The chair of the theory, history of architecture and synthesis of arts is structurally included into the structure of the faculty of architecture. The chair was founded in 1974. The well-known historian, doctor in architecture, professor Yu. Aseev was its first head and headed the collective body till 1993. M. Yakovlev, elected on competition, the doctor in engineering science, professor, corresponding member of the Academy of arts of Ukraine nowadays, has been the head of the chair since then. Now  L.Prybeha is head of the chair.Candidate of architecture, the Full-Member of the Academy of Architecture in Ukraine, Honoured Culture Worker of Ukraine, the member of the National Architects Union in Ukraine, the President of the Ukrainian Committee of the International Council on the Concervation of the monuments of history and culture (ICOMOS).
     The main objective of the activity of the chair is: preparation of students for understanding of principles of synthetic association of different kinds of fine art with architecture, teaching of the bases of composition and architectural designing at an initial stage of training, giving the knowledge on the history and theory of architecture to the students of all faculties and departments of the academy. A number of special and general educational disciplines such as landscape architecture, typology of structures, measuring practice, architectural ecology, basis of scientific researches etc are concentrated at the chair.
     The pedagogical staff of the chair of the theory, history of architecture and synthesis of arts consists mainly of the skilled practising experts in the field of architecture, chief scientists, and teachers - specialists in the methods of training with significant experience of work. L. Grachova, O. Malyshenko, V. Ratnichyn, V. Samoylovych worked here. The today's qualitative structure of the staff of the chair corresponds to maximum, fourth level of accreditation. There are 12 regular teachers at the chair in total, including 4 professors, 3 senior lecturers, 5 senior teachers and 3 producers working in combination. There are 3 doctors in sciences, 2 candidates in sciences, 3 academicians of the Ukrainian academy of architecture, 1merited architect of Ukraine, 1 merited figure in culture of Ukraine among the teachers of the chair.
     The programs, methodical recommendations, cards of individual tasks, programmes-tasks for the course projects fulfilment and professional exercises are developed on all educational disciplines. The fact that a lot of the fundamental methodical manuals is prepared and is issued by the teachers of the chair has the special importance for the program-methodical maintenance of educational process.
     The editions: Yu. Aseev, V. Samoylovych, L. Grachova "Sketches from the history of architecture of Ukraine", V. Samoylovych "People's architecture of Ukraine", Yu. Aseev. "History of art of Ukraine", V. Ratnichyn "Perspective", V. Makukhin "Architectural - town-planning legislation", Z. Moyseenko-Chepelyk "Architecture of Ukrainian modern" and other are extremely valuable to the students of the chair. During its existence the chair have created significant archival, demonstration and working methodical funds including:
· drawings, washings off, draughts of students' course tasks on the bases of architectural composition, bases of architectural designing, architectural graphics, descriptive geometry;
· Materials of measuring practice of architectural monuments for 1914-2001 years;
· drawings, draughts of students' works on reconstruction of monuments of the Kiev Rus period;
· Mock-ups, models of the academic tasks;
· Photos of competitive students' works;
· Samples of course tasks on typology, interior, bases of town planning.
     As the structural division of the faculty of architecture the chair is supplied with necessary premises and equipment. The maintenance by materials for performance of course tasks and realization of practice is satisfactory. The questions of equipment of educational process with modern means for slide and film showing, copying of art - graphic and text materials became problematic last years. The lack of personal computers equipped with effective software packages for study of general educational and professional disciplines is the most perceptible.
     The post graduate course on preparation of the scientific staff has been functioning in the field of the theory, history of architecture (speciality - 18.00.01) since 1993. The thematic direction of the scientific researches concerns general problems of the theory, history of architecture, restoration and preservation of architectural monuments. 8 candidates in sciences (with the competitors) have been prepared at the post graduate course of the chair during the years of its existence. The works of three post-graduate students are submitted to the specialized scientific council for defence (on 01.01.02).
     The teachers of the chair mainly carry out the scientific supervision over the work of the post-graduate students at their thesis.
     The fact of the election of 4 members of the chair to the Specialized council on defence of the candidate thesis at the National academy of fine art and architecture is the recognition of its scientific potential.
     As to the international relations of the chair, they took place in accordance with the all-academic program of the international contacts. Such actions, in particular, are carried out:
·   Annual training of the students and post-graduate students of the chair under the program of national committee ICOMOS during the 3 summer months (since 1995);
·   Participation in the international program on the elaboration of the new concept of preparation of architects (University Sant-Lucas, Belgium - the faculty of architecture NAFAA);
·   Training of the teachers of the chair at the faculty of architecture at the university Sant-Lucas during 1998-2001;
·   Providing the training of the professors of foreign educational institutions at the chair (the program Fullbright).
     During 25 years of its existence the chair of the theory, history of architecture and synthesis of arts of the National academy of fine art and architecture has got the recognized authority in the system of architectural educational institutions of Ukraine and is deservedly considered the leader in scientific and educational work on preparation of the architectural staff.