
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-07T10:47:42.300Z
@Hasen 兼 itself means simultaneously; concurrently, could have nothing to do with occupation. E.g. 品学兼优
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-08T11:07:42.100Z
@dan http://dict.youdao.com/w/eng/%E5%85%BC/ Yes it overwhelmingly means simultaneously or double but you could just as well be studying part time and doing nothing else. So I think 非全日制 here is the best answer really.
Hasen
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-08T11:38:13.187Z
@Hasen You could go whatever you thought was best. Indeed, there are many ways to express it.
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-09T12:59:06.837Z
@dan Yes I guess it depends on what you're referring to by 'part time'. 兼职 and 兼 refer to concurrent, double and moonlighting, so even describing a part time job it wouldn't be accurate for most of the time. At the place I used to work there were several women who worked part time, some Monday to Wednesday, and others Wednesday to Friday. They didn't have any other job so 兼职 would not describe their situation. I guess this kind of thing probably almost never happens in China either. Something like 零星工作 would fit better...?
Hasen
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-07T01:15:39.313Z
2019-12-07T01:15:39.313Z
Pedroski
<p>Besides 兼读 indicated in the other answer, 'part time study' could also be 兼修 or 兼学. E.g. 我主修数学, 兼修外语; 我现在在工作，同时<strong>兼修</strong>/<strong>在读</strong>研究生. </p>

<p>Note: 在职读书 could be briefed as 在读 in some context. </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-06T10:30:08.920Z
Looking up 在职 it refers to a job rather than study though, it has the same problem as 兼职. Not sure about 兼读, 兼修 or 兼学 - can you find them in any dictionaries for standard Chinese?
Hasen
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-06T11:13:09.610Z
在职读书 is a single term that means: (I) work and go to school.
Mou某
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-06T11:13:35.263Z
@Hasen It's 在职读书(not 在职)，which could be briefed as 在读 in some context. 在职读书 means you work while you have part time study (maybe for a degree). Isn't it what you are looking for?
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-06T11:21:55.323Z
@Hasen 兼修 is very common. Every native speaker would understand it. 兼读 and 兼学 are understandable too.
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-07T10:29:22.547Z
@dan My gf is Chinese and she's never heard for any of those words. But since part time study pretty much never happens in China she probably would never have come across it regardless of whether it was correct.
Hasen
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-07T10:41:00.030Z
@Hasen I was shocked she doesn't know those words if she is truly a native speaker. Actually, it's not hard to find 兼修 in online dictionaries. Ask her if she understands these two sentences:"我主修数学, 兼修外语; 我现在在工作，同时兼修/在读研究生"
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-07T10:56:01.080Z
@Hasen This is one of those: https://www.zdic.net/hans/%E5%85%BC%E4%BF%AE
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-07T17:10:28.757Z
I think 兼修 is more recognized outside mainland.
sylvia
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-07T23:39:51.387Z
@sylvia I've seen it used within mainland. By the way, I  was born and have lived in mainland for several decades. I'm not sure why some feels unfamiliar with it. Actually, 兼 itself can work with a lot of characters and they might not be necessary listed in dictionaries because 兼 has its own basic meanings per se. The question is more on the usage of the character 兼.
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-08T11:06:09.410Z
@dan Well like I was saying, it's perhaps not so much the words but the whole concept of it. If almost no one does it they're unlikely to know how to say it. I explained to her what it was and she didn't know any word for it. Overall I'm leaning towards 非全日制 since 兼 seems to mean 'twice' or 'double' but you could be studying part time and spent the rest of your time looking after kids or doing nothing even.
Hasen
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-06T09:41:15.127Z
2019-12-06T09:41:15.127Z
dan
<p>(In Cantonese) you can say:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>兼读</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Which is defined in <em>ABC Canto</em> as:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>part-time, as course of study</p>
<p>而好多大學都有兼讀制學位課程<br />
ji4 gaa1 hou2 do1 daai6 hok6 dou1 jau5 gim1 duk6 zai3 hok6 wai2 fo3 cing4<br />
Nowadays many universities offer part-time degree programs</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Part-time course would, thusly, be:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>兼读课程</p>
</blockquote>
<p>It does seem like the word is catching on in Mandarin but ymmv.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-06T08:26:23.157Z
兼读 sounds a correct word for it.
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-06T10:32:31.887Z
Yes this may be the only way to say it. I explained what I meant to the Chinese girl, she understood what I meant, but had no idea what the word for it was. It's quite probable even using this word, nobody would know what I meant. I also couldn't find these in dictionaries - could you? Although it probably is the correct word if one exists at all.
Hasen
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-06T11:11:20.927Z
I quoted a dictionary entry above along with its definition and example sentence.
Mou某
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-07T10:16:19.337Z
Well I meant for Mandarin, not Cantonese.
Hasen
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-07T10:22:21.813Z
@Hasen it’s on youdao if that means anything to you: http://dict.youdao.com/w/eng/兼读制/
Mou某
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-07T10:31:11.763Z
Ok so it is at least in some dictionaries.
Hasen
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-06T07:50:20.673Z
2019-12-06T08:08:11.540Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
Mou某
<p>Some people say <code>半脱产</code> to refer to part time study and <code>全脱产</code> as full time study for people who have a job. And the word for workers to go back to study is <code>进修</code>. </p>

<p><code>半脱产学习</code> and <code>全脱产学习</code>， or <code>半脱产进修</code> and <code>全脱产进修</code> are words specifically for people who have worked. Intuitively speaking, if you have never worked, you have no work(<code>产</code>) to get away with(<code>脱</code>). </p>

<p><code>全日制学习</code> is a broader term for everybody, including students who have never worked. </p>

<p>I'm not sure if these words are only used in some parts of China, but it is quite recognized in the northern China. </p>

<p>Searched some <a href="https://zhidao.baidu.com/question/687579203813484284.html?fr=iks&amp;word=%B0%EB%CD%D1%B2%FA%CA%C7%CA%B2%C3%B4%D2%E2%CB%BC&amp;ie=gbk" rel="nofollow noreferrer">description</a> and I pasted below: </p>

<pre><code>　　学历中的脱产学习是在学习期间不参加工作的一种学习方式，办学的方式相当于全日制学习。 也就是参加工作后再去校内进行全日制学习的方式， 其管理模式与普通高校一样，学习期间不在原单位工作，不占用周六和周日的工休时间，对学生有正常的、相对固定的授课教室和管理要求，有稳定的寒暑假期安排。

　　而半脱产学习就是一边学习，一边工作， 即白天工作时间还是工作，在周一至周五的晚上和周末的休息时间来学习，这种利用业余时间学习的方式称为半脱产。
　　另外还有一种为不脱产学习，即不脱离工作岗位，利用闲暇之余进行学习。一边工作,一边利用工作之余的时间来学习上课，参加考试的一种学习方式。函授是成人教育中不脱产学习的主要形式。
</code></pre>

<p>Here also mentioned <code>函授</code> which is also widely recognized. This is a program type designed for workers to get a degree while work full time. You can also go to <code>夜大</code>(night university) to get a degree. Basically they're the same. </p>

<p>In summary: </p>

<p><code>半脱产学习</code> means part time study, still work (normally this is supported by the company you work for, as you expect to get away from work when there is commitment required from the study, although the classes are normally conducted in the nights and weekends)</p>

<p><code>全脱产学习</code> means full time study, no work</p>

<p><code>函授</code> means part time study, full time work （this type of study is for people who doesn't have a degree but want to get one). Refer <a href="https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E5%87%BD%E6%8E%88" rel="nofollow noreferrer">here</a>. </p>

<p>Strictly speaking, <code>函授</code> might have people who is not working and never worked either, but this type of program is designed for full time workers and classes will be conducted in a way to cater for students who need to work full time. <code>函授</code> is probably less popular now, as it's easier for students to get a degree now.</p>

<p>Of course you can use a broader word, like <code>全日制</code>，<code>非全日制学习</code>, however, those words don't differentiate the student types at all.  </p>

<p>Like others suggested, <code>在职读书</code> is also a commonly recognized word, especially for higher educations (I feel) after degree because I often hear people talk about <code>在职研究生</code>. I also feel <code>在职</code> is more modern than <code>脱产</code>.  </p>

<p>By the way, maybe a lot of people don’t study after degree but there are a lot of people do study in China when they have jobs, and a lot of them are company or corporate sponsored, and normally they don’t mix with full time students. And as I mentioned in the comment section, a master's degree normally requires 3 year full time study in China, and it's a big commitment, some people will simply get one from abroad. Guess that’s why you don’t see them in school. However, everything is changing, and in order to meet the demands, more and more study programs will be available for working class. </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-11T06:49:22.497Z
@Hasen I don't know why you say that, but in the US, master's programs are 1 or 2 years too. Not to mention all the Britain colonized countries...I have lived in many countries, and I can assure you that. And I can tell you it's funny to hear you say Chinese retire at 40. None of the people I know retire at 40. And, I didn't say 进修 has part time meaning in it. I said 进修 means study for people who has work, but 半脱产 is part time. So 半脱产进修 is the full word.
sylvia
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-12T08:56:23.047Z
@sylvia Britain is a popular place for study due to the 1 year master's degree programmes and that the language is English there. It doesn't make them any easier though - just one hell of a year. I say Chinese retire at 40 because it was in my textbook when I learnt Chinese in Beijing, and also many Chinese around me told me about it. People used to go on about it all the time as a major plus against the retirement age in the west. This was 5-10 years ago though so it wouldn't surprise me if China has lost this.
Hasen
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-12T09:01:38.890Z
@sylvia 半脱产 I've never come across, neither has my Chinese gf, nor can she guess what it might mean. The meaning seems to be "partly released from one's regular work". I remember my cousin was doing a degree full time, but then he found it too heavy going so he changed it to part time. I don't think 半脱产 would work here, I was just looking for a generic word for 'part time study'. I think the best candidate so far is still 非全日制学习.
Hasen
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-12T16:45:54.670Z
@Hasen Refer to my edited answer. Hope it helps. I don't know which part of China your gf is from, but it might be a dialect thing. In northern China 半脱产 is recognized
sylvia
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-14T05:15:03.720Z
@sylvia She's from Northern China. I studied in Beijing and only came across 兼职 in my study. I guess she wouldn't come across it because so few people do that in China, whether in real life or in tv series, which she watches a lot of.  I never met anyone who worked part time in China so I guess I wouldn't hear it anyway. Way more people in China work 7 days a week than less than 5. Anyway, whether it's recognised or not, the definition of 半脱产 in dictionaries doesn't seem to match yours: http://dict.youdao.com/w/eng/%E5%8D%8A%E8%84%B1%E4%BA%A7
Hasen
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-07T10:22:18.750Z
Yes that's education for employees of a particular company though. What I was referring to was full time mature students like you see in the west. It's common to see students in their late 20s, 30s or even 40s and 50 sitting along with the 20 year olds. Also people in full time jobs take evening classes to learn all manner of things.
Hasen
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-07T16:58:33.770Z
@hasen Right, it’s hard to see. I think one of the reasons are from the school. Many programs are not designed for working people. A lot of master’s degrees require 3 years full time study in China, which is huge commitment. People who quit their jobs normally go for MBAs, or can go abroad to study. But there are more and more people seek for further education in China now after they work.
sylvia
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-07T18:27:39.157Z
Just edited my answer to include 进修, I forgot this word too. Not very modern nowadays (maybe?)
sylvia
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-07T23:46:48.583Z
@sylvia If you recognize 进修, then 兼修 shouldn't surprise you. people might just leave their job to 进修, but 兼修 implies that they are still working while studying in a university.
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-08T03:50:59.017Z
@dan It doesn’t surprise me but it’s not very commonly used by mainlanders. And 兼修 can mean full time student take another subject of study too. For example I major in Chinese, 兼修历史
sylvia
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-08T11:11:35.390Z
@sylvia As far as I know, the UK is the only place that does one year Master degrees, they're normally 3 years everywhere. It's just not in their culture to study in later life. Don't forget that Chinese very often retire at 40 or so so hardly likely to study towards some further occupation. 进修 doesn't have any 'part time' meaning in it.
Hasen
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-07T05:58:41.743Z
2019-12-12T22:06:13.630Z
2019-12-12T22:06:13.630Z
sylvia
<p>I'm having trouble finding out how to say 'part time study' in Chinese. Or anything like that e.g. part time degree etc. There doesn't seem to be any generic word for 'part time' and there isn't a specific word for it in this case either. You can say 'part time work' using 兼职 but that contains the meaning for job in it so can't be used with study.</p>

<p>I used to study part time but I literally can't talk about it in Chinese since there is no word for it...save for explaining the whole concept every time I want to mention it.</p>

<p>In China they don't seem to do this and don't really study at all beyond early 20s. There don't seem to be any mature students either..you won't see anyone 30,40 or older in their universities. They just study full time up until this age, then stop for life and get a job.</p>

<p>I guess since there are no mature students, anyone who <em>is</em> working part time would not spend the rest of their week studying so no need for the word.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-12T17:54:42.213Z
@user3306356 在職專班 is very Taiwanese.
sylvia
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-06T07:41:12.130Z
This is not an answer but it might help get you started: the English Wikipedia page https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Part-time_learner_in_higher_education redirects to 在職專班 (https://zh.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/在職專班).
Mou某
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-06T11:45:23.503Z
Your perception is not true. There are lots of mature people in China who already have their jobs and study part time in a university. My wife actually majored her master degree while she was still working. In her case, we could say: 她在职*兼读*研究生 or 她在职*兼修*法学研究生.
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-07T10:27:40.747Z
@dan I don't mean it never happens at all but it's really uncommon. I remember I was studying at a university in China in my 30s and talking to a taxi driver there he thought it was crazy that I could be studying at that age. It's like it was totally unheard of. I also never saw any students beyond ~20 at the university I was at or at universities I was at previously in other cities.  But yes, 兼读 is possibly correct although it doesn't appear to be in dictionaries, at least for mandarin.
Hasen
<translation><vocabulary>
How do I say "part time study"?
# How do I say "part time study"?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-12-06)

I'm having trouble finding out how to say 'part time study' in Chinese. Or anything like that e.g. part time degree etc. There doesn't seem to be any generic word for 'part time' and there isn't a specific word for it in this case either. You can say 'part time work' using 兼职 but that contains the meaning for job in it so can't be used with study.

I used to study part time but I literally can't talk about it in Chinese since there is no word for it...save for explaining the whole concept every time I want to mention it.

In China they don't seem to do this and don't really study at all beyond early 20s. There don't seem to be any mature students either..you won't see anyone 30,40 or older in their universities. They just study full time up until this age, then stop for life and get a job.

I guess since there are no mature students, anyone who *is* working part time would not spend the rest of their week studying so no need for the word.

**Tags:** translation, vocabulary

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: This is not an answer but it might help get you started: the English Wikipedia page https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Part-time_learner_in_higher_education redirects to 在職專班 (https://zh.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/在職專班).  
> **username_3**: Your perception is not true. There are lots of mature people in China who already have their jobs and study part time in a university. My wife actually majored her master degree while she was still working. In her case, we could say: 她在职*兼读*研究生 or 她在职*兼修*法学研究生.  
> **username_0**: @username_3 I don't mean it never happens at all but it's really uncommon. I remember I was studying at a university in China in my 30s and talking to a taxi driver there he thought it was crazy that I could be studying at that age. It's like it was totally unheard of. I also never saw any students beyond ~20 at the university I was at or at universities I was at previously in other cities.  But yes, 兼读 is possibly correct although it doesn't appear to be in dictionaries, at least for mandarin.  
> **username_1**: @user3306356 在職專班 is very Taiwanese.  

---

## 4 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2019-12-07. Score: 4

全日制 = full-time (something)

非全日制 = part-time (something)

非全日制的学生 = part-time student (implies part-time study)

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: Looks like the London School of Business and Finance Singapore does translate part-time course as 非全日制课程, but what a mouthful. https://cn.lsbf.edu.sg/programmes/sop/acca/part-time-acca/  
> **username_0**: Hmm but that would mean '非全日制' could be used to mean 'part time' and potentially be used with anything. Like for example part time degree 非全日制学位'. Possibly better than 兼 which seems to contain the meaning of an occupation even as a single character.  
> **username_3**: @username_0 兼 itself means simultaneously; concurrently, could have nothing to do with occupation. E.g. 品学兼优  
> **username_0**: @username_3 http://dict.youdao.com/w/eng/%E5%85%BC/ Yes it overwhelmingly means simultaneously or double but you could just as well be studying part time and doing nothing else. So I think 非全日制 here is the best answer really.  
> **username_3**: @username_0 You could go whatever you thought was best. Indeed, there are many ways to express it.  
> **username_0**: @username_3 Yes I guess it depends on what you're referring to by 'part time'. 兼职 and 兼 refer to concurrent, double and moonlighting, so even describing a part time job it wouldn't be accurate for most of the time. At the place I used to work there were several women who worked part time, some Monday to Wednesday, and others Wednesday to Friday. They didn't have any other job so 兼职 would not describe their situation. I guess this kind of thing probably almost never happens in China either. Something like 零星工作 would fit better...?  

---

### Answer by username_3 on 2019-12-06. Score: 2

Besides 兼读 indicated in the other answer, 'part time study' could also be 兼修 or 兼学. E.g. 我主修数学, 兼修外语; 我现在在工作，同时**兼修**/**在读**研究生.

Note: 在职读书 could be briefed as 在读 in some context.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Looking up 在职 it refers to a job rather than study though, it has the same problem as 兼职. Not sure about 兼读, 兼修 or 兼学 - can you find them in any dictionaries for standard Chinese?  
> **username_2**: 在职读书 is a single term that means: (I) work and go to school.  
> **username_3**: @username_0 It's 在职读书(not 在职)，which could be briefed as 在读 in some context. 在职读书 means you work while you have part time study (maybe for a degree). Isn't it what you are looking for?  
> **username_3**: @username_0 兼修 is very common. Every native speaker would understand it. 兼读 and 兼学 are understandable too.  
> **username_0**: @username_3 My gf is Chinese and she's never heard for any of those words. But since part time study pretty much never happens in China she probably would never have come across it regardless of whether it was correct.  
> **username_3**: @username_0 I was shocked she doesn't know those words if she is truly a native speaker. Actually, it's not hard to find 兼修 in online dictionaries. Ask her if she understands these two sentences:"我主修数学, 兼修外语; 我现在在工作，同时兼修/在读研究生"  
> **username_3**: @username_0 This is one of those: https://www.zdic.net/hans/%E5%85%BC%E4%BF%AE  
> **username_1**: I think 兼修 is more recognized outside mainland.  
> **username_3**: @username_1 I've seen it used within mainland. By the way, I  was born and have lived in mainland for several decades. I'm not sure why some feels unfamiliar with it. Actually, 兼 itself can work with a lot of characters and they might not be necessary listed in dictionaries because 兼 has its own basic meanings per se. The question is more on the usage of the character 兼.  
> **username_0**: @username_3 Well like I was saying, it's perhaps not so much the words but the whole concept of it. If almost no one does it they're unlikely to know how to say it. I explained to her what it was and she didn't know any word for it. Overall I'm leaning towards 非全日制 since 兼 seems to mean 'twice' or 'double' but you could be studying part time and spent the rest of your time looking after kids or doing nothing even.  

---

### Answer by username_2 on 2019-12-06. Score: 2

(In Cantonese) you can say:

> 兼读

Which is defined in *ABC Canto* as:

> part-time, as course of study
>
> 而好多大學都有兼讀制學位課程  
> ji4 gaa1 hou2 do1 daai6 hok6 dou1 jau5 gim1 duk6 zai3 hok6 wai2 fo3 cing4  
> Nowadays many universities offer part-time degree programs

Part-time course would, thusly, be:

> 兼读课程

It does seem like the word is catching on in Mandarin but ymmv.

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: 兼读 sounds a correct word for it.  
> **username_0**: Yes this may be the only way to say it. I explained what I meant to the Chinese girl, she understood what I meant, but had no idea what the word for it was. It's quite probable even using this word, nobody would know what I meant. I also couldn't find these in dictionaries - could you? Although it probably is the correct word if one exists at all.  
> **username_2**: I quoted a dictionary entry above along with its definition and example sentence.  
> **username_0**: Well I meant for Mandarin, not Cantonese.  
> **username_2**: @username_0 it’s on youdao if that means anything to you: http://dict.youdao.com/w/eng/兼读制/  
> **username_0**: Ok so it is at least in some dictionaries.  

---

### Answer by username_1 on 2019-12-07. Score: 0

Some people say `半脱产` to refer to part time study and `全脱产` as full time study for people who have a job. And the word for workers to go back to study is `进修`.

`半脱产学习` and `全脱产学习`， or `半脱产进修` and `全脱产进修` are words specifically for people who have worked. Intuitively speaking, if you have never worked, you have no work(`产`) to get away with(`脱`).

`全日制学习` is a broader term for everybody, including students who have never worked.

I'm not sure if these words are only used in some parts of China, but it is quite recognized in the northern China.

Searched some [description](https://zhidao.baidu.com/question/687579203813484284.html?fr=iks&word=%B0%EB%CD%D1%B2%FA%CA%C7%CA%B2%C3%B4%D2%E2%CB%BC&ie=gbk) and I pasted below:

```
　　学历中的脱产学习是在学习期间不参加工作的一种学习方式，办学的方式相当于全日制学习。 也就是参加工作后再去校内进行全日制学习的方式， 其管理模式与普通高校一样，学习期间不在原单位工作，不占用周六和周日的工休时间，对学生有正常的、相对固定的授课教室和管理要求，有稳定的寒暑假期安排。

　　而半脱产学习就是一边学习，一边工作， 即白天工作时间还是工作，在周一至周五的晚上和周末的休息时间来学习，这种利用业余时间学习的方式称为半脱产。
　　另外还有一种为不脱产学习，即不脱离工作岗位，利用闲暇之余进行学习。一边工作,一边利用工作之余的时间来学习上课，参加考试的一种学习方式。函授是成人教育中不脱产学习的主要形式。

```

Here also mentioned `函授` which is also widely recognized. This is a program type designed for workers to get a degree while work full time. You can also go to `夜大`(night university) to get a degree. Basically they're the same.

In summary:

`半脱产学习` means part time study, still work (normally this is supported by the company you work for, as you expect to get away from work when there is commitment required from the study, although the classes are normally conducted in the nights and weekends)

`全脱产学习` means full time study, no work

`函授` means part time study, full time work （this type of study is for people who doesn't have a degree but want to get one). Refer [here](https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E5%87%BD%E6%8E%88).

Strictly speaking, `函授` might have people who is not working and never worked either, but this type of program is designed for full time workers and classes will be conducted in a way to cater for students who need to work full time. `函授` is probably less popular now, as it's easier for students to get a degree now.

Of course you can use a broader word, like `全日制`，`非全日制学习`, however, those words don't differentiate the student types at all.

Like others suggested, `在职读书` is also a commonly recognized word, especially for higher educations (I feel) after degree because I often hear people talk about `在职研究生`. I also feel `在职` is more modern than `脱产`.

By the way, maybe a lot of people don’t study after degree but there are a lot of people do study in China when they have jobs, and a lot of them are company or corporate sponsored, and normally they don’t mix with full time students. And as I mentioned in the comment section, a master's degree normally requires 3 year full time study in China, and it's a big commitment, some people will simply get one from abroad. Guess that’s why you don’t see them in school. However, everything is changing, and in order to meet the demands, more and more study programs will be available for working class.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Yes that's education for employees of a particular company though. What I was referring to was full time mature students like you see in the west. It's common to see students in their late 20s, 30s or even 40s and 50 sitting along with the 20 year olds. Also people in full time jobs take evening classes to learn all manner of things.  
> **username_1**: @username_0 Right, it’s hard to see. I think one of the reasons are from the school. Many programs are not designed for working people. A lot of master’s degrees require 3 years full time study in China, which is huge commitment. People who quit their jobs normally go for MBAs, or can go abroad to study. But there are more and more people seek for further education in China now after they work.  
> **username_1**: Just edited my answer to include 进修, I forgot this word too. Not very modern nowadays (maybe?)  
> **username_3**: @username_1 If you recognize 进修, then 兼修 shouldn't surprise you. people might just leave their job to 进修, but 兼修 implies that they are still working while studying in a university.  
> **username_1**: @username_3 It doesn’t surprise me but it’s not very commonly used by mainlanders. And 兼修 can mean full time student take another subject of study too. For example I major in Chinese, 兼修历史  
> **username_0**: @username_1 As far as I know, the UK is the only place that does one year Master degrees, they're normally 3 years everywhere. It's just not in their culture to study in later life. Don't forget that Chinese very often retire at 40 or so so hardly likely to study towards some further occupation. 进修 doesn't have any 'part time' meaning in it.  
> **username_1**: @username_0 I don't know why you say that, but in the US, master's programs are 1 or 2 years too. Not to mention all the Britain colonized countries...I have lived in many countries, and I can assure you that. And I can tell you it's funny to hear you say Chinese retire at 40. None of the people I know retire at 40. And, I didn't say 进修 has part time meaning in it. I said 进修 means study for people who has work, but 半脱产 is part time. So 半脱产进修 is the full word.  
> **username_0**: @username_1 Britain is a popular place for study due to the 1 year master's degree programmes and that the language is English there. It doesn't make them any easier though - just one hell of a year. I say Chinese retire at 40 because it was in my textbook when I learnt Chinese in Beijing, and also many Chinese around me told me about it. People used to go on about it all the time as a major plus against the retirement age in the west. This was 5-10 years ago though so it wouldn't surprise me if China has lost this.  
> **username_0**: @username_1 半脱产 I've never come across, neither has my Chinese gf, nor can she guess what it might mean. The meaning seems to be "partly released from one's regular work". I remember my cousin was doing a degree full time, but then he found it too heavy going so he changed it to part time. I don't think 半脱产 would work here, I was just looking for a generic word for 'part time study'. I think the best candidate so far is still 非全日制学习.  
> **username_1**: @username_0 Refer to my edited answer. Hope it helps. I don't know which part of China your gf is from, but it might be a dialect thing. In northern China 半脱产 is recognized  
> **username_0**: @username_1 She's from Northern China. I studied in Beijing and only came across 兼职 in my study. I guess she wouldn't come across it because so few people do that in China, whether in real life or in tv series, which she watches a lot of.  I never met anyone who worked part time in China so I guess I wouldn't hear it anyway. Way more people in China work 7 days a week than less than 5. Anyway, whether it's recognised or not, the definition of 半脱产 in dictionaries doesn't seem to match yours: http://dict.youdao.com/w/eng/%E5%8D%8A%E8%84%B1%E4%BA%A7  

---

