About the department

The Department of Philosophy of Vasyl’ Stus Donetsk National University was established in 1965. Since then it implements active scientific and educational activity in all faculties of the University. Over years, the department was headed by well-known national scientists and public figures: M. Smyrnov, V. Aliokhin, V. Melnykov, V. Kapustin, T. Andrieieva, R. Dodonov. Since September 1, 2017, the department has been headed by Doctor of Philosophy, Professor Volodymyr Popov. The department has developed a scientific school “Philosophical dimensions of social reality”, several generations of teachers have introduced continuity of scientific, pedagogical and corporate traditions. Currently, five full-time teachers are working at the department, 2 of which are Doctors of Philosophy, Professors (V. Popov, O. Bilokobylskyi) and 3 are Candidates of Philosophy, Associate Professors (V. Kipen, V.  Biletskyi, M. Lukashenko).

For more than five decades the main focus of the Department of Philosophy as a university-wide unit has been on improving the pedagogical and lecturing skills of teachers. Since August 2019 the department is incorporated into the Faculty of History and International Relations.

The scientific and pedagogical staff of the department publishes a considerable amount of educational and methodological literature.

Today, the Department of Philosophy focuses on the study of a wide range of philosophical issues in order to implement a new approach to teaching philosophy at the university, in accordance with the requirements of Bologna reform.

The principle methodological basis of teaching philosophical disciplines provided by the Department of Philosophy is the combination of historical, chronological and problematic approaches. The teachers of the department provide a scientific and methodological base for teaching various basic and special disciplines.

The scientific work of the department is carried out in the following areas:

• publication of monographs;
• development and publication of textbooks and manuals for the disciplines of the department;
• publication of scientific articles by teachers of the department;
• participation in scientific conferences, symposia, seminars, round table talks;
• organization of Vasyl’ Stus Donetsk National University students’ research work;
• management of the graduate students’ scientific work at the department;
• writing and defense of PhD and doctoral theses;
• participation in the activities of scientific organizations.

The Department of Philosophy offers postgraduate studies. From 2002 to 2014 there was a Specialized Scientific Council for the protection of PhD theses in the specialty 09.00.03 – “Social Philosophy and Philosophy of History” within the Department of Philosophy. During this time the council successfully passed the procedure of defense of almost 60 dissertations on pressing issues of social philosophy. The department intends to open a master’s degree program in the specialty 033 “Philosophy”.

The department conducts active educational and outreach work with students and graduate students. In particular, there is a student philosophy discussion club, that holds its regular meetings.

The Department of Philosophy maintains international affairs with universities in Poland, the Czech Republic, Belarus, Slovakia, Bulgaria and others. Teachers, graduate and postgraduate students participate in international conferences, publish papers in foreign scientific publishing houses, exchange experiences with colleagues from other countries.

The Department of Philosophy of Vasyl’ Stus DonNU is a member of the Ukrainian Philosophical Foundation, a National Ukrainian organization that unites the country’s professional philosophers.