The Department was established in 1977 by V. D. Tkachev, Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, Professor, Rector of Belarusian Polytechnic Institute (transformed into Belarussian National Technical University – BNTU). Since the beginning of its activity and up to 2014, the Department has been headed by D. S. Domanevsky, Professor, Doctor of Science in Physics and Mathematics.
At the first stage (until 1984), the Department was responsible for the organization of training of engineers in the speciality "Technology of Optical Industry" and teaching general physics course for students of several faculties. The staff of the Department founded and repeatedly upgraded 8 educational laboratories, including three laboratories devoted to comprehensive education in general physics and special laboratories aimed to train technologists for optical industry, namely thin-film technology, processing of optical parts, alignment of optical systems, general technology, and others.
At present, the staff of the Department provides fundamental training of full-time and part-time students in general physics, including mechanics, molecular physics and thermodynamics, electricity and magnetism, oscillations and waves, optics, solid state physics, and atomic and nuclear physics. The teaching activity of the Department covers the following faculties: Instrumentation Engineering Faculty, Mechanical Engineering Faculty, and Engineering and Pedagogy Faculty. Besides, a special course in medical and biological physics is offered for the students of the Instrumentation Engineering Faculty. Considerable attention is given to the implementation of new educational technologies based on modern methods of knowledge testing. Every year the total number of students of full-time and part-time forms of education exceeds 2000.
Three training labs in the main branches of general physics course (60 laboratory stands), as well as four educational, scientific, and study labs provide an opportunity for students to carry out scientific investigations, including experimental modeling and computer simulation.
The staff of the Department develops tools and tutorials for training students in general physics. Technical support of the educational process and research is ensured by qualified engineering personnel.
The staff of the Department carries out scientific and methodical work with the BNTU students and pupils of the BNTU technical school. One of the types of above-mentioned work consists in conducting research in the themes not covered by the curricula.
