Home - Faculty of Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities

Faculty of Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities

The Faculty offers top-quality bachelor’s (8 study programmes), master’s (8 study programmes), doctoral (4 study programmes), and vocational (1 study programme) studies. The research conducted by the Faculty’s scientists and researchers significantly contributes to strengthening links and developing synergy between social and technological sciences. The Faculty is actively involved in initiating and carrying out social projects meeting the interests and needs of contemporary society

Mission and vision

Our vision

We aim for our faculty to become an intellectual, creative space where innovative solutions and the best ideas are born, therefore we create collaborative and creative environment meeting the needs of students and teachers. We do not limit ourselves to traditional lecturing but seek innovative teaching methods which foster critical and creative thinking skills. We initiate interdisciplinary projects together with communities of other faculties and universities.

Our mission

The Faculty of Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities aims not only to impart knowledge and skills of the chosen fields of study to its students but also to cultivate people possessing humanistic values, appreciating European culture and interdisciplinary spirit, so they are creative, responsible and open. Our community of teachers and students can face the challenges of change, are not afraid to experiment, are able to think creatively and critically; they can analyse their environment, know their country’s history, understand and respect other cultures and traditions, and can manage and employ technologies.

Our values

Student-teacher partnership and trust in each other are very important to the Faculty’s academic community. We think it is every teacher‘s duty to motivate the student to think critically, to discuss and justify each statement with an argument, to express thoughts and ideas freely, not to be afraid to make mistakes, and to look for non-traditional problem solutions.

About the Faculty

Our goal is to prepare graduates, citizens of Lithuania and the world, for national and international careers. Faculty’s priority is social partnership and internationalism. Collaboration with private and public organisations, local communities, Alumni give practical knowledge, abilities, and skills which match the market needs; it motivates to create joint projects, to propose innovative solutions, and organise practical activities. The experience of studying and training in universities or organisations abroad along with participation of international scientists and experts in the study process is a necessary requirement for success to ensure the quality of studies.

We aim to build an internationally acclaimed community of teachers and researchers to guarantee quality of the studies. We encourage teachers and researchers to keep improving, to develop professionally, to conduct research and projects, to combine theory with newest practical experience, and to join national and international networks of experts. We want our teachers to be leaders of change who look for non-traditional, creative solutions, and motivate their students to think critically and to analyse the environment.

The Faculty of Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities is special because of its social mission. We care not only for ourselves but also for sustainable environment – for our country, community, for the world. We participate in public discussions and debates; we present to the society our evidence-based scientific insights which are relevant to issues in public discourse. It is important for us that research conducted and social innovations created in the Faculty would contribute to the well-being of our country and the world, because we care about the future.

History

A massive two and a half storey building at the corner of K. Donelaičio str. and A. Mickevičiaus str. catches the eye – it is known historically as the First Chamber of the University of Lithuania.

On February 16, 1922 University of Lithuania was established in Kaunas on the basis of Higher Courses.

On March 24, 1922 Constituent Assembly of Lithuania confirmed the Statute of the University of Lithuania and since that year the building was the main and only Chamber of the University for five years (until 1927).

In 1927 it was renamed as the First Chamber. Rector’s Office, the Faculty of Law, and classrooms of Faculties of Mathematics and Natural Sciences were located here. The building has a Great Hall of the University (Aula) where University’s and Senate’s celebratory meetings still take place.

One can literally feel the spirit of science and culture at KTU Faculty of Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities, as from the very beginning it was the most important centre of Lithuanian intellectual and cultural life. Zigmas Žemaitis, Jonas Gudaitis-Vabalas, Petras Leonas, Petras Šalčius, Vladas Jurgutis, Augustinas Janulaitis, Teodoras Daukantas and other society‘s intellectuals created, worked, and taught here.