THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

At present the Department of Social Sciences is subdivided into two divisions: Psychology and Philosophy.

Division of Philosophy

The Division of Philosophy trains specialists in the history of philosophy and in political philosophy. Its interests are based on the synthesis of historical and philosophical comparative problems and the acute problems of modern political and social thinking. Training includes undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate programs.

Chairs of history of philosophy and political philosophy have been created jointly with the Institute of Philosophy at the Russian Academy of Sciences. This allows the university to invite world famous professors and scholars to deliver series of lectures for the students, including such well-known philosophers as V. Styopin (Moscow), S. Khoruzhy (Moscow), G. Prokhorov (St. Petersburg), A. Mikhailov (Minsk) and others.

An important role in the training is played by studies of modern and classical languages which allows the students to read the works of classical philosophy and contemporary thinkers in their original language. Specialized workshops on the study of phenomenological and hermeneutic tradition as well as on modern European philosophy are also an essential part of the training process. In the context of EHU's American Studies Program a course of lectures on contemporary American philosophy is offered.

Division of Psychology

A world standard of training in the domain of psychology can be achieved only by means of interaction and cooperation with the best universities of Europe and North America. This includes exchange of ideas, faculty and students exchanges, and joint participation in academic and research programs. Teaching is conducted by top specialists of Belarus. The students also have an opportunity to attend courses of lectures delivered by professors from Russia (Moscow and St.-Petersburg), USA, England, Germany and other countries.

Professor Gennady Kouchinski, Doctor of Psychology and President of the Belarusian Association of Psychologists, is Dean of the Department.

The curriculum provides three stages of training. The first stage (first and second year) the students take courses in the Humanities and foreign languages as well as in the basics of psychology and social sciences. At the second stage (third and fourth years of study) they undergo specialized training in psychological disciplines, and, at the end of this stage, receive 'local' specializations in clinical or social and economic psychology.

The graduate program provides individually tailored programs of study and research under the guidance of renowned Russian and Belarusian scholars.

The specialization in clinical psychology gives the students an opportunity of practical work in the sphere of psychological aid to people, psychological consulting and expertise, the psychology of health, victimology, personology. The specialization in social and economic psychology prepares the trainees for practical activities on personnel selection and training, evaluation and forecast of consumer's demand, advertisement, conflict management, political psychology, organizational consulting, and the mass media.

With the purpose of providing the high standard of scientific research, the Institute of Psychology has been set up at the Department. The Institute is a part of the Center for Political and Economic research headed by Prof. Stanislav Shushkevich. The Institute does research in the field of economic psychology related to a study of opportunities for forecasting transformation processes in the Republic of Belarus. Collaboration with German specialists has been arranged. Research work is also carried out in the field of social psychology and in other fields.

EHU e-mail address:intl-rel@ehu.unibel.by

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