The history of the department dates back to December 1964. In 1990, enrollment began for the specialty "Theory of Socio-Political Relations", which in 1994 was transformed into the specialty "Political Science" (it was under this name that the first graduation of specialists was carried out in 1995). In 1994, by merging the departments of the history of social thought and the department of the theory of socialism and political science, the Department of Political Science was formed, which became one of the first graduation departments of political science in independent Ukraine. The first head of the updated department was Candidate of Philosophical Sciences, Associate Professor Ihor Heorhiyovych Bubyr (1950-2011), who headed the department until 1996 and made considerable efforts to modernize social science education at the University, laying the basic scheme for teaching political science as a general education discipline. From 1997 to 2006, the department was headed by Doctor of Philosophy, Professor, Academician of the Ukrainian Academy of Political Sciences Oleksandr Serhiyovych Tokovenko, under whose leadership the professional education of political scientists at the University was modernized, a master's degree was opened (2000), a correspondence department (2004), and a specialized academic council for the defense of candidate (2002), and later doctoral (since 2009) theses in political science began to function. In 2006-2014, the head of the Department of Political Science was Candidate of Historical Sciences, Associate Professor Oleh Leonidovych Tupytsia (in 2009 he defended his doctoral dissertation in political science, and since 2011 he received the academic title of Professor at the Department of Political Science).
In 2014-2024, the head of the Department of Political Science was Doctor of Political Sciences, Professor Oleksiy Anatoliyovych Tretyak, who continued the modernization of the educational process in accordance with the requirements of higher education reform, preserving the original achievements of professional training of political scientists accumulated in the previous period. In February 2024, by merging the Departments of Political Science of the Faculty of Social Sciences and International Relations and the Department of Sociology, Social Work, Public Management and Administration, the Department of Political Science, Sociology and Public Management was formed. That is, the Department of Sociology and Public Management was also added to the Political Science direction.
The Sociological direction dates back to the first years of the University's foundation - already in the first academic year (1918/1919) sociology was taught at the Faculty of Law. It was at this time that Georgy (Georges) Gurvich (1894-1965) began his teaching and scientific activities at Ekaterinoslav University - in the future the leader of the Paris School of Sociology (France). In the wake of the revival of interest in sociology, by order of the rector of Dnipropetrovsk State University dated April 29, 1991, the Department of Sociology was established at the Faculty of History, headed by Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor Viktor Georgievich Gorodyanenko. In the same year, enrollment began for full-time study in the specialty "Sociology".
In 1994, the training of lawyers and sociologists was withdrawn from the Faculty of History and a separate Faculty of Law and Sociology was established, the dean of which was elected the head of the Department of Sociology, Professor V.G. Gorodyanenko. In 1995, enrollment for the specialty "Social Work" was opened. In the same year, the Department of Social Work was separated from the Department of Sociology, headed by Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences, Associate Professor Volodymyr Vasilyevich Vasilyev. From 1997 to 2005, the Departments of Sociology and Social Work were part of the Faculty of Psychology and Sociology. In 2001, as a result of the reorganization of the Sociological Division, two Departments were created on the basis of the Department of Sociology - Theory and History of Sociology (headed by Professor V.G. Gorodyanenko) and Sectoral Sociology (headed by Candidate of Sociological Sciences, Associate Professor Lidia Ivanivna Shvydka). Since December 2005, the Departments of Theory and History of Sociology, Sectoral Sociology and Social Work have been transferred to the Faculty of Social and Humanities (since 2011, the division has been renamed the Faculty of Social Sciences and International Relations). In September 2008, the Departments of Theory and History of Sociology and Sectoral Sociology were merged into the Department of Sociology, the head of which was Professor V.G. Gorodyanenko. From September 2010 to September 2022, the Department of Social Work was headed by Doctor of Philosophy, Professor Oksana Oleksandrivna Osetrova. From September 2017, the specialty "Social Work" was transferred to the newly established Faculty of Medical Technologies of Diagnostics and Rehabilitation. From July 2012 to August 2022, the head of the department was Doctor of Political Sciences, Professor Vitaliy Volodymyrovych Kryvoshein. Since September 2022, the duties of the head of the Department of Sociology have been performed by Doctor of Sociological Sciences, Associate Professor Vadim Viktorovych Nikolenko, and already in October 2022, the departments of sociology and social work were merged into the Department of Sociology, Social Work, Public Administration and Administration of the Faculty of Medical Technologies of Diagnostics and Rehabilitation, the head of which was appointed V.V. Nikolenko. Since 2022, the department has been open
selection for the educational and professional program "Public Management, Mediation, E-Government" in the specialty "Public Management and Administration" at the first (bachelor's) level of higher education.
Since September 2024, the duties of the head of the Department of Political Science, Sociology and Public Administration have been performed by Doctor of Political Sciences, Professor Serhiy Viktorovych Stavchenko.