The School of Philosophy and Sociology was established in 1995 on the basis of the Department of Philosophy founded in 1958. With a history of over 60 years in running schools, it has become a prominent research hub and an important talent cultivation base for philosophy, sociology, social security, and psychology. Currently, the college has 88 faculty members, including 41 professors, 33 associate professors, and 14 lecturers.

The first generation of scholars represented by Mr. Gao Qinghai, Shu Weiguang, Zou Huazheng, Che Wenbo, Wu Enpu, etc., and the second generation represented by Sun Zhengyu, Sun Litian, Bing Zheng, Tian Yipeng, Zhang Dun, Yao Dazhi, He Lai, Wang Tiancheng, Zhang Jinrong, etc., have formed one of the most influential academic groups in the academic circle. The new generation of scholars represented by Bai Gang, Wang Qingfeng, Qu Hongmei, Tian Guanhao, Yuan Liguo, Jia Yujiao, etc., has also become the backbone of the current academic community. Over decades of development, the School of Philosophy and Sociology has forged the core philosophy of "Integrity in Conduct and Scholarship as One" and accumulated its own academic traditions and scholarly styles, which can be summarized into four spirits: the noble spirit of integrating conduct and scholarship, the scientific spirit of rigor and pragmatism, the innovative spirit of forging ahead, and the tenacious spirit of perseverance.

The college maintains close academic exchanges with top universities at home and abroad. It frequently invites renowned scholars from home and abroad to give lectures, and the high-level domestic and international academic activities it hosts have exerted a profound influence in the academic circle. The college provides students with numerous opportunities and platforms for exchange and study visits, and has repeatedly selected students to study at prestigious universities at home and abroad, which has broadened their academic horizons, achieved remarkable results, strengthened academic exchanges, and enhanced friendships.

I. Cultivating Talents with Wisdom and Vision

(I) Talent Cultivation Philosophy

As an important base for cultivating talents in philosophy, sociology, social security, and psychology, the college focuses on the fundamental task of nurturing people with virtue. It has formed a talent cultivation model centered on three core pillars: Marxist Philosophy, a national key discipline; Professor Sun Zhengyu, a national model teacher in education; and the Marxist Philosophy teaching team, a national Huang Danian style teacher team in universities. This model guides young students to follow distinguished scholars and pursue and disseminate truth, goodness, and beauty.

(II) Talent Cultivation Methods

1. Strengthening Theoretical Foundation to Foster Ideals and Beliefs

Through the "Distinguished Scholars' Lecture Series", renowned scholars such as Sun Zhengyu and Sun Litian are invited to guide the study of basic principles of Marxism. Inheriting the fine academic traditions, students act as learners and disseminators of truth, goodness, and beauty through public lectures on theoretical knowledge. The college also promotes youth-oriented programs to deepen the development of youth-focused academic brands.

2. Integrating Learning and Thinking to Root in Scientific Research Exploration

The "First Class of the New Semester" is designed to guide freshmen with the academic realm and demeanor of distinguished scholars like Sun Zhengyu. A "one-on-one" mentor system is established, where young mentors work with students to explore academic research. The college carries forward its tradition of critical thinking, leveraging the 30-year brand value of the Debate Society to inspire new academic pursuits.

3. Tempering through Practice to Cultivate a Sense of Responsibility and Endeavor

The college encourages students to participate in voluntary services in western regions and grass-roots communities through inter-university and university-local collaborations, contributing to national development needs. It adopts a comprehensive voluntary service education model to inspire more students to make positive contributions. The "Beichen" Social Practice Group is organized to focus on rural development and pool the aspirations of young people.

(III) Achievements in Talent Cultivation

The college has been awarded the Advanced Unit in Student Work and Advanced Grassroots Committee of the Communist Youth League of Jilin University for three consecutive years. It has cultivated numerous advanced class collectives and outstanding individuals, including Top Ten Classes, Top Ten College Students, Most Outstanding Female College Students of Jilin University, and participants of the national youth training program. The college's affiliated community, the Zhibo Debate Society, has been rated as a Five-Star Society of Jilin University, and the college's debate team has won the championship of the Jilin University Pioneer Forum College Student Debate Competition seven times.

Other achievements include: one student winning the Baogang Outstanding Student Award; one student named Top Ten College Student of Jilin University; one student named Top Ten Graduate Student of Jilin University; two doctoral dissertations awarded Excellent Doctoral Dissertations of Jilin Province; and a team winning the first prize in the "Red Theme" category of the 18th Jilin Province College Students' Extracurricular Academic and Technological Competition.

II. Embodying Academic Excellence to Become Distinguished Scholars of the Times

Led by Professor Sun Zhengyu, the Marxist Philosophy teaching team of Jilin University was selected as the second batch of "National Huang Danian Style Teacher Teams in Universities" in 2022.

(I) Focusing on Scientific Research: Promoting Contemporary Chinese Philosophical Research with National-Level Scientific Achievements

The team has always adhered to basic philosophical theory research and actively led the reform of philosophical concepts. It has achieved fruitful results in innovating philosophical concepts for the transformation of civilizations and constructing an academic system of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics.

Six works of the team have been selected into the "National Library of Philosophy and Social Sciences Achievements", a symbol of the highest level of philosophical and social sciences research in China. The team has undertaken 5 major projects of the National Social Science Foundation, published hundreds of high-level academic papers, and won 11 Outstanding Scientific Research Achievements Awards of Institutions of Higher Education from the Ministry of Education and 16 first prizes of Outstanding Social Science Achievements Awards of Jilin Province.

(II) Devoting to Teaching: Assisting the Cultivation of Top Innovative Talents with National-Level Teaching Achievements

The team has always practiced the integration of academic education and value guidance, adhered to comprehensive education involving all staff, throughout the whole process, and covering all aspects. In terms of educational philosophy, professional development, and curriculum construction, it adheres to "presenting rational arguments and convincing others with reason", and cultivates top innovative talents in philosophy for the country.

The philosophy major led by the team has been rated as one of the first batch of national first-class undergraduate major construction sites under the "Double Ten Thousand Plan" and a base for the Training Program for Top Students in Basic Disciplines 2.0. Courses such as "Introduction to Philosophy" and "Principles of Marxist Philosophy" constructed by the team have been rated as national excellent courses and national first-class undergraduate courses. The team has won 5 first and second prizes of National Teaching Achievement Awards, and Professor Sun Zhengyu was rated as an Advanced Individual in National Textbook Construction in the first session.

(III) Nurturing People with Virtue: Leading the Construction of National-Level Talent Teams with National Model Teachers in Education

The team has always taken "nurturing people with virtue" as its fundamental task and adhered to "cultivating people with theoretical education". It gives full play to the exemplary leading role of Professor Sun Zhengyu, a national model teacher in education, in guiding teacher growth and team building.

Professor Sun Zhengyu is a winner of the first "National Outstanding Teacher Award" and "Outstanding Teaching Award", and was rated as a "National Model Teacher in Education" in 2022. CCTV broadcast a special program Nurturing People with Virtue · Sun Zhengyu, showcasing his outstanding academic achievements and noble teaching ethics. Under his leadership, 11 members of the team have been selected into national talent programs, and the Center for Basic Philosophical Theory Research has been awarded the title of "Advanced Collective in the National Education System" in 2024.

(IV) Serving Society: Promoting the Popularization of Marxist Theory with Excellent Theoretical Achievements

The team is committed to transforming theoretical research results into popular science achievements, vigorously promoting the popularization of Marxist theory, and making Marxism a conscious pursuit of the people.

Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, team members have given more than 100 special lectures for central and state institutions. The team's popular science books such as The Theoretical Support of Ideals and Beliefs and Mastering the "Core Competence" have won 2 "Five Ones Project" Excellent Works Awards, 4 China Outstanding Publications Awards, and National Excellent Social Science Popularization Works Awards. Sun Zhengyu and Sun Litian have been rated as "National Outstanding Social Science Popularization Experts".

III. Valuing Teaching and Caring for Students to Optimize the New System for Cultivating Top Talents

(I) Adhering to Basic Research

1. Emphasizing Conceptual Design: Reforming at the foundation of philosophy and cultivating top academic research-oriented philosophy talents who can "excel in academic pursuits". Based on national major projects undertaken by national-level teaching teams, the college has formed a series of cutting-edge and authoritative textbooks such as the revised edition of Introduction to Philosophy, and offers courses like "Lectures on Gao Qinghai's Philosophical Thought" to inherit the academic tradition of philosophy at Jilin University.

2. Exploring Multiple Paths: Implementing five types of tutor workshops including classic reading, academic writing, and independent courses; launching activities such as the "Student Academic Education Enhancement Project"; founding the journal Pursuit of Wisdom and Truth on the basis of the existing journal Exploration; and promoting independent academic research through independent research projects for top philosophy students.

(II) Innovating the Cultivation Model

1. Implementing a Full-Process Tutor System: Adopting a "tutor system (academic tutors) + class teacher system (academic mentors) + counselor system (mentors for personal development)". Among them, tutors (teams) are responsible for students' academic improvement and value guidance. Students independently select responsible tutors to carry out academic research and training.

2. Implementing a Flexible Credit System: Upholding the principle of combining comprehensive education and personalized education, giving full play to students' autonomy and creativity, and appropriately reducing required credits. Students are allowed to independently choose courses, realizing the transformation from a "restrictive credit system" to a "flexible credit system".

3. Implementing Internationalized Cultivation: Carrying out various forms of international exchanges such as summer schools, forums, and lectures. Establishing exchange programs with world-class universities such as the University of Oxford and Rutgers University; introducing 6 high-quality overseas courses, and offering German and Ancient Greek courses.

4. Implementing Multi-Dimensional and Systematic Academic Training: Focusing on the multi-dimensional and systematic academic training and improvement of academic experience lectures, academic classic guidance, academic text criticism, academic paper guidance, and academic seminar interaction.

(III) Initial Achievements in Talent Cultivation

1. Successfully Setting Up Characteristic Courses and Project-Based Academic Research: The top talent class in basic philosophy disciplines has currently set up 20 characteristic courses, stimulating students' theoretical interest through innovative curriculum design and teaching practice.

2. Realizing the Interconnection of International Philosophical Courses: Carrying out the "Jilin University - Rutgers University Philosophical Academic Program", which has held two summer schools so far, offering 28 lectures on different fields of philosophy and 4 workshops on academic English and culture.

3. Building a "Peer Leadership" Community for Top Philosophy Talents: The top talent base and the Tsinghua University Philosophy Academy Class jointly held the "Tsinghua University - Jilin University Top Philosophy Talents 2.0 Inter-University Forum", promoting ideological exchange and disciplinary integration within the community of top philosophy talents in the "Top Talent Program 2.0" of the two universities.

4. Outstanding Student Cases: Many students from the top philosophy class have won the first prize in the "Tsinghua University - Jilin University Top Philosophy Talents 2.0 Inter-University Forum" and the second prize in the First National Joint Forum of Top Undergraduate Students in Philosophy 2.0. Lin Lexuan's independent research project achievement was accepted by the 25th World Congress of Philosophy, and she was invited to attend the conference.

IV. Diligently Learning and Practicing to Continuously Produce Landmark Achievements

The college continuously carries out in-depth teaching research, committed to exploring the renewal of educational concepts and the optimization of the curriculum system. Through continuous reform attempts, it has achieved remarkable teaching reform results. While improving teaching quality, it has also stimulated students' learning interest and innovative ability. The college has built a number of exemplary and benchmark courses, playing a leading role in the allocation of teaching resources for curriculum education and the transformation of scientific research into teaching.

Since 2021, Professor Sun Zhengyu of the college has been awarded the Advanced Individual in National Textbook Construction. Introduction to Philosophy has won the Excellent Textbook Award of the First National Textbook Construction Award and the Special Prize of Excellent Textbook in Jilin University Textbook Construction Award. Marxist Philosophy (Second Edition) has won the First Prize of Excellent Textbook in the First National Textbook Construction Award. The Department of Philosophy has been awarded the title of Advanced Collective in Textbook Construction in the First Jilin University Textbook Construction Award.