The
study of social sciences and humanities has become unpopular among youth, with
many students opting to pursue majors in subjects such as information
technology, marketing or finance.

Students at the HCM City University’s Faculty of Sociology attend an English language lecture. Students are showing little interest in the study of social sciences and humanities. (Photo: VNS)

It’s an
alarming trend to some experts, and the battle to lure more students to
humanities and social sciences will be tough.

In part,
these majors are unpopular as many young students see humanities and social
sciences as mundane subjects that leave graduates with few job prospects.

“The hot
degrees are now in the economics field,” says one parent. “That’s because social
sciences and humanities, including subjects such as psychology, offer such
low-paid incomes that nobody would want to pursue this type of job.”

Both
parents and students are increasingly viewing social science and humanities as
degrees with poor prospects.

Statistics reveal a sharp fall in student applications at the University of
Social Sciences and Humanities at the National University of HCM City, from
17,466 in 2008 to 12,947 in 2009 and 12,752 last year.

“Youngsters instead flood faculties such as International Relations, Journalism,
Public Relations and Oriental Studies,” said Pham Tan Ha, deputy head of the
Training Department at the university.

Ha said
many assumed social sciences and humanities focus too much on theoretical
subjects such as philosophy and dry lessons on the history of Communism.

According to the Training Department, most students at social sciences faculties
hope to become university lecturers or win jobs at other education institutions.

According to Ha, their job prospects are quite good.

A study
carried out by the university shows that 95 per cent of social sciences and
humanities graduates are employed within six months of graduating. Students from
faculties such as International Relations land jobs even faster, usually within
three months.

“It is
ridiculous to say there will be no job prospects for us after graduation,” said
Kieu Hong Hanh, a fourth-year student at the University of Social Sciences and
Humanities.

“Students in their third and fourth year are already able to make good money.”

After
completing a scholarship in Japan last year, Hanh said many local enterprises
had offered her positions after her graduation. Most of these jobs came with a
monthly salary of at least US$400.

Hanh
said about 90 per cent of her classmates had been in touch with companies that
are willing to pay them VND 6-7 million ($300 – 400) per month to work as
interpreters, secretaries and market researchers.

VietNamNet/Viet
Nam News