DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL STUDIES EDUCATION

With the 04.11.1997 dated and 97.39.2761 numbered decision of Turkish Higher Education Board, the reconstruction process of education faculties have started and within this framework our education faculty's Social Studies Education Department was founded under the Primary Education Department. Our department has begun to accept students at the beginning of the 1998-1999 academic years. The first graduates received their diplomas in 2002. The programme lasts for four academic years. The department has 4 associate professor, 6 assistant professors and 1 lecturer.

Upon successful completion of the program graduates are awarded a bachelor’s degree in Social Studies Education.

Aim and Objectives

Aims

The main aim of the programme is to equip the students with the necessary knowledge, skills and values social studies teachers need. It was aimed to train teacher candidates who have the values of an information society, who produce and implement knowledge in the fields related to social studies, who continuously improve themselves and who can find solutions regarding education, teaching and teacher training with scientific methods. The graduates of the programme are candidates for being middle school (5-7) social studies teachers.

Objectives:

1. To train social studies teachers for middle school 5-7 grades

2. To contribute to the development of social studies both in our country and around the world

3. To equip the students with the necessary knowledge, skills and values social studies teachers need

Level of Qualification and Qualification Awarded

Upon successful completion of this program, students are awarded with the qualification of BACHELOR OF ARTS DEGREE IN SOCIAL STUDIES EDUCATION.

A Bachelor's Degree Program in SOCIAL STUDIES EDUCATION is a 240 ECTS Credits, 4-year programme. The programme meets the requirements by both the ECTS credits and level descriptors of the first cycle degree qualifications of the Overarching Framework of European Qualifications Framework HE(QF-EHEA) and the 6th level qualifications of the Turkish Qualifications Framework for HE (TYYÇ, NQF-HETR). The level descriptors also meet the 6th level requirements of the qualifications of the European Qualifications Framework for Lifelong Learning (EQF-LLL).

Specific Admission Requirements

Admission of Turkish nationals to the SOCIAL STUDIES EDUCATION program is contingent on success on the nationally centralized Entrance to Higher Education (YGS) exam and Undergraduate Placement Exam (LYS) conducted by the Student Selection and Placement Center (OSYM). Candidates who succeed on the LYS examination (Undergraduate Placement Examination) are enrolled to the department according to their university rankings based on their LYS TS-1 scores.

Admission of foreign students is possible through an evaluation of students’ individual application to the university. For further and detailed information please visit General Admission Requirements and Registration Procedures in the menu items of the Information on the Institution.





For further information, please contact to Ömer Halisdemir University International Office.

Contact: International Office

Ömer Halisdemir University, Main Campus, 51240 Niğde, TÜRKİYE

Phone: 0 388 225 21 48
Fax: 0 388 225 23 85

E-mail: erasmus@ohu.edu.tr

Web: http://www.ohu.edu.tr/uluslararasi/index.php?ln=en

Specific Arrangements for Recognition of Prior Learning

With an understanding of lifelong learning, Ömer Halisdemir University recognizes the previously taken courses in another institution and exempts them from graduation credit, as long as the courses match with the learning outcomes of the registered programme of Ömer Halisdemir University. The learning outcome match and the exemption are decided by the Faculty Board in line with the related laws and regulations.

Profile of the Programme

There are theoretical and practical courses on Social Studies subject knowledge, professional teaching knowledge and general culture within the program. Elective courses related to these fields are also offered. Teaching Practice in Schools course is carried out in two semesters (Fall and Spring) under the supervision of faculty staff and practice teachers in the elementary schools with the collaboration of our Education Faculty, City Directorate of national Education and elementary schools. Furthermore, our students have the opportunity to improve their theoretical knowledge and skills through field trips taken to natural, historical and cultural places.

Our programme is carried out in the light of basic principles of constructivist approach via student-centered activities. Department of Social Studies Education was founded for students to follow and learn the latest technologies and for them to participate in practical and theoretical research. It is intended to give students the following skills and competencies.

Undergraduate (Bachelor's Degree) program in Social Studies Education (First Cycle in QF-EHEA and 6th level in TYYÇ ) is an academically-oriented program giving access to degree and non-degree research program and professional practice demanding high levels of knowledge and skills. The classification of the program with respect to "ISCED (The International Standard Classification of Education) 2011" and "NQF-HETR (The Turkish Qualifications Framework for HE)" and the codes of the fields of education can be listed as follows:

ISCED Field of Education: 14 – Teacher Training and Education Sciences
ISCED 2011 Level: 6, Orientation (Profile): 64, Subcategory: 645 - Academically-oriented bachelor's degree
NQF-HETR Field of Education: 14 – Teacher Training and Education Science
NQF-HETR Profile of Education: Academically-oriented "first cycle", bachelor's degree
Learning and Teaching Methods

The most frequently used Instructional Methods of the educational programs of Ömer Halisdemir University are given below. Programs commonly apply these methods as appropriate instructional approaches in accordance with their aims and objectives. The instructional methods applied for achieving the goal of meeting the expected learning outcomes at Social Studies Education programme at large are indicated in the section of ‘program learning outcomes’, and those methods utilized for individual course units are indicated in the relevant section of ‘description of individual course unit’.

Examples of Learning and Teaching Methods

Lecture & In-Class Activities
Group Work
Reading
Assignment (Homework)
Project Work
Seminar
Implementation/Application/Practice
Social Activity
School Experience and Teaching Practice
Occupational Profiles of Graduates with Examples

The graduate students of our department can not only work in the private schools and courses, but they can also work for National Education Ministry as teachers if they succeed in KPSS.

Qualification Requirements and Regulations

The qualification of SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER is obtained upon graduation from the programme SOCIAL STUDIES EDUCATION, which requires;

Completion of all the courses designated within the curriculum of the programme, having a total of 240 ECTS Credits, with passing grades.
Achievement of a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of at least 2.00 out of 4.00.
For detailed information: Please see "Ömer Halisdemir University's Rules & Regulations for Undergraduate Education"

Access to Further Studies

Upon successful completion of this programme, students may apply to master’s (second cycle) and in some cases, to doctorate (third cycle) degree programs in or related fields of SOCIAL STUDIES EDUCATION. According to the National Regulations on Graduate Education, students are admitted to master’s programme taking into account their undergraduate (first cycle degree) achievement level and the scores on the subject-specific entrance examinations of the Graduate Education Entrance Examination (ALES) centrally administered by the Student Selection and Placement Centre (ÖSYM). Within the framework of the national regulations, regulations endorsed by the senate of each university stipulate the weight of ALES Examination results in the overall evaluation of candidates. Depending on the institutions’ regulations, for some programme to be accessed, a certain level of foreign language proficiency is also required.

Examination Regulations, Assessment and Grading

The methods applied for assessment of the achievement of the expected program learning outcomes for the entire program of SOCIAL STUDIES EDUCATION are shown below and those for the individual course units are given in the relevant section of the course description with their contribution to the final grades.

Mid-Term Exam
Final Exam
Make-up Exam
Short Exam
Homework Assessment
Presentation of Document


Examinations

The success of students in achieving the expected learning outcomes of the each course unit within the curriculum of SOCIAL STUDIES EDUCATION programme is evaluated via assessments of in-term activities and final examination which takes place at the end of each semester.

Assessment of in-term activities includes a minimum number of a mid-term examination, a homework assignment and a short-exam (quiz) as compulsory assessment methods for all the course units within all degree programmes defined by the Regulations. The programmes are encouraged to define more assessment methods for the in-term activities depending on their needs for measuring the achievements of the outcomes at the programme and course unit levels in order to ensure the educational aims and objectives. The nature and number of the assessment methods used for each course unit together with their contribution the final grades are given under the title of “Assessment and Grading” in the sections of course descriptions. These arrangements are announced in advance, at the beginning of each semester and published in the sections of the course descriptions on this web site.

Mid-term and final examinations are conducted in dates, places and times determined and announced by the University. The students’ final semester grade is given by their instructors based on mid-term examination, homework evaluation, short-examinations, final examination and, if there are any, other assessment results taking into account the students’ compliance with attendance to the course activities.

The contributions of the grades of the in-term activities and final exam grade to the final success grade of a course are determined by the course instructor and announced to students within the first two weeks of the semester. Moreover, the contribution of the final exam cannot be less than 40 % and higher than 60% for all the courses within all the degree programmes defined by the Regulations.

Course units, which do not require a mid-term, homework, short-exam and/or a final exam, such as work placement, are determined by the administration of the related departments and specific assessment and grading methods for these courses are also announced through the same channels described above. Evaluation of such activities is made through the procedures defined by the Senate and assessed by Pass (P) or Fail (F) grades.

Grading

The success of a student for each assessment (in-term and final) defined for each course unit is evaluated by the instructor. Evaluations are made over a scale of 100 points and converted to the letter grades at the end of the semester taking into account the standard deviation of grades and grade point average of the class and using the relative evaluation method, principles of which have been set by the Senate.

Please see the section of “Grade Evaluation” for detailed information.

Graduation Requirements:

In order for a student to graduate from the SOCIAL STUDIES EDUCATION programme the following conditions must to be met:

Completion of all the courses designated within the curriculum of the programme, having a total of 240 ECTS Credits, with passing grades.
Achievement of a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of at least 2.00 out of 4.00.
For detailed information: Please see "Ömer Halisdemir University's Rules & Regulations for Undergraduate Education"



Mode of Study:

Bachelor of Arts in SOCIAL STUDIES EDUCATION at Ömer Halisdemir University is a full time/face to face programme.