How much score is required to qualify a master's thesis in Vietnam?

How much score is required to qualify a master's thesis in Vietnam?

Pursuant to Article 9 of the regulations on enrolment and training of master degree issued together with the Circular 23/2021/TT-BGDDT stipulating thesis assessment in Vietnam as follows:

1. Thesis shall be assessed in form of defense in front of a committee. The defense session shall be organized publicly except for fields that require classification according to regulations of the Government.

2. Thesis defense committee must satisfy the following requirements:

a) The committee must have at least 5 members, including a chairperson, a director, 2 review members, and other members; in which at least 1 review member must not be associated with the education institutions;

b) Standards of committee members must match standards of thesis instructors under Clause 4 Article 8 hereof; in which the chairperson must be full-time lecturer or full-time researcher of the education institution;

c) Instructors can participate in the committee as a member without being able to give assessment score; parents, spouses, children, or siblings of learners are not allowed to participate in the committee.

3. Eligibility for defending thesis:

a) Having completed all units of study of training program;

b) Having submitted thesis and receiving consensus from instructors to defend;

c) Having satisfied other requirements of education institutions.

4. Thesis defense session shall be organized when at least 2/3 of total committee members are present which include a chairperson, a secretary, and at least a review member.  Online thesis defense may be implemented under consensus of committee members and learners; all progression of the online thesis defense session shall be visually and audibly recorded and stored at education institutions.

5. Thesis score shall be the arithmetic mean of scores given my committee members present at the thesis defense sessions on the scale of 10; learners shall be qualified when their thesis score is at least 5.5.

6. In case thesis is unqualified, learners may revise for the second assessment within 3 months from the meeting date of the committee for the first assessment; do not organize the third assessment.

7. After successfully defending the thesis, the entirety of the thesis (which is revised at request of the committee if any) must be submitted, stored at libraries of education institutions, and publicized on website of education institutions in at least 30 days, except for topics that must be classified according to regulations of the Government. 

8. Regulations of education institutions shall elaborate on criteria and procedures for assessing thesis; other contents relating to thesis assessment.

As regulations above, thesis score shall be the arithmetic mean of scores given my committee members present at the thesis defense sessions on the scale of 10; a thesis shall be qualified when its score is at least 5.5.

What is the time limit for issuance of master degree in Vietnam from the date on which decisions recognizing graduation is issued?

Pursuant to Article 12 of the regulations on enrolment and training of master degree issued together with the Circular 23/2021/TT-BGDDT stipulating recognition of graduation and issuance of master degree in Vietnam as follows:

1. Eligibility for graduation:

a) Having completed units of study of training program and thesis, scheme defense sufficiently;

b) Having foreign language proficiency satisfactory to graduation standard of training program prior to being considered for graduation; obtaining proof thereof by any of the certificate or degree under Annex hereof or other equivalent certificate publicized by Ministry of Education and Training, or graduate degrees or higher in foreign language majors, or graduate degrees or higher in programs delivered entirely in foreign languages;

c) Fulfilling responsibilities according to regulations of education institutions; not being criminally prosecuted and not being placed under academic suspension or discipline.

2. Education institutions shall organize consideration and issue decision recognizing graduation within 2 months from the date on which learners successfully defense thesis, schemes; up to 3 months for cases where scheme, thesis appraisal is required.

3. Education institutions shall issue master degree for learners within 1 month from the date on which decisions recognizing graduation is issued.

4. The contents on degrees and degree annexes shall conform to regulations of Ministry of Education and Training which specify research orientation program or application orientation program.

5. For learners ineligible for graduation after the learning period under Clause 2 Article 3 hereof, principals or directors of education institutions (hereinafter referred to as "principals") shall issue certificate for units of study accumulated by the learners during training program.

6. Regulations of education institutions shall elaborate on methods of calculating average score of the entire course, procedures for considering and recognizing graduation; retention and issuance of certificate for units of study accumulated for learners who are ineligible for graduation. 

As regulations above, education institutions shall issue master degree for learners within 1 month from the date on which decisions recognizing graduation is issued.

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