The Institute of Sociological Sciences is a dynamic and rapidly expanding unit within the Faculty of Social Sciences at the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin (KUL). IS consists of seven chairs and currently employs around twenty highly qualified staff: professors, research fellows and other scholars. Many of them have gained their research experience while studying or working for projects at universities and other research institutions in Europe and in the USA. There are grant holders of the Fulbright, Konrad Adenauer Stiftung and DAAD. Many of them work as editorial staff in domestic, as well as international, scientific journals. As a result of their achievements the staff of ISS have been awarded a number of research grants and national prizes.
The detailed scrutinies that are currently occurring in research and teaching worldwide put great emphasis on the practical knowledge that students are to be provided with during their studies. Effectively such changes have led to the reorganization of the programs at ISS, as a result of which the new two-level program was launched in 2004/05. Together with the reorganization of teaching some new areas of sociological research have been introduced: Sociology of Economics, Social Works, Sociology of Regional Development and Territorial Governance, Sociology of Media, European Integration. Apart from the general knowledge required to gain insight into social phenomena and processes, students are being given opportunities to do placements in a professional environment as well as to familiarize themselves with institutions in which they may get a job in the future.
ISS aims to provide a high-quality education
ISS was ranked as sixth amongst state universities in Poland in a national survey to assess teaching quality; this was carried out by a weekly "Polityka" between 2001-2007. In recognition of the high-quality standard of education delivered at IS, on 24th June 2000 the University Accreditation Commission granted an Accreditation Certificate for a period of five years. On 25th May 2005, after the re-inspection of DS, the University Accreditation Commission extended this credit for the next five years (2005-2010).
Opportunities for study abroad
Participation in international student exchange programs such as ERASMUS, KOLUMB, and COMENIUS, allows students of ISS to apply for scholarships to study abroad and to work on international projects. ISS maintains student exchange links with some European universities and research institutions such as: Charles University in Prague (Czech Republic), Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg (Germany), Chemnitz University of Technology (Germany), University of Bremen (Germany), Daugavpils University (Latvia.)
Head of Institute
Associate Professor Wioletta Szymczak, Phd, DSc
Contact:
Al. Racławickie 14, 20-950 Lublin,
Kolegium Jana Pawła II, p. C-344
tel. (81) 445-33-44
e-mail: wioletsz@kul.lublin.pl
