The departments are the teaching and research units responsible of coordinating the range of courses following the programme of the UV, of promoting the research and university activities regarding one or several branches of knowledge.
The departments are formed by one area of knowledge or group of areas whose similarity jutifies the group from an academic point of view and with efficacy and efficiency criteria.
The departments have affiliated centres and develop in one or more of them the teaching techniques included in the diverse curricula where the contents are typical of their area or areas of knowledge.
As established in the statutes of Universitat de València, each department can organise in teaching units following functionality criteria. For each teaching unit there has to be a coordinator responsible chosen by the Department Council for a period of three years with just one possibility of consecutive reelection.
The government agencies of the department are: the Council, the director and the Permanent Board. The Department Council elects the director and the members  of the Permanent Board.
The director of the department is elected by the Department Council and is named by the Principal. To be candidate the following conditions are required: being teaching staff doctor with permanent link to the UV, not having been revoked as such during the prior six months of the election, and that the candidacy is supported by a 10% of the members of the Department Council. The duration of the post is three years, with just one possibility of consecutive reelection.
As established in the statutes of Universitat de València, the competencies of the director of the department are:

1. Representing the department
2. Managing, with the help of the Permanent Board, the ordinary paperwork of the department
3. Coordinating and supervising the teaching, the administration and the department services by executing and enforcing the agreements of the Council and, if necessary, of the Permanent Board.
4. Convening the Council when considers it convenient and, in any case, when at least a 20% of the members request it.
5. Representing the Universitat de València, by express delegation by the rector, in any kind of legal acts that affect the activities of the department.
6. In general, all the competencies derived from the statutes’ article 22, that regulates the department functions, except those reserved specifically to the Council or, if necessary, to the Permanent Board

Functions of the department:

1. Assignating and coordinating the teaching of the range of courses that have commended, following the programme of the centre or centres where are imparted and formulating the proposals for the elaboration of this programme.
2. To ensure compliance of the obligations of the department staff
3. To promote and coordinate the development of research projects
4. To support the teaching and research activities and initiatives of their members, as well as all those expecting to improve the quality of the services the department offers.
5. To organise and develope postgraduate studies and specialisation courses in the area or areas of knowledge of its competency.
6. To ensure compliance of the predictions of the teaching in Valencian established in the offer of the academic course.
7. To manage the budgetary allocation
8. To promote and carry out activities of collaboration of Universitat de València with public or private organisms in the field of its competency.
9. To participate in the selection process of the staff that will develop their tasks in the department, under the terms established the current legislation and the statutes of the UV.