The Faculty of Journalism and Communication held its graduation thesis defense for the QH-2009X cohort on June 5th. This year, the Faculty had 30 students participating in graduation thesis projects, including 6 students who chose to create television programs.
Diverse topics with many new research directions.
According to Dr. Nguyen Thi Thanh Huyen (Deputy Head of the Faculty of Journalism and Communication), there has been a clear shift in the selection of graduation thesis topics by students of the Faculty of Journalism and Communication this year. Besides topics in traditional journalism fields such as print, online, radio, and television, students are increasingly interested in new areas such as public relations and advertising. The topics also have high practical relevance and topical relevance, such as:Explore the role of non-profit advertising in environmental protection campaigns.”, “Using Facebook in internal communication activities of Hoa Sao Group”, “The activities of media companies in the face of the trend of television socialization.”, “Building a business brand through a website.”, “Developing a Public Relations Strategy for the Vietnam Vovinam Federation until 2020..."
Many thesis topics are highly interdisciplinary, researching issues from multiple perspectives: journalism, law, media, public relations, etc. Challenging topics, delving into practical skills and operational procedures of journalists, are also a new feature that students are very interested in, such as: contacting and protecting witnesses in investigative reporting, handling information sources in journalistic works, etc.
In addition, many current issues in journalism and the country over the past period have become subjects of study and comparison in the field's theory, such as:The issue of protecting maritime sovereignty and islands is discussed on the online newspapers VN Plus and Dan Tri.”, “Sovereignty over the Spratly and Paracel Islands in the online newspaper VnExpress in 2012”, “Information about islands and seas in print newspapers."The press's access to information through the case of Mr. Doan Van Vuon in Tien Lang, Hai Phong.”, “Online news coverage of land disputes in Tien Lang district, Hai Phong (applying the "framing" theory to analyze the content of news articles).; “Information about climate change in the press...."
Dr. Nguyen Thi Thanh Huyen shared:The most striking impression from this year's graduation thesis defense season for students of the Faculty of Journalism and Communication was their confidence and clear understanding of the purpose and work they were doing. The research topics were often highly applicable and were chosen to align with each individual's career development goals."Students intending to pursue postgraduate studies after graduation often focus on theoretical issues within their field, while those interested in practical professional development work on more real-world topics. Some students research and develop communication models for the very agency or company where they work part-time. Others, already working as reporters at newsrooms, explore practical skills related to their profession and propose solutions for developing content for the newspapers they collaborate with... This creates a diverse range of topics, reflecting students' increasing interest in practical issues and professional skills."
Besides the advantages, Dr. Huyen believes that students of the Faculty of Journalism and Communication still have some limitations when presenting research results, such as: many presentation slides are not impressive, and their interaction skills with the audience are still weak…
Television production: quality is constantly improving.
As part of its strategy to innovate training activities towards enhancing professional skills, the Faculty of Journalism and Communication has, for many years, allowed students to defend their graduation theses with television productions. This regulation, when implemented, has received attention and created enthusiasm among many students – especially those who aspire to work in radio and television stations after graduation. This trend has grown stronger in recent years among the Faculty's students, particularly with the increasingly effective support of the Center for Journalism and Communication Professionals (CMP) with its system of modern radio and television technical equipment comparable to that of current television stations.
Students must submit a complete television production along with a report detailing the production process and explaining the application of specialized theories to the content of the work. The defense committee members are experienced journalists currently working in the television field.
This year, six works were presented for defense before the panel, including:The ups and downs of Hanoi rock(Nguyen Thuy Quynh, Vu Viet Nga)The children's rhyme will forever resonate.” (Duong Thi Kieu Oanh)Doi Tam Drum Village” (Tran Bao Lam), “Melody of the Night” (Thieu Thu Quynh), “A person who lives in nostalgia."(Chu My Lan), TV commercial for Ocean Bank's services (To Hai Phuong).
If "The ups and downs of Hanoi rock" was highly praised for its masterful use of music, compelling storytelling, and ability to create an exhilarating atmosphere in the film; while "The children's rhyme will forever resonate."The TV commercial emphasizes the humanistic value of preserving and conserving folk songs as a precious source of spiritual nourishment for children. The advertisement demonstrates the author's professionalism in organization, production, and execution."Melody of the Night"This represents a new exploration and experimentation in storytelling methods."Doi Tam Drum Village"It's a simple, rustic yet captivating perspective on the beauty of a traditional craft village's heritage."
In particular, it is profound and emotionally rich.A person who lives in nostalgia."—a documentary film about the late Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Hai Ke, former Head of the History Department, University of Social Sciences and Humanities—by author Chu My Lan. The film impressively portrays the image of a teacher and scientist who was erudite, simple in everyday life, but possessed a unique scientific personality, a sincere heart, and enthusiasm for his students and for life. The author effectively connects archival images of the subject with interview segments in the film to create the clearest possible portrait. The work received the highest score from the judging panel: 9.8 points."
According to Mr. Nguyen Cao Cuong, Deputy Director of CMP, the students' products are all high-quality journalistic works that meet the broadcasting requirements of television stations. Students proactively sought out and discovered socially relevant topics for their works, thereby demonstrating their sharp and independent thinking abilities. The methods used to produce these television works were based on a comprehensive and scientific theoretical framework. Through the production of these products, students demonstrated a thorough understanding of the process and organization of a film crew, fully utilizing the skills and specialized knowledge they had learned at school.Based on the results seen, these students are fully capable of working in the television industry immediately after graduation."—Mr. Nguyen Cao Cuong affirmed.
In fact, student Ha Thai (QH-2008X cohort) with her graduation project "Debt" – the Silver Kite Award in the short film category at the 2012 Film Festival – is a clear example of the professional competence and creative ability of students majoring in Journalism and Communication, and also affirms the correctness of the direction that the Faculty of Journalism and Communication has implemented in recent years.