Methodology of Teaching Sociological and Political Science Disciplines: Traditions and Innovations

The change in the orientation of the methodology of teaching political science and sociological disciplines towards the promotion of relevant knowledge and a competency-based approach is revealed. The priorities of European integration also require the attention of Ukrainian higher education institutions to the transformation of the methodology of teaching social and political disciplines. Changes and parameters of the labor market call for the development of flexible, analytical and participatory competencies.The article examines the modernization of teaching methods in the social sciences, thus not simply a pedagogical choice, but a strategic response to the needs of changing societies and labor markets. Competencies in the social sciences often encompass critical thinking, civic engagement, media literacy, and the ability to understand and navigate complex social structures. Particular attention is paid to Learning Managing Systems, online discussion platforms, podcasts, virtual simulations, and interactive maps, which are becoming quite common in social science classrooms. The author analyzes the specifics of encouraging students to explore social problems, conduct empirical research, and propose solutions through interdisciplinary scientific and applied projects. The importance of collaborative research on social and political problems, identifying stakeholder perspectives, and examining ethical implications is highlighted.The feasibility of the practice of transitioning from summative, test assessment to formative assessments, portfolios, expert assessments and tasks to the implementation of applied tasks that reflect real-world criteria is argued.It is concluded that the formation of leadership potential in Ukrainian education in wartime requires stimulating innovation while preserving traditional achievements and institutional memory of leading scientific schools. The possibility of implementing project thinking, creativity, originality and non-standard thinking is ensured on the basis of an open and impartial dialogue between the teacher and the student.