DOCTORAL TRAINING PROGRAM IN SOCIAL WORK

PART I: GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO THE TRAINING PROGRAM

1. Some information about the training program

- Program name:

+ Vietnamese name: Social Work

+ English name: Social work

- Name of the training program:

+ Vietnamese name: Social Work

+ English name: Social work

- Training program code: 9760101

- Language of instruction: Vietnamese

- Standard training duration: 3 years for those with a master's degree, 4 years for those with a bachelor's degree.

- Name of the degree awarded after graduation:

+ Vietnamese name: Doctor of Social Work

+ English title: Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work

2. Objectives of the training program

2.1 General Objectives

The doctoral program in Social Work aims to develop independent research capabilities by systematizing interdisciplinary and specialized theoretical knowledge, and employing in-depth research methods in the field of social work. This enables the creation of new knowledge with academic and practical value, and the ability to develop and evaluate social interventions at various levels, including service systems and policies. The program adopts an interdisciplinary approach to help students leverage their strengths and professional expertise to fulfill the mission of social work: promoting human adaptation, driving social change to ensure human and social well-being, and promoting social justice. The program also helps students enhance their capacity in training, guiding scientific research; managing and conducting professional research; and promoting participation in national and international academic forums. Graduates of doctoral programs in social work have the potential to become experts, managers, and leaders in the fields of social work and social policy.

2.2 Specific Objectives

- Specific Objective 1 (O1): The training program provides learners with an advanced and in-depth theoretical and methodological system in the field of Social Work to apply in analyzing human and social problems, building and creating new theories and methods in helping individuals, groups and communities overcome challenges, thereby promoting positive social change and promoting social justice.

- Specific Objective 2 (O2): The training program helps learners develop the skills to apply scientific theory and methods to design and implement an independent study or intervention program or a social work service; develop professional management and leadership skills in research and intervention in specialized professional fields of social work; and develop the skills to present and publish their research/intervention results in national and international professional forums.

- Specific Objective 3 (O3) The training program helps learners develop academic autonomy; to be creative, responsible and proactive in professional development, including guiding and leading others in their professional field; and to be committed to research ethics and professional ethics in Social Work.

3. Admission Information

3.1. Admission method: Selection based on evaluation of professional profiles according to the regulations of Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU).

3.2. Eligibility Criteria:

3.2.1. Educational requirements

- Must have graduated with a Master's degree or a Bachelor's degree with a GPA of Excellent or higher in a relevant field, or have graduated with an equivalent qualification at level 7 according to the Vietnamese National Qualifications Framework in certain specialized fields relevant to Social Work. In cases where candidates require additional training, this must be completed before a decision is made to recognize them as doctoral candidates, and they must have one year of experience.

- Diplomas issued by foreign educational institutions must undergo recognition procedures in accordance with current regulations.

3.2.2. Research Competency Requirements

- Candidates must demonstrate research experience through a master's thesis from a research-oriented training program. Specifically, candidates with an applied master's degree or a master's degree in a relevant field must complete supplementary courses, or candidates applying from a bachelor's degree program must be the author or co-author of at least one scientific publication. Scientific publications can be articles in specialized scientific journals or scientific reports published in the proceedings of national or international peer-reviewed scientific conferences or seminars, with an ISBN related to the field or research topic, and included in the list of scientific journals that are scored by the professorship and associate professorship title council.

- The research proposal should clearly state the proposed topic, research field; reasons for choosing the research field and topic; a brief overview of the research situation in that field domestically and internationally; research objectives; some key research contents; research methods and expected results; reasons for choosing the training institution; implementation plan during the training period; the candidate's experience, knowledge, understanding, and preparation for undertaking the doctoral dissertation. The proposal may also suggest a research staff member to be the supervisor.

- A letter of recommendation from at least one scientist holding the title of professor, associate professor, or a doctorate in science or a PhD, who has collaborated professionally with the applicant and is knowledgeable in the field the applicant intends to research. The letter of recommendation must include comments and assessments of the applicant regarding:

+ Moral character, abilities and scientific research attitude, and professional qualifications of the applicant;

+ For scientists who meet the criteria for supervising doctoral students and agree to act as thesis supervisors, additional comments on the urgency and feasibility of the research topic and content should be included; and the ability to mobilize doctoral students for research topics and projects, as well as the available funding for the doctoral students' research activities (if any), should be clearly stated.

+ Other comments and levels of support and recommendations for the candidate to pursue doctoral studies.

3.2.3. Foreign language requirements

- Applicants who are Vietnamese citizens must meet the foreign language proficiency requirements (in one of the following languages: English, French, Chinese, Japanese, German, Korean, or Russian) that align with the foreign language output standards of the training program, as evidenced by one of the following diplomas or certificates:

+ A university degree or higher awarded by a foreign educational institution, a branch of a foreign educational institution in Vietnam, or a Vietnamese educational institution to a student who studied full-time in a foreign language.

+ A university degree in a foreign language or foreign language pedagogy awarded by a Vietnamese educational institution.

+ Possess a foreign language certificate equivalent to level 4 according to the 6-level Foreign Language Proficiency Framework for Vietnam, valid for 2 years from the date of the exam to the date of application, issued by institutions accepted by the Ministry of Education and Training and Vietnam National University, Hanoi.

- Applicants who are foreign citizens and register for a PhD program in Social Work taught in Vietnamese must have a Vietnamese language certificate at least at level 4 or higher according to the Vietnamese Language Proficiency Framework for Foreigners, or have graduated from a university (or equivalent level or higher) where the training program is taught in Vietnamese, and must meet the requirements for a second foreign language as stipulated by the training program.

3.2.4. Other requirements

- A clean personal record, not currently serving a criminal sentence or subject to disciplinary action at the level of a warning or higher.

- I am healthy enough to study.

- I commit to fulfilling my financial obligations during the training period as stipulated by the University of Social Sciences and Humanities.

3.3. List of suitable industries

- This field is in the same group as Social Work.

- The field of study is defined in the training program standards issued by the Ministry of Education and Training.

- For cases where there are no established training program standards for the corresponding field or group of disciplines, the specialized unit must have a scientific and practical basis, determined by the Scientific and Training Council of the specialized unit and the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, to identify the discipline with the closest professional foundation to the training program and determine the corresponding supplementary courses (if needed); report to VNU before enrollment and be responsible for this professional evaluation.

3.4. Projected enrollment size:

- According to the quotas granted annually by Vietnam National University, Hanoi (expected to be 5-10 doctoral students per year).

- The detailed admission plan is implemented according to the Admission Regulations, the annual postgraduate admission guidelines of VNU, and the admission scheme of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities approved by VNU (if any).

PART II: LEARNING OUTCOMES OF THE TRAINING PROGRAM

1. Requirements regarding thesis quality

- The dissertation demonstrates the discovery and resolution of new problems, making new contributions to science and practice in the field of social work, and is valuable in developing and increasing scientific knowledge and fully addressing the issues raised in the dissertation topic.

- Doctoral dissertations in Social Work must meet the following requirements:

- Regarding the structure of a doctoral dissertation in Social Work, it must include at least the following sections:

+ Introduction: Briefly introduce the research project, the reasons for choosing the topic, the purpose, the subjects, the scope of the research, and the scientific and practical significance of the topic;

Overview of the research problem;

+ Theoretical basis; scientific hypothesis; research methods; research results and analytical evaluation;

+ Conclusion and recommendations;

+ List of references cited and used in the thesis;

+ A list of published works/articles related to the doctoral thesis topic, along with written consent from co-authors (if any);

+ Appendix (if any).

- Comply with intellectual property protection regulations as stipulated in the Intellectual Property Law: The research results in the dissertation must be the result of the doctoral candidate's own work, primarily obtained during their training period. If using the results or materials of others, the author's consent must be obtained and clearly cited. If the dissertation is a scientific work or part of a scientific work of a group in which the doctoral candidate made a major contribution, documents showing the agreement of the members of that group to allow the doctoral candidate to use the group's collective results in writing the dissertation must be presented.

- Dissertations must be checked for plagiarism and duplication before defense.

- The dissertation must be written in Vietnamese, using Unicode characters, Times New Roman font, size 13, and no more than 300 pages, excluding appendices. It must include the doctoral candidate's commitment to the dissertation's content, with at least 50% of the pages dedicated to the candidate's own research results and arguments.

2. Research competency requirements

Doctoral candidates who publish their dissertation research results in a specialized scientific journal as the main author (first name/corresponding author) must achieve a total score of 2.0 or higher, calculated according to the maximum score stipulated by the State Council of Professors for each type of work (as the main author; no points are divided when there are co-authors). International publications must be written in a foreign language; articles published in domestic specialized scientific journals must be on the list of journals for which the State Council of Professors has stipulated a minimum evaluation score of 0.75 points and must meet one of the following criteria:

- Have at least one article published in a scientific journal listed in the Web of Science or Scopus database (hereinafter referred to as WoS/Scopus database);

- Possess one granted patent/utility model and at least one international article/report in one of the following publications: (i) a reference book chapter published by a reputable international publisher, or (ii) a monograph published by a reputable international publisher, or (iii) a report in the proceedings of a peer-reviewed international conference with an ISBN, or (iv) an article published in a peer-reviewed, reputable foreign scientific journal with an ISSN;

- There must be at least two international articles/reports in one of the following publications: (i) a reference book chapter published by a reputable international publisher, or (ii) a monograph published by a reputable international publisher, or (iii) a report in the proceedings of a peer-reviewed international conference with an ISBN, or (iv) an article published in a reputable foreign scientific journal with a peer review and an ISBN.

3. Knowledge Output Standards

3.1. Supplementary course (for doctoral candidates who do not yet have a Master's degree)

PLO 01: Systematize interdisciplinary knowledge in the field of social sciences and humanities, basic knowledge of science and technology, and in-depth and broad knowledge of the theory and research methods of social work in order to apply it to professional activities as well as continue studying at a higher level.

PLO 02: Systematizing practical knowledge and in-depth, advanced social work theories as a basis for research and intervention in social work issues.

3.2. Knowledge of doctoral course modules, doctoral dissertations, and review essays

PLO 03: Synthesize in-depth, modern theories, models, approaches, and research methods in social work, aligned with the learner's individual research orientation, to identify, assess, intervene, and propose models, policies, and solutions for social work in addressing problems for vulnerable social groups in the context of globalization, digital transformation, and meeting the requirements of sustainable development.stable.

4. Skill Output Standards

PLO 04: Develop a scientific study to shed light on a social work problem and generate new knowledge about people, services, or social systems; or effectively implement an intervention program to address a problem within the scope of social work independently.

PLO 05: Effectively manage research, administration, guidance, or intervention activities, including guiding and leading others in the professional field.

PLO 06: Experts in sharing information on research results and intervention programs in domestic and international forums ensure scientific standards, professional standards, and persuasiveness at both the theoretical and practical application levels.

5. Output standards regarding autonomy and responsibility.

PLO 07: Demonstrates the qualities of a professional in the field of social work, with academic autonomy, creativity, and the ability to guide others in professional activities.

PLO 08: Demonstrates a high level of responsibility in self-study and capacity building, proposing initiatives that contribute to the development of the professional field, adhering to the ethical values ​​and principles of the social work profession, and complying with ethical standards in research and academic integrity.

6. Job positions that students can take on after graduation.

Graduates with a PhD in social work can take on the following job positions:

- Expert consultant on social policies, programs, and services for non-governmental organizations, businesses, and social organizations;

- Expert in managing and operating social development projects and programs;

- Developer of social programs and services and social work;

- Lecturers and researchers in universities, research institutes/centers, socio-political organizations, and non-governmental organizations both domestically and internationally.

7. Opportunities for further learning and professional development after graduation.

After graduating with a PhD in Social Work, students gain a solid and in-depth foundation in the theories, methods, and skills of social work and possess the capacity for lifelong learning, participating in postdoctoral training, conferences, and workshops to update their knowledge in the field of social work. PhDs in Social Work are capable of collaborating with experts domestically and internationally to exchange knowledge and research experience, and can conduct independent research to enhance their skills. They also have numerous opportunities for career development through learning, research, and participation in other social activities.

PART III: TEACHING AND ASSESSMENT METHODS

1. Teaching methods

- Lectures: The lecturer gives a lecture on a given topic, and the students listen, take notes, and discuss as required by the lecturer.

- Group learning: The instructor divides the class into learning groups and assigns learning tasks. The groups complete the assigned tasks on time.

- Problem-based learning: instructors provide problems related to the learning content, and learners are assigned to solve these problems individually or in groups.

- Teaching through discussion: The instructor prepares discussion topics, learners present their personal views and discuss with group or class members, participating in analysis and contributing to other opinions. The instructor summarizes and concludes the issue.

- Students independently read materials, attend lectures, and search for and research relevant documents related to the course content.

- Students participate in classroom activities organized and guided by the instructor, engaging in group/individual activities.

- Students conduct doctoral research projects under the guidance of their supervisors, with the content of these projects serving as the basis for their doctoral dissertation in social work.

2. Evaluation method:

- Regular assessment: Attitude towards participating in theoretical classes + Discussion and group work.

- Midterm assessment: Individual or group assignments, Format: presentation or essay.

- Final exam/assessment: Essay (individual or group).

- For review essays and specialized papers: These will be evaluated by a subcommittee, in accordance with the requirements of the current doctoral training regulations.

- For the dissertation: It will be evaluated by a committee, based on the requirements regarding the form, content, and quality of the dissertation, in accordance with the current regulations for doctoral training.

PART IV: TRAINING PROGRAM CONTENT

1. Summary of training program requirements

1.1 For PhD candidates with a master's degree

Total number of credits to be accumulated: 105 credits, including:

1.2 For PhD candidates who do not yet have a master's degree

Total number of credits to be accumulated: 139 credits, including:

2. Training program framework

2.1. For PhD candidates with a master's degree

2.2. For PhD candidates who do not yet have a master's degree.

Note: One credit is equivalent to 50 hours of student-standard learning, including time spent observing lectures, guided learning, self-study, research, experiences, and participating in tests and assessments; for classroom teaching activities, one credit requires a minimum of 15 hours of lectures or 30 hours of practical work, experiments, and discussions, with one classroom hour counted as 50 minutes.

(1) Theory

(2) Practice, Experiment, Discussion

(3) Internship, Research, Self-study with assessment