Foundation date

VNU University of Social Sciences and Humanities was established in 1995, based on the former departments of social sciences of the former University of Hanoi (established in 1956) and University of Literature (established in 1945).

Mission Statement

Having traditional prestige, a leading role and a long history, VNU University of Social Sciences and Humanities pursues a mission to be the leading center to pass on knowledge and educate qualified human resource in social sciences and humanities in service of national construction and development

Academic Programs

Undergraduate Programs

• Undergraduate Full-time Programs:

Journalism and Communication, Political Science, Social Work, Tourism, Oriental Studies, Sino – Nom, Management Science, History, Archives and Office Management, Linguistics, Anthropology, International Studies, Psychology, Library and Information Science, Philosophy, Literature, Vietnamese studies, Sociology.

• Undergraduate Part-time Programs:

Journalism and Communication, Social Works, Tourism, Management Science, History, Archives and Office Management, Psychology, Library and Information Science, Philosophy, Literature, Sociology.

Master Programs

Journalism, Asian Studies, Political Science, Scientific Socialism, Science and Technology Management, Ethnology, Tourism, Sino – Nom, Ho Chi Minh Studies, Archaeology, Library Science, Literature Theory, Vietnam Communist Party History, Historiography and Historical Documentation, World History, Vietnamese History, Archives, Linguistics, International Relations, Science and Technology Management, Psychology, Religion Studies, Philosophy, Foreign Literature, Vietnamese Literature, Folk Literature, Sociology, Social Works, Management Science.

Doctor Programs

Journalism, Political Science, Dialectical and Historical Materialism, Scientific Socialism, Ethnology, Southeast Asian Studies, Ho Chi Minh Studies, Sino – Nom, Archaeology, Linguistics Theory, Literature Theory, Vietnam Communist Party History, Historiography and Historical Documentation, Contemporary and Premodern World History, Vietnamese Contemporary and Pre-modern History, Vietnamese Ancient and Medieval History, Archives, Languages of Vietnamese Minorities, Comparative Linguistics, Historical-Comparative Linguistics, Social Psychology, Chinese Studies, English Literature, North American Literature, Folk Literature, Russian Literature, French Literature, Chinese Literature, Vietnamese Literature, Vietnamese Language Studies, Sociology.

Academic Faculties/Divisions

Faculty of Archive and Office Management

Faculty of History

Faculty of International Studies

Faculty of Journalism and Communication

Faculty of Library and Information Science

Faculty of Linguistics

Faculty of Literature

Faculty of Management Science

Faculty of Oriental Studies

Faculty of Philosophy

Faculty of Psychology

Faculty of Sociology

Faculty of Tourism

Faculty of Vietnamese Studies and Language

Department of Anthropology

Department of Political Science

Research centers

Museum of Anthropology

Center for Quality Assurance

Center for Asian and Pacific Studies

Center for Gender and Development

Center for Chinese Studies

Center for Foreign Languages and International Educational Exchange Promotion

Center for Policy Studies and Analysis

Center for Psychological Counseling

Center for Demography and Social Work

Center of Consultancy for Socio-economic Development for Minority Groups

Center for Contemporary Religion Studies

Center for International Culture Studies

Center for Korean Language and Korean Studies

Scientific research and application

1. Studying on theoretical issues, for related solutions and in order to establish firm theoretical bases for disciplinary development. Research should be not only ideological but also applicable to the current situation of Vietnam’s society.

2. Conducting major interdisciplinary and regional research projects; thus contributing actively to national policymaking and planning .

3. Conducting research projects to clarify historical, cultural, social characteristics, and natural, environmental and ecological conditions to promote regional and inter-regional research and to clarify the foundation, development and establishment of Vietnam’s sovereignty; the socio-economic policy towards new lands, the role of the Kinh and other ethnic minority in domestic community.

4. Clarifying cultural exchange and contacts among cultures and civilizations, cultural space for ethnic groups, and cultural centers in Vietnam pertaining to history; researching on migration, clarifying the unity and diversity of Vietnamese culture in a regional cultural context; conducting research on religion and beliefs, etc.

5. Focusing on elements affecting social changes, social classes, interest groups, values, the appearance of new social classes, the role of family; implementing research on children, women, the elderly, marital relations, the social security system, authority policies, and the role of social organizations.

6. Studying cities and urban society, developmental basis and characteristics of each type of city; urban anthropology and urbanization, urban economy and culture; clarifying the role of urban areas, model of urban evolution and characteristics of Vietnamese urban areas.

7. Working on maritime potential, maritime economy, sea exploiting tradition and awareness of marine ecology, the process of the struggle to establish territorial sea limits, privileged sea zones and space; maritime conflict; different national maritime policies, history and capability for protection of maritime sovereignty, research on maritime trade, law of the sea, challenges of the marine environment, maritime trade routes and regional as well as international diplomatic relations in Asia in the past and at present, especially in the Vietnamese Eastern Sea(or South China Sea).

8. Zooming on the specific development path of Vietnam; processing of unification and struggle for national independence; majoring state and party’s policies, achievements and lessons gained from “Doi moi”;integration process to organizations like ASEAN, ASEM, APEC, EU, WTO…, and researching policies of countries such as America, China, Russia, etc.

International Relations and Cooperation

VNU University of Social Sciences and Humanities highly evaluates international cooperation to contribute to improving the professional qualifications of the staff and students, supporting training and scientific research of the University, strengthening understanding, solidarity, friendship and co-operation among nations.

Various forms of international cooperation, such as scholar and student exchanges, delivery of short term courses, organizing international conferences, and collaborating in joint-research programs, have been expanding. Most of these cooperative activities are bilateral and multilateral.

Currently, the University has been cooperating with over 100 universities, educational institutions and international organizations in the world; and have signed cooperative agreements with well-known universities in the region as well as in the world, such as Princeton University, Greiswald University(Germany), Paris 7 University, ToulouseII University (France), Aston University(England), Moscow State University(Russia), National University of Singapore(Singapore), University of Tokyo (Japan),Yonsei University (Korea), Australia National University, New South Wales University (Australia), Victoria University of Wellington (New Zealand), etc…

Joint training programs

The University is implementing training programs in Vietnamese and Vietnamese Studies with universities in the US, Korea, China and Japan in the form of granting a certificate (with courses lasting from 3 months to 1 year) and issuing a degree (2+2 model). The number of foreign students enrolled in joint training programs is increasing (from 47 students in the period of 2003-2004 to 400 students in the period of 2010-2011).In addition, the University has conducted 2+2 joint training programs with several prestigious universities in the region.

The University, in collaboration with the University Toulouse II (France),has offered a Master degree program in Management of Organizations, Psychology for Development and Tourism and Hospitality Management (the degree issued by the University of ToulouseII). In 2010, the University coordinated with the Lund University (Sweden) in introducing a Master degree program in Science and Technology Management. The number of students enrolled in postgraduate joint – training programs is increasing (from 21 students in 2007 to 160 students in 2010).

Contact address: 

VNU University of Social Sciences & Humanities

336, Nguyễn Trãi Street, Thanh Xuân, Hanoi

Tel: (84-4)38583798; Fax: (84-4) 39593921

Email: ico@vnu.edu.vn; Website: www.ussh.vnu.edu.vn