The Department of Social Pedagogy was opened in 2005. The department is headed by Kovbas Bogdan Ivanovich – candidate of pedagogical sciences, associate professor, specialist in the field of family counseling, pedagogy and psychology of family relationships, theory and methods of educational work in out-of-school educational establishments; author of more than 80 scientific works in the history of pedagogy, activities of children and youth organizations, scientific and methodological support of the educational process in higher education, including: “Detecting the readiness of future teachers to pedagogical interaction with children’s public associations” (co-authorship, 1997) , “Activities of Children and Youth Organizations in Ukraine: Problems and Prospects” (1999, 2004), “Family Pedagogy” (under the MES stamp, T 3, co-authored, 2006), “Psychology of family education” (co-authored, 2008). He is currently researching and teaching current issues of family education, the role and place of social worker in the harmonization of family relationships, the impact of modern children’s and youth organizations on the socialization of children and youth in modern Ukrainian society.
There are 16 scientific and pedagogical employees working at the department, including doctors of science, professors – 1 (1 of them at the main place of work); Candidates of Sciences, Professors –1 (1 of them at the main place of work); Candidates of Sciences, associate professors – 14 (13 of them at the main place of work, 1 – in combination).
Most teachers of the departments have extensive scientific and pedagogical experience (15 years and more). The share of teachers engaged in the improvement of educational and methodological support, research, preparation of textbooks and manuals is 100%.
Graduates of the specialty are employed in educational establishments of different levels and types, institutions and organizations of social service of the city and the region. Students of the specialty 231 “Social Work” take an active part in scientific conferences, round table meetings, educational institutions and other activities.
Practical training of students is carried out at the departments of the University. The process of preparation of specialists in the specialty is fully provided with educational-methodical and informational material, the development and the teaching staff of the department are constantly working improvement of which.
The Department of Social Pedagogy and Social Work is actively engaged in scientific work, its teaching staff is a regular contributor to professional regional and national periodicals.However, the department is not only a generator of new pedagogical ideas, but is effectively implementing them.
The whole faculty of the department is constantly working on the development and updating of work programs, topics of seminars and practical classes, manuals, methodical instructions for the study of disciplines, including the use of the latest interactive and training methods.
The Department creates all conditions for successful scientific activities in the framework of specific directions of scientific research “Theoretical and methodological basics of socio-pedagogical work and social work” (state registration No. 0113U006412). The theme of the research work is relevant in the context of contemporary realities. Socio-pedagogical work and social work is promising in relation to different categories of customers, particularly those areas that relate to working with social orphans and children from families of migrant workers.
Teachers of the Department constantly improve their skills through internships at other universities and in other countries through various educational programs.
Support of scientific and pedagogical level of teachers, their retraining and improvement of qualification is carried out through internships in academic and research institutions of Ukraine (Lviv, Chernivtsi National University, Kamianets-Podilskyi National University named after Ivan Ohienko, the South Ukrainian state University. K. D Ushynsky, Ternopil National pedagogical University. V. Hnatiuk, Institute of problems of education of NAPS of Ukraine), through scientific and methodological seminars, existing in the departments, conferences at all levels, involving teachers of the Department. Teachers of the Department receive training abroad, in particular in the German Academy of Management and Economics in the field of international project management (M. Hanover), University of management (M. Varna, Bulgaria), the Prague Institute of advanced studies (Sciences Prague, Czech Republic).
The department maintains close links with the departments of other universities. In addition, the teachers of the department cooperate with the Department of Education, Science, and Youth Policy of the Ivano-Frankivsk Regional State Administration and the Department of Education and Science of the Ivano-Frankivsk City Council.
Thus, we can conclude that the specialty 231 “Social work” at the department of social pedagogy and social work of the Pedagogical Faculty is appropriately popular among school graduates, fully provided with the necessary educational and methodical literature, including in the electronic version, teaching with degrees. The specialty has everything necessary for its further development.