Is a master's student in Vietnam considered to have passed if they score 5 points on their thesis?

Is a master's student in Vietnam considered to have passed if they score 5 points on their thesis?

Based on Article 9 of the Regulation on Admission and Training at Master's Level issued with Circular 23/2021/TT-BGDDT, the evaluation of the thesis is stipulated as follows:

Thesis Evaluation

1. The thesis is evaluated through a defense session before the committee. The defense session is publicly held, except for projects in fields requiring confidentiality in compliance with State regulations.

2. The thesis evaluation committee ensures the following requirements:

a) The committee consists of at least 05 members, including the chairperson, secretary, 02 reviewers, and other members; with at least 01 reviewer being external to the training institution;

b) The standards for committee members must meet the standards for thesis supervisors as stipulated in paragraph 4, Article 8 of this Regulation; the chairperson must be a full-time faculty member or researcher at the training institution;

c) The supervisor can participate as a member of the committee but is not allowed to allocate scores; the student's direct relatives (parents, spouse, children, siblings) are not allowed to participate in the committee.

3. Conditions for students to defend their thesis:

a) Completion of all course components of the training program;

b) Submission of the thesis and supervisor’s consent for defense;

c) Fulfillment of other requirements as per the regulations of the training institution.

4. The thesis defense session is organized when at least 2/3 of the committee members are present, including the chairperson, secretary, and at least 01 reviewer. Online defense is permissible with the consensus of all committee members and the student; the online defense session must be recorded and archived at the training institution.

5. The thesis score is the arithmetic mean of the scores given by the committee members present during the evaluation, on a 10-point scale; a classification of "pass" is granted if the score is 5.5 or higher.

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Thus, a master's student who scores 5 on their thesis is not classified as passing since a passing score requires a minimum of 5.5.

Is a master's student in Vietnam considered to have passed if they score 5 points on their thesis?​ (Image from the Internet)

What are disciplinary actions for a master's student who engages in fraudulent behavior during the defense of their master's thesis in Vietnam?

Based on Article 16 of the Regulation on Admission and Training at Master's Level issued with Circular 23/2021/TT-BGDD, the handling of violations by students is stipulated as follows:

Handling Violations by Students

1. Students caught cheating in exams, tests, or evaluations will face disciplinary action for each violated component.

2. Students taking exams for others or having others take exams for them are disciplined with a suspension for 1 year for a first violation and expulsion for a second violation.

3. Students who commit any of the following will be expelled; their degree if awarded will be revoked and annulled according to the regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training:

a) Engaging in fraud during admission, study, thesis defense, project defense, or fraudulent documentation for diploma issuance;

b) Using someone else's work or improper citation in their thesis or project, and if these sections are removed, the thesis or project does not meet the requirements;

c) Hiring or having someone else prepare the thesis or project on their behalf.

4. Details on handling violations by students are specified in the regulations of the training institution.

Thus, a master's student who cheats during their thesis defense will be expelled; if their master's degree is awarded, it will be revoked and annulled according to the regulations of the Ministry of Education and Training.

Is a master's student in Vietnam allowed to temporarily drop out and retain their results if they are called to military service?

Based on Article 13 of the Regulation on Admission and Training at Master's Level issued with Circular 23/2021/TT-BGDDT, the provisions on temporary leave and termination of study are as follows:

Temporary Leave and Termination of Study

1. Students are allowed temporary leave and to retain their results in the following cases:

a) Called to military duty;

b) Authorized by competent agencies to represent the nation in international competitions, tournaments, or other national or sector-specific missions;

c) Illness, maternity, or accidents requiring long-term treatment, with certification from authorized medical examination and treatment facilities according to the Ministry of Health’s regulations;

d) Other personal reasons provided the student has completed at least one semester at the institution and does not fall within cases considered for expulsion or disciplinary action.

2. The period of temporary leave at point d, paragraph 1 of this Article must be counted towards the maximum time allowed to complete the program as stipulated in paragraph 2, Article 3 of this Regulation.

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Thus, a master's student is allowed to take temporary leave and retain their results when they are called to military service.