The curriculum has stirred up quite a controversy in the city where many people refer to the college as a school for "Pre-millionaire Wife" training. But the college refutes the view, saying it aims to develop more independent female students with all-round capabilities.

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The all-girls school was established through a partnership between Tongji University and the Shanghai Municipal Women's Association five years ago.

Dean of the college, Yue Changzhi, says their aim was to provide a girls-only educational platform.

"With the awakening of women's awareness, more and more girls have access to education. It is a universal phenomenon that girls do better than boys in studies and the proportion of girls gaining entrance into college is growing fast. But the actual number of advanced women professionals is very low. This is due to the lack of exclusive women's education."

The dean says tailor-made programs for girls have helped them to grow into a new generation of independent and charming women. 

"We aim more to develop our girls' comprehensive capabilities, to liberate their ideas, set free their personality development and allow them to become independent. These programs help girls learn from traditional cultural practices with loving care. Besides, it isn't a bad thing to acquire additional skills."

Yue Changzhi says the girl's school will offer more optional home-making courses in the coming semester to meet increasing student demand.

Despite the social controversy, the optional courses are hotly welcomed by college students.

"I like these courses very much, because my peers in other schools don't have the chance to learn these skills, but I do. They will only envy me."

After hearing about the controversial reputation the girls' college is attaining as a breading ground for "pre-millionaire wives", some students actually seem pleased.

"To be a wife of a millionaire demands a lot from a girl, so what people are saying actually praises the courses we are taking as being quite pragmatic and extensive. I think we should take it as a compliment."

Whether it's good to offer these home economics courses or not, students clearly like them - and all say they like being members of the girls' college. They say it provides freer room for them to grow, express, think and act without the influence of boys, making them stronger and more open-minded.

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