General Information

The Department of Primary School Teaching is an undergraduate program that requires students to take 240 credits and 60 courses in eight semesters to train classroom teachers for primary schools. The undergraduate program comprises theoretical and practical courses related to field knowledge, general culture, and pedagogical formation. In addition to the compulsory courses, there are elective courses that students can choose according to their interests and abilities. Theoretical courses take place in technology-supported classrooms, workshops, and laboratories. In contrast, practical courses take place in practice primary schools under the supervision of lecturers and teachers in cooperation with the Atatürk Faculty of Education and the Istanbul Directorate of National Education to provide teacher candidates with teaching skills in the classroom.

Objective

The purpose of our department is to train competent teachers who possess professional knowledge and skills based on contemporary educational approaches and practices while embracing scientific thinking and working styles. Additionally, we aim to contribute to national and international academic research and studies to enhance this process.

History

Atatürk Higher Teacher Training School was renamed Atatürk Faculty of Education in 1982 and became one of the units of the newly established Marmara University. It started to operate with the School of Education and eight departments affiliated with it. The Primary Teaching program, which was established under the School of Education, started in 1987 as a two-year associate degree program. After the closure of the School of Education in 1991–1992, it was directly affiliated with the Faculty and transformed into a department providing four-year undergraduate education and then into a Department within the Department of Basic Education. Our faculty members who served as the Head of the Department and the Department are Prof. Dr. Adil Çağlar (1987–1991), Prof. Dr. Ayla Oktay (1991–1993), Prof. Dr. Ali Osman Özcan (1994–1996), Prof. Dr. Ayla Gürdal (1996–1997), Prof. Dr. Sefer Ada (1997–2015), Prof. Dr. M. Cihangir Doğan (2015–2023), and Prof. Dr. Z. Nurdan Baysal (2023–present).

Opportunities

Double Major and Minor Program:

The Double Major Program enables students who are successful in their associate degree or undergraduate program to obtain a double diploma by successfully passing the courses of a second program with content close to their main program. The Minor Program enables students who are successful in their undergraduate program to receive a certificate by taking a limited number of courses in a second program with content close to their main program. Students who fulfill the necessary conditions in our department can participate in double major and minor programs in different departments.

Erasmus+ Program:

The Erasmus+ Program is for cooperation at the higher education level. The program aims to improve the quality of higher education and strengthen its European dimension. Within the scope of the program, financial support in the form of grants is provided for higher education institutions to produce and implement joint projects with each other and to exchange students and staff for short periods. Our department has made agreements with five European universities so far within the scope of the Erasmus+ Program. Within the budget given every year, 2-4 students from our Department are sent to the contracted institutions abroad to receive education. In addition, foreign students from contracted institutions are accepted every year to receive education in our Department.

Farabi Program:

The Student and Faculty Member Exchange Program between Higher Education Institutions, also known as the Farabi Exchange Program, is a student and faculty exchange program between higher education institutions that provide education at the associate, undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels within universities and institutes of high technology. This program aims to enable students or faculty members to continue their education and training activities in a higher education institution outside their institution for one or two semesters.

Graduate Program:

The master's program, which was opened in the 1991–1992 academic year under the Institute of Social Sciences, is currently being carried out under the Institute of Educational Sciences. In addition, the doctoral program, which was opened in the 2000–2001 academic year under the Institute of Educational Sciences, continues to accept students. The master's program consists of nine courses, a seminar course, a thesis proposal, and a thesis study; the doctoral program consists of nine courses, a seminar course, a proficiency exam, a thesis proposal, and a thesis study. In addition, students who graduate from a different program and are accepted into the program are admitted to a scientific preparation program that includes prerequisite courses if deemed necessary.

Job Opportunities

Graduates can work as primary teachers in educational institutions such as public or private primary schools, classrooms, and study centers.