The establishment of the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences was dated back to 1962, when Mulawarman University used to be named Perguruan Tinggi Mulawarman (Higher Educational Institution of Mulawarman), as stipulated in the East Kalimantan Governor's Letter of Decision No. 15/PPK/62. That name was still used when the university proposed to the Ministry of Education to obtain its formal recognition from the central government. However, the Ministry renamed it to Universitas Kalimantan Timur (Unikat) or the University of East Kalimantan. The Indonesian President later renamed it to Universitas Mularman (Mulawarman University) based on President's Letter of Decision dated 23 April 1963. Such a name has been used since then.

When being named Perguruan Tinggi Mulawarman, there was only one faculty, namely Fakultas Ketatanegaraan dan Ketataniagaan (the Faculty of Public Administration and Business Administration). With the Ministry Education's Letter of Decision No. 130/1962 and the President's Letter of Decision No. 65/1963, new faculties were established, namely the Faculty of Mining, the Faculty of Forestry, and the Faculty of Agriculture. The Faculty of Mining was however discontinued due to some reasons (recently Mining Study Program was established under the Faculty of Engineering). By 1966, Fakultas Ketatanegaraan dan Ketataniagaan was split into the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences and the Faculty of Economics. The Ketatanegaraan entity became  the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences while the Ketataniagaan one became the Faculty of Economics.

In the book entitled "The 25th Anniversary of Mulawarman University 1962-1987," it was mentioned that "the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences popularly known as FISIP was the oldest Faculty in Mulawarman University, and used to have the Department of Sosiatri in Balikpapan [about 125 kilometers away from the main campus]. The Faculty of Economics was as older as the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences..."

Vision
To embody the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences as a center of civilization that has an entrepreneurship spirit in the development of social and political sciences through the establishment of national and international networks in Kalimantan/Borneo island by 2020.

Missions
1. To establish a quality control-based educational system fitted with the advancement of information technology.
2. To conduct research for the advancement of science and society.
3. To  carry out extension employing science and technology aiming at empowering communities.
4. To strengthen national and international networks in the fields of teaching, research, and extensions.
5. To enhance comparative advantages of students based on their expertise set by the respective departments and study programs.
6. To establish a clean and convenient campus establishment and environment.

The Faculty is chaired by a Dean. The Dean is assisted by four Vice Deans, namely 1st Vice Dean (educational affairs), 2nd Vice Dean (staff and administrative affairs), 3rd Vice Dean (student affairs), and 4th Vice Dean (planning, development, and cooperation).

In the academic affairs, the Dean and the 1st Assistant of Dean subordinate Departments. The Department is spearheaded by Head of Department and assisted by the Secretary of Department. At the moment, there are two Departments, namely the Department of Administration Science and the Department of Sociology. The Department subordinates the Study Programs whose run by Head of Study Program and Secretary of Study Program. Concerning newly established study programs which do not fit under such departments, they are under the direct supervision of the Dean and the 1st Assistant of Dean. In the administrative affairs, the Dean subordinates the Faculty Administration Office which is chaired by an Administrative Officer. The Administrative Officer subordinates administrative sections such as the academic section, student section, staff section, procurement section, etc.