The ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle once said: “It is through wonder that man, from the beginning as well as now, has begun to think philosophically.” Wonder, curiosity, and the desire to know will inevitably lead man to philosophy. Andphilosophy, as a field of study, is the crystallization of the most fundamental concerns and deepest contemplations about the nature of the world, society and human beings.
From that deep essence, philosophical knowledge can illuminate, apply and verify in many different fields of science and life, providing learners with the ability to discover, ask questions, explain and answer many different problems in personal and social life.
Established in 1976, Faculty of Philosophy,University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Hanoi National University is the leading institution in the country in training philosophers, theorists, managers, people with knowledge of nature, strategic vision and critical thinking, with the ability to raise issues, keep up with and forecast changes in perception and social life, serving in government organizations as well as other political, cultural and social organizations.
Talking to reporters of Vietnam Education Electronic Magazine, Journalist Do Minh Ha - Reporter of the News Television Center, Vietnam News Agency, former student of Philosophy, University of Social Sciences and Humanities,Vietnam National University, Hanoisaid:
Philosophy is the earliest form of theoretical knowledge in the history of human theories, existing in both Eastern and Western civilizations. Philosophy requires abstract thinking ability and a broad background of knowledge from ancient to modern times, so many students feel hesitant and find it difficult to absorb when they start studying this subject. Practical experience in studying and researching philosophy shows that the massive and abstract body of philosophical knowledge actually has certain logic, connections and overlaps.
Journalist Do Minh Ha - Reporter of the News Television Center, Vietnam News Agency, former student of Philosophy, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi. Photo: NVCC.
Therefore, instead of simply “learning by rote”, “learning by heart” or “reciting from chapter to chapter”, young people need to aim at building a foundation of core knowledge and understanding the basic connections between knowledge and philosophical fields. Then, philosophical problems will appear much clearer and simpler, the coordination of philosophical knowledge with other fields of knowledge and the application of philosophy in real life will be truly natural and effective.
Specifically, in the case of Ms. Minh Ha, to be a good journalist, one must have good general knowledge, dynamism, the ability to detect problems and sources of information, diligence, not afraid of difficulties, hardships and continuous learning, communication skills and problem solving. As a female journalist specializing in writing about the "hot" topic of anti-smuggling, she really needs the ability to argue tightly and handle situations quickly in all circumstances.
All the conditions to become a good journalist can actually be found or trained through philosophy, although from the outside this field of study seems very static while journalism is very dynamic, the opposite. From that, it can be seen that the concept of “different fields” will not really exist when studying philosophy, because any profession requires philosophical thinking, the ability to discover the nature, and handle problems.
Every field of study helps learners develop their thinking, but only philosophy considers thinking ability as its main training goal. It is philosophy that has helped Ms. Minh Ha have the most systematic foundation in dialectical and logical thinking. Philosophical thinking helps her to participate in research in the field of Journalism and sit on the review board for many ministerial-level media projects.
“That is why I say that some of you are afraid that philosophy is really a waste. Most of the great politicians and economists are people who have studied philosophy very carefully, especially Marxist-Leninist philosophy. Many former students of the Faculty of Philosophy after graduating are now very successful when working in many different professional fields such as the Propaganda Department, state agency management, business, large economic groups, lecturers, researchers, etc.
As for me, having been a journalist for many years, I personally find that the skills of writing articles, reasoning situations, and the sensitivity to detecting problems from sources of information are thanks to the dialectical thinking learned from Philosophy. This is an important skill to apply the learned theory to refer to current issues to make decisions," Ms. Minh Ha shared.
International Scientific Conference "Philosophy of Vietnamese Education: from Tradition to Modernity" at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi. Photo: USSH Media
The faster the world changes, the more necessary is the ability to find the stable, almost immutable, and consistent essence of each problem. Philosophy is increasingly asserting its significance. Philosophy is a source of quintessential knowledge, a foundation of thinking for the future career choices of students.
Therefore, in addition to philosophical theories, students need to explore and learn more knowledge about science and social life. The application of philosophy is not in something far away or grand but first of all in one's own life, as the founder of Western philosophy Socrates said: "An unexamined life is not worth living."
Sharing about this issue, Dr. Pham Hoang Giang - Head of Philosophy Department,University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Hanoi National University said: To make students feel more interested and less hesitant about Philosophy, firstly, from the teachers' side, lecturers of the Faculty of Philosophy in particular and the Philosophy Department in general are always actively innovating teaching methods and ways of evaluating courses.
If we only test by memorizing knowledge, students will easily feel bored and uninterested. Instead, lecturers should stimulate and delve deeper into practical issues, content that is close to the understanding of today's students. Applying technology to lectures is also a way to create a more impressive impression in the process of conveying teaching knowledge.
Dr. Pham Hoang Giang - Head of Philosophy Department, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi. Photo: school website.
Second, on the learner's side, due to the nature of theoretical studies, students who want to be less afraid of this subject need to consciously cultivate more knowledge and understanding of society. The reason why learners feel bored is because they do not know how to apply practical issues to lessons such as political, religious, cultural, social activities, etc. that always exist and move around us. Philosophy provides a perspective, provides a method of thinking to solve problems but does not directly provide solutions to real-life problems.
Therefore, if the learner does not observe, does not practice thinking but only relies on applying the given formula to solve the problem immediately, he will not get any results, even counterproductive and quickly bored. Philosophy requires time to practice and absorb. Therefore, a true student of philosophy needs the ability to self-study, be open-minded and persistent.
Regarding output, Dr. Cao Nguyen - Head of the Department of Political Theory, College of Construction No. 1 said: Educational institutions are currently recruiting many former students of Philosophy across the country, especially those who graduated from the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi to work in both teaching (teaching assistants, lecturers) as well as administrative work (Party Committee Office, Management and Training Department, Personnel Organization Department, etc.).
In general, when comparing, the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi is a prestigious unit, ensuring quality. Students who graduate from the Faculty of Philosophy have the advantage of both broad and deep professional qualifications, good basic knowledge, and high discipline. At the same time, in an increasingly developing era, they are also trained in soft skills to serve their work, so they can quickly approach and adapt flexibly to work.
International conference "Tran Duc Thao - Some philosophical and historical issues" held at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi. Photo: NTCC
Dr. Nguyen also believes that Philosophy is a basic science, leaning towards theory, so the students' innate thinking and research abilities are relatively good. However, in the beginning when they first start teaching, they also need to practice more in knowledge enrichment classes, improve their pedagogical skills, to promote their advantages.
“From the perspective of someone who has many years of teaching Philosophy, I believe that students who graduate from this major can work in a variety of fields. Thanks to the basic knowledge and philosophical thinking they gain, they can apply it to work and life, achieving many successes, not only in the right field, but also in related fields,” Dr. Nguyen emphasized.
Sharing about the requirements needed to meet the job, Mr. Nguyen said: Firstly, during the years at school, students must spend time researching specialized knowledge. Deep thinking and diligent reading, practicing and researching will help us have a basic, broad and profound knowledge base.
Second, training units should survey the career aspirations of learners, see which fields and units students want to work in. From there, the school will delve into their aspirations to have the right orientation, support students to connect with labor recruitment units so that they can visit, intern, work part-time, and improve the quality of output standards.
In addition to general activities in counseling, career guidance, and recruitment sessions of the whole school, training institutions should support job connections for students right from the department and faculty levels. This will open up many career opportunities for all students, instead of just narrowing down based on each individual learner's connection with agencies, organizations, and recruiting units.
Graduation Thesis Defense Ceremony of the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi. Photo: NVCC.
According to Dr. Pham Hoang Giang, the output of Philosophy graduates is very diverse. In recent years, former students have participated in teaching from high school to university, in research work, in both private and public sectors such as:Propaganda Department, Vietnam Fatherland Front, Women's Union, Provincial People's Committees, non-governmental organizations, press agencies,...
For example, during the process of working and discussing with FPT Corporation, Mr. Pham Hoang Giang said that this organization needs to recruit personnel with the ability to handle and solve problems at work, critical thinking, and teamwork skills. Therefore, graduates of Philosophy with strengths in basic scientific research will be able to apply for positions such as consultants, secretaries, planners, etc.
It is important that learners know how to apply abstract knowledge from Philosophy to specific tasks through the ability to observe, generalize problems, see the core nature, think critically, and present eloquently before countless phenomena of life. With this ability, the vast and comprehensive knowledge of philosophy from East to West, past and present, will be a treasure trove of valuable knowledge that learners can gradually experience, absorb and transform into experiences in their lives and work.
Since 2022, Hanoi National University has begun piloting scholarships for students in 9 basic science majors. To implement that policy, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities has issued regulations on scholarship criteria "Attracting talents for the industry"basic science”, including Philosophy. Accordingly, students can receive scholarships from the first semester of the Faculty of Philosophy if they meet the criteria for admission results in the entrance exam to the school by all methods, have good conduct and have good academic results or better throughout 3 years of high school. For students from the second semester of the first year onwards, scholarships are considered based on the academic results of the previous semester, provided that students must complete the minimum number of credits as prescribed.
Lecturers and students of the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi participate in extracurricular activities. Photo: NVCC.
Specifically, the scholarship level is as follows: In addition to receiving a scholarship equal to the tuition fee prescribed for each academic year, students are also supported with a living allowance of 2,000,000 VND/month and are given priority in arranging free accommodation in the dormitory. In addition, students who have received the "Talent Attraction" scholarship are also given priority in considering and receiving other scholarships with higher support levels if they meet the requirements, are assigned a sponsoring scientist, participate in scientific research and experiential activities throughout the course.
Regarding the quota, each major is awarded at least 5 scholarships/course/major. Thus, with a 4-year training program, students of the Faculty of Philosophy have at least 20 "Talent Attraction" scholarships. This number may be higher depending on the quantity and quality of applications throughout the school, which will be considered and decided by the principal.
Dr. Pham Hoang Giang assessed that the “Attracting Talents” scholarship is an opportunity to “incubate” and create conditions to encourage students to strive in their studies. This is both a motivation for students to try to develop and improve themselves; and a criterion for teachers to screen and evaluate students’ abilities and qualifications demonstrated through their learning and training results.
In addition, as required byMinistry of Education and Training, Philosophy students in the fourth year will choose majors, including two majors: Marxist-Leninist Philosophy and Scientific Socialism, which are supported in the form of 100% tuition exemption in the fourth year without any other additional criteria.
Student of Philosophy Faculty, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi. Photo: NVCC.
Sharing the “secret” of hunting for scholarships, Mr. Pham Hoang Giang also said that students need to balance between theoretical learning and practical skills to achieve the most desired results. Students should proactively seek and learn more authentic knowledge in libraries, books, newspapers, and the Internet. Participating in scientific research and participating in union activities are secondary criteria, and in some cases mandatory criteria, to win good scholarships both within and outside the budget.
When students leave high school to move to university with new subjects, they will have to get used to new approaches to knowledge, learning and research methods that are completely different from before, so they will face some challenges. To become good or excellent students, they need to maintain the diligence, discipline, and perseverance from high school, at the same time actively research and adapt to the university environment.
For students who are passionate and oriented to pursue Philosophy, from the Faculty leaders to all lecturers of the Faculty of Philosophy, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities always strives to care, wholeheartedly support and pay attention to nurturing students throughout the learning and training process.
At the same time, teachers always accompany students to find scholarships abroad for master's degrees such as Russia, China, Germany, Korea, etc. The Faculty of Philosophy and the school always strive to "open their arms" to welcome young people to the Faculty of Philosophy, for a future development of this particularly interesting and important field of study.
Author:Luu Diem (Giaoduc.net.vn)
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