Department of Literary Theory and Criticism is responsible for teaching the subjects on literary theory and literary criticism. The Department is also responsible for the subjects of the literary process, the literary movements, the aesthetics.

Personnel:

Chair -

Nguyễn Hữu Hiếu

Lê Ngọc Phương

Trần Tịnh Vy

Lê Thị Thanh Vy

Nguyễn Đình Minh Khuê

From the time the Faculty of Philology was established until it was renamed the Faculty of Literature and Language, the major of Literary Theory was under the Department of Vietnamese Literature and Literary Theory. In the early stages, the lecturers teaching this major were Prof. Le Dinh Ky, teacher Duong Trong Dat, teacher Do Huu Trong... Prof. Le Dinh Ky was the one who laid the foundation for training and researching Literary Theory at the Faculty, and was also the Head of the Department in the 80s of the last century.

Since 2007, due to the development needs of the Faculty, the major of Literary Theory was separated to establish the Department of Literary Theory and Criticism, with the task of teaching subjects of literary theory and criticism at the undergraduate level and training in Literary Theory at the doctoral level. Since 2015, the Department has been assigned the additional task of training in Literary Theory at the master's level.

Currently, the Department has five lecturers: Prof. Dr. Huynh Nhu Phuong, Assoc. Dr. Nguyen Thi Thanh Xuan, Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Huu Hieu, MSc. Ho Khanh Van, MSc. Le Ngoc Phuong. The Department also has the collaboration of many professors and scholars in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in teaching, conducting scientific research topics, guiding and grading theses and dissertations.

Some scientific topics at the National University and State levels that the Department is in charge of implementing are: Systematic research on literary principles; Poetics with the study of literary works and genres; Schools of Western literary criticism in the 20th century; Research, theory and literary criticism activities in the South from the end of the 19th century to 1954; The introduction of Western literary theories into South Vietnam in the period 1954-1975...

Typical textbooks and monographs compiled by lecturers in the Department: Artistic innovations in Xuan Dieu's poetry in the period 1932-1945, Textbook on Literary Works, Writers and Style (Associate Professor, Dr. Le Tien Dung); Vietnamese literary criticism in the first half of the 20th century, Japanese literature in Vietnam (Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Thi Thanh Xuan); Literary theory - introduction, Russian Formalism (Professor, Dr. Huynh Nhu Phuong). In addition to traditional literary theory issues, lecturers in the Department also invest in researching a number of modern literary schools such as: New Criticism, Sociological Criticism, Psychoanalytic Criticism, Structural and Deconstructive Criticism, Feminist Criticism, Postcolonial Criticism...

Personnel:

Chair - Đào Lê Na

Hoàng Minh Phúc

Hồ Khánh Vân

Lê Thụy Tường Vi

 Nguyễn Phúc An

The Department of Art Studies was established in 2007. In 2016, due to recruitment needs and training practices, the Department of Art Studies changed its name to the Department of Composition and Criticism of Theatre and Cinema to focus on research and training in the direction of composition and criticism in the fields of literature, theatre, and cinema. After the name change, in 2018, the department was approved to open a major in Film and Television Screenwriting for students of the Faculty of Literature to diversify career opportunities for students after graduation. After many effective training courses, the department returned to the name of Art Studies, starting to train a bachelor's program in Art Studies starting from the 2024 enrollment period.

Goals and tasks of the department:

Undergraduate training: providing students with knowledge of cinema, television, theatre, and literary composition. Students will learn subjects related to professional practice such as: writing scripts for short films, television films, documentaries, and feature films; writing film and stage criticism in newspapers and media; writing scripts for television programs, advertisements, game shows, event organization, writing short stories, novels, etc. Students will be able to improve the quality of scripts for film, television, and stage works, have the skills to edit scripts, create films and television works that are profound, rich in humanity, inspiring, and connect with the community. From the knowledge they have learned, students can also become professional film and stage critics.

Scientific research: Currently, the department is focusing on building research projects related to cinema to serve as reference materials for students and graduate students. The Department has published the work Contemporary Japanese and Vietnamese Cinema - Cultural Exchange and Influence with the participation of many domestic film researchers and critics. The work Horizon of Images (Dr. Dao Le Na) is currently being used for undergraduate and graduate levels. The Department is also focusing on translating and developing textbooks related to theater and cinema to serve the training program, supplementing the source of theater and cinema textbooks that are still lacking in Vietnam. The Department's lecturers have registered for scientific research topics at the National University level in the direction of creative writing and Vietnamese cinema to serve teaching. In addition, the lecturers also actively participate in domestic and international seminars to update information, specialized knowledge and expand the research network with colleagues in the same field. Bachelor of Arts Program

The Bachelor of Arts Program aims to train quality human resources with political ethics and community awareness to serve the development of the country's arts. Bachelor of Arts is equipped with basic and systematic knowledge of social sciences and humanities, and arts; has the ability to apply knowledge of arts and literature to evaluate works of art, types and trends of Vietnamese and world arts as well as create new quality scripts; apply artistic knowledge related to journalism, publishing, media, theater, and cinema in organizing professional activities.

Students majoring in Arts can choose to major in Art Research and Practice or Film and Television Screenwriting. While studying, students are taught knowledge revolving around the skills of researching traditional and modern Vietnamese arts; skills of criticizing works of art and art exhibitions; information design and art management skills; skills in applying the rules of creativity to get ideas and develop ideas; knowing how to collect and process information to write scripts;... through many subjects such as: Creative thinking and design thinking; Art psychology; Analysis of visual and theatrical works; Performance research; Stage scriptwriting; Television program production; Art and economics; Art curation;... and some general knowledge.

Bachelor of Arts can work in fields such as: (1) Research, teaching about art and related issues at colleges, universities, research institutes; (2) Communication specialist, design, content creation; (3) Cultural specialist, consultant for the creative industry; (4) Art journalist; (5) Working for art and cultural projects, government and non-governmental organizations,...

Department of Foreign Literatures and Comparative Literature is responsible for teaching the subject of foreign literature and comparative literature, including the great literatures of the Oriental literature and Western literature such as Chinese, Indian, Japanese, Korean, South East Asian, Middle East, Russian, US, English, French, Greek and Roman literature.

Personnel:

Chair - Trần Lê Hoa Tranh

Nguyễn Ngọc Bảo Trâm

Ngô Trà Mi

Lê Thị Kim Loan

Phạm Thị Thái Hà

The Department of Foreign Literature and Comparative Literature was formerly the Department of Foreign Literature. In 2007, due to the need for expertise, the development of literary science and the training capacity of the department, the department was renamed Foreign Literature and Comparative Literature with broader training and research orientations.

Regarding personnel, there are currently 9 lecturers participating in teaching foreign literature and comparative literature, including 5 Associate Professors - PhDs, 3 PhD students. In addition to the above number of lecturers participating in regular teaching, at the postgraduate level, the department also invites many professors, PhDs, leading experts in the fields of theory, literary criticism and foreign literature from other Institutes and universities to participate in training.
Regarding the goals and tasks of the department:
- Undergraduate training: providing students with basic and systematic knowledge about the history and literary achievements of the typical literary cultures and regions of world literature, with special emphasis on leading literatures, literatures that have the image of literary partners of Vietnamese literature, such as Chinese literature, French literature, Russian literature, American literature, English literature, etc., and literatures (or regions) of nations that are close to Vietnam in terms of geography - history - culture, such as East Asian literature, Southeast Asian literature, Middle Eastern literature, Indian literature, etc.
- Postgraduate training: providing students with general, advanced and theoretical knowledge about important issues of foreign literature, as well as great achievements of the literature faculty, in order to help learners have enough conditions to solve problems arising in the practical life of literature.
- Scientific research: identified as one of the top tasks of professional activities, scientific research work in the department is regularly given attention. Currently, in addition to completed and published works (such as on Russian realist literature, English medieval literature, contemporary Chinese literature, etc.), the department is conducting many research topics at the National University and school levels on issues of Russian literature, French literature, British-American literature, etc.

Center of Sinology and Nom Studies is responsible for archives of FLL research documents (including tens of thousands of the titles of research books, among them, there are thousands of the presses of Sino – Nom epitaphs), with a research projects on Vietnamese Sino-Nom heritage concentrated in the Southern region.

Personnel:

Head, Office- Nguyễn Văn Hoài

Department of Sinology-Nom Studies is responsible for teaching the subjects related to Sino, Nom and modern Chinese.

Personnel:

Chair

- Nguyễn Đông Triều

Lê Quang Trường

Nguyễn Văn Hoài

Vũ Thị Thanh Trâm

Trần Trương Huỳnh Lê

Hoàng Ngọc Cương

Trần Thị Diệu Hiền

I. History of the formation and development of the Han Nom field
Before 1954, in Hanoi, the French established a number of universities, including the Hanoi University of Letters. At that time, this school only trained and awarded Bachelor of Literature degrees. After the victory of Dien Bien Phu, the French colonialists signed the Geneva Agreement and withdrew from the country. Most universities in Hanoi closed and moved to the South, including the University of Letters. When moving to the South, this school changed its name to the Saigon University of Letters, and only trained and awarded Bachelor of Literature degrees to students.
1. In the early 1960s, the Saigon University of Letters established Bachelor of Education degrees. At the same time, due to training needs, the school established Departments (equivalent to later Faculties), including the Han Literature Department, which was the predecessor of the Han Nom Department. The Han Nom Department trained and awarded Bachelor of Education Han Nom certificates.
The staff of the Han Nom Department at that time included:
- Head of the Department: Prof. Nghiem Toan
- Regular teaching staff: Prof. Nghiem Toan, Tran Trong San, Luu Khon
- Guest lecturers: Dr. Han Hoc Nguyen Si Giac, Bachelor of Han Literature Tham Quynh, Bachelor of Han Literature Bui Luong, Bachelor of Han Literature Nguyen Van Binh, Prof. Buu Cam, and Chinese teachers teaching Chinese: Doi Ngoan Quan, Diep Tuyen Hoa, Khuu Si Hue.
2. In 1969, the staff of the Han Nom Department included:
- Head of the Department: Prof. Buu Cam
- Regular teaching staff: Prof. Buu Cam, Prof. Nghiem Toan, teachers Tran Trong San, Luu Khon, MSc. Nguyen Khue, Nguyen Huu Luong, Dr. Tran Quang Huy.
3. After April 30, 1975, Saigon University of Literature changed its name to Ho Chi Minh City University of Literature. The Vietnamese Literature Department was established on the basis of taking over the Chinese and Vietnamese departments of the Saigon University of Letters. The Literature Department is directly under the school, equivalent to a faculty now.
Head of the Literature Department: Associate Professor Mai Cao Chuong
4. On April 30, 1977, Ho Chi Minh City University of Science was established on the basis of the two old Universities of Letters and Science. The Literature Department is still a department directly under the school. The Han Nom Department at that time was a part of the Literature Department.
Head of the Literature Department: Associate Professor Mai Cao Chuong

Deputy Head: Mr. Luu Khon

Lecturers of the Han Nom Department: Prof. Buu Cam, teachers Luu Khon, Tran Trong San, Master Nguyen Khue, Huynh Minh Duc, Tran Quang Huy, Nguyen Tri Tai (transferred from the Eastern Philosophy Department), Pham Van Dieu, Tran Duc Rat (transferred from the Vietnamese Literature Department).

5. In 1978, the Vietnamese Literature Department was upgraded to the Faculty of Vietnamese Literature, which included three departments: Literature, Language and Han Nom.
Head of the Han Nom Department: Mr. Luu Khon
Lecturers of the Han Nom Department: Mr. Tran Trong San, Master Nguyen Khue, Nguyen Tri Tai, Tran Duc Rat
6. From 1985 to 2003, the Han Nom Department had many changes in personnel, many teachers died due to old age, some retired, and many teachers who were students were retained to teach the subject.
Head of the Han Nom Department: Master Nguyen Khue
Lecturers of the Han Nom Department: Mr. Nguyen Tri Tai, Huynh Chuong Hung, Nguyen Nam, Tran Anh Tuan, Doan Anh Loan, Nguyen Ngoc Quan, Nguyen Dinh Phuc, Nguyen Dong Trieu, Vu Xuan Bach Duong.
In 1994, the Faculty of Literature changed its name to the Faculty of Literature and Journalism.
In 1996, the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Ho Chi Minh City was established. The Han Nom Department became a part of the Literature Department of the Faculty of Literature and Journalism.
7. In 2004-2006, the structure of the departments of the Faculty of Literature and Journalism remained the same: Literature, Language and Han Nom.
Head of the Han Nom Department: Dr. Doan Anh Loan
Lecturers of the Han Nom Department: Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Quan, Mr. Nguyen Dinh Phuc, Mr. Nguyen Dong Trieu, Mr. Vu Xuan Bach Duong, Mr. Nguyen Van Hoai, Mr. Vu Thi Thanh Tram.
In general, the teachers who taught Han Nom before 1975 came from the former Hanoi University of Literature and the first class of Saigon University of Literature. After 1975, teachers from universities in Hanoi came to support. In the early 1980s, there were teachers who were the first class of Han Nom students after the country's reunification. In the late 1990s, the teachers of Han Nom came from the Faculty of Literature, belonging to the second generation. During the teaching and research process, there were some teachers of Han Nom who studied and researched abroad such as Mr. Nguyen Nam (studying for a PhD at Harvard University, USA), Dr. Doan Anh Loan (studying at Harvard University, USA), Mr. Nguyen Dinh Phuc (studying for a PhD at Nanjing University, China)...
Over 50 years, the development of the department has been closely linked to the development of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Ho Chi Minh City. The staff of the Han Nom department has become increasingly strong, the quality of teaching and research has been constantly improved, partly meeting the growth of Han Nom research in the Southern region, which has a long tradition.