Chair of Sociology

Elena Vladimirovna Birchenko Head of the Chair of Sociology, PhD in Sociology, Associate Professor

Phone: +38057 716-44-06 (ext. 2-46)

Room: 207-II

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The Chair of Sociology is a graduate chair within the Social Management Department. It was founded in 1993 and is one of the chairs that provide Sociology education in Kharkov.

The Chair offers Bachelor’s programs in specialization 6.030101 – Sociology, Specialist’s and Master’s programs in specializations 7.03010101 and 8.03010101 – Sociology ("Sociology of management").

The Chair of Sociology also offers post-graduate and doctoral programs in specializations 22.00.04 – "Special and industrial sociology" and 22.00.01 – "Theory and History of Sociology."

The education process is coordinated by specialists with highest academic degrees: 2 full Doctors, 11 – PhD holders.

Chair of Sociology 2014/15 Academic Year

The department successfully develops scientific cooperation with a number of leading institutions of higher education. Teachers are actively involved in the implementation of various research projects in collaboration with Kharkiv National University named after Vasil Karazin, the Academy of Finance under the Government of the Russian Federation, University of Szczecin (Poland), The Russian State Humanitarian University, Southwestern State University, Belgorod State University, National Pedagogical University named after M.P. Dragomanov (Kyiv), St Petersburg State University of Economics and Finance.

The practical component of the educational process is implemented on the basis of cooperation programs with representatives of the business community of the city – the "Factor" corporation, "Irbis" TD, "Sofia" Consulting Center, Labour and Social Protection Department of the Kharkiv City Council, the Department of Family and Youth of the Kharkiv region.

Main activities:

Methodological research provides the educational process with constantly updated learning programs, guidelines, and manuals reflecting the latest achievements in social sciences, a deeper understanding of the needs of contemporary social reality.

The Chair has not only developed standard courses, but also author's ones, including those of innovative methods of teaching Sociology. For a variety of disciplines a distance learning program is implemented. Modern information technologies as well as teaching in English are also being actively introduced.

The Chair members teach 52 Sociology courses and sub-courses including:

General theory of Sociology; History of Sociology; Methodology and methods of sociological research; Sociology of management; Social and economic foundations of HR management; Sociology of Mass Communications; Labor market and employment management; Social and political marketing; Gender studies; Development of the information society; Foundations of democracy and parliamentarism sociology; Latest sociological theories; Globalization: a sociological analysis; Public relations, and others.

A number of disciplines are taught by practicing professors: O. Silka, Managing Partner of “IndigoBusiness”; T. Topchiy, the chairman of the Frunze district administration of Kharkov; D. Nedogonov, vice president of "Yangolyatko" charity organization in Kharkov.

Leading experts from foreign universities are invited as guest lecturers: G.G. Sillaste, Dr. of Philosophy, Professor of the Academy of Finance under the Government of the Russian Federation (Moscow) – 2014, A.B. Hoffman, Dr. of Philosophy, the Chair of General Sociology of Higher School of Economics (Moscow), S.A. Sharonova, Dr. of Sociology, professor of the Russian Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Russian Federation, members of the Young Scientists Association (Estonia), O. Colleen – Professor of Kristianstadt University, and A. Vemb – lecturer of Kristianstadt University (Sweden).

Research work carried out by the Chair covers a wide range of problems of modern education and is conducted within the framework of the scientific school "Formation of intellectual potential of society in the conditions of contemporary social transformations" (under the supervision of V.I. Astakhova, Dr. of Histore, Professor).