Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv

THE FACULTY OF HISTORY

60, Volodymyrs'ka St., 01601 Kyiv, Ukraine

tel. 38(44) 234-09-71, fax 234-69-80, e-mail: decanat_histor@univ.kiev.ua

History of the faculty

Historical faculty in Russian Empire

Historical faculty in soviet times

Historical faculty in independent Ukraine

Contacts

Administration

Chairs

Areas of research and courses

Historical faculty in Russian Empire

The History Faculty began its work as the Historical and Philological Department of the Philosophical Faculty of St. Volodymyr University in 1834. At different periods of its existence the Faculty was several times renamed as Historical and Philological, Historical and Philosophical, Historical and Economic and, finally, the History Faculty.

The beginning of the Faculty's activity was connected with the name of the first Rector of the University - an outstanding scientific and public figure М.О.Maksymovych, thanks to his incredible efforts the systematic investigations of Ukrainian history became possible. М.О.Maksymovych published the series of works on the history of Rus, Kiev, Cossacks and the Haidamak movement, he also compiled 5 volumes of documents on Ukrainian history of the 15-18th centuries and the collected Ukrainian folk songs. He launched the scientific almanac "Kyivlianin" (A Kievan), where articles on history were published.

The historical science at the University started its development, when Professor V.F.Tsyh was at the head of the Chair of the World History and together with his assistant O.I.Stavronsky delivered lectures on World History to the students of Historical and Philological Department. Russian History was taught by Professor V.F.Dombrovsky known as one of the founder of Kyiv Archaeography Commission, which made a valuable contribution to the formation and development of Ukrainian Historical Sources Studies. At the same time V.F.Dombrovsky personally made a wide researching work: he found and published thousands of new historical documents.

In the 1840-1850-s Historical and Philological Department underwent considerable structural changes. The ranks of professors were replenished with a number of talented scholars and teachers. In 1842 the Chair of Russian History was created, and in four years it was headed by N.I.Kostomarov - an outstanding Ukrainian historian, the founder of well-known Narodnycka school in the Ukrainian historiography. N.I.Kostomarov was fruitfully engaged in history of the Cossacks, and investigated the course and results of the Cossacks and peasant revolts of the 1620s-1630s. He prepared a number of annals for publication. One of the best and most progress-minded scholars Professor in Russian History P.V.Pavlov made great efforts to organize the primary education for the poor sections of the population in Ukraine.

Since 1849 the famous scholar Professor V.Y.Shulgin began to work at the Chair of World History. He delivered lectures on Ancient and Modern History of Foreign Countries. This scholar prepared a number of original textbooks in History of the Ancient World and the Middle Ages, Modern history of Western Europe. Among the teachers of the University V.Y.Shulgin pioneered in theoretical proving the necessity and introducing seminars. Also the first historical outline of the Kyiv University (1860) belonged to the creative heritage of this scholar.

In 1850 the Historical and Philological Department became separate Faculty, Professor I.Y.Neikyrha was elected its first Dean. The Historical and Philological Faculty existed till the disbandment of the University by Bolsheviks in 1920.

After the appearance of the independent Historical and Philological Faculty, the common reviving of the social, cultural and scientific life in the country and the liberal reforms in the 1960-s the University became the most significant centre of historical science in Ukraine. The talented historians (V.B.Antonovich, M.P.Dragomanov, I.V.Lashnukov, I.M. Kamanin, O.I. Levitsky, I.V. Luzhitsky, M.V. Dovnar-Zapolsky, V.F. Vladymyrsky-Budanov, F.Y. Fortynsky, V.I. Modestov, F.G. Myshchenko, E.V. Tarlee) promoted the stirring up the scientific researches. The young scholars came to work on the major problems of history of Ukraine, The Ancient World, Western European Countries, Slavonic peoples, historiography, archaeology, sources studies, ethnography.

In the 1860-s the leading place among historians of the University belonged to V.B.Antonovich, an outstanding scientific and public figure, who worked as the Professor of the University more than 30 years. V.B.Antonovich was one of the founders of Nestor-Annalist Historical Society and the magazine "Kievskaya Starina" ("Kyiv Olden Times"), the Editor-in-Chief of the editions of the Provisional Commission on Ancient Acts Consideration, which published more than 2000 acts in nine volumes of "The Archive of South-western Russia". Scientific interests of the scholar were quite diverse: social relations in Ukraine and history of different strata of the population, colonization processes, archaeology, ethnography, geography, anthropology, and numismatics. The scholar wrote more than 300 works on history, archaeology, and ethnography. Therefore Professor V.B.Antonovich is known as the Father of the modern Ukrainian historical science. Not only the prominent scholar, but also the outstanding teacher Professor V.B.Antonovich was the founder of the Kyiv School of Ukrainian studies, he trained a lot of Ukrainian historians. His most known disciples were M.S.Grushevsky, D.I.Bagaliy, M.V.Dovnar-Zapolsky, V.P.Golubovsky, I.A.Linnichenko, they headed chairs of history at the universities of Lviv, Kharkiv, Odessa, Kyiv.

In the 1870-1890-s the scholars of the Faculty worked fruitfully in the field of history of foreign countries, Ukraine and Russia. In particular, the Professor of the University and the Head of the Kyiv Central Archive of the Ancient Acts I.M.Kamanin, Professor P.V.Golubovsky and M.V.Dovnar-Zapolsky investigated the actual problems of the history of our country. Professor S.T.Golubev, the founder of Kyiv Church History School investigated the metropolitan Petro Mohyla's activity. Professor V.S.Ikonnikov founded the native School of Sources studies. Professor J.A.Kulakovsky began studying the history of Byzantium. At that time an outstanding social and political figure, one of the founders of the Ukrainian Hromadivsky movement M.P.Dragomanov worked at the Chair of the Ancient History of the University. He delivered lectures on History of Greece and Rome, the Middle Ages, pioneered in introducing the course on History of the Ancient East. The founder of the social and economic direction in the Ukrainian historiography became I.V.Luchitsky, the Professor of the Chair of World History. He dealt with problems of social and economic history of France, Italy, Spain, and other European states. Introduction of Slavonic studies at the University is closely connected with the name of Professor T.F.Florinsky, who was mainly engaged in studying the history of the southern Slavs. Later F.Y.Fortinsky, M.F.Vladymyrsky-Budanov, A.M.Esynsky worked also in the field of Slavonic Studies, that was evidence of the availability of Kyiv School of Slavonic studies.

The activity of the Nestor-Annalist Historical Society, created in 1873, played the significant role in the history of the Faculty. The founders and members of the society were M.A.Tulov, V.S.Ikonnikov, V.B.Antonovych, O.F.Kistyakivsky, V.I.Modestov, O.V.Romanovich-Slavatinsky, M.P.Shashkevich, etc. The scholars of this Society published 26 books of "Readings" and tens of issues in historical journal "Kievskaya Starina" ("Kyiv Olden Time").

In the years of the first Russian revolution (1905-1907) Ukrainian public activities increased, and the Council of St. Volodymyr University was applied to consider the establishment of four Ukrainian chairs: the chairs of Ukrainian Language, Ukrainian Literature, Ukrainian History and Ukrainian Ethnography. This appeal was supported by the appeal of the professors and the signatures of 1430 students, but the government denied the right of the Ukrainians to study their language, literature, history and ethnography. Only after long and hard struggle the courses of Ukrainian studies of Professors A.M.Loboda, V.M.Peretts and V.O.Rozov were opened, and during the last pre-Revolutionary decade the course of History of Malorossia was periodically read at the Faculty. The first chair of the Ukrainian History at the University was created by the Provisional Government's decision in September 1917, and it was finally formatted only in the days of Hetman P.P.Skoropadsky.

Historical faculty in soviet times

In the early 1920-s the establishment of the Soviet authority in Ukraine was marked by unreasoned experiments in the sphere of education. St. Volodymyr Kyiv University as the rudiment of the old tsarist regime was disbanded, and on its basis M.P.Dragomanov Higher Institute of Peoples Education was created (since 1926 - Kyiv Institute of Education). The traditional faculty system was almost completely destroyed. In the Institute there were only two faculties: those of Preschool and School. The structure of the letter one included so-called historical cycle, renamed as under-cycle of historical sciences in 1921. In 1923-1924 the historical cycle was restored. In 1927 the historical section was created at the Department of Professional Education, and in 1932 this section became the historical and economical department.

Even at that time of "great" reforms and experiments Professors of the University united all their forces to prevent total destruction of the native historical school. Despite of everyday ideological pressure and hard financial position, O.P.Ogloblin, O.U.Germajze, L.P.Dobrovolsky, V.M.Bazylevich, O.S.Grushevsky, V.O.Romanovsky, O.I.Pokrovsky, V.U.Danylevich, G.G.Pavlutsky continued to teach at the Faculty.

Teachers who worked at that time paid dearly for their fidelity to historical science: they were indicted for "anti-Soviet" activity in the 1920-1930-s. A lot of lecturers, including V.O.Romanovsky, O.U.Germajze, V.M.Bazilevich, O.P.Ogloblin, A.U.Crymsky, M.E.Slabchenko, V.O.Parchomenko, B.M.Sheveliv, N.U.Mirza-Avakians were arrested by retaliatory bodies of the Soviet authority and were to suffer punishment in Stalin camps.

By the decision of the Board of Education Narkomat from January 1, 1933 in Ukraine the work of state universities, Kyiv University among them, was renewed. In that year the History Faculty, headed by Professor I.I.Vejtsblit, was created. The Faculty existed till 1941. During the years of the World War II actually existed two historical faculties - one, evacuated to Kazakhstan, another was in occupied Kyiv. After Kyiv liberation in 1944 Professor U.Y.Bilan headed the History Faculty.

After I.V.Stalin's death the reprisals at the University had stopped. Nevertheless, during the 1950-1980-s the ideological pressure upon historians continued as full domination of developed postulates of Marxism-Leninism, any rejections were severely pursued. Teachers and students were not permitted to use the works of M.S.Grushevsky, N.D.Polonska-Vasylenko, D.I.Doroshenko, O.G.Lototsky and other "enemies of people"; their works was kept in numerous "special depositories" of libraries. Researches of many important historical problems were generally forbidden, the access to archives was carefully dosed out, and definite periods of native History and History of Foreign Countries were falsified. Impossibility to deliver the history to students fairly was not a fault, but a trouble of the teachers of those days. But, in spite of everything, they trained the following generations of historians and tried, in limits permitted, to carry out scientific researches, which remained its actuality until now. The outstanding post-war teachers of the Faculty were A.K.Butsik, V.P.Gorshkov, K.G.Guslysty, K.O.Dzhedzhula, V.O.Zamlynsky, V.A.Zhebokrytsky, U.U.Kondufor, V.N.Kotov, L.G.Melnyk, P.M.Ovcharenko, M.N.Petrovsky, L.M.Slavin, B.E.Spytsky, V.I.Strelsky, V.A.Tarasenko and others.

Historical faculty in independent Ukraine

After Ukrainian Declaration of Independence the teachers of the History Faculty have gradually revive and enrich the traditions of the University Historical School. During the fifteen years of reorganization and formation of Ukrainian statehood Academician of Ukrainian Academy of Pedagogical Sciences, Professor A.G.Sljusarenko headed the History Faculty. In 2003 Professor V.F.Kolesnyk was elected the Dean of the History Faculty.

The processes of national state development, the returning to people its historical heritage as the basis for national consciousness development put before historians of the University new tasks. The researchers focus on studying problems of social and cultural processes in Ukraine during the 16-19th centuries, the development of political movements during the 19-20th centuries, history of Ukrainian statehood formation in 1917-1920, key problems of the World War II, history of international relations, history of the Slavonic Countries. Scientific schools on studying Ukrainian statehood development, church history, the historiography of Decembrist movement, problems of American history, etc., function. At the Faculty, the unique in Ukraine, school of underwater archaeology is at work. Perspective directions in ethnology research, studies of local lore, special historical disciplines are being developed. Professors A.O.Buravchenkov, I.V.Verba, I.N.Vojtsehivska, B.M.Gonchar, G.D.Kazmirchuk, V.F.Kolesnyk, V.U.Korol, A.P.Kotsur, O.P.Kryzhanivsky, V.M.Mordvintsev, V.I.Sergijchuk, A.G.Sljusarenko, V.I.Uljanovsky, M.G.Scherbak, V.I.Jarovy work fruitfully under various aspects of the native history and historiography.

At present the History Faculty sees its mission in training qualified specialists in History for National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Ministries of Education and Sciences, state, cultural, educational, archival and tourist institutions and organizations. The Faculty is a recognized leader among higher educational institutions of Ukraine in training professional historians and is widely known outside our Motherland.

The basic activity of the Faculty is directed to training bachelors, specialists and masters in history. At the Faculty it is trained over 1000 students of day and correspondence forms of education. The Faculty provides training in four specialities: "History", "Ethnology", "Archives Studies", "Archaeology". At the Faculty there is a precise structure of specializations. The Faculty 11 Chairs carry out teaching of normative and special courses. There are the Chair of the Ancient and Modern History of Ukraine (the Head is Assistant Professor O.G.Sokirko), the Chair of Contemporary History of Ukraine (the Head is Professor V.M.Lytvyn), the Chair of Archaeology and Museology (the Head is Professor R.V.Terpylovskiy), the Chair of Ancient History and the Middle Ages (the Head is Professor O.P.Kryzhanivskiy), the Chair of Modern and Contemporary History of Foreign Countries (the Head is Professor B.M.Gonchar), the Chair of Russian History (the Head is Professor V.M.Mordvintsev), the Chair of History of the Slavs (the Head is Professor V.I.Jaroviy), the Chair of Ethnology and Studies of Local Lore (the Head is Professor V.P.Kapelyishniy), the Chair of Archives Studies and Special Historical Disciplines (the Head is Professor M.G.Scherbak), the Chair of History for Humanitarian Faculties (the Head is Professor G. D. Kazmirchuk), the Chair of Ukrainian History and Ethnopolitics (the Head is Professor A.P. Kotsur). The structure of the Faculty includes also the Museum of the History of Kyiv University, the Educational Museum of Archaeology, the Museum of Ethnography, and 2 laboratories.

The vocational training of students is based on the obligatory historical disciplines. It covers first of all such normative courses as: "Introduction to the Profession", "Ukrainian History", "The Basics of Archaeology", "Ethnology", "Studies of Local Lore", "History of Primitive Society", "The Ancient History", "History of the Middle Ages", "Modern and Contemporary History of Foreign Countries", "History of International Relations", "History of the Slavs", etc. This complex of disciplines gives necessary theoretical knowledge, practical professional skills on studying, teaching and researching in the field of history.

In the beginning of the 21th century the revision of normative courses took place. The amount of academic hours was changed to meet the requirements in intention National history studies and students individual work. For the last decade the teachers of the History Faculty carry out a great number of questions covering Ukrainian History and World History according to the state themes: "Scientific problems of the state development process in Ukraine"; "Ukrainians in the world: history, culture, life"; "The Russian multinational state: ways of its formation and development"; "Exposure and scientific systematisation of documents, materials and memoirs about the origin and development of the political movement in Ukraine (the second half of the 19th century)"; "Development of the primitive and ancient society in Ukraine"; "Problems of the formation of the multi-party system in Ukraine (1980-90-s)"; "Ukrainian SSR in 80-90-s: renovation of political life"; "Problems of the scientific analysis of sources on Ukrainian History"; "Socio-political crises and their consequences in the countries of the Central and South-eastern Europe (the end of 1970-1980-s)"; "Kyiv University in memoirs of contemporaries in 1834-1994" etc. Since 2001 the research work at the Faculty has been carried out in limits of the university programme "Scientific problems of Ukrainian statehood formation".

Today at the Faculty 93 teachers keep the traditions of Kyiv National University's Historical School. Among them: Academician of Ukrainian Pedagogical Sciences Academy, 24 Doctors of Sciences, professors, 50 associate professors, 18 assistants. The Faculty has the most qualified pedagogical stuff among historical faculties of all higher schools in Ukraine. Moreover, the leading specialists of Ukrainian National Academy of Sciences, other institutions, and foreign universities are involved in delivering lectures and conducting seminars.

At the Faculty the Specialized Academic Council on defence Doctor's and Ph.D. (Candidate of Sciences) thesis on Ukrainian History, World History, Ethnology, Historiography, sources studies and special historical disciplines functions. There are 24 Doctors of Sciences at the board of Specialized Academic Council. The Chairman of the Specialized Academic Council is Academician of Ukrainian Academy of Pedagogical Sciences, Doctor of Sciences (History), Professor A.G.Sljusarenko.

In accordance with the state orders, annually the Faculty has an opportunity to accept up to 40 post-graduate students of different forms of training. Nowadays at the Faculty there are about 140 post-graduate students preparing thesis and specialists working for Doctor's degree. The duration of postgraduate study - 3 years with work being discontinued, and - 4 years without discontinuing work. Every year the Faculty provides raising the level of professional skill for specialists of other educational institutions.

The material and technical resources of the History Faculty promotes the efficiency educational process. Technical means of training, computers allow to combine successfully various methods of teaching. The computer class of the Faculty is connected to Internet and is equipped with the new technical equipment. There are 60 computers, 18 printers, 13 scanners, a video projector, system of multimedia maintenance for delivering lectures and seminars. All the Chairs, the Dean's Office and other Faculty divisions are also computerized. During the last three years on the basis of the University History Museum the teachers of the Faculty organize interactive lectures on History of higher school for the first-year students of all faculties.

In the last ten years new specialized courses were elaborated and successfully inculcated, among them History of Cossacks in Ukraine; Ukrainian national and socio-political movement in the 19th century; Ukrainian culture in 19th - early 20th century. Students learn vital questions of Ukrainian History in the period of the World War II; History of church and religious thought in Ukraine; sources studies of Ukrainian History; Stages of Ukrainian Statehood; Kyiv Rus; palaeography; historical bibliography; Ukrainian national symbolism; History of Ukrainian emigration; History of the Russian and World liberalism; History of "White" Movement; Anarchism in Ukrainian History; History of OUN-UIA; Ukrainian Dissident Movement in 1960-80s; History of Science in Ukraine; Modern Political Parties and Movements; Methods of Archaeological explorations; History, Theory and modern practice of museum skills; Culture of rituals and festivals of Ukrainian nation; Ukraine in contemporary integration processes; Use of computer equipment in archaeological explorations; Ethical processes in modern life; Problems of Statehood in Ukrainian History; Military History of Ukraine; Introduction to the Speciality; Military History of Slavonic countries in the beginning of the 20th century; Memoirs literature as a source for diplomatic history studies of the World War I; Conceptions of geopolitics of the 20th century, etc.

The Dean's Office, Academic Council of the Faculty are in search of new forms and methods of teaching historical disciplines. Free-choice courses are introduced and are taught according to four specialities. For example, there are such courses as "History of Ukrainian constitutionalism", "Intelligence Services in Ukrainian History", etc.

Prepared by the teachers of the Faculty series of lectures and methodical manuals facilitate the training of specialists. Only in 1998-2003 the teachers of the Faculty prepared and issued 86 manuals and methodical textbooks on basic and specialized disciplines, which were studied by the students of the Faculty. Also there were published series of manuals for senior pupils and university applicants, methodical elaborations for practical studies.

The History Faculty during 170 years was admitted as an organizer and leader of the previous researches. Scientific schools, which embrace all periods of historical development were founded and worked here. Only in 1998-2003 professors of the Faculty published 42 monographs and more than 1330 articles in Ukrainian and international scientific editions.

The systematic archaeological researches were provided under the leadership of prominent scholars (L.M.Slavin, M.M.Bondar, M.I.Gladkygh). Under the guidelines and due to the participation of the research workers of the Chair of Archaeology and Museology the excavation of monuments of the Stone Age, the Bronze Age, the Middle Age, Antiquity organized in Kaniv region, Olvia, on the Berezan Lake, on the territory of Predkarpattya, Podillya and in other districts of Ukraine. Unique archaeological material is reconstructed, restored and kept in the funds of educational museums; it is used during the process of studying and in scientific work. In the last decade the scholars of the Chair drew much attention to the researches of evolution of ancient and primeval society in Ukraine, the problems of anthropogenesis, primitive art, ideology in ancient Ukraine (based on archaeological data).

The scholars of the Chair of Ancient History and the Middle Ages are engaged in studying of antiquity and the Middle Ages. Now they successfully study the problems of ancient Japanese civilization, History of Ancient Greece and Rome, the role of ancient times in spiritual culture of Ukraine, History of Ukrainian territory in ancient times.

The members of the Chair of Ethnology and Studies of Local Lore conduct the study of ethnological aspects of Ukrainian History. In the last years the peculiarities of the Ukrainian lands of the northwestern areas near the frontier Kholmshchina and Pidliashiya are fruitfully studied. The local features of the material and spiritual culture of the Ukrainians of those regions were found on the basis of huge folk-ethnographic material, namely, festive-ritual culture tradition of matrimonial festivity and so on.

At the Faculty the well-known Slavonic Studies direction was formed. Its emergence and development is closely connected with the activity of such Professors as V.A.Zhebokrytsky, A.K.Martynenko, I.S.Dziubko, A.F.Kizchenko, V.O.Markina, V.I.Yarovyj, and others. The results of these scholars' work were editions in History of Bulgaria, Poland, Czech Republic, Yugoslavia and other Slavonic countries. All those works were published in the periodical collection "The Problems of Slavonic Studies" (50 issues were published until 2000). The researches of History of Slavonic nations in the context of Ukrainian-European relations' formation and development allowed discovering peculiarities and special features of state-political and ethnic-confessional systems. Such approach permitted to interpret the History of Slavonic peoples and Ukrainian-Slavonic relations since ancient times until the 20th century. The new approaches were elaborated in order to study ethnogeny of the Slavs, evolution of their political structure and institutions of power, the forms of fight for national identity and independence of foreign policy, the formation of the Slavonic countries. It was proved that the period of the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century became the crucial moment in the development of the foreign Slavs and was called the national rebirth.

The University School of the scholars on international relations and American Studies created by the Head of the Chair of Modern and Contemporary History of Foreign Countries (1960-1971) Professor V.A. Tarasenko is well-known in Ukraine and abroad. His work "The Nuclear Problem in the foreign Policy of the USA" (1958) was one of the most quoted works among American scholars of the former USSR. Among his students there are such Academics of the USSR as A.M.Shlepakov, Professor K.S.Luzik, Professor B.M.Gonchar, who works as the Head of the Chair of Modern and Contemporary History of Foreign Countries since 1991, continues traditions of the chair school of American Studies.

It is quite understandable that the problems of national history during different periods of Ukraine's existence emerged a huge interest among teachers and research officers of the Faculty. The most of the scholars' works are devoted to various aspects of Ukrainian History. Four academies-conferences (1993-1998) devoted to V.A.Antonovich within the research under the title "The Analysis of Evolution of the Ukrainian Historical Science in the second half of the 19th - the beginning of the 20th centuries (by the example of the scientific heritage of V.A.Antonovich)" were conducted. The problems of the formation of scientific concepts of Ukrainian science, History of Ukrainian source studies, Historical Geography, Ukrainian historiography were discussed during the scientific meetings.

Scientific study the church history was revived by the efforts of Professors of the Faculty V.I.Uljanovsky, O.P.Kryzhanivsky, V.M.Mordvintsev. In the collective monograph on problems of the history of Ukrainian church and religion thought the new coverage concept of the question concerning this theme was pulled out. The work of Professor V.I.Uljanovsky "Church in the Ukrainian State (1917-1920)" is devoted to the investigation of the evolution of the state policy concerning Church of Ukrainian Central Council (Ukrainian Tsentralna Rada) and the Directory of the UPR (Ukrainian People's Republic). In this work basic peculiarities and obstacles of the internal life of Church was revealed, as well as main problems, occurred before Church in the revolution period. For the first time the life of non-Christian confessions was shown and the most important church premises have been reconstructed, including Ukrainian Orthodox Council of 1918.

The other questions of Modern and Contemporary Ukrainian History are in the realm of interests of Professors L.G.Melnik, V.S.Bruze, V.A.Diadichenko, F.E.Los, V.E.Spytsky, V.F.Kolesnyk, V.I.Segrijchuk, A.G.Sljusarenko, A.O.Buravchenkov, V.V.Musienko, V.I.Myronets. Professors A.M.Katrenko and V.I.Sergijchuk devoted their numerous works to the theme of national movement in Ukraine in the end of the 19th century.

The history of the Ukrainian statehood was investigated by A.G.Sljusarenko, V.P.Shevchuk, V.M.Lytvyn. V.I.Sergiychuk studied the problem of forming the borders of Ukrainian statehood in the times of Bogdan Hmelnitsky, and forming the Cossacks army in detail. The history of the scientific and technical evolution and progress on different stages of Ukrainian History were studied by V.I.Bilyk, U.A.Gorban, Y.S.Kalakura, L.G.Melnik, M.M.Matviychuk, V.F.Ostafiychuk etc.

The history of World War II took the main place in the scientific work of the Faculty teachers. Due to efforts of the scientists the collective monographs "The Great Deed", "In the Battles for the Soviet Ukraine", "The Ukrainian Nation to the Victory" were published. The individual works on that problem appeared too. Professor V.O.Zamlinskiy investigated the problem of universal unity in struggling against fascism. Nowadays the history of World War II was investigated by Professor V.U.Korol (his works are devoted to the problem of Ukrainian nation's contributions to victory), Professor O.F.Mingazutdinov (the struggle for liberation of Ukraine from the German invaders), and others.

Another field of scientific researches is Decembrists Studies, which were founded by V.S.Ikonnykov and M.V.Dovnar-Zapolsky. Now Decembrists Studies are developed under the guidance of Professor G.D.Kazmyrchuk.

Ukrainian ethnopolitical studies concerning national revolution (1917-1920) are worked by the Chair of Ukrainian History and Ethnopolitics. Its scholars found out that since the beginning of the 20th century and up to 1917 there was a serious disbalance between quantitative and qualitative indices of Ukrainian national movement for independence. The ideas of national release were mainly spread in the milieu of intelligentsia, being incomprehensible and alien for common people. Despite of separate steps taking by the Ukrainian governments, aimed rising of people national consciousness, statesmen didn't manage to benefit from ethnopolitical factor of Ukrainian revolution.

The beginning of the 1990-s was marked with new stage of Ukrainian historical science. It needed not only indoctrination of contemporary methods into the research practice, but broadening the source basis of scientific researches. At the daybreak of the independence the consequential historical sources were the recollections, diaries and epistolary materials of many outstanding figures of Ukrainian History, which were kept secret or prohibited during the years of the Soviet power. This material presented the object of an over-all research made by A.G.Sljusarenko, V.M.Lytvyn, G.D.Kazmyrchuk, S.F.Pyvovar, V.I.Uljanovsky, and others. Several monumental collections of documents were published owning to the great efforts of the leading scholars of the Faculty, two of them, "With the Name of Saint Vladimir" and " Alma Mater", were dedicated to the history of the University.

The scholars of the Chair of Archives Studies and Special Historical Disciplines have fruitfully worked over elaboration of questions in the area of concrete and theoretical sources study and other special historical disciplines. Scientific conference-readings on the questions of archives and sources studies were conducted by the representatives of scientific subdivision on the occasion of professors V.I. Strelskiy (90-th birthday), V.O. Zamlinskiy (70-th birthday), M.A. Varshavchik (80-th birthday) anniversaries celebrations and the 10th anniversary of the Ukraine's independence.

The Faculty is in search of new forms of international co-operation, successfully collaborates with CIS, Central and Western European, North American universities. Among the Faculty's partners there are different universities of Germany (Munich, Leipzig), Poland (Warsaw), Slovakia, Hungary, Spain, Finland, China. The Centre of Slavonic-German Studies attached to Kyiv University (governed by the Head of Chair of History of the Slavs Professor V.I.Yarovy) was founded in December 1994. Fundamental tasks of the Centre lye in researches on the problems of Slavonic Studies and contemporary "Eastern policy" in German-speaking countries, etc. Since 1996 scientific work and probation of Ukrainian historians in Poland and Polish historians in Ukraine, participation in international scientific conferences, students exchange have been accomplished on the basis of the Treaty of Сo-operation between Kyiv and Warsaw Universities. The Faculty collaborates with Finnish scientists. The symposiums (April 1999) and International Conference under the title "Ethnic History of the European Nations", International Scientific Symposium named "Ukraine and Finland: Western and Eastern Impact on Historical and Ethnic Development" (2002) were the results of this collaboration. Similar symposiums took place in 2001-2003. With the assistance of German cultural centre "Goethe Institute in Kyiv" and the History Faculty 5 sessions of joint Ukrainian and German scientific seminar "The Social History in Ukraine and Germany in the 20th Century" were held. Every year scholars of the Faculty participate in international seminars and conferences. The Faculty organized 21 international and All-Ukrainian conferences, the material of which was published in separate collections of theses, articles, in journal "Visnyk of Kyiv University. Historical Sciences". The deductions and facts of the conferences are used in educational process and historical research in Ukraine and abroad.

Selfless work of the History Faculty scholars is greatly valued. In particular, Doctor of Sciences (History), Professor, Academician of Ukrainian Academy of Pedagogical Sciences, A.G.Sljusarenko, the Dean of the History Faculty in 1988-2003 was honoured by the President of Ukraine and awarded an order "For Public Services" of the II, III degrees, Doctor of Sciences (History), Professor, Honoured Worker of Ukrainian Higher School Y.S.Kalakura was awarded an order "For Public Services" of the III degree, Doctor of Sciences (History), Professor, the Head of the Chair of Ancient History and the Middle Ages O.P.Kryzhanivsky was bestowed with the title of "The Prominent Scholar of Ukrainian Education". The teachers of the University are the winners of different personal awards.

The graduates of the Faculty work in many spheres of education, science and culture of Ukraine, conduct social and political activities. Among the graduates of this Faculty there are the Academicians of the Ukrainian National Academy of Sciences (V.M.Lytvyn, P.P.Tolochko), many rectors of institutions of higher educational establishment, deans of faculties, National Deputies of Ukraine, heads of central and local authorities and so on. Nowadays the staff of the Faculty, preserving and enriching traditions of the past, works persistently on improvement of educational process, creation of new scientific investigations aiming to prepare the researshers of national historical science.

The Dean of the History Faculty Doctor of Sciences (History), Professor V.F.Kolesnyk

Translated by N.B.Nikolaeva

Dean

Kolesnyk Viktor Fedorovich, Doctor of Sciences (History), Professor;
tel.: 234-10-57

Deputy Dean

Pyzhyk Andriy Mykolaevich, Candidate of Sciences (History), Assistant Professor;
tel.: 234-09-71

Deputy Dean

Komarenko Oleksandr Yuriyovich, Candidate of Sciences (History), Assistant Professor;
tel.: 234-09-71

Deputy Dean

Goman Yuriy Olexiyovich, Candidate of Sciences (History), Assistant Professor;
tel.: 234-09-71


E-Mail:decanat_histor@univ.kiev.ua

Fax +38 (044) 234-69-80

Total number of staff:

professors 27

assistant professors 50

postgraduate students 140

undergraduate students 1100

DEPARTMENTS

The Ancient and Modern History of Ukraine

Head - Kolesnyk V. F. , Doctor of Sciences (History), Professor;
tel.: (044) 239-34-75
E-Mail:dav@history.univ.kiev.ua

The Contemporary History of Ukraine

Head - Lytvyn V.M., Doctor of Sciences (History), Professor
tel.: (044) 239-32-89
E-Mail:novit@history.univ.kiev.ua

Archaeology and Museum Study

Head - Terpylovskiy R.V., Doctor of Sciences (History), Professor
tel.: (044) 239-32-92
E-Mail:arch@history.univ.kiev.ua

Archival Studies and Special Branches of Historical Science

Head - Scherbak M.G., Doctor of Sciences (History), Professor
tel.: (044) 239-32-24
E-Mail:arh@history.univ.kiev.ua

The General History of the Arts Faculties

Head - Kazmirchuk G.D., Doctor of Sciences (History), Professor
tel.: (044) 239-33-10
E-Mail:gum@history.univ.kiev.ua

The History of Slavs

Head - Yaroviy V.I., Doctor of Sciences (History), Professor
tel.: (044) 239-34-56
E-Mail:slav@history.univ.kiev.ua

The History of Russia

Head - Mordvintsev V.M., Doctor of Sciences (History), Professor
tel.: (044) 239-33-17
E-Mail:ros@history.univ.kiev.ua

Ancient and Medieval History

Head - Kryzhanivskiy O.P., Doctor of Sciences (History), Professor
tel.: (044) 239-32-75
E-Mail:star@history.univ.kiev.ua

Modern and Contemporary History of Foreign Countries

Head - Gonchar B.M., Doctor of Sciences (History), Professor
tel.: (044) 239-34-24
E-Mail:nov@history.univ.kiev.ua

Ukrainian History and Ethnic Policy

Head - Kotsur A.P., Doctor of Sciences (History), Professor
tel.: (044) 259-01-38

Ethnology and Regional Studies

Head - Kapelyushniy V.P., Doctor of Sciences (History), Professor
tel.: (044) 239-33-18
E-Mail:etn@history.univ.kiev.ua

MAIN AREAS OF RESEARCH

Archaeology and ethnography of Ukraine

Development of source and archive studies in Ukraine

History of Ukrainian statehood.

Social and cultural processes in Ukraine (16th-l 9th centuries)

History of social and political development of Slavonic countries

Ukraine-Slav relations in the 19th-20th century

History of public movements and political parties of Ukraine and Russia

Foreign policy and socio-economic problems of Western Europe and North

America.

BASIC COURSES

History of Ukraine; History of the nations of Russia; History of Asia, Africa and Latin America; Archaeological foundations; Ethnographical foundations;

History of primitive society; Archive studies; History of the western and eastern Slavs; Modem history; History of the ancient East; Ancient Greece and Rome;

Medieval history, the Medieval History of Asia and Africa.

Ukrainian Ethnology, Foreign Ethnology, Historical Local-lore, Theoretical Issues of Ethnology

SPECIALIZED COURSES

History of the Cossacks in Ukraine; National and cultural resurgence (second half of the 17th - first half of the 18th century); Historiography of Ukrainian history; Formation of the Social-Democratic movement in Ukraine; the Culture of Ukraine in the 19th - early 20th centuries; Socio-political movements in Ukraine in the 19th century; Ukraine in the Second World War (1941 -1945); Church and religion in Ukraine; Source study of Ukrainian history; Methodology of history; Stages of statehood in Ukraine; Kyivan Rus; Paleography; the Historiography of the nations of Russia; Historical bibliography; Ukrainian national symbols; History of the Ukrainian emigration; Aspects of the history of Russian and world liberalism; Aspects of the history of the White movement in Russia; Anarchism in Ukrainian History; Famine in Ukraine (1921 -1922); History of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army and the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists; Ukrainian immigrants; Important problems of modem ethnic policy; the Ukrainian dissident movement of the 60s - 80s; History of Kyiv University; History of the sciences in Ukraine; Formation of statehood in independent Ukraine; Present-day political parties and movements; Policy and practice; Foundations of eloquence; Organization of scientific work; Historiography of the modem history of Asia, Africa and Latin America; Historiography of archaeology; Methods of field archaeological researches; Ethnography of Ukraine; History, theory and modem practice of museum management studies; Cultural traditions of the Ukrainian people; the Stone Age, problems of study; the Mesolithic and the Late Stone Age, problems of development; Essence and methods of museum running; Exhibition methods; Cultural and educational work of museums; Methods of fixation in archaeological researches; the Archaeology and ancient history of the Mediterranean; the Archaeology and ancient history of America; Problems of the early Iron Age; the Bronze Age; Study of local lore; Historical bibliography; Theory and practice of archive management; Chronology; Metrology; Netrology; Historic periodicals of Ukraine; Development of source study in Ukraine (18th-early 20th centuries); Paleography; Diplomatics; Education and book-printing in Central Europe; Ancient literature of western Europe in the 5th-15th centuries; Christianity; Churches; Heresies in the countries of western Europe and Byzantium in the Middle Ages; Archaeography; Source study; Information science and its promotion in archive management; The National struggle of the eastern and western Slavs for liberation, late 18th- early 20th centuries; the Formation of independent states in central and south-east Europe; Peculiarities of social revolutions in eastern Europe in the 1940s; Cultural development of the eastern and western Slavs at the time of national revival; Historiography of modem history; the Catholic church and ideological opposition in Europe in the 12th -15th centuries; Culture in ancient Egypt and middle Asia; Ancient culture in India and China; Source study of ancient history; Major problems of ancient history in modem historiography; Problems of mediaeval history in modem historiography; Рolabo-Baltic Slavs and Slav-German relations in the Middle Ages. Ethno politics, Social anthropology of Ukrainians, Ukrainian art in European Culture Context, Ukrainian Folk art, Traditional Calendar of Slavs.