The 'dual degree' journey to a PhD scholarship in the US

Learn to think about problems

Immediately after graduating with a Master's degree in Communication from the University of San Diego, Ms. Hoang Ha Thu continued to receive a scholarship for the PhD program in Leadership Studies there. Before that, she also had a Master's degree in Media Management from the Academy of Journalism and Communication.

According to Ms. Thu, receiving a postgraduate scholarship is the sum of many factors, but the most important is a clear, in-depth and personal academic profile.

Ms. Thu is a candidate with practical experience in research projects on educational communication, academic equity, and university transfer - topics of interest in the international education environment.

"I also put a lot of effort into presenting my personal academic story in my scholarship application, not just listing my achievements, but also sharing my journey of thinking: What I have learned, where I have stumbled, how I overcame them, and what I want to contribute to the field I am pursuing. In the end, perhaps the factor that helps me "score points" is the combination of research ability and practical experience," said Ms. Thu.

Ms. Thu graduated with a Master's degree in Communications from the University of San Diego.

According to Ms. Thu, the process of studying in the US has helped her to open up many issues, especially students are encouraged to debate, proactively ask questions and express their personal opinions clearly. This is different from the traditional way of learning, which focuses mainly on absorbing theory and listening to lectures.

After being put in difficult situations by the lecturers, Ms. Thu proactively practiced her reflexive thinking by participating in many group discussions and clubs, practicing listening carefully and not being afraid to take a few seconds to think before answering in order to express herself more clearly...

"The transition to "opinionated" thinking, knowing how to ask questions, knowing how to debate but still respecting diverse perspectives is something I have had to practice a lot. I even used to be afraid of being wrong, afraid of speaking "differently from the majority", but gradually I understood that it is the difference that makes the class richer," said Ms. Thu.

Ms. Hoang Ha Thu (born in 1996, from Nghe An ) has 2 master's degrees in journalism and communications.

Ms. Hoang Ha Thu continues to receive a scholarship for the PhD program in Leadership Studies at the University of San Diego.

Special "dual-level" journey

When she started her journey of studying in the US, she also started her motherhood. Studying and raising a child at the same time was a stressful but also emotional journey for her.

Balancing studying, teaching and taking care of a young child in a foreign land has never been easy. But instead of having the ambition to do everything well, Thu learned to let go of perfection, to be selective and focus on what is most important at each moment.

There were nights when she had to stay up late to finish homework or prepare for lectures, while her child slept next to her. She also remembers times when she was stressed because of approaching deadlines and her child was fussy and unable to concentrate fully. However, it was in those difficult moments that she learned to be patient and manage her time more effectively.

"I began to understand more clearly the value of every minute with my child, knowing when to pause work to devote myself fully to my family. When I am with my child, I learn to put aside all deadlines to listen, play with them and be truly present. When teaching or doing research, I try my best to maintain my passion for academics," said Thu.

"Therefore, I often compare my journey to studying a special "dual degree program", one side is theory in the classroom, the other side is life skills and emotional management in life away from home," Ms. Thu shared.

Ms. Thu and her small family at the master's graduation ceremony.

In addition, a small secret that helps her maintain "endurance" in the journey of studying, teaching, and raising a young child is to take care of her mental health proactively and persistently.

"It's about allowing myself to be... imperfect. I've learned to accept that there will be times when I'm tired, have late deadlines, and have unfinished housework... Creating a "breathing space" during the day, or a short coffee date with classmates all help me "recharge" my mental batteries very well. For me, taking care of my mental health is the foundation for me to continue my academic journey in a healthy and long-term way," Ms. Thu shared.

Revealing more, Ms. Thu happily talked about her husband, her academic companion, a solid support both mentally and intellectually. When taking on the role of both mother and researcher, her husband is the one who helps her maintain a steady “compass” of direction.

"He doesn't put pressure on me, but always reminds me to believe in the value of knowledge and the path I'm on. Thanks to that, I don't feel lonely during long nights of research, and I don't feel guilty about spending time studying because I know that my child is growing up in a family filled with love and respect for knowledge," said Thu.

Ms. Hoang Ha Thu with international students.

Therefore, I would like to convey to women that, no matter how difficult the journey is, believe that perseverance, love and reasonable arrangement will help us both keep our dreams and build our home. In particular, behind every woman who perseveres on the journey of development, there is always a need and always a partner who knows how to listen, knows how to share, and is tolerant enough to accompany her on both the beautiful and difficult days.

In addition to research, she is also participating in teaching support at the school as a teaching assistant, directly supporting classes on communication and social studies.

After completing her doctoral program, Ms. Thu's long-term goal is to return to Vietnam to teach and develop training programs on communication - education - academic leadership. Through that, the female master hopes to contribute to building a fair and comprehensive educational environment, aiming at sustainable development for young human resources.

Source: https://tienphong.vn/hanh-trinh-song-bang-den-hoc-bong-nghien-cuu-sinh-tien-si-tai-my-post1745996.tpo