The Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Sarajevo is the oldest institution of higher education for the humanities and social sciences in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It was founded pursuant to a decision by the Government of PRBiH on 14 February 1950. Initially, the Faculty of Philosophy was part of a unified teaching and research institution, together with the Faculty of Natural Sciences, comprising eight subject areas: General and National History, Serbo-Croatian Language and Yugoslav Literature, German Language and Literature, French Language and Literature, Oriental Philology, Mathematics, Chemistry, and Geography.
Dr. Aleksandar Belić, president of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, delivered a lecture in early November 1950, inaugurating the teaching process at the Faculty. Classes were initially held at the Gazi Husrev Bey's madrasa because the Faculty had not yet acquired its own premises. The Faculty of Philosophy building was designed by Juraj Neidhardt and constructed between 1955 and 1959.
At that point, the natural sciences subject areas were split off from the Faculty. At the same time, the number of departments in the humanities and social sciences grew so that there were eleven departments by 1980. Today, prospective students at the Faculty of Philosophy can choose among thirteen departments and two chairs offering single subject and combined study programmes.
In addition to teaching, the Faculty devotes considerable attention to organising research activities. The first doctoral dissertation was defended in 1961.
From 1992 to 1995, the Faculty of Philosophy went through a very difficult period. Staff depletion, material losses, and damage to the building were challenges that were met without a break in the teaching process.
After the war, the Faculty of Philosophy stabilised and in 2005, together with the other members of the University of Sarajevo, it joined the European Higher Education Area and began implementing the principles of the Bologna Process. Today, instruction is carried out in three study cycles: first cycle - undergraduate, second cycle - graduate, and third cycle - doctoral studies.
As a higher education institution where teaching and research are carried out, the Faculty of Philosophy is a prestigious institution that exerts a strong influence on Bosnian and Herzegovinian society.