Faculty of Education | Department of Special Education | Special Education Teaching Department Program

Last Updated: 21/09/2026

Anadolu University Faculty of Education Department of Special Education was established in 1982 as a “Special Education Department” under the Department of Educational Sciences, Department of Psychological Services in Education. In the 1983-1984 academic year, undergraduate students were admitted to the Special Education Teaching Program for the first time under the name of “Special Education Teaching” and the program had its first graduates in 1987. In 1989, the “Department of Special Education” was established within the Faculty, and the name of the Special Education Department, which was previously under the Department of Educational Sciences, Department of Psychological Services in Education, was changed to “Department of Special Education” of the Faculty of Education. With the establishment of the Special Education Department, two departments, namely the Education of the Hearing Impaired and the Education of the Mentally Handicapped, became operational. Since 1989, It has been started to admit undergraduate students to these two departments named “Teaching Program for the Hearing Impaired” and “Teaching Program for the Mentally Handicapped”. The Department of Special Education, which has been training teachers for many years as “Teachers for the Hearing Impaired” and “Teachers for the Mentally Handicapped” through these two programs, has started the “Special Education Teaching Undergraduate Program” since the 2016-2017 academic year in line with the decision of the Higher Education Council (YÖK) to combine the teaching fields. It has been restructured under the name. Since this date, teacher candidates studying in the Department have started to graduate under the name of “Special Education Teacher”. The student quota of the program is 130 people. The Special Education Teaching Undergraduate Program consists of 240 ECTS credits. You can access the current course catalog on the student affairs tab of the Registrar's Office (https://oidb.anadolu.edu.tr/) on the university’s website. In addition to the compulsory courses to be taken in our undergraduate program, there are elective courses and vocational elective courses. Within the Special Education Department is Active Education for the Hearing Impaired, Education for the Mentally Handicapped, Education for the Special Talent, Education for the Autism Spectrum Disorder, and Education for the Visually Impaired. Special Education Teaching Program offers services with 10 Professors, 12 Associate Professors, 8 Assistant Professors, 1 Lecturer Dr, 2 Research Assistants Dr, 4 Research Assistants, 1 Lecturer. Decisions about the program are taken by the Department Board. The Department Board consists of the head of the department, two vice presidents of the departments, and the heads of the divisions.

Admission to the programme is based on the relevant higher education legislation and the central placement procedures administered by the Centre for Assessment, Selection and Placement (ÖSYM). Candidates who are offered a place in the programme must complete their registration within the deadlines announced in the University's academic calendar and registration announcements, in accordance with the applicable legislation. To complete final registration, candidates must satisfy all general and programme-specific admission requirements. Admission through horizontal transfer is conducted in accordance with the relevant legislation and the principles established by the relevant academic unit. The application and admission procedures for international students are carried out in accordance with the applicable legislation.

Recognition of prior learning is carried out in accordance with the relevant higher education legislation, the University's regulations governing education, examinations and assessment, and the institutional principles for exemption and credit transfer. Students may apply, within the specified deadlines, for exemption and credit transfer based on courses successfully completed at another higher education institution or on equivalent prior learning. Applications are evaluated by the relevant board or commission with due consideration of course content, credit/ECTS values, grades obtained, and their compatibility with the curriculum and learning outcomes of the relevant programme.

All students enrolled at Anadolu University are assigned a faculty academic advisor to provide guidance and support throughout their studies. Academic advisors offer counselling from the beginning of the student's academic programme until graduation, assisting students with academic, administrative, and other matters related to university life. In particular, advisors provide guidance during course registration and course selection processes, monitor students' academic progress, and support them in making informed decisions regarding their educational pathways.
For further information, please refer to the Academic Advising Directive of Anadolu University.

The programme is delivered in face-to-face / blended mode. Students are enrolled on the programme as (full-time / part-time) students. Teaching and learning activities are conducted in accordance with the programme curriculum, including the semester structure, scheduled class hours, practical components, and, where applicable, online learning environments.

A variety of assessment methods such as mid-term(s), assignment(s), exercise(s), project(s), practice(s), and a final exam are implemented in the programme. Assessment methods may include classical test(s), multiple-choice test(s), homework(s), performance evaluation(s), and product evaluation(s). In order to graduate from the programme, cumulative GPA must be minimum 2.00. A course grade is constituted by evaluating the above stated elements and given by using letters. Letter grades and their associated coefficients are as follows;

Grade	Coefficient
AA	4,0
AB	3,7
BA	3,3
BB	3,0
BC	2,7
CB	2,3
CC	2,0
CD	1,7
DC	1,3
DD	1,0
FF	0,0

A student is required to successfully complete the designated program of courses meet a minimum of 240 ECTS credit requirement and have a minimum GPA of 2.00/4.00 and no FF, DZ or YZ grades.

To be awarded a Bachelor's Degree, students must successfully complete all compulsory and elective courses specified in the curriculum of the programme in which they are enrolled, together with any required internship, practical training, project, or other academic requirements. To qualify for graduation, students must successfully complete at least 240 ECTS credits, have no failed courses, achieve the minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA) specified in the relevant regulations (at least 2.00 on a 4.00 scale), and fulfil all other graduation requirements prescribed by the programme.

Students who successfully fulfil all programme requirements are awarded a Bachelor's Degree Diploma in Special Education Teaching Department Program Graduates obtain a Level 6 (Bachelor's Degree) qualification within the Turkish Qualifications Framework (TQF).

Graduates of the Special Education Teaching Undergraduate Program are employed as “special education teachers” in special education schools, special education classes, or Guidance Research Centers affiliated with the Ministry of National Education (MEB). In addition, our graduates can work as “special education teachers” in special education and rehabilitation centers. Considering the shortage of personnel trained in special education teaching in our country, almost all of our graduates can be appointed as a result of the Public Personnel Selection Examination. Therefore, the Special Education Teaching Undergraduate Program is one of the rare teaching areas in Turkey that does not have employment problems. Graduates who have successfully completed their undergraduate education and want to pursue an academic career can apply to the positions opened by following the web pages of universities and YÖK. They can work as “Research Assistants” when they meet the necessary conditions.

Graduates of the programme are eligible to apply for Master's Degree programmes (with or without a thesis) in accordance with the relevant legislation governing graduate education and the admission requirements of the receiving higher education institution.
Graduates who successfully complete their undergraduate education and meet the postgraduate education requirements can receive postgraduate education if they wish, according to the postgraduate education requirements of the university they are applying for. There are various postgraduate education programs (hearing impairment, mentally handicapped, special abilities, autism spectrum disorder, early childhood special education, and early childhood autism spectrum disorder [non-thesis] programs) within the Special Education Department of our university.


PROF. DR. YASEMİN ERGENEKON
ASSOC. PROF. DR. ELİF AKAY