Study programs at the Faculty of Sociology
The Faculty offers full-time BA and MA programs in sociology and social work. Graduates of the first cycle studies obtain the Bachelor Degree, and graduates of the second cycle studies – the Master Degree. There is the possibility to continue education on PhD studies in Wydziałowe Studium Doktoranckie (Faculty PhD Study). Upon completion of the PhD studies and after PhD thesis defense, the academic degree of PhD in sociology is awarded.
In the academic year 2012/2013 the Faculty of Sociology adopted a new program which is based on classes conducted within a framework of specialization modules. In 2013 the BA and MA programs in sociology at AMU Institute of Sociology were awarded outstanding assessment by the Polish Accreditation Committee. According to the most relevant ranking prepared by the newspaper “Perspektywy” (Perspectives) in 2016, AMU sociology in Poznań was placed fourth in Poland after such academic centers as Warsaw and Cracow. At the Faculty there are two Reading Groups: Club of AMU Sociology Students and Club of Social Work Students.
Among the AMU sociology specializations there are visual techniques and sociology of things. What is more, the Institute develops traditional quantitative research based on surveys and statistical analysis. Overall, the structure of the Faculty encompasses ten specialized departments and one chair for our groups of highly qualified researchers. Sociologists in Poznań also successfully develop the realm of public sociology, which is evidenced by their active presence in the local media and their involvement in the community life.
The Institute hosts students from the Erasmus program and offers lectures in English.
History of the Faculty
The tradition of sociology in Poznań goes back to 1920 when the Chair of Sociology and Philosophy of Culture was founded at the University of Poznań. This Chair was headed by Professor Florian Znaniecki – one of the main representatives of humanistic sociology and co-author (with William Thomas) of the book The Polish Peasant in Europe and America.
In 1927 sociology was established as a separate field of study. After World War II, as a result of political circumstances, academic teaching at the sociology program was suspended and the Chair of Sociology was renamed into the Chair of Social Thought run by Tadeusz Szczurkiewicz. In 1968 the sociology study program was reopened and a year later the Chair of Sociology was transformed into the Institute of Sociology. The Institute was headed by Władysław Markiewicz (until 1972), and then by Professor Andrzej Kwilecki (1972-1981), Professor Zygmunt Dulczewski (1981-1984), Professor Marek Ziółkowski (1984-1993), Professor Jan Włodarek (1993-2005), Professor Krzysztof Podemski (2005-2008) and Professor Rafał Drozdowski (since 2008). In 2017 Professor Aldona Żurek became the head of the Institute of Sociology.
In 1992, besides existing sociology study programs, a new field of study – social work – was opened. Since 1998 the Institute has been empowered to award the academic degree of PhD (currently – of Social Sciences) in sociology, and since 2012 – the post-doctoral degree (doctor habilitatus) of Social Sciences in sociology. Since 2007, in accordance with the regulations of the Bologna Process, the sociology study program has been a two-cycle studies. Since 2017, apart from the BA program, the MA program in social work has been available. In 2019, the Institute of Sociology became the Faculty of Sociology.
Our graduates
Sociology graduates can be found in various sectors of the labor market. They find employment in the media and image sector (as press secretaries), as well as in the market sector, public companies, banks, service industry, and also in a widely understood public sphere: local governments, administration, and education. Poznań sociologists make use of their skills in the non-governmental sector as experts, animators or activists (e.g. as members and chairmen of community councils, members of Management Boards in foundations and associations). Among the well-known AMU sociology graduates we can list: PhD Jerzy Krężlewski – President of the Management Board of Termy Maltanskie, which is the largest waterpark in wielkopolska region; PhD Tadeusz Zysk – the founder of Dom Wydawniczy „Rebis” and Wydawnictwo Zysk i Spółka, which is one of the most significant Polish publishing houses; D.Litt. Michał Nowosielski (doctor habilitatus) - the director of Instytut Zachodni in Poznań, which is a long-established research institution focused on the aspects of German studies; PhD Filip Schmidt – the chairmen of the Management Board in Rada Osiedla Jeżyce (community council), which is one of the central areas of the secessionist Poznań.
Partners
The Faculty of Sociology cooperates with a wide range of public and private institutions in terms of research projects as well as co-organization of numerous events and promotion of education (this year Faculty co-organizes ISA XV International Laboratory for PhD Students in Sociology). Poznań sociologists provide professional consultative assistance for Urząd Miasta Poznania (Municipal Office in Poznań), Urząd Wojewódzki (Wielkopolska Region Office) and other public institutions. Our employees also take part in many European projects, among which there are such related to social inequalities (EUREQUAL) and environmental issues (Project "STAR-FLOOD").
For more information or contact with a person responsible for cooperation with external entities please go to the tab Cooperation.
Scientific journals
The Faculty of Sociology is publishing (and publishing in cooperation) two journals:
Człowiek i Społeczeństwo (man and society), journal published since 1984, printed by Wydawnictwo Naukowe UAM.
ONLINE BOOKSTORE, e-mail: ewelina.berdowicz@amu.edu.pl;
Ruch Prawniczy, Ekonomiczny i Socjologiczny (Journal of Law, Economics and Sociology), one of the oldest Polish Journal in the area of social science in Poland.
Here is ONLINE ARCHIVE, where readers could find numbers since 1921 of the XX century.
Website: www.rpeis.pl, e-mail: rpeis@amu.edu.pl, tel.: (61) 829-42-90.
Society Register, an English-language journal in the field of social sciences published by Department of Sociology at the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań under Creative Commons license. Indexed in BASE, CEJSH, CEON, PKP Index, IC Journals Master List, ROAD, POL-index, Google Scholar, WorldCat, NUKAT, ARIANTA. All numbers can be found in free access (HERE). Website: https://pressto.amu.edu.pl/index.php/sr, e-mail: societyregister@gmail.com, tel. (+48) 61 829 2227.
