Political science has been developing at Kharkiv University along with the establishment of its own traditions of research and teaching initiated thanks to numerous efforts of the University scientists and faculty. The high professional level of the University professionals enables the development of both traditional and modern areas of political science. The scientists and faculty of the Department have made a considerable contribution into the shaping of political thought and bringing up many generations of the University alumni.
Establishment of political science at Kharkiv University begins in the early XIX century when, according to the Statute of 1804, the Division of Moral and Political Sciences is one of four divisions of the newly created University. The invited professors are Ludwig Jakob and Josef Lang who initiate the development of political studies at Kharkiv University. At that time, political science covers a wide range of problems connected with political economy and diplomacy, moral philosophy, cameralistics, natural and comparative international law. Professor T. Stepanov in his report “About the Nature, Importance and Purpose of Political Sciences” (August 30, 1833) places new emphasis on the independent status of political sciences.

In the middle of the XIX century Professor Kachenovsky’s work “About the Present State of Political Sciences in Western Europe and in Russia” (1862) becomes an important contribution to the development of political science as an independent discipline in the Russian Empire.
The problem of social and political development of society holds an important role in the work of Department of Scientific Communism, created in 1963. The draft discipline “Scientific Communism” in the Soviet times should be regarded as an attempt of scientizing the Marxist-Leninist theoretical canon and establishing scientific methods of social and political cognition of modern society. In this sense, scientific communism is developing concurrently with the spread of modernization theory and the behavioral revolution in USA political science in 1960-s.

The Department of Political Science is established in 1991 under Order No. 0104-2/330 as of June 03, 1991 of Gorky University. In late 1980-s, before the official order, Professors M. Sazonov and M. Nikolayevsky start working on re-orienting the faculty towards teaching a new course. The methodical and methodological workshops work out syllabi, discuss the most important issues of political life and the structure of the future course. It is the time when the basis for training future political scientists is laid.
In 1992-1995 the Schools of Economics, History and Sociology prepare future political scientists in Political Science. It allows to train the required young professionals both for the University and other Ukrainian educational institutions.

The first enrollment of students in Political Science takes place in 2003 on the basis of the School of Sociology.
Ever since its creation he Department of Political Science has been a leader in political science in the region.
The first Head of the Department is Professor M. Sazonov. Since July 3, 2010 the Department has been headed by Professor O. Fisun.