The Department of History is one of the oldest departments at the Faculty of Philosophy in Sarajevo. It grew out of the Chair of History that was established in 1950. Since its establishment to the present day, faculty from the Department of History have been respected scholars in the field of history. The first professors at the Department were also among the founders of the Faculty of Philosophy. For decades, the Department has been a meeting place for historians from all over Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The Department of History educates future history teachers and scholars. With the possibility of combining subject areas offered at Faculty of Philosophy departments and at other faculties at the University of Sarajevo, students can prepare for various other professions that they study for in combination with or in addition to history.
The curriculum has been designed to prepare students to teach in primary and secondary schools, as well as to prepare them for employment at various academic and cultural institutions such as faculties, institutes, museums, archives, libraries, national cultural societies, tourist agencies, etc. Students who graduate from the Department of History can also work at state institutions, in the media, etc. A number of our graduates have become respected diplomats, writers and journalists or work in the public and cultural sectors.
History is studied at the Department in three concentric circles: Bosnian-Herzegovinian history, regional history (the history of South East Europe), and European and world history. The most significant aspects of political, economic, social and cultural history, as well as the history of daily life are studied in this context. The teaching process emphasises the delivering of knowledge and skills needed by future professionals and on developing critical thinking skills. The Department of History organises academic field trips and field work so that our students have the opportunity to visit the most significant cultural and historical monuments related to the history of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the region. Our students are often able to help by providing services to the community, assisting at various cultural and historical institutions, etc. Also, the Chair of Art History and the Chair of Archaeology are part of the Department.
A significant number of study trips at foreign universities lasting one or several semesters have been realised as part of international academic exchanges and independent student initiatives. Some of the graduates of our first study cycle continue their second cycle studies at universities across Europe. At the same time, the Department of History has hosted exchange students in all three study cycles and from a number of different academic centres (Austria, Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Japan, and Turkey).
Since 2010, the Department of History has been editing and publishing its own journal Radovi Filozofskog fakulteta (Historija, Historija umjetnosti, Arheologija) [Faculty of Philosophy Articles (History, Art History, Archaeology)].