Research is one of the main priorities of the Department. All research activities in field of philosophy, cultural studies, sociology and political science are carried out under the state program of the Ministry of Education and Science.

Research interests of the Department's members cover a significant range of areas: history, philosophy, religious studies, ethics, aesthetics, philosophy of rationality, irrational philosophy, culture and identity, nomadology, philosophy of science, regional problems of ethnography, etc.

The following members of the Department have successfully defended their dissertations for the degree of Candidate of Philosophical Sciences: S.Kh. Almukhanov, M.Zh. Kozhamzharova, A.A. Uyzbayeva (Bishkek).

The Department carries out systematic work to improve the skills of academic staff members in educational and research institutions of the RK. All members of the Department took a professional development course in Credit Technology of Education.

G.G. Akhmetova completed a course in Basics of the Internet (16 hours) held by the University and received a certificate (November 23-30, 2009).

2 members of the Department (S.Kh. Almukhanov and G.B. Nurakhmetova) took a 72-hour course in Pedagogical, Information and Communication Technologies of Distance Education and received a certificate (January 11-23, 2010).

In May-June 2010, the Department's academic staff completed a professional development course in Methods of Using Interactive Whiteboards in Teaching and Learning.

Members of the Department take part in national and international conferences in Almaty, Semipalatinsk, Kostanay, Tyumen, Turkestan, as well as annual conferences held by PSU (Toraighyrov Conference, M.Zh. Kopeyev Conference, and Satpayev Conference). Undergraduate and postgraduate students are actively involved in research activities.

A branch of the Department was established at Pavlodar Regional History Museum named after G.N. Potanin, where students and lecturers can carry out their research activities.

Research results are actively implemented into the educational process: Ancient Philosophy (by S.V. Nevmerzhitskiy), Problem of the Man in the History of Philosophy (by B.A. Kulenov), Traditional Kazakh Ethnography in 2 parts (by A.A. Sabdanbekova and Zh.O. Artykbayev), etc.

Members of the Department also continue to carry out independent research activities.

T.Yu. Bil,  A.A. Azhenova, B.T. Smagulova, G.Sh. Sultanova, G.T. Artykbayeva plan to enter a doctoral program.

Members of the Department take an active part in national and international research conferences. 8 lecturers of the Department took part in the 4th International Conference on Russia and Europe (Prague).

G.T. Artykbayeva, D.K. Sulekeyev, S.K. Moldabayava, and A.A. Azhenov were among active participants of the 1st Zh. Abdildin Conference in June 2013.

M.A. Altybasariva, I.A. Kaliyev and G.Zh. Yelmuratov attended the Regional Conference on New Religious Movements and Kazakhstan’s Safety: Young People’s View (Pavlodar).

In October 2013, the Department and the Regional Center for Political Studies held a conference in the memory of G.N. Irenov attended by all lecturers and students of the Department, as well as invited guests.

A state-funded research project is performed by the Department (namely, A.A. Akishev and S.K. Moldabayeva) in cooperation with the Regional Center for Political Studies. Title of the project: Ethnopolitical Problems in the Post-Soviet space in the Context of the Study of the Sociopolitical Status of the Titular Ethnic Group of Independent Kazakhstan.

T.N. Zozulya and G.T. Artykbayeva work on a joint German-Kazakh-Mongolian project in sociology (Agreement 352 dated May 29, 2011) performed by S. Toraighyrov PSU and Georg-August-Universität Göttingen. Title of the research: Restoring Forests and Biological Diversity in the Forest-Steppe Zone of the Altai and Changay Mountains in Comparative Development of Livestock Numbers in Kazakhstan and Mongolia (total amount of funding: 32,240 euros). T.N. Zozulya and G.T. Artykbayeva perform a part of the project entitled: "Impact of Human Activities on the Restoration of Biodiversity in the Region". The project is designed for 3 years with subsequent prolongation for 2 more years.

Department's lecturers developed electronic textbooks ("Political Parties and Party Systems" and "Fundamentals of Law" in Russian and Kazakh) that are actively used in the educational process.

Students also actively participate in various scientific events. The Department holds an annual conference on topical problems of political science. All students take an active part, make reports and publish research papers. Best reports are recommended for the annual Satpayev Conference. 14 students took part in the 14th Satpayev Conference. Students Aliya Aliakparova and Adilet Meyrmanov attended a student conference on new religious movements and safety of Kazakhstan.

Curriculum Support and Development

The Department of Philosophy, Social and Human Disciplines is a strong team of creative professionals. The Department's academic staff teach courses for Bachelor's and Master's programs.

The specialization of the Department is closely related to educational work of all faculties and aimed at carrying out socio-cultural, academic and educational work with students. Students' personal development and patriotic education are the central task of the Department's educational work.

The Department developed training manuals in Bachelor's courses: Philosophy (Ancient Philosophy) by B.A. Kulenov and S.S. Aubakirova; Philosophy (Fundamentals of Philosophy and Religious Studies) by R.N. Koshenova.

Members of the academic staff have developed EMCDs and teach the following courses in English: Aesthetics of Postmodernism (by G.G. Akhmetova), Culture of the Middle Ages (by A.A. Uyzbayeva), History and Philosophy of Science (by G.G. Akhmetova).

Peter Stsegedi, an Associate Professor of Eotvos Lorand University, delivered a course of lectures for undergraduate and postgraduate students (March 4 - March 15, 2014).

In 2013, 2014, the following academic staff members of the Department won the Bolashak scholarship: G. G. Akhmetova, A. A. Azhenov (Montreux, Switzerland), A. A. Uyzbayeva (Reading, Great Britain), G. K. Zhapekova (Leiden, the Netherlands). 

Z.S. Baybakina, a second-year Master's degree student, studied at Al-Farabi KazNU in the 2013-2014 academic year under the internal academic mobility program.

All academic activities are carried out in accordance with the requirements of the state compulsory standards and model programs of courses. There are state compulsory standards for all programs, the curriculum development plan is executed through the development and re-approval of work programs, syllabuses, methodological recommendations and guidelines for course works (projects), materials for knowledge control and final certification in Kazakh and Russian. Catalogs of elective courses are available for all programs. The Content of CECs is annually reviewed for compliance with modern requirements for graduates, the latest achievements in science and practice. A reason for making changes to the list and content of elective courses is a suggestion by consumers of educational services.

Lectures for the following courses have been developed and published: Political Science, Sociology, Fundamentals of Law (in Kazakh and Russian).

Leading lecturers of the Department have developed teaching complexes in Political Systems and Regimes, Modern International Relations and Global Development, Political Institutions and Political Entities, Political Parties and Party Systems, Political Power, Political Modernization, etc. The plan of educational materials publication in Kereku is executed every year.

Lecturers actively use interactive, innovative methods of teaching. During seminars, students use pre-prepared slides to make presentations on specific topics. Defense of course works, graduation projects and master's theses always include slide-presentations.

Cases have been prepared for students of the distance learning mode. The cases include all necessary materials for the study of a discipline.

The Department holds a research and methodological seminar where lecturers make reports aimed at further improvement of academic and methodological activities. Members of the Department also hold public lectures and peer-reviewed lessons, which also contributes to the improvement of the quality of teaching. In accordance with the objectives of the Department in the field of quality, the level of curriculum support and development has been significantly improved.