Are doctoral degrees classified as higher education degrees in Vietnam?

Are doctoral degrees classified as higher education degrees in Vietnam?

Pursuant to Article 38 of the Law on Higher Education 2012 (amended by Clause 23 Article 1 of the Amended Law on Higher Education 2018) on higher education degrees:

Higher Education Degrees

1. Higher education degrees within the national education system include bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, doctoral degrees, and equivalent degrees.

2. Learners who complete a training program, meet the graduation standards of the training level according to regulations, and fulfill their obligations and responsibilities, shall be issued a degree at the corresponding training level by the head of the higher education institution.

3. Higher education institutions are responsible for designing templates, printing blanks, issuing degrees to learners, and managing degrees and certificates in accordance with the law; publicly disclosing the degree templates and information related to the issuance of degrees to learners on their official websites.

4. The Minister of Education and Training negotiates, signs, or proposes authorized entities to negotiate and sign international agreements on degree recognition with other countries, international organizations, and other entities as per authority.

5. The Minister of Education and Training stipulates detailed content inscribed on degrees, their appendices; principles for printing blanks, managing, issuing, revoking, annulling higher education degrees; responsibilities and authority for issuing degrees of Vietnamese higher education institutions when partnering with foreign higher education institutions; responsibilities of foreign-invested higher education institutions issuing degrees in Vietnam; conditions, procedures for recognizing higher education degrees awarded by foreign institutions.

6. The Government of Vietnam promulgates the higher education degree system and regulates degrees, certificates for certain specialized and unique training disciplines.

Thus, higher education degrees within the national education system include bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, doctoral degrees, and equivalent degrees.

Therefore, a doctoral degree is considered a higher education degree.

Are doctoral degrees classified as higher education degrees in Vietnam?​ (Image from the Internet)

Does the higher education degree in Vietnam specify the field of study?

According to Article 2 of Circular 27/2019/TT-BGDDT on the main content inscribed on higher education degrees:

Main Content Inscribed on Degrees

1. Title:

SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM

Independence - Freedom - Happiness

2. Degree name by training level (bachelor's degree, master's degree, doctoral degree, equivalent level degree).

3. Field of study.

4. Name of the higher education institution issuing the degree.

5. Full name of the degree recipient.

6. Date of birth of the degree recipient.

7. Graduation classification (if applicable).

8. Location, date of the degree issuance.

9. Title, signature, full name of the authorized person issuing the degree and official seal as per regulation;

10. Degree serial number, original record number for degree issuance.

In accordance with the above regulation, the main content inscribed on a higher education degree includes the mentioned details.

Thus, the field of study will be specified on a higher education degree.

What is the main content inscribed on the degree appendix in Vietnam?

According to Clause 4 Article 3 of Circular 27/2019/TT-BGDDT:

- Information on the degree recipient: full name, date of birth.

- Information on the degree: name of the higher education institution issuing the degree, major, date of admission, language of instruction, duration of study, training level according to the Vietnamese Qualifications Framework, mode of study.

- Information on the content and results of studies (if any): names of modules or courses, number of credits for each module or course, scores for each module or course, total accumulated credits, average score, name and result of dissertation or thesis, graduation ranking score. If the degree was issued based on credits accumulated at different institutions, it is necessary to state the name of the course, number of credits for each recognized course for graduation consideration, and the name of the training institution.

- Information linked to the degree: student ID number, number of degree issued.

Additionally, based on Clause 1 Article 4 of Circular 27/2019/TT-BGDDT on other information inscribed on higher education degrees and their appendices:

- Higher education institutions may add other information inscribed on higher education degrees in compliance with the law.

- Higher education institutions design their own templates and may add other information on the degree appendices in compliance with the law.

- The language used on the degree appendix is consistent with that on the degree.