Special Education Teaching (Turkish)

About the Program

Final International University, Faculty of Educational Sciences, Special Education Teaching Program started in the 2018-2019 academic year. The program is 4 years, and in order to graduate from the program, students are required to take a total of 150 credits/hour of courses (65 courses), 42 credits of professional knowledge, 19 credits of general culture, and 89 credits of education and practice.

In the program, the language of instruction is Turkish. and at present, only the undergraduate program is conducted. In the undergraduate education of the special education program, students acquire knowledge and skills related to their professional fields as well as taking courses related to general culture. Special Education Teaching students take common courses in the first year, and from the third semester onwards, in addition to the common courses related to the field of special education, they receive intensive education with field elective courses, vocational elective courses, and culture courses. In this program, students must take at least one elective course from each of the fields of intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder, learning disability, giftedness, hearing impairment, and visual impairment. On the other hand, students are required to take at least seven elective courses in the field they will specialize in. Thus, the teacher candidates will be able to develop in the special education fields mentioned above, as well as the field they specialize. Therefore, this program will also provide our students with the opportunity to adapt the knowledge and skills they have acquired to individuals with different needs.

Students who graduate from our Program of Special Education Teaching are employed as ‘Special Education Teachers’ and they can work in Turkey and the TRNC Ministry of National Education, public schools, private educational institutions, rehabilitation centers, counseling, and research centers. In addition, graduates can apply for MA and then Ph.D. programs to work as experts and academicians in special education departments of universities.

1 professor and 3 assistant professors are employed in our department.

Vision

Our vision is to ensure that our students have a diploma at the highest level of respect and acceptance at national and international levels when they graduate and that they contribute to their country and the whole of humanity in their professional lives by using the knowledge and skills they have gained during their education.

Mission

At International Final University, Faculty of Educational Sciences, Special Education Teaching Program, our mission is to ensure that our students gain the professional knowledge, skills, and values ​​that special education teachers should have. The program also helps them reach a high level of competence and self-confidence to carry out their professions effectively. In addition, it is also part of our mission to provide our learners with 21st-century skills such as learning and innovation, information and communication technology, life and career, research, and inquiry.

Program Aims and Outcomes

The aim of the UFÜ Special Education Teaching Program is to train qualified special education teachers who can follow current studies and have the skills and equipment to respond to the needs of the age.

The competencies (learning outcomes) that the graduates of the UFU Faculty of Educational Sciences Special Education Teaching Program aim to have can be listed as follows:

1. Evaluate the structure and functioning of the Turkish and TRNC education systems, including their relations with the special education field. It acts in accordance with the requirements of the laws, regulations, and other documents regarding the roles, duties and responsibilities imposed by the systems in question.

1. Accurately use the concepts and terminology pertaining to special education and associate them with professional practice.

1. Be aware of that the children in special education process may have individual differences and difficulties; resolve these differences and difficulties and demonstrate the knowledge and skills that will be able to carry out practices that will support children both at school and at home.

1. Use the field knowledge and experience acquired in education and training activities; establish connections between the field of special education and other disciplines.

1. Evaluate the physical, psychological, social and cultural needs of clients / students and their families and create opportunities designed to meet these needs both within and outside the school system.

1. Work alone or as a team member in the processes of diagnosis, assessment, application, problem solving and determining the needs of the students in the field of special education.

1. Be informed of current research and technological developments in the field and utilize these developments in practice.

1. Strive for continuous improvement and use the knowledge and experience gained in the field of special education teaching in achieving future career goals.

1. Use their native language effectively, both written and spoken, and use a second language at a level where they can keep track of the international literature and communicate with colleagues.

1. Develop a positive attitude towards lifelong learning, change, innovation, creativity, critical thinking and questioning.

1. Integrate artistic, sportive and cultural activities in the education program in line with student needs.

1. Develop awareness of social and environmental responsibility and become sensitive to the needs of those around him and contribute to the society he lives in and to the institution he works for, and to the protection of the environment.

1. Be sensitive to cultural differences and the diversity of social groups and take an active part in social life.

1. Be aware of children’s rights as well as human rights where they can develop a level of interaction at both the personal and institutional level to develop and maintain a safe school and living environment by acting in accordance with ethical code of conduct.

1. Effectively use information produced, analytical methods, and the necessary tools and equipment in all areas of the field of special education.

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the Special Education Teaching Department will be able to work as teachers or administrators in state schools, special education and rehabilitation centers, and guidance and research centers affiliated with the Ministry of National Education. They will also be able to work as a special education consultant who provides support services to other specialists regarding the education of children with special needs and the solution of problems that may arise in preschool, primary and secondary education institutions where mainstreaming is applied. In addition to these, our graduates will be able to use their knowledge and equipment as trainers and managers by opening their own private education centers affiliated with the M.E.B. In addition, they will be able to work at universities as academicians if they do postgraduate studies. Again, as special education specialists in the Application Centers of universities, they will be able to provide application opportunities to students and contribute to the provision of services to individuals and families with special needs in society.