Faculty of Social and Human Sciences

The portuguese Faculty of Social and Human Sciences (Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas - FCSH) is an organic unity of NOVA University of Lisbon (UNL) and a legal person under public law, endowed with scientific, pedagogical, administrative and financial autonomy, whose public service mission is to qualify citizens at the highest level. According to its statutes, “the Faculty of Social and Human Sciences of NOVA University of Lisbon is an institution dedicated to education, scientific research and cultural creation" . The Faculty's own identity stems from the coexistence of social sciences with the humanities, allowing an unusual interdisciplinarity in the Portuguese higher education panorama.

General description

The FCSH main building is inspired from the image of an open book

FCSH was established in January 1977 by Decree-Law No. 464/77, following the development of the area of Human and Social Sciences then existing in UNL and led by a group of faculty members and researchers, namely by J. S. da Silva Dias, Leonor Buescu, João Morais Barbosa, Artur Nobre de Gusmão, Fernando Gil, Augusto Mesquitela Lima, A.H. de Oliveira Marques, José Augusto França, Vitorino Magalhães Godinho, José Mattoso, Raquel Soeiro de Brito, Teolinda Gersão, Leonor Machado de Sousa, Yvete Kace Centeno and Teresa Rita Lopes. The Faculty began its activity on the 2nd of January 1978.

The FCSH is located in Berna Avenue, in the centre of Lisbon, next to the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, and enjoys very good access to public transport. Based on barracks that belonged to military forces, the Faculty’s facilities are divided by [1] B1 and B2 buildings (classrooms and departments), Tower A (classrooms and head office of the Languages Institute of NOVA University of Lisbon - ILNOVA]), Tower B (departments, and library Mário Sottomayor Cardia), boards of management, administrative services, canteen, Students Association and, since 2009, the ID building (Research and PhD degrees). This building, known as the former DRM (District Military Recruitment), has recently undergone a major change in order to be adapted to the objectives that it has been assigned for. In ID we find the core of the administrative support to PhD degrees, the research units associated with FCSH and classrooms for the PhD’s programmes.

In addition to teaching areas (classrooms, lecture halls and auditoriums), the FCSH also holds some socializing places, a printing room and a large courtyard. To solve logistical issues created by recent growth, new facilities are planned for the FCSH Detailed Plan of the Campolide Campus, where other units of the NOVA University of Lisbon (UNL) are already installed, the Faculty of Economics (FE), the Faculty of Law (FD) and Institute of Statistics and Information Management (ISEGI). The Rectorade of NOVA and the University residence Alfredo de Sousa are also located in the Campolide Campus.

Faculty Structure

The Faculty Structure, according to the RJIES , has the following bodies:

• Faculty Council
• Dean
• Scientific Council
• Pedagogic Council
• Student Council

Composition and election of the Faculty Council

The Faculty Council is a representative University body composed of 13 members: eight faculty members or researchers (Adelaide Miranda, Manuel Carlos Brito, Hélder Godinho, José Esteves Pereira, Adriano Duarte Rodrigues, António Marques, Filomena Molder and Maria José Roxo), one student (Isabel Sanches), and four external personalities (Francisco Pinto Balsemão, António Monteiro, António Vieira Monteiro and Luís Calado). Faculty members or researchers are elected for four years (with one possible renewal), whereas external individualities, chosen by the elected counselors in their first meeting, are nominated by the Rector.

The Faculty Council has the power to:

• Elect its President, a position that is currently held by Francisco Pinto Balsemão.
• Elect a Dean (by absolute majority, among the Full Professors and research coordinators that integrate the Faculty)
• Appreciate the Dean’s actions and adopt amendments to statutes.
• Upon a proposal by the Dean, adopt medium and long term strategic options, as well as to create, change or abolish departments, research units or services
• Decide about purchasing or selling assets
• Approving annual plans of activities, budgets and annual accounts.

The Dean

João Sàágua, the Dean

The Dean, a position currently hold by João Sàágua, is elected for four years and may be renewed only once on an electoral process that begins three months before the mandate expires. The Dean may designate up to four Vice-Deans positions currently held by Luis Baptista, Amelia Andrade, Francisco Caramelo and Rui Santos, and the associate deans João Costa and José Afonso Teixeira.

The Dean is responsible for guiding and coordinating the Faculty services, giving them unity, continuity and effectiveness. Thus, he must represent the Faculty within and outside the institution, ensure compliance with the statutes and regulations, chair the Scientific and Pedagogic Councils (which must implement the decisions), appoint executive coordinators of departments, approve academic calendars, propose the creation or extinction of programmes, coordinate the Faculty support services, conduct the administrative and financial management, take initiatives for the development of the Faculty, ensuring compliance with the resolutions taken by the collegiate bodies, and ensure the quality of teaching and research of the Faculty.

Leaders

Presidents of the FCSH Installation Committee

• December 1977 - November 1980: A. H. de Oliveira Marques
• November 1980 - May 1981: J. S. da Silva Dias
• May 1981 - May 1982: José Mattoso

FCSH’s Deans

• May 1982 - December 1986: J. Manuel Nazareth
• December 1986 - February 1988: José Mattoso
• March 1988 - May 1993: Adriano Duarte Rodrigues
• May 1993 - May 1996: J. Manuel Nazareth
• May 1996 - June 2005: Jorge Crespo
• Since June 2005: João Sàágua

Departments

Through its 13 departments, FCSH offers several programs, develops it scientific and technological mission, and provides the backup for dissemination of culture. The development of this mission is provided by the faculty members associated with the Departments - career and guests - supported by a secretariat. The coordination of each department is taken up by a Coordinator appointed by the Dean from among the career faculty members.

Today, FCSH’s Departments are:

• Anthropology
• Communication Sciences
• Education Sciences
• Musical Sciences
• Political Studies
• Portuguese Studies
• Philosophy
• Geography and Regional Planning
• History
• Art History
• Languages, Literatures and Cultures
• Linguistics
• Sociology

Research Centres

ID building houses the FCSH research centres

FCSH holds a total of 22 Research Centers, whose primary mission is the development of scientific research in different cultural areas of the social sciences and humanities, the formation of researchers and the rendering of services to the community. Research is considered one of the most important bets of the Faculty: the research units are a benchmark for quality, in and outside Portugal, hosting more than 500 researchers integrated into the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT/MCTES), 36 of which included in the Science Programmes 2007 and 2008. A total of 145 PhD’s scholarship holders and 52 postdoctoral researchers are also associated to FCSH.

The Faculty is the only higher education institution in the Social Sciences and Humanities field, with its own facilities dedicated to research centers and to PhD’s (ID building), strengthening the desired association between research and PhD programmes.

Out of the 22 research centers, 17 were evaluated by international panels of FCT / MCTES - two with "Excellent" and 11 with "Very Good" - launching FCSH towards a position of major importance in the national University landscape. Taken together, these centers have captured a funding of 1.4 million in 2009.

Study Cycles

Today, FCSH is the second largest unit of UNL, both in student numbers, and in financial budget. It has 235 faculty members, almost all of them holding a PhD degree or with recognized prestige in their scientific area. It also includes about 100 staff members. In the academic year 2009/10, the Faculty admitted a total of 5098 students, 2780 undergraduate, 1454 masters and 855 students of doctoral programs.

The FCSH teaching programme for the academic year 2010/2011 includes 14 undergraduate degrees, 40 masters programs and 18 PhD’s, the latter two being exclusively developed in after work schedule. Out of these, three masters and six PhD are run in association with nine national institutions and seven foreign ones.

The cycles of studies cover the Social Sciences and Humanities traditional areas, but also several thematic and interdisciplinary courses. In addition to a Summer School, the FCSH also offers specialization degrees, free courses and, since 1997, a program on Portuguese Language and Culture. This program is structured according to the six proficiency levels of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. It can be intensive (30 hours - 5 times per week) or a semester (64 hours two times per week) or taught individually.

In the Mobility Programmes, of which the Erasmus Programme is the best known example, annually participate more than 350 students. This is one of the examples of FCSH’s internationalization strategy. A premiere for 2010/11 is Leonardo da Vinci Programme], aimed at integrating students from undergraduate and master's degree in professional activity through internships carried out in countries of the European Union.

Degree Programmes 2010/11

Undergraduate Programms (1st Cycle)

Auditorium 1 of FCSH, located on B Tower

• Anthropology (180 ECTS)
• Archaeology (180ECTS)
• Political Science and International Relations (180 ECTS)
• Communication Sciences (180 ECTS)
• Language Sciences (180 ECTS)
• Musicology (180 ECTS)
• Portuguese and Lusophone Studies (180 ECTS)
• Philosophy (180 ECTS)
• Geografia (180 ECTS)
• History (180 ECTS)
• History of Art (180 ECTS)
• Languages, Literatures and Cultures (180 ECTS)
• Sociology (180 ECTS)
• Translation (180 ECTS)

The Minors system was first introduced in FCSH during the academic year 2002/2003, before the Bologna Process. The minor corresponds to an area of specialization different from the one that the student is enrolled in, to which 30 ECTS are allocated. For example, a student of Communication Sciences can take a Minor in languages, if it is considered relevant to his/her own Curriculum, allowing students to “build” their own academic path in the way that best suits his/her own professional ambition.

The undergraduate programmes listed above are associated with the following Minors:

• Anthropology (30 ECTS)
• Archaeology (30 ECTS)
• Political Science (30 ECTS)
• Communication Sciences (30 ECTS)
• Language Sciences (30 ECTS)
• Portuguese and Lusophone Studies (30 ECTS)
• Philosophy (30 ECTS)
• Geography (30 ECTS)
• Geography of Lusophone Countries (30 ECTS)
• History of Art (30 ECTS)
• History of Art in Portugal (30 ECTS)
• History of Philosophy (30 ECTS)
• History of Music (30 ECTS)
• History of Portugal (30 ECTS)
• General History (30 ECTS)
• Languages, Literatures and Cultures (German) (30 ECTS)
• Languages, Literatures and Cultures (Spanish) (30 ECTS)
• Languages, Literatures and Cultures (Franch) (30 ECTS)
• Languages, Literatures and Cultures (English) (30 ECTS)
• Music, Culture and Society (30 ECTS)
• International Relations (30 ECTS)
• Sociology (Research) (30 ECTS)
• Sociology (Topics) (30 ECTS)
• Translation (30 ECTS)

Master Degrees (2º Cycle)

• Anthropology (4 semesters, 120 ECTS)
• Archaeology (4 semesters, 120 ECTS)
• Musical Arts (3 semesters, 93 ECTS)
• Crossways in European Humanities (Erasmus Mundus) (4 semesters, 120 ECTS)
• Political Science and International Relations (4 semesters, 120 ECTS)
• Communication Sciences (3 semesters, 93 ECTS)
• Education Sciences (3 semesters, 93 ECTS)
• Information and Documentation Sciences (4 semesters, 93 ECTS)
• Language Sciences (3 semesters, 93 ECTS)
• Musicology (4 semesters, 120 ECTS)
• Communication, Média and Justice (4 semesters, 120 ECTS)
• Demography (4 semesters, 120 ECTS)
• Child Language Development and Disorders (collaboration with Escola Superior de Saúde of Instituto Politécnico de Setúbal) (4 semesters, 120 ECTS)
• Human Ecology and Contemporary Social Problems (4 semesters, 120 ECTS)
• Editing and Publishing (3 semesters, 93 ECTS)
• Teaching Musical Education in Basic Education (4 semesters, 120 ECTS)
• Teaching Philosophy in Secondary Education (4 semesters, 120 ECTS)
• Teaching History and Geography in the 3 (4 semesters, 120 ECTS)
• Teaching English and a Foreign Language in the 3rd Cycle of Basic Education (4 semesters, 120 ECTS)
• Teaching English (3 semesters, 93 ECTS)
• Teaching Portuguese and Classical Languages in the 3rd Cycle of Basic Education and in Secundary Education or a Foreign Language in Basic and Secondary Education (4 semesters, 120 ECTS)
• Teaching Portuguese as a Second and Foreign Language (3 semesters, 93 ECTS)
• Portuguese Studies (4 semesters, 120 ECTS)
• Women Studies. Women in Society and in Culture (3 semesters, 93 ECTS)
• Philosophy (3 semesters, 93 ECTS)
• E-learning Systems Management (3 semesters, 93 ECTS)
• Territorial Management (4 semesters, 120 ECTS)
• History (4 semesters, 120 ECTS)
• History of Art (4 semesters, 120 ECTS)
• History and Patrimony of Science, Technology and Innovation (association with FCT/UNL) (4 semesters, 120 ECTS)
• Journalism (3 semesters, 93 ECTS)
• Languages, Literatures and Cultures (3 semesters, 93 ECTS)
• Metropolozation, Strategic Planning and Sustainability (association with Universidade Atlântica) (4 semesters, 120 ECTS)
• Migration, Inter-ethnicity and Transnacionalism (4 semesters, 120 ECTS)
• Museology (4 semesters, 120 ECTS)
• New Media and Web Practices (3 semesters, 93 ECTS)
• Cultural Practices for Municipalities (3 semesters, 93 ECTS)
• Sociology (4 semesters, 120 ECTS)
• Terminology and the Management of Specialized Information (3 semesters, 93 ECTS)
• Translation (3 semesters, 93 ECTS)

PhD Degrees (3º Cycle)

• Anthropology (240 ECTS)
• Political Science (240 ECTS)
• Communication Sciences (240 ECTS)
• Education Sciences (association between NOVA University of Lisbon, through the FCSH and FCT and Instituto Superior de Psicologia Aplicada) (240 ECTS)
• Musicology (240 ECTS)
• Portuguese Studies (240 ECTS)
• Philosophy (240 ECTS)
• Geography and Teritorial Planning (240 ECTS)
• History (240 ECTS)
• History of Art (240 ECTS)
• History and Theory of Ideas (240 ECTS)
• Languages, Literatures and Cultures (240 ECTS)
• Linguistics (240 ECTS)
• Digital Media (association between FCSH and FCT of NOVA University of Lisbon and FEng, FBA, FC, FEco and FL of University of Porto) (240 ECTS)
• International Relations (240 ECTS)
• Sociology (240 ECTS)
• Human Ecology (240 ECTS)
• E-Planning / (association between MIT Portugal, NOVA University of Lisbon, throug FCSH and FCT, University of Lisbon, Technical University of Lisbon and Aveiro University (240 ECTS)
• Climate Change and Sustainable Development Policies (association between FCSH and FCT of University of Lisbon, FC, ICS of UL, ISA and IST of Technical University of Lisbon (180 ECTS)