The Ukrainian Literature Department named after academician Mykhailo Vozniak is one of the leading university scientific institutions of the state; it is a historically established center for literary research in Ukraine and is widely known for its Ivan Franko Studies School.
In 1848, it was the first university department of Ukrainian literature. At different times, it was headed by such outstanding national scholars like Yakiv Holovatskyi, Omelyan Ohonovsky, Oleksandr Kolessa, Kyrylo Studynskyi, Mykhailo Vozniak. Heads of the Ukrainian-Literature Department, apart from Mykhailo Vozniak, whose name adorns the institution for creating an original scientific school, were Vasyl Lesyk, Ivan Doroshenko, Arkadiy Khalimonchuk, Leonila Mishchenko, Taras Salyha , and since 2021, the head of the department has been Volodymyr Mykytyuk – a Candidate of Philological Sciences and Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, who is also a literary critic, a scholar of Ivan Franko studies and a teacher.
The Ukrainian Literature Department named after academician Mykhailo Vozniak laid a scientific and personnel foundation of the Department of Ukrainian Folklore Studies named after academician Filaret Kolessa, which was founded at the University in 1991, and later of the Department of Literary Theory and Comparative Literary Studies that was founded in 2001. On the basis of the Department, the Institute of Ivan Franko Studies (Director – Doctor of Philological Sciences Svyatoslav Pylypchuk) was founded in 1988, and the Institute of Literary Studies (Director – Doctor of Philological Sciences Rozdolska Iryna) – in 1996.
Scholars and teachers of the department create modern literary scientific schools, primarily the school of Ivan Franko studies. They actively cooperate with national and European scientific institutions, research the Ukrainian diaspora works of the twentieth century, history and philosophy of medieval studies, literature of National Resistance, provide literary criticism for the modern literary process, study the historiography of literature, develop the latest European methodology and methods of teaching literature in secondary and high schools, etc.
The department is a scientific and educational center where students receive professional training in the majors 014.01 Secondary Education (Ukrainian language and literature), 035.01 Philology (Ukrainian language and literature), and become qualified Ukrainian philologists, teachers of Ukrainian language and literature with a wide range of their professional opportunities and competencies.
Prominent scholars known in international circles, authors of monographs, textbooks and manuals, participants of national and international scientific forums, participants of large-scale research projects work at the department. Among them: T. Salyha, B. Krysa, V. Pratsovytyy, V. Korniychuk, V. Mykytyuk, A. Pecharskyi, I. Rozdolska, L. Bondar, S. Mykush, M. Krupach, R. Chopyk, O. Lehka, O. Matsyak, N. Fedorak, G. Kruk, B. Tykholoz and others, who provide deep philological knowledge, expand cultural horizons, promote strong ties between Ukraine and the world. They prepare a scientific and intellectual foundation of the country, create new generations of Ukrainian intellectual elite, which are educated, conscious and spiritually rich citizens.