Faculty of Political Science

The Faculty of Political Science of the University of Banja Luka was established on 27 March 2009, when four study programmes (Sociology, Social Work, Journalism and Political Science) were separated from the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Banja Luka. At the end of 2007, these study programmes were licensed as three-year studies of 180 ECTS credits. However, in 2010 the process of their relicensing was started and thus four four-year study programmes of 240 ECTS credits were developed, under which the already enrolled students continued to study, as well as four new study programmes, with the same number of ECTS credits, which took in a new generation of students. Those are: Sociology, Social Work, Journalism and Communicology and Political Science. After three years of existence, in the academic year 2011- 12, the Faculty of Political Science of the University of Banja Luka started the second-cycle studies comprising six academic disciplines: Political Science Studies, International Studies, Journalism Studies, Communication Studies, Social Work Studies and Sociology Studies. Since 2018, two new disciplines have been launched within the second-cycle Political Science Study Programme: Public Administration and Public Policies and Local Self- Government, while in the second-cycle Social Work Study Programme, four new disciplines have been launched: Social Policy, Social Work Mediation, Social Sector Management and Contemporary Social Work with Children and Families.

In 2017, a doctoral study programme called the Doctoral Study of Social Science for the research areas of Sociology, Political Science, Social Work and Social Policy and Media Studies was licensed, and classes in this cycle of studies have been conducted since the academic year 2017-18. In 2011, the Faculty of Political Science launched a scientific journal covering social issues named Politeia, which has been published twice a year for eight years now. Its editorial board also includes eminent professors from Serbia, Slovenia, the USA, Great Britain, Italy, Russia, Greece, Japan, Croatia, Germany, Spain, France, etc. The co-publisher of the journal is the Institute for Political Studies in Belgrade, with which the Faculty of Political Science has excellent cooperation. Politeia is a multidisciplinary academic journal, among the few in the field of social sciences, and since 2017 it has been registered and categorized in both Serbia and the Republic of Srpska. It publishes scientific works by authors from the entire region, but also from the world, in the field of political science, international relations, geopolitics, political systems, Balkan studies, sociology, social work, cultural studies, journalism and communicology etc. The Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) indexed the Politeia journal, thus providing access to the family of open access journals from 123 countries worldwide.

Furthermore, it is important to note that the Faculty of Political Science has published dozens of notable scientific monographs by its professors, as well as several proceedings in cooperation with the Institute of International Politics and Economics from Belgrade, with the support of the Representative Office of the Republic of Srpska in Serbia.

The Diplomatic Academy was also organised at the Faculty - a professional course lasting three months. Within this course, participants are trained for professional work in the field of diplomatic practice. In addition, numerous scientific conferences, public debates, seminars, promotions, professional training, guest lectures by top theorists and practitioners from around the world, from the USA to Russia and China, have been organised, as well as meetings with domestic and foreign statesmen, representatives of different embassies, European diplomats, proven experts in different fields from the Balkans etc.

In a number of projects of the Institute for Social Research of the Faculty of Political Science, successful cooperation has been achieved with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, UNHCR and others. The Faculty of Political Science has a very good cooperation with local and regional media houses, different institutions and associations, and social work students successfully do their traineeships in more than 50 social work centres and in many other social protection institutions across the Republic of Srpska.

With four new and innovated study programmes, the Faculty of Political Science is committed to firmly connecting with the development needs of the society, while fostering an independent and autonomous scientific consciousness. The connection with the labour market established through new disciplines further strengthens the position of the Faculty, and special emphasis is put on international and local research projects. The application of research results in the field of social sciences and humanities is imposed as an unavoidable factor in all strategic planning, as well as public policies, in which the Faculty of Political Science should have a significant role. The introduction of the third cycle of studies, where, in addition to theoretical knowledge, research work is encouraged, contributes to the education of new experts in different fields, trained to develop and expand the knowledge gained - both through scientific work and their practical application.

Phone	+387 51 304 001
Fax	+387 51 304 032
Website	www.fpn.unibl.org
E-mail	info@fpn.unibl.org
Address	University City, 1A Vojvode Petra Bojovića Blvd. Banja Luka, 78 000
Dean	Dr. Ranka Perić Romić, Associate Professor
Vice-dean for Teaching	Dr. Anđela Kuprešanin Vukelić, Associate Professor
Vice-Dean for Science, Research and International Cooperation	Dr. Vlade Simović, Associate Professor