A Message from the Head of Department

Within this framework, we offer students education that enables them to: treat children and their parents with love, respect, show them great interest and tolerance and appreciate them; follow the multiple intelligence theory and provide children with an educational atmosphere helping them to learn through experience; offering a supportive theoretical and practical educational plan for children in 0-18 age group, as well as those in 0-6 age group both showing normal development and those with special needs, and therefore serve children, families, educationists, and society; prepare materials necessary for children’s habits and needs, acquire the skills and knowledge required to meet children’s needs, and take precautions against potential problems. And last but not least, we provide our students with education enabling them to become “child development professionals”.

In order to achieve our aim of educating prospective skilled graduates, the course programmes are designed according to children’s cognitive, affective and psychomotor development stages. Within this framework, the basic courses in the programme are on mental health, child development, child health, children’s health, special education, gymnastics, animation, drama, music, art, puppet and toy making, plays and play materials. Besides the major compulsory courses, the programme also provides students with minor elective courses such as computer and foreign language courses to support their improvement.

The educational approach of the Child Development Programme is grounded on the examining of children’s skills and behaviours within the framework of multiple intelligence theory and identification of their abilities to build a suitable educational system for them. One of our fundamental principles is to attach due importance to children’s motivation to help them improve their creative thinking skills and learn through experience. Furthermore, the programme also aims to teach our students to become skilled and competent enough to provide children with a supporting education necessary for them to prepare themselves for the school environment, and have analytical and judgemental skills helping them overcome the problems encountered in daily life.

The programme offers Turkish-medium instruction. The English Preparatory Programme is optional.

Prof. Dr. Serap ÖZBAŞ

Head of the Department of Child Development