Art is a necessity of being an individual in social life. As an inseparable part of human beings, art, which constitutes the primary source of national culture, carries culture from the past to the future. It allows individuals to express their feelings, thoughts, and impressions with aesthetic values in various fields using their abilities and creativity. These expressions are realised in different forms and meet with society through art activities. Undoubtedly, the most outstanding value that directs society with science and art shapes the future of nations and ensures national development is the teacher.
The Art Education Programme also adopted a mission that involves preparing visual arts teachers who show fidelity to the principles of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and his revolutions; who have an understanding of concepts of national and universal identity; who show tolerance, have a sense of justice and democracy; professionally qualified; who have a sense of curiosity; be able to think analytically and critically; who have good communication skills; to have developed a positive self; creative; who are at peace with themselves and their environment; to conduct basic and applied, original scientific research in the fields related to fine arts, art and art teaching and education; to provide in-service training programmes to the relevant institutions on the subjects needed by society, to conduct research on the subjects required by the institutions and to organise scientific and artistic activities to enlighten employees in educational institutions; to carry out the functions of creating scientific, cultural and artistic values and the obligation to serve the society at universal standardsand, finally highly qualified art educators. With this sense of duty, our programme continues its education and training activities in art education to educate our students who will be qualified in visual arts with professional teaching skills.
Our programme has seven of the nine Main Art Studios the Higher Education Institution recommended for the programs of Fine Arts Education Departments. This situation represents a privilege that only a few universities in our country possess. These main art studios are; Painting, Graphic Design, Textile Design, Original Printmaking, Photography, Ceramics and Sculpture. These main art studios also function as Elective Art Studios, enabling prospective teachers to be better equipped in visual arts. In addition to these practical courses, the teaching of our students is completed with formation and culture courses so that they graduate as teacher candidates who have received qualified and quality art education.
Our programme, which has undergraduate and graduate level education, continues its studies to support the multifaceted development of our prospective art teacher candidates by frequently organising artistic, scientific, and cultural extracurricular activities with a high academic level in our building, which has the necessary equipment for our department with its expert academic staff. Our undergraduate students are offered double major and minor programmes, and Erasmus, Farabi and Mevlana student exchange programmes are effective in helping our incoming and outgoing students gain different perspectives.
Our programme maintains its place in the highest ranks among the many Art Education Programmes in our country and is a preferred institution due to its high level of academic achievement. Furthermore, the success of our graduates in their professional lives as Visual Arts Teachers, which reflects the quality of our education, adds strength to our department as a source of pride.
I would like to congratulate all our candidates who have joined and plan to join our family of the Department of Fine Arts Education, Art Education Programme with the desire to become ideal Visual Arts Teachers who will guide new generations to become individuals who know how to look at art, understand art, protect art, and shed light on their bright future, and wish them continued success.
Prof. Gonca ERIM
Head of the Art Education Programme
