The Guidance and Counseling Bachelor's Degree Program at Istanbul Aydın University first began accepting students in 2009. The program provides counselor educaiton that meets the needs of the modern era. It has three main objectives aimed at developing students' skills: implementing and developing a psychoeducation program, conducting individual counseling sessions, and gaining experience in group counseling.
To achieve these stated goals, the four applied courses offered in the program are particularly important. The names of these courses are: Counseling Practicum, Group Counseling Experience, Career Counseling Practices, and School Counseling Practices. The Guidance and Psychological Counseling Bachelor's Degree Program is an accredited program. The practices in these courses comply with the standards and competencies of national (Turkish PDR Association PDR-EPDAB and EPDAD) and international (CACREP) accreditation organizations. In addition, the program's education and training activities directly correspond to the Turkish Higher Education Qualifications Framework (TYYÇ) and program outcomes.
The program offers students various opportunities to support their academic and personal development. Students can specialize in different fields through double major and minor programs; they can gain a global perspective by studying abroad for one or two semesters through international exchange programs. After graduation, they have the opportunity to continue their academic and professional development through master's and doctoral programs.
Graduates are often employed as school counselors. They may also pursue other specializations within the field of counseling, such as career counseling, clinical mental health counseling, and family counseling. The Ministry of National Education is the ministry that employs the most graduates, and they may also work in private schools. However, they can also work as counselors in the official staff of many other ministries, the Police Academy, the Turkish Armed Forces, guidance and research centers, psychological counseling and guidance centers at universities, nurseries and kindergartens, boarding schools, special education centers, human resources departments of companies, and counseling centers of municipalities and private organizations. The teaching staff in the program and the Rectorate maintain regular communication with graduates.
