Department of Tatar Literature is the structural subdivision of Gabdulla Tukay Higher School of Tatar Studies and Turkology. The Department of Tatar Literature was formed in 2013 as a result of the merger of two departments: Department of Tatar Literature History and Department of Tatar Literature of 20th-21st Centuries and Methods of Its Teaching. The academic staff of the department was historically formed on the basis of the departments of Theory and History of Tatar Literature; Modern Literature and Teaching Methodology of the Kazan State University (Division of Tatar philology was opened in 1944). It is associated with the names of such famous linguists: R. Khakimova, Ya. Agishev, H. Usmanov, I. Nurullin, N. Yuzeev and others, as well as the Department of Tatar literature and Methods of Its Teaching of Tatar State University of Humanities and Education, it roots goes to Department of Tatar Language and Literature of the East Pedagogical Institute (1925), where in different years G. Saadi, G. Rakhim, G. Nigmati, M. Gaynullin, A. Sayganov had been working.

The department graduates is highly qualified personnel for schools, universities, research institutions, publishing houses, newspapers and magazines, radio and television. Such well-known writers and artists as M. Jalil, A. Alish, A. Kutuy, S. Khakim, H. Kamalov, I. Yuzeev, M. Magdeev, N. Fattakh, G. Akhunov, R.Kharis, R. Fayzullin, R. Minnullin and many others graduated from this department.  

The research field of the department is comprehensive study of the Tatar literary process in the context of Eastern and Western culture, dialogue of Volga and Ural regions' literatures. The priority studies are philosophical, aesthetic and ethical foundations of the Tatar literature and folklore, investigating different aspects of theory and history of Tatar literature and criticism.

Members of the department write coursebooks, anthologies, textbooks for higher and secondary special educational institutions, schools, and take active part in preparing and holding conferences, school literature contests, provide their expertise on outside curricula and textbooks.