Theoretical and Applied Chemistry Department  is one of the oldest departments of SumDU. It was established in March 1966 by Associate Professor, PhD in Chemical Sciences Oleksandr Korol and teaching staff Klavdia Korol, Halyna Markovska, Halyna Kyslytsina, Zinaida Tokareva. Oleksandr Korol was the first head of the Department. In 1975 the Department of General Chemistry was headed by Professor, Doctor of Chemical Sciences Yevhen Khamskii who is the best-known expert in the field of mass crystallization studies. Prof. Yevhen Khamskii encouraged exciting department’s staff and invited to work new employees to study crystallization processes. Among staff members were S.Yu. Lebedieva, L.I. Marchenko, L.S.  Manzhos, A.A. Marianovska, V.H. Zaitseva and many others. All of this gave a new impulse to the development of academic and research activities and stimulated the emergence of new ideas, establishment of international contacts with leading scientists and industrial enterprises.

In 1985-1987 the Department of General Chemistry was headed by Prof. Yurii Myrhorod and Prof. Volodymyr Streltsov respectively.

In 1987-1996 the Department was headed by Doctor of Engineering Sciences, Prof.  Hennadii Zviahintsev. At that period the Department improved its teaching and academic potential. It was filled up by Doctor of Chemical Sciences, Prof. Stanislav Salistyi and Associate Professors O.P. Manzhos, V.M. Marianovskyi, I.H. Vorobiova and L.M. Myronovych.

From 1997 till 2012 the Department was headed by PhD in Chemical Sciences, Associate Professor Serhii Lebedev. At that time, the teaching staff consisted of eight teachers (Associate Professors, Candidates of Sciences and one Professor, Doctor of Sciences). New lecturers joined the Department’s staff: T.V. Dychenko, Yu. V. Litsman and Associate Professor S.B. Bolshanina. Postgraduate education was opened at the Department. L.I. Marchenko (1999), Yu.V. Litsman (2005), V.N. Ivchenko (2012) successfully defended their PhD theses. In 2003 L.M. Myronovych defended her doctoral thesis.

Research interests of the department’s teachers focused on the several modern areas: chemistry of bioactive nitrogen-containing heterocycles, chemistry of high-molecular compounds, heterogeneous equilibriums in electrolyte solutions, thermodynamics and kinetics of chemical processes and phase transformations, methodological aspects of chemical disciplines teaching, adsorption of heavy metals on natural materials, electrodeposition, etc.

The Department has been headed by S.B. Bolshanina, PhD in Engineering Sciences, Associate Professor, since 2012. In 2012 V.N. Ivchenko defended her PhD thesis under the guidance of S.B. Bolshanina. At the Department research and organizational-methodical work is also conducted by her supervision.

Research and Training Center "All’ Himiia" (All’Chemistry) exists at the Department. The Center is aimed at realization of academic services associated with chemical disciplines and scientific researches to study peculiarities of compositions, properties of substances and chemical processes. Staff pays considerable attention to achieve high quality of teaching by using modern methodological tools. Therefore multimedia courses of lectures are developed and introduced; guidelines, manuals, lecture notes and collections of tasks are published. Full support for the organization of distance learning, including complete and short lectures, trainings, testing and open tasks are developed for the main disciplines.

At the Department teaching of the main disciplines is conducted in three languages Ukrainian, Russian and English (for foreigners). Student scientific society where students expand chemical knowledge and solve applied problems exists at the Department. Every year the Department holds Student Chemistry Olympiads. Significant attention is paid to work with pupils from Gymnasiums, High Schools and other institutions. The Department takes part in organization and conducting of the Regional Student Chemistry Olympiad and training team to the Republican Olympiad. Due to efforts of the Department’s teachers, Sumy region over the last few years is in the top ten.