The Department of History is one of the founding and with its more than 400 enrolled students also one of the largest departments at the Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana. Its century-long tradition makes it the oldest department in Slovenia where history can be studied as a non-pedagogical or pedagogical study programme. More than thirty permanent and temporary colleagues (university teachers, assistants, lecturers, researchers, librarians and associates at the Faculty of Arts and the European project) are responsible for a smooth studying at all levels and for the research of Slovenian and broader regional history. The well-balanced faculty includes experienced and renowned pedagogues and researchers, along with young insightful colleagues, which enables the transfer of valuable experience and introduction of the newest trends in teaching and research of history.
The department consists of six units, namely the chair of ancient history, the chair of medieval history and auxiliary sciences of history, the chair of history of the early modern period, the chair of nineteenth-century history, the chair for contemporary history, and the chair of didactics of history.
The comprehensive study programme is devised so that students familiarize themselves with all periods of historiographical research; particular attention is paid to the following: history of modern-day Slovene ethnic territory, history of Southeastern Europe, and general history. Our study programme is of quality and comparable to those abroad; it provides future graduates with all key competences required for professional and scientific work in historiography or many other fields, including culture, tourism, research in the realm of the law, international relations, etc. Housing the relevant literature, the departmental library is a unit of the Central Humanities Library and provides support to students and researchers.
The programme group Slovenian History, which consists of all members of the department, is one of the most insightful and internationally renowned research groups in the sphere of historiography and humanities in general in Slovenia. Research plays an important role in the preservation of national identity and cultural heritage and is embedded in the international space. The basic underpinnings taken into consideration in the research include comparability, an objective and critical view of one’s own history, and overcoming uncritical self-sufficiency. Our colleagues have contributed to the development of the Slovene historiographical scientific language and their own methodological concepts, transferring their results to pedagogical practices and to the public on a regular basis. Members of the department participate in other institutions’ national and international projects, organize international scientific gatherings, host lecturers and visit institutions abroad. Our students can partake in numerous Erasmus and CEEPUS student exchange programmes.
The department brings out the scientific collection Historia, which is published by the Znanstvena založba Filozofske fakultete. The Department of History houses also the Historical Association of Slovenia (HAS) and and its periodical Zgodovinski časopis/Historical Review, the Slovenian History Teachers’ Association, and the students’ association ISHA Ljubljana.
