The department began its work in 1964, when, in accordance with the order of the Ministry of Higher and Secondary Special Education (Minvuz) of the USSR dated June 27, 1963, the teaching of the discipline "Fundamentals of Scientific Communism" was introduced in the universities of the country, and then a decision was made to create similar departments (for the first year, teachers of the discipline were part of the department of philosophy). The first meeting of the department took place on August 28, 1964. Until May 1975, the founder and head of the department of scientific communism at the BPI was a well-known lecturer of the republic, candidate of historical sciences, associate professor I. M. Stupnikov. In 1970, a sociological group was created at the department and research sector of the BPI on a contractual basis, which was engaged in research at Belarusian enterprises. Since June 1976, the head of the department has become a candidate of historical sciences, associate professor P.P. Silivanchik. The department grew quantitatively and qualitatively. Since January 1982, Doctor of Philosophical Sciences, Professor V. N. Semenkov became the head of the department. At that time, the BPI department was the largest among similar departments of the BSSR universities. In 1985, its staff consisted of 55 people: 39 members of the teaching staff, including 3 doctors of sciences, professors, 17 candidates of sciences and associate professors, 6 employees of teaching and support staff and 10 of the sociological group. The staff of the department took an active part in the life of the institute and the republic. Since June 1986, the department was headed by Doctor of Philosophical Sciences, Professor A. F. Bogdanov. In the mid 1980s. work on the preparation of dissertations has intensified. In December 1988, by order of the rector of the BPI, the Scientific Research Laboratory "Sociology" was formed under the council of the departments of social sciences as part of the NTO "Polytechnic". The department grew quantitatively and qualitatively. Since January 1982, Doctor of Philosophical Sciences, Professor V. N. Semenkov became the head of the department. At that time, the BPI department was the largest among similar departments of the BSSR universities. In 1985, its staff consisted of 55 people: 39 members of the teaching staff, including 3 doctors of sciences, professors, 17 candidates of sciences and associate professors, 6 employees of teaching and support staff and 10 of the sociological group. The staff of the department took an active part in the life of the institute and the republic. Since June 1986, the department was headed by Doctor of Philosophical Sciences, Professor A. F. Bogdanov. In the mid 1980s. work on the preparation of dissertations has intensified. In December 1988, by order of the rector of the BPI, the Scientific Research Laboratory "Sociology" was formed under the council of the departments of social sciences as part of the NTO "Polytechnic". The department grew quantitatively and qualitatively. Since January 1982, Doctor of Philosophical Sciences, Professor V. N. Semenkov became the head of the department. At that time, the BPI department was the largest among similar departments of the BSSR universities. In 1985, its staff consisted of 55 people: 39 members of the teaching staff, including 3 doctors of sciences, professors, 17 candidates of sciences and associate professors, 6 employees of teaching and support staff and 10 of the sociological group. The staff of the department took an active part in the life of the institute and the republic. Since June 1986, the department was headed by Doctor of Philosophical Sciences, Professor A. F. Bogdanov. In the mid 1980s. work on the preparation of dissertations has intensified. In December 1988, by order of the rector of the BPI, the Scientific Research Laboratory "Sociology" was formed under the council of the departments of social sciences as part of the NTO "Polytechnic".
A new stage in the history of the department began in May 1990, when it was transformed into the Department of Political Science and Sociology. In 1990, the department published educational and methodological manuals on political science (the first in the republic) and sociology. By the Decree of the Council of Ministers of the BSSR No. 149 dated April 17, 1991, the BPI was renamed the Belarusian State Polytechnic Academy (BSPA). In 1992, the department was transformed into the Department of Political Science, and the discipline "sociology" was merged with social psychology and transferred to the Department of Pedagogical Disciplines.
Since 1992, the head of the department has been the candidate of philosophical sciences, associate professor E.P. Sapelkin, who at the same time was the dean of the faculty for advanced training of teachers of higher and secondary specialized educational institutions at the BPI (he replaced the professor of the department A.F. Bogdanov in this position). In 1994, the faculty was reorganized into the Republican Educational Center (ROC), where, in addition to improving the qualifications of teachers, students began to be trained. The teachers of the department took an active part in the creation of a new structural unit of the university and the provision of the educational process in it. It was with the ROC that the history of the modern Faculty of Management Technologies and Humanization (FTUG) began.
By Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus No. 165 dated April 1, 2002, BSPA was transformed into the Belarusian National Technical University, and from April 19, 2000, the department became known as the Department of Political Science, Sociology and Social Management. According to the results of the review competition for 1997-2001. the department was recognized as the best humanitarian department of BNTU, and in the 2002-2003 academic year - the best in deepening the specialization of general education and humanitarian departments and graduating specialists in new areas.
Since 2005, the department was headed by Candidate of Philosophical Sciences, Associate Professor S.V. Potapenko.
Since April 2011, the head of the department is Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor, Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, Honored Worker of Science of the Republic of Belarus V. A. Bobkov. Since 2000, the department has been training for a long period in the specialization 1-26 02 02 12 "Personnel Management" specialty 1-26 02 02 "Management". Currently, due to the reduction in the number of students, graduation in this specialty by the department is suspended. The staff of the department is focused on pedagogical, scientific, ideological and educational activities.
From February 2019 to December 2021, the department was merged with the department "History, world and national culture" as part of a single department "History of the Belarusian statehood", which was headed by Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor, Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, Honored Scientist of the Republic of Belarus V. A. Bobkov.
Since December 2021, the departments have been separated. The Department of Social Management includes 21 people, including teaching and support staff, 1 corresponding member of the National Academy of Sciences, 2 professors (2 doctors of science), 10 associate professors (11 candidates of science), 8 senior lecturers. The head of the department is Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor L.N. Semyonov. The Department of Social Management is a serious teaching team that combines highly experienced and young workers who successfully solve the tasks of teaching political science, sociology, ideology on a professional basis, helping technical departments to train highly qualified specialists with a broad outlook, patriots of their homeland. The personnel potential of the department allows you to engage in scientific interdisciplinary research, develop scientific and methodological manuals and teaching materials. The department is proud of its past, honors traditions and confidently looks to the future.
