About us
Pride and Foundation as One of the First Faculties of the University
On September 24, 1997, with the establishment of Ton Duc Thang University, the Department of Social Sciences and the Department of Humanities were established under the Faculty of General Studies. On July 6, 2001, these departments were consolidated into the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities (FSSH). In its early years, the Faculty offered undergraduate training in Sociology and provided foundational courses such as Political Theory, Skills, Academic Writing, and Vietnamese Culture to students across the University. FSSH is proud to be one of the first faculties of the University named after President Ton Duc Thang and has made significant contributions to its development over the years.
Experienced Faculty Members
With a strategic vision for holistic human development in intellect, morality, and competence, and a commitment to advancing a modern scientific foundation, the FSSH has built a team of lecturers sufficient in number and distinguished in quality. They are dedicated professionals, highly qualified, and continuously innovative in enhancing the quality of teaching and learning.
At present, the Faculty has 44 full-time academic staff, including 4 Associate Professors, 16 PhDs, 7 doctoral candidates, 14 Masters, 2 Bachelors, and 1 Engineer. In addition, the Faculty collaborates with visiting professors and renowned scholars from Vietnam and abroad.
Academic Programs
The FSSH offers four main academic programs: Sociology, Social Work, Vietnamese Studies, and Tourism. Vietnamese Studies includes three concentrations in Tourism and Travel, Tourism and Tourism Management, and Vietnamese Language, Culture and Society, while Tourism consists of two concentrations in Tour Guiding and Tourism Management. Since the academic year 2016–2017, the Faculty has admitted international students into the Vietnamese Language, Culture and Society concentration and has welcomed international students for internships or short-term training courses in Tourism and Tourism Management. In addition, the Faculty is responsible for teaching Political Theory courses to all students across the University.
At present, the Faculty has more than 2,000 students enrolled and has produced over 2,000 bachelor’s graduates and nearly 200 master’s graduates in Sociology. All graduates have secured employment and meet the expectations of employers. The proportion of high-achieving students has risen steadily each year, along with continuous improvements in admission quality. The Faculty’s advanced and practice-oriented curricula remain a distinctive strength that supports sustainable development and growth.
In Sociology, with a multidimensional approach to social issues, the program equips students with fundamental knowledge for comprehensive development, along with the ability to apply academic principles and theories to the realities of society. Graduates in Sociology are prepared to work in various fields, including social work, development research, market research, human resources management, consulting, teaching, community development, and journalism and communication. Since 2017, the Faculty has offered a postgraduate program in Sociology, and beginning in 2025 it will launch an advanced undergraduate program in Sociology.
Vietnamese Studies includes three concentrations: Tourism and Travel, Tourism and Tourism Management, and Vietnamese Linguistics and Vietnamese Language, Culture and Society. Among these, the Tourism and Travel and the Tourism and Tourism Management concentrations attract a large number of students because of the high demand for qualified professionals in the field. Students acquire both foundational and specialized knowledge in tourism economics, hospitality and tourism business management, culture, history, arts and foreign languages. They also have opportunities to collaborate with travel enterprises and undertake internships across Vietnam as well as abroad. In addition to the standard program, Vietnamese Studies offers a high-quality program in Tourism and Tourism Management, which provides students with opportunities for study and exchange at partner institutions such as Nanhua University in Taiwan, Nanyang Polytechnic in Singapore and Nakhon Pathom Rajabhat University in Thailand. From 2016 to 2021, Vietnamese Studies implemented a joint program with Penghu University of Science and Technology in Taiwan in Tourism and Leisure Management. In 2020, the program introduced a curriculum taught entirely in English for the Tourism and Tourism Management concentration. The Faculty has also offered a two-year program at the Khanh Hoa branch campus in Tourism and Travel. Beginning in 2025, the Faculty will admit students to the Tourism program with concentrations in Tour Guiding and Tourism Management.
Graduates of the Vietnamese Language, Culture and Society concentration are well prepared for careers in diplomatic agencies, international organizations, travel companies, trade offices, and governmental or non-governmental organizations in Vietnam and abroad that require professionals with expertise in Vietnam. They are also equipped to work as translators, interpreters, researchers, or instructors of the Vietnamese language.
The Social Work program provides students with extensive knowledge of social issues and with skills to intervene and address social problems at the individual, group, community, and societal levels. Upon graduation, students are capable of advising on social policies that meet the development needs of the nation. Social Work graduates are also expected to embody professional, personal, and social ethics, enabling them to work effectively in government agencies, enterprises, socio-political organizations, professional associations, and especially in non-governmental and international organizations. They contribute to building a prosperous, equitable, democratic, integrated, and civilized Vietnam.
For more detailed information about the programs, please visit: http://ssh.tdtu.edu.vn/giao-duc/giao-duc-dai-hoc
Scientific research
In recent years, research activities at the FSSH have been consistently emphasized and effectively implemented. Faculty members and students have successfully carried out numerous projects at both ministerial and provincial levels. Many of these research projects have been applied in social practice as well as in the University’s teaching. Students across disciplines have achieved remarkable accomplishments. For example, a group of Sociology students won First Prize at the Student Scientific Research Award – Euréka 2016; Vo Minh Hieu, a Tourism student, secured First Prize in the Tourism Ideas 2017 Competition organized by the Department of Culture and Sports and the Department of Science and Technology of Ho Chi Minh City in December 2017; and the Social Work student team earned First Prize in the 2017 Student Contest on HIV/AIDS Prevention. These achievements demonstrate the ability of students to apply their disciplinary knowledge to real-world issues. Notably, in 2020, Sociology student Nguyen Phi Hien and Social Work student Bui Mai Sinh, together with Faculty staff, published the article “LGBTQIA+ at the Blue Sky Club in Ho Chi Minh City” in an ISI Q3-ranked journal. In 2021, a group of Tourism students won First Prize at the Student Scientific Research Award – Euréka 2021.
Each year, the Faculty organizes academic conferences that attract significant interest from domestic and international scholars. The University also provides many opportunities for Faculty staff to engage in study visits, professional exchanges, conferences, and academic training programs abroad, both long-term at the master’s and doctoral levels and short-term. At the same time, international experts and professors are regularly invited to share academic expertise at the Faculty. Through its teaching and research activities, the Faculty has affirmed its position in the field of social sciences, progressively expanding international collaborations. It has established partnerships with institutions such as the University of Trieste in Italy, Leipzig University in Germany, the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom, National Chiao Tung University in Taiwan, Purdue University in the United States, the University of Melbourne in Australia, Kaunas University in Lithuania, the Higher School of Economics in Russia, Jadavpur University in India, London Metropolitan University in the United Kingdom, Gampaha Wickramarachchi University of Indigenous Medicine in Sri Lanka, and Walailak University in Thailand, among others. Together with these partners, the Faculty has co-organized the International Conference on Innovations in the Social Sciences and Humanities (ISSH) in 2019, 2021, and 2024, laying the foundation for active participation in global academic networks.
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International Cooperation
The FSSH consistently prioritizes partnerships with universities and research institutes worldwide to foster innovation and ensure alignment with global trends. The Faculty has signed MOAs and MOUs with leading institutions such as Purdue University Northwest in Indiana, United States, National Chiao Tung University in Taiwan, Nakhon Pathom Rajabhat University in Thailand, Ming Chuan University in Taiwan, and the University of Melbourne in Australia. These agreements encompass faculty and student exchanges, academic training, and collaborative research.
Student Activities and Organizations
In addition to their studies, students are encouraged to participate in Youth Union and Student Association activities, cultural and artistic events, and community service programs that enhance social awareness and civic responsibility. Numerous initiatives and student clubs, such as the Heart to Heart Club, the Travel Club, and the Sociology Club, have become vibrant focal points attracting wide student engagement and have received positive recognition from the media and the public. Students have also achieved notable successes, including three First Prizes in the Student Singing Contest, First Prize in the Flower Arranging Contest, First Prize in Women’s Football, First Prize in the Storytelling Contest on President Ton Duc Thang, and First Prize in the Marx–Lenin Olympiad.
Discipline and Academic Culture
The FSSH places strong emphasis on discipline, civic responsibility, and academic integrity through the “Threefold Ethical Education Program.” This initiative has achieved considerable success in fostering a positive academic culture and strengthening the image of the University’s learning environment.
Looking Ahead
With strategic development plans responsive to societal needs, the FSSH is steadily integrating into the global academic community, expanding its academic programs, and strengthening its reputation as a trusted institution of higher learning. The Faculty is committed to contributing to society by preparing a highly qualified workforce that embodies the standards of global citizenship.
