Vietnam Studies

Vietnam Studies at Fulbright

Over the past thirty years, Vietnam Studies has expanded enormously and thrived both in Vietnam and in research institutes and universities in Asia, Europe, North America, and Australia. Contemporary Vietnam Studies has moved beyond colonial and Cold War paradigms and preoccupations to examine the country and its multidimensional features throughout history and in contemporary time in both regional and global contexts.

A strong Vietnam Studies Program has always been integral to the original vision of the founders of Fulbright University Vietnam. Vietnam Studies includes scholarly research in Han-Nom, French, and quốc ngữ texts, materials, and sources, as well as critical examinations of Vietnamese politics, society, culture, and economy. Scholarly work in Vietnam Studies is by nature interdisciplinary, and includes not only the study of people, communities, and institutions within the national territory of Vietnam, but also the Vietnamese diaspora and Vietnam in regional contexts of East and Southeast Asia.

The Vietnam Studies program is designed for any student, regardless of their national or ethnic origin, who wants to pursue the study of Vietnam from multiple critical perspectives.

Vietnam Studies is an interdisciplinary field in which scholars and students draw upon the theory and methods of various disciplines (including humanities, social sciences, and natural science fields) to fashion transdisciplinary approaches to the study of Vietnam. Advanced (300-level) courses will help VS students build expertise in areas including Vietnam and Area Studies, Ethnohistory, International Relations, Interdisciplinary Economics (e.g., environmental economics, or heritage economics), Cultural Studies, Education, Digital Humanities, and Vietnamese Literature and Film. Additionally, VS students are encouraged to take up minors or double majors in the other fields offered at Fulbright.
Because Vietnam Studies is an area studies field, Vietnam Studies majors will learn to situate Vietnam in regional and global contexts. VS students will also gain the ability to study Vietnam in comparative perspective, so that they can think more critically and constructively about Vietnam’s connections to the rest of the world.

👉 Please find detailed information about the Vietnam Studies at: Vietnam Studies Major Handbook

Welcome to the Vietnam Studies Major at Fulbright!

We promote multifaceted and interdisciplinary research and study into global Vietnam. Vietnam Studies Majors learn to situate Vietnam in regional and global contexts, so that they can think more critically and constructively about Vietnam’s connections to the rest of the world.

We have gathered a great concentration of internationally renowned, world-class experts in the field of Vietnam Studies right here in Ho Chi Minh City, both as permanent and visiting faculty and as visiting scholars who regularly share their cutting-edge research and expertise with our community. Our students come from many different disciplinary backgrounds and interests, united by their common passion for employing these different methods to understanding the Vietnam deeply and holistically.

We aim to be the most happening major on campus with many classes, events, conferences, activities, specialized facilities, and funded independent research opportunities. Taking Vietnam as our center, we are unabashedly international, having offered many connected classes, workshops, and faculty and student exchange partnerships with top U.S., U.K., and continental European universities. We actively cross-list our courses with other majors and promote boundless learning across the institution and the world, in the Vietnamese liberal arts spirit of the Tonkin Free School.

Academic spotlight

Fulbright University Vietnam is delighted to invite you to a roundtable on Taiwanese Cinema, hosted by the Vietnam Studies Center in collaboration with Autumn Meeting. This conference will discuss issues of the family as the nucleus of contemporary society from internal viewpoints (from Taiwan) and external standpoints (from Vietnam and the United States). The presence and awards won in international film contests and festivals of Taiwanese cinema continue reconfirming its position on the global silver screen, unceasingly raising humane issues in the context of global interconnection. On one hand, familial stories reflected in Taiwanese films carve out multidimensional images of a specific society. On the other, moving beyond local characteristics, the families shown in the films trigger the audience’s thoughts of globally humane questions that appear universal to any communities or societies in our contemporary world.See more

Fulbright Speakers’ Series is a quest for knowledge and understanding with diverse incisive viewpoints of prominent authors, both in Vietnam and globally, venturing into a myriad of topics ranging from development history and current Vietnam in the context of globalization, to the importance of mental health in being a compassionate community member. Youtube channel: The World Beyond A Book Speakers’ SeriesSubscribe here

During the Fall term, Dartmouth and Fulbright students engaged in interactive learning through online discussions, group assignments, and a research project. In December 2022, 19 Dartmouth students and 16 Fulbright students gathered at Fulbright University Vietnam to conduct field research and present their findings in co-written research papers and team-produced documentary videos. The students participated in various activities, including roundtable discussions, interviews, video production training, peer review sessions, and field trips to Cần Giờ Mangrove Forest and Bến Tre Province.See more

Fulbright University Vietnam is honored to host an International Research Conference on the theme “Tonkin Free School & Vietnamese Liberal Arts Education Model” which is expected to take place from November 19 to November 20, 2022. The Conference is organized in the celebration of the 115th Anniversary of Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc (Tonkin Free School) (1907-2022), 155th Birth Anniversary of Phan Boi Chau (1867-2022), and 150th Birth Anniversary of Phan Chau Trinh (1872-2022). International Research Conference: “Tonkin Free School & Vietnamese Liberal Arts Education Model”See more

Make a gift to Vietnam Studies

Degree Requirements

Students will earn a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in Vietnam Studies after successfully completing the following courses:

General Curriculum Requirements:

4 Core courses (16 credits) and 6 Exploratory courses (24 credits), of which up to two Exploratory courses (8 credits) can be counted towards the major.
Experiential Learning.
Compulsory courses: Military Training (1 course), Physical Education (3 courses), and Political Courses (5 courses).

Major Requirements (52 credits):

1 Theory & Methods in Vietnam Studies (previously: Introduction to Vietnamese Studies) (4 credits).
2 Foundation Courses (100 Level) (8 credits).
1 Introductory Language Course (exempted if student can demonstrate HSK 2 or CEFR A1 or equivalent proficiency with a valid certificate or through examination) (4 credits; no credit
if obtained at an outside institution).
1 Intermediate Language course (exempted if student can demonstrate HSK 3 or CEFR A2 or equivalent proficiency with a valid certificate or through examination) (4 credits; no credit
if obtained at an outside institution).
3 Intermediate Courses (200 Level) (12 credits). Students may substitute up to 4 credits with Experiential Learning approved by the VS Major (such as through the Developing Vietnam
Practicum).
3 Advanced (300 Level) Courses (12 credits).

Coursework Path

1 Elective course at any level in Vietnam Studies (4 credits).
1 Advanced Course (300 level) (4 credits).

Capstone Path

Capstones I and II (8 credits).

Language requirement

Depending on a student’s background and interests, the languages that may fulfill this requirement include modern Vietnamese in quốc ngữ (if Vietnamese is not their mother tongue), classical or modern Chinese, Nôm script, or a reading knowledge of modern French.
Students are strongly advised to complete the language requirements before their final semester at Fulbright.

Sample Student Journey:

Year 1

Core Courses
Exploratory Courses
1 Foundation Course
1 Beginner
Language Course

Year 2

Core Courses
Exploratory Courses
1 Foundation Course
Theory & Method in Vietnam Studies
1 Intermediate Language Course
1 Intermediate Course

Year 3

2 Intermediate Courses
1 Advanced Course

Year 4

1 Capstone Seminar (for students doing a Capstone Project)
1 Advanced Course
Capstone I (for Honors)
Capstone II (for Honors)

Minor Requirements (24 credits):

Trained in sharpening their critical thinking, problem-identifying and solving skills, VS Minors will be equipped with transdisciplinary knowledge of Vietnam in regional and global contexts, together with skills in foreign language and digital humanities. This will help them become more competitive in any working environments that require a multidimensional understanding of Vietnam.

Vietnam Studies requires students to complete six courses:

1 Theory & Methods in Vietnam Studies (4 credits).
1 Introductory Language Course (exempted if student can demonstrate HSK2 or CEFR A1 or equivalent proficiency with a valid certificate or through examination) (4 credits; no credit if obtained at an institution outside of FUV, in which case the student would need another 4 VS credits at any level).
1 Foundation Course (4 credits).
2 Intermediate Courses (8 credits).
1 Advanced (300-level) Course (4 credits).

Requirements for Declaring the Vietnam Studies Major and Minor

To formally declare Vietnam Studies as their major, the student must need to complete at least the core courses and 2 VS courses.

To formally declare Vietnam Studies as their minor, the student must first complete the core courses and 1 VS course.

Graduation with Honors Requirements

Minimum GPA Threshold by Summer of a Student’s Third Year.
Students must complete Capstone I and Capstone II
The Capstone must be graded as Honors pass

Sample course list

Foundation Courses: With interdisciplinary approaches, foundation courses further familiarize students with local studies, allowing them the chance to learn more about Vietnam:

Sample Foundation courses:

Introduction to Comparative Politics: Bringing in Vietnam
Cultural and Intellectual Foundation of Vietnamese Literary Chinese I
Digital Humanities in Vietnam Studies Contexts I

Intermediate Courses: As students have been equipped with some theoretical approaches, foundational knowledge of Vietnam and its regions, language, and professional skills (such as oral history interview skills), intermediate courses deeper focus on close-readings and critical interpretation of “broadly defined texts.” Here are some examples:

Sample Foundation courses:

Developing Vietnam: History, Environment, and Culture
Going Hand in Hand: Politics and Economic Development in Contemporary Vietnam
Contending Theories of International Relations: A Comprehensive View of Vietnam and the World
Chinese Foreign Policy Making: Vietnam, U.S. and Beyond
Understanding International Political Economy: A Vietnamese Approach
Secular Mindfulness
Digital Humanities in Vietnam Studies Contexts II

Based on their academic interests, students will take three courses belonging to a specific discipline to claim their concentration. Here are some examples of courses that have already been taught:

The Global Vietnam War
Vietnamese Migration
Vietnamese Republicanism

VS Capstone (8 credits): The Capstone Project offers students an excellent opportunity to conduct a year-long research and present it either as an individual thesis or a group-project work. Taking Vietnam as the center, this senior project can deal with a variety of issues (re)discovered in contemporary Vietnam thanks to new documents and/or new research methods. Students can employ transdisciplinary approaches for individual capstones, or a transdisciplinary teamwork of a group of students (whose disciplinary focuses are different) for group-project capstones. The Capstone Project can be presented in “traditional” format (i.e., written thesis), or multimedia-based product.

Eligibility criteria for enrollment in VS 401: Capstone I include:

a minimum major GPA of 3.2
all 100-level major requirements completed by the beginning of Capstone I
no outstanding Incompletes at the time of application.

Introductory Language Course* (1 required)
Foundation Courses (2 required)
Sample Foundation Courses:
- Going Hand in Hang: Politics and Economic Development in Contemporary Vietnam
- Introduction to Comparative Politics: Bringing in Vietnam
- Cultural and Intellectual Foundation of Vietnamese Literary Chinese I
- Developing Vietnam: History, Environment, and Culture
- Digital Humanities in Vietnam Studies Contexts I
- Modern East Asia
Theory & Methods in Vietnam Studies
Intermediate Language Course** (1 required)
Sample Intermediate Courses (200-level):
- Going Hand in Hand: Politics and Economic Development in Contemporary Vietnam
- The Challenge of Change: Civil Society and Social Movements in Vietnam
- The Legacy of the War in Retrospect I
- Cultural and Intellectual Foundation of Vietnamese Literary Chinese II
- Ethics in Practice: Philosophical Buddhist Ethics
- Contending Theories of International Relations: A Comprehensive View of Vietnam and the World
- Secular Mindfulness: From Wartime Vietnam to the World, and Back to Postwar Developing Vietnam
- Understanding International Political Economy: A Vietnamese Approach
- Chinese Foreign Policy Making: Vietnam, the U.S, and Beyond
Intermediate Courses (3 required)***
Sample Intermediate Courses (200-level):
- Going Hand in Hand: Politics and Economic Development in Contemporary Vietnam
- The Challenge of Change: Civil Society and Social Movements in Vietnam
- The Legacy of the War in Retrospect I
- Cultural and Intellectual Foundation of Vietnamese Literary Chinese II
- Ethics in Practice: Philosophical Buddhist Ethics
- Contending Theories of International Relations: A Comprehensive View of Vietnam and the World
- Secular Mindfulness: From Wartime Vietnam to the World, and Back to Postwar Developing Vietnam
- Understanding International Political Economy: A Vietnamese Approach
- Chinese Foreign Policy Making: Vietnam, the U.S, and Beyond
Advanced Courses (3 required)
Sample Advanced Courses (300-level):
- The Legacy of the War in Retrospect II
- Translational Buddhist Mindfulness: Vietnamese Buddhist Traditions and Global Contexts

Coursework Path
- Elective course at any level in VS (1 required)
- Advanced course (1 required)
Capstone Path
Capstone I & Capstone II (2 required)

*exempted if student can demonstrate CEFR AI or equivalent proficiency with a valid certificate or through examination
**exempted if student can demonstrate CEFR A2 or equivalent proficiency with a valid certificate or through examination

***one of these can be replaced with a major-approved Experiential Learning (4 credits)

Meet our faculty

Our faculty combines global experience and local insight, driving our commitment to providing you with academic excellence.

Featured faculty

Before joining Fulbright in 2021 as a faculty member in Vietnam Studies, Dr. Nguyễn Thành Trung was the Director of the Center for International Studies and the Department Head of International Politics at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities (USSH), Vietnam National University in HCMC (2016-2018). Earlier than that, he was the USSH’s former head of the Faculty of International Relations from 2016 to 2018. After earning his MA in International Politics from Fudan University with the United Board (UBCHEA) fellowship grants, Dr. Trung pursued further studies at the University of Virginia under the Harvard-Yenching Institute’s Doctoral Fellowship, before completing his Ph.D. in Political Science at the Hong Kong Baptist University with the prestigious Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme Award (HKPFS). He was also trained at Harvard University and Singapore Management University (SMU) on Educational Leadership as a UBCHEA fellow. At Fulbright University Vietnam, Dr. Nguyễn Thành Trung has been teaching courses in International Political Economy, International Relations Theory, Chinese Foreign Policy, Comparative Politics, World Politics, International Security, and Modern Vietnamese Culture and Society. Dr. Trung has published several book chapers in Vietnamese foreign policy and regional security. In addition, he has been a frequent contributor to Vietnamese newspapers and media.

Nguyen Thanh Trung, Faculty Member in Vietnam Studies

Meet our Fulbrighters

Come and learn how Fulbright has impacted the lives of our current students and graduates.

Featured student

“Hello, my name is Đồng Thị Hải Yến. I am a student currently pursuing two majors, Vietnam Studies and Psychology. I am also a visually impaired student, which has taught me to be resilient and determined in pursuing my academic goals. My passion for Vietnam Studies stems from my curiosity about the multi-dimensional aspects of Vietnam, such as its history, culture, society, and politics. I am particularly interested in understanding the historical periods and events that have shaped the rapid development of the Vietnamese people. As a victim of Agent Orange, I am also motivated to explore the historical dark corners that my war grandfathers went through. Currently, I am conducting in-depth research on the psychology of disabled communities in Vietnam, especially the visually impaired. Through my research, I hope to contribute to the development of a just society where people with disabilities are cared for both mentally and physically through social welfare. I believe that scholarly articles on disadvantaged communities in Vietnam can bring about meaningful change and raise awareness about the importance of supporting those in need. Studying Vietnam Studies has provided me with a wealth of knowledge about various aspects of Vietnamese society, which has been invaluable in shaping my research path. Additionally, Vietnam Studies has provided me with many opportunities for personal and academic development through engaging interactions with lecturers and fellow students.”

Dong Thi Hai Yen, Class of 2024

Class of 2025

Từ Minh Duy
Nguyễn Trần Phương Linh
Đặng Thị Thảo Nguyễn
Nguyễn Hà Mỹ Tâm

Class of 2024

Huỳnh Thị Mỹ Lâm
Quách Minh Phát
Đồng Thị Hải Yến

Meet our Alumni

Come and learn how Fulbright has impacted the lives of our current students and graduates.

Featured alumni

“Personally, choosing Vietnam Studies as a major at Fulbright comes very naturally. In 2015, after a series of reflections and a coincidence, I told myself that I would dedicate my life to “making Vietnam become a better place” via public policy. Started as a silly statement but since then, I had studied in the UK to have early exposure to politics and economics, led many youth empowerment projects in Vietnam and Southeast Asia, returned to Vietnam, and joined Fulbright to co-design the institution that I believe will be successful in empowering the next generation of Vietnamese leaders. Therefore, Vietnam Studies is just a natural next step for my personal and academic development. Personal narrative aside, the major has added so many values to my journey, the biggest of which is to study world-class knowledge in the Vietnamese context. Before studying the major, there were many times I got frustrated because while I knew a lot about British politics, I have a very limited understanding of Vietnam’s political system. The Vietnam Studies Major fills in this gap and takes the lead in educating young students, telling the Vietnam story from a Vietnamese perspective. A big shout out to thay Nam and anh Hoang for your inspiration and dedication to the major. Moving forward in life, I will always be grateful and proudly say that I am a Vietnam Studies graduate from Fulbright University Vietnam.”

Phan Hoang Dung, Class os 2023

Selected Faculty Publications

Nguyen Nam

Books & Book Chapters

[Editor] Pre-Modern Representative Vietnamese Authors through Modern East Asian Scholars’ Research, Ho Chi Minh City: Vietnam National University in Ho Chi Minh City Press, 2021 (Forthcoming).

The Shadow Left Behind – Monograph on the Fourteenth-Century Century Painting “The Mahasattva Truc Lam Coming Out of the Mountain 竹林大士出山圖” [Bóng hình để lại – Chuyên đề “Trúc Lâm Đại sĩ xuất sơn đồ”] Monograph of the journal Suoi nguon (Fountainhead), 7/2012.

Historical and Cultural Translation Studies: The Case of Truyền Kỳ Mạn Lục 傳奇漫錄 [Phien dich hoc lich su – van hoa: Truong hop Truyen Ky Man Luc], Ho Chi Minh City: Vietnam National University in Ho Chi Minh City, 2002.

“A Vietnamese Reading of the Master’s Classic: Phạm Nguyễn Du’s Humble Comments on the Analects – As an Example of Transformative Learning,” in Roland Reichenbach and Duck-Joo Kwak, eds. Confucian Perspectives on Learning and Self-Transformation – International and Cross-Disciplinary Approaches, Cham, Switzerland: Springer, 2021.

“The Noble Person and the Revolutionary: Living with Confucian Values in Contemporary Vietnam” in Roger T. Ames and Peter D. Hershock, eds. Confucianisms for a Changing World Cultural Order, Hawaii: University of Hawaii Press, 2018.

(With Wiebke Denecke) “Shared Literary Heritage in the East Asian Sinographic Sphere” in Wiebke Denecke, Wai-Yee Li, and Xiaofei Tian, eds. The Oxford Handbook of Classical Chinese Literature (1000 BC – 900 CE), Oxford University Press, 2017.

Historical and Cultural Translation Studies: The Case of Truyền Kỳ Mạn Lục 傳奇漫錄 [Phiên dịch học Lịch sử – Văn hoá: Trường hợp Truyền Kỳ Mạn Lục], Vietnam National University in Ho Chi Minh City, 2002.

Research:

“Traveling Knowledge: Publications from Japan and China in Early Twentieth-Century Vietnam” in 世界の日本研究 / Japanese Studies Around the World 2021: 10–27.

Vu Minh Hoang

Vu, Hoang Minh. “Between Propaganda and Cao-Mienism: The Cambodian Decade in Vietnamese Literature.” Journal of Vietnamese Studies 15, no. 1 (February 1, 2020): 49–76. https://doi.org/10.1525/vs.2020.15.1.49.

Vu, Hoang Minh, “Those who learn from history can still repeat it: The challenges of learning from the Cambodian Genocide” in Zucker, Eve Monique, and Ben Kiernan, eds. Political Violence in Southeast Asia since 1945. 1st edition. Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon ; New York, NY: Routledge, 2021.

Vu, Hoang Minh, “Out of the Quagmire: Vietnam’s Winding Road to the Paris Peace Agreement, 1986-1991” in Pierre Journaud ed. Un Triangle Strategique à L’Épreuve : La Chine, Les États-Unis et l’Asie Du Sud-Est, 1947-2017 – Conflits, Regionalisations et Processus de Paix. Presses Universitaires de La Méditerranée, 2021.

Nguyen Thanh Trung

Nguyễn Thành Trung (co-authored). Sức Mạnh Mềm của Trung Quốc trong cạnh tranh chiến lược với Mỹ ở khu vực Ấn Độ Dương – Thái Bình Dương: Tác động và Hàm ý với Việt Nam. Nhà Xuất Bản Chính Trị Quốc Gia Sự Thật, 2022.

Nguyen Thanh Trung and Le Ngoc Khanh Ngan, “Authoritarian Empowerment: Vietnam’s Effective Control of Covid-19 in 2020” in Wen-Pin Lin, Khai Leong Ho, and Samuel C. Y. Ku (eds) Southeast Asia Under Stress, Taiwan: Wenzao University Press, 2022.

Nguyễn Thành Trung, Nguyễn Hồng Tân, “The Health Silk Road: China’s Vaccine Diplomacy in Southeast Asia,” VNUHCM Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 6(3), 1658-1670, Sept. 2022

Nicolas Weber

2021. “Malays in the Indochinese Peninsula: The Rise and Fall of a Malay ‘Tuan’ in Precolonial Indochinese Peninsula”, Journal of the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society 94, Part 2, Number 321, pp. 43-66.

2021. “Malays in the Indochinese Peninsula: Adventurers, Warlords and Ministers,” Journal of the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society 94, Part 1, Number 320, June, pp. 1-24.

2019. “’We Were Moving in an Endless Single Line’. Memory, Exile and History in Cam Diaspora’s Narrative Poems,” SOJOURN – Journal of Social Issues in Southeast Asia 34 no. 1, pp. 76-109.

2016. “The Cham Diaspora in Southeast Asia: Patterns of Historical, Political, Social and Economic Development,” in Engelbert, Jörg Thomas (ed.) Vietnam’s Ethnic and Religious Minorities: A Historical Perspective, Peter Lang, pp. 157-202.

2014. Histoire de la diaspora Cam [History of the Cham Diaspora], Les Indes Savantes, Paris.

2012. “The Destruction and Assimilation of Campā (1832-5) as seen from Cam Sources,” Journal of Southeast Asian Studies 43(1), pp. 158–180.

2011. “Securing and Developing the Southwestern Region: The Role of the Cham and Malay Colonies in Vietnam (18th-19th centuries),” Journal of the Economic and Social History of the Orient 54, pp. 739-772.

Capstone projects

Class of 2023

The impacts of gender inclusivity on higher education performance: A case study of Fulbright University Vietnam

Le Khanh Ha

Attitudes of Hmong women towards domestic violence and divorce from an interdisciplinary perspective

Khang A Tua

Pain points and policy recommendations for innovative startups and SMEs in the Vietnamese innovation ecosystem

Phan Hoang Dung

Events and News

Youtube channel: The World Beyond A Book Speakers’ Series Subscribe here

Developing Vietnam course: Cultivating a holistic view of contemporary Vietnam

Transformations of the Global Social Nucleus: Thoughts on Family as reflected in Taiwanese cinema

Fulbright University Vietnam signed MOU with Columbia University

International Research Conference: “Tonkin Free School & Vietnamese Liberal Arts Education Model”

Le 17e Parallele: La Guerre Du Peuple – the Vietnam War through a cinematic lens

Connect with us

Discover the future awaiting
you at Fulbright

Learn how to apply

Vietnam Studies

Vietnam Studies at Fulbright

The Vietnam Studies program is designed for any student, regardless of their national or ethnic origin, who wants to pursue the study of Vietnam from multiple critical perspectives.

Vietnam Studies is an interdisciplinary field in which scholars and students draw upon the theory and methods of various disciplines (including humanities, social sciences, and natural science fields) to fashion transdisciplinary approaches to the study of Vietnam. Advanced (300-level) courses will help VS students build expertise in areas including Vietnam and Area Studies, Ethnohistory, International Relations, Interdisciplinary Economics (e.g., environmental economics, or heritage economics), Cultural Studies, Education, Digital Humanities, and Vietnamese Literature and Film. Additionally, VS students are encouraged to take up minors or double majors in the other fields offered at Fulbright.
Because Vietnam Studies is an area studies field, Vietnam Studies majors will learn to situate Vietnam in regional and global contexts. VS students will also gain the ability to study Vietnam in comparative perspective, so that they can think more critically and constructively about Vietnam’s connections to the rest of the world.

👉 Please find detailed information about the Vietnam Studies at: Vietnam Studies Major Handbook

Welcome to the Vietnam Studies Major at Fulbright!

Academic spotlight

Make a gift to Vietnam Studies

Degree Requirements

Students will earn a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in Vietnam Studies after successfully completing the following courses:

General Curriculum Requirements:

4 Core courses (16 credits) and 6 Exploratory courses (24 credits), of which up to two Exploratory courses (8 credits) can be counted towards the major.
Experiential Learning.
Compulsory courses: Military Training (1 course), Physical Education (3 courses), and Political Courses (5 courses).

Major Requirements (52 credits):

1 Theory & Methods in Vietnam Studies (previously: Introduction to Vietnamese Studies) (4 credits).
2 Foundation Courses (100 Level) (8 credits).
1 Introductory Language Course (exempted if student can demonstrate HSK 2 or CEFR A1 or equivalent proficiency with a valid certificate or through examination) (4 credits; no credit
if obtained at an outside institution).
1 Intermediate Language course (exempted if student can demonstrate HSK 3 or CEFR A2 or equivalent proficiency with a valid certificate or through examination) (4 credits; no credit
if obtained at an outside institution).
3 Intermediate Courses (200 Level) (12 credits). Students may substitute up to 4 credits with Experiential Learning approved by the VS Major (such as through the Developing Vietnam
Practicum).
3 Advanced (300 Level) Courses (12 credits).

Coursework Path

1 Elective course at any level in Vietnam Studies (4 credits).
1 Advanced Course (300 level) (4 credits).

Capstone Path

Capstones I and II (8 credits).

Language requirement

Depending on a student’s background and interests, the languages that may fulfill this requirement include modern Vietnamese in quốc ngữ (if Vietnamese is not their mother tongue), classical or modern Chinese, Nôm script, or a reading knowledge of modern French.
Students are strongly advised to complete the language requirements before their final semester at Fulbright.

Sample Student Journey:

Year 1

Core Courses
Exploratory Courses
1 Foundation Course
1 Beginner
Language Course

Year 2

Core Courses
Exploratory Courses
1 Foundation Course
Theory & Method in Vietnam Studies
1 Intermediate Language Course
1 Intermediate Course

Year 3

2 Intermediate Courses
1 Advanced Course

Year 4

1 Capstone Seminar (for students doing a Capstone Project)
1 Advanced Course
Capstone I (for Honors)
Capstone II (for Honors)

Minor Requirements (24 credits):

Vietnam Studies requires students to complete six courses:

1 Theory & Methods in Vietnam Studies (4 credits).
1 Introductory Language Course (exempted if student can demonstrate HSK2 or CEFR A1 or equivalent proficiency with a valid certificate or through examination) (4 credits; no credit if obtained at an institution outside of FUV, in which case the student would need another 4 VS credits at any level).
1 Foundation Course (4 credits).
2 Intermediate Courses (8 credits).
1 Advanced (300-level) Course (4 credits).

Requirements for Declaring the Vietnam Studies Major and Minor

To formally declare Vietnam Studies as their major, the student must need to complete at least the core courses and 2 VS courses.

To formally declare Vietnam Studies as their minor, the student must first complete the core courses and 1 VS course.

Graduation with Honors Requirements

Minimum GPA Threshold by Summer of a Student’s Third Year.
Students must complete Capstone I and Capstone II
The Capstone must be graded as Honors pass

Sample course list

Foundation Courses: With interdisciplinary approaches, foundation courses further familiarize students with local studies, allowing them the chance to learn more about Vietnam:

Sample Foundation courses:

Introduction to Comparative Politics: Bringing in Vietnam
Cultural and Intellectual Foundation of Vietnamese Literary Chinese I
Digital Humanities in Vietnam Studies Contexts I

Sample Foundation courses:

Developing Vietnam: History, Environment, and Culture
Going Hand in Hand: Politics and Economic Development in Contemporary Vietnam
Contending Theories of International Relations: A Comprehensive View of Vietnam and the World
Chinese Foreign Policy Making: Vietnam, U.S. and Beyond
Understanding International Political Economy: A Vietnamese Approach
Secular Mindfulness
Digital Humanities in Vietnam Studies Contexts II

Based on their academic interests, students will take three courses belonging to a specific discipline to claim their concentration. Here are some examples of courses that have already been taught:

The Global Vietnam War
Vietnamese Migration
Vietnamese Republicanism

Eligibility criteria for enrollment in VS 401: Capstone I include:

a minimum major GPA of 3.2
all 100-level major requirements completed by the beginning of Capstone I
no outstanding Incompletes at the time of application.

Introductory Language Course* (1 required)
Foundation Courses (2 required)
Sample Foundation Courses:
- Going Hand in Hang: Politics and Economic Development in Contemporary Vietnam
- Introduction to Comparative Politics: Bringing in Vietnam
- Cultural and Intellectual Foundation of Vietnamese Literary Chinese I
- Developing Vietnam: History, Environment, and Culture
- Digital Humanities in Vietnam Studies Contexts I
- Modern East Asia
Theory & Methods in Vietnam Studies
Intermediate Language Course** (1 required)
Sample Intermediate Courses (200-level):
- Going Hand in Hand: Politics and Economic Development in Contemporary Vietnam
- The Challenge of Change: Civil Society and Social Movements in Vietnam
- The Legacy of the War in Retrospect I
- Cultural and Intellectual Foundation of Vietnamese Literary Chinese II
- Ethics in Practice: Philosophical Buddhist Ethics
- Contending Theories of International Relations: A Comprehensive View of Vietnam and the World
- Secular Mindfulness: From Wartime Vietnam to the World, and Back to Postwar Developing Vietnam
- Understanding International Political Economy: A Vietnamese Approach
- Chinese Foreign Policy Making: Vietnam, the U.S, and Beyond
Intermediate Courses (3 required)***
Sample Intermediate Courses (200-level):
- Going Hand in Hand: Politics and Economic Development in Contemporary Vietnam
- The Challenge of Change: Civil Society and Social Movements in Vietnam
- The Legacy of the War in Retrospect I
- Cultural and Intellectual Foundation of Vietnamese Literary Chinese II
- Ethics in Practice: Philosophical Buddhist Ethics
- Contending Theories of International Relations: A Comprehensive View of Vietnam and the World
- Secular Mindfulness: From Wartime Vietnam to the World, and Back to Postwar Developing Vietnam
- Understanding International Political Economy: A Vietnamese Approach
- Chinese Foreign Policy Making: Vietnam, the U.S, and Beyond
Advanced Courses (3 required)
Sample Advanced Courses (300-level):
- The Legacy of the War in Retrospect II
- Translational Buddhist Mindfulness: Vietnamese Buddhist Traditions and Global Contexts

Coursework Path
- Elective course at any level in VS (1 required)
- Advanced course (1 required)
Capstone Path
Capstone I & Capstone II (2 required)

***one of these can be replaced with a major-approved Experiential Learning (4 credits)

Meet our faculty

Our faculty combines global experience and local insight, driving our commitment to providing you with academic excellence.

Featured faculty

Nguyen Thanh Trung, Faculty Member in Vietnam Studies

Meet our Fulbrighters

Come and learn how Fulbright has impacted the lives of our current students and graduates.

Featured student

Dong Thi Hai Yen, Class of 2024

Class of 2025

Từ Minh Duy
Nguyễn Trần Phương Linh
Đặng Thị Thảo Nguyễn
Nguyễn Hà Mỹ Tâm

Class of 2024

Huỳnh Thị Mỹ Lâm
Quách Minh Phát
Đồng Thị Hải Yến

Meet our Alumni

Come and learn how Fulbright has impacted the lives of our current students and graduates.

Featured alumni

Phan Hoang Dung, Class os 2023

Selected Faculty Publications

Nguyen Nam

Books & Book Chapters

[Editor] Pre-Modern Representative Vietnamese Authors through Modern East Asian Scholars’ Research, Ho Chi Minh City: Vietnam National University in Ho Chi Minh City Press, 2021 (Forthcoming).

Research:

“Traveling Knowledge: Publications from Japan and China in Early Twentieth-Century Vietnam” in 世界の日本研究 / Japanese Studies Around the World 2021: 10–27.

Vu Minh Hoang

Nguyen Thanh Trung

Nguyễn Thành Trung, Nguyễn Hồng Tân, “The Health Silk Road: China’s Vaccine Diplomacy in Southeast Asia,” VNUHCM Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 6(3), 1658-1670, Sept. 2022

Nicolas Weber

2021. “Malays in the Indochinese Peninsula: Adventurers, Warlords and Ministers,” Journal of the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society 94, Part 1, Number 320, June, pp. 1-24.

2019. “’We Were Moving in an Endless Single Line’. Memory, Exile and History in Cam Diaspora’s Narrative Poems,” SOJOURN – Journal of Social Issues in Southeast Asia 34 no. 1, pp. 76-109.

2014. Histoire de la diaspora Cam [History of the Cham Diaspora], Les Indes Savantes, Paris.

2012. “The Destruction and Assimilation of Campā (1832-5) as seen from Cam Sources,” Journal of Southeast Asian Studies 43(1), pp. 158–180.

Capstone projects

Class of 2023

The impacts of gender inclusivity on higher education performance: A case study of Fulbright University Vietnam

Le Khanh Ha

Attitudes of Hmong women towards domestic violence and divorce from an interdisciplinary perspective

Khang A Tua

Pain points and policy recommendations for innovative startups and SMEs in the Vietnamese innovation ecosystem

Phan Hoang Dung

Events and News

Youtube channel: The World Beyond A Book Speakers’ Series Subscribe here

Developing Vietnam course: Cultivating a holistic view of contemporary Vietnam

Transformations of the Global Social Nucleus: Thoughts on Family as reflected in Taiwanese cinema

Fulbright University Vietnam signed MOU with Columbia University

International Research Conference: “Tonkin Free School & Vietnamese Liberal Arts Education Model”

Le 17e Parallele: La Guerre Du Peuple – the Vietnam War through a cinematic lens

Connect with us

Discover the future awaiting
you at Fulbright

Learn how to apply

Vietnam Studies

Vietnam Studies at Fulbright

Welcome to the Vietnam Studies Major at Fulbright!

Academic spotlight

Degree Requirements

General Curriculum Requirements:

Major Requirements (52 credits):

Minor Requirements (24 credits):

Requirements for Declaring the Vietnam Studies Major and Minor

Graduation with Honors Requirements

Sample course list

Meet our faculty

Featured faculty

Meet our Fulbrighters

Featured student

Meet our Alumni

Featured alumni

Selected Faculty Publications

Capstone projects

Events and News

Connect with us

Discover the future awaiting you at Fulbright

Vietnam Studies

Vietnam Studies at Fulbright

Welcome to the Vietnam Studies Major at Fulbright!

Academic spotlight

Degree Requirements

General Curriculum Requirements:

Major Requirements (52 credits):

Minor Requirements (24 credits):

Requirements for Declaring the Vietnam Studies Major and Minor

Graduation with Honors Requirements

Sample course list

Meet our faculty

Featured faculty

Meet our Fulbrighters

Featured student

Meet our Alumni

Featured alumni

Selected Faculty Publications

Capstone projects

Events and News

Connect with us

Discover the future awaiting you at Fulbright

Discover the future awaiting
you at Fulbright

Discover the future awaiting
you at Fulbright