Dear Students,
The cultivation of historical knowledge and consciousness constitutes a fundamental pillar in fostering unity and strengthening the fabric of coexistence within any society. Such development reinforces the sense of nationhood and fortifies national unity. In this context, nurturing a strong sense of national history and equipping our students with sound historical knowledge will, in the future, significantly contribute to the intellectual advancement of our society, regardless of the professional fields in which they serve. This principle forms the cornerstone of our department's mission.
As Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of our Republic, emphasized: "Writing history is as important as making history. If the writer does not remain faithful to the maker, the unchanging truth may assume a form that misleads humanity." Guided by this vision, it is our duty to learn, research, and teach our national history faithfully, in light of accurate knowledge and truth, and with due respect to the eminent figures who shaped it.
In line with this understanding, the Department of History at Istanbul Aydın University is committed to training the historians of the future through a rigorous scientific approach and methodological discipline. The department provides an academic environment designed to cultivate researchers and original scholars who are well-versed in the debates and accumulated scholarship of contemporary historiography, who uphold academic integrity and national values, and who possess the competence to evaluate their own history from a global historical perspective.
Our curriculum primarily focuses on General Turkish History, Ottoman History, and the History of the Republic of Turkey, while also incorporating, as compulsory or elective courses, the History of Civilizations, World History, Ancient World History, European History, as well as the histories of Iran, Russia, Central Asia, the Balkans, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean World. These courses are delivered by distinguished faculty members who are experts in their respective fields, with the overarching aim of preparing our students to become competent and well-qualified historians.
Head of the Department of History, Istanbul Aydın University
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Elvin YILDIRIM
[email protected]
