History and present of FSS
The Faculty of Social Studies was established in 1998 as an independent faculty under Masaryk University. The social sciences-oriented faculty’s independence is the result of the many years of existence of some branches within the Faculty of Arts that as early as in 1921 established Department of Sociology – today one of the oldest institutions of that kind in Europe. In 2005 the faculty moved to a just reconstructed building in Joštova Street that offered the students excellent conditions: a modern-layout library containing a superb choice of world publications, sufficient amount of personal computers in computer laboratories, specialised DTP studios and multimedia laboratories. Several rooms in students’ club also belong to the faculty. The glazed patio hall amazing with its layout and architecture design is a common place for social gatherings.
The Faculty of Social Studies engages in a wide spectrum of research and development activities in a number of branches that correspond to the fields of study accredited and taught here. These include both basic and applied research related to issues such as family and young generation, formation of personality in the processes of socialisation and individuation, reproduction processes and social reproduction, marginalized groups, poverty, unemployment, ethnicity, political systems in relation to the situation of the Czech Republic and European area, media analyses and environment. Research activities are funded by a number of domestic and foreign grant agencies and other institutions being carried out in association with domestic and foreign cooperating partners.
The Faculty has kept developing dynamically while focused on education in the branches of sociology, political science, psychology, social policy and social work, media studies and journalism, environmental studies, international relations, European studies and, as new ones, gender studies, social anthropology and security and strategic studies. It strives for connection between education activities and research done by the departments as well as by the institutes belonging to the faculty. Thus, the courses held by the faculty are permanently enriched with the latest gnosis of both basic and applied social science researches.
The Faculty of Social Sciences has witnessed enormous interest in studies since its establishment as the social sciences studies offer a unique opportunity to examine still unmapped social and political changes and, also, individual adaptations in the complex world. Besides extensive collaboration in the area of research, the faculty has internationalized its teaching as well. It currently offers two fields of Master's degrees taught in English (European Politics and Sociology) and all doctoral programmes are also held in English. Integral parts of the classes are other courses held in English, mostly offered by foreign lecturers. The faculty has also involved in the lifelong learning concept since the academic year 2001/2002.
Our graduates pursue their careers in a number of professions from government administration, service and advisory, research and analysis institutions, research and teaching activities at universities through political parties’ apparatuses, journalism or international organisations grounds.
The Faculty focuses on internationalization and welcomes students from all over the world - be it for a full degree programme or for exchange. It succeeded in membership in two international degree programmes - in the consortium offering the interdisciplinary European Master’s Programme in Human Rights And Democratisation (E.MA) and from 2008/2009, it was admitted into joint European PhD. on Social Representations and Communication.
Since 2004, the Faculty offers graduate (two Master’s and all Doctoral) degree programmes taught in English, while at present, Bachelor's degree programmes are offered in Czech language only. You can find all the details in the English version of this web or on the below mentioned websites, however, in case you miss any information, please do not hesitate to contact us through int@fss.muni.cz.