About the Department

The Department of Religious Education was established in 2016 under the College of Humanities with the name "Islamic Studies". Later, in 2019, the department's name was changed to "Religious Education". For the academic year 2022-2023, this department was transferred to the College of Basic Education at the University of Duhok.

The Department of Religious Education at the College of Education, University of Duhok , is one of the vital academic departments focused on preparing specialized educational staff. The department was established in response to the growing need within the educational sector in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq for academically and pedagogically qualified teachers to teach Religious Education in schools.

The department is administratively and academically affiliated with the College of Education and follows the standards and curricula approved by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.

Department Description

The Department of Religious Education specializes in qualifying students to become specialized teachers in the field of Islamic Sciences for academic stages, especially at the (Preparatory) stage.

• Degree Awarded: The department grants a Bachelor's degree in Religious Education.
• Duration of Study: The duration of study in the department is four academic years.
• Curriculum Nature: The curriculum includes a balanced mix covering two main aspects:
• Specialized Subjects: These include core Islamic sciences such as (Qur'anic Sciences and Exegesis, Hadith and its Sciences, Islamic Jurisprudence (Fiqh) and its Principles, Islamic Creed (Aqidah), the Prophet's Biography (Seerah), and Islamic Thought).
• Educational Subjects: These include subjects that qualify the student as a teacher, such as (General and Specific Teaching Methods, Educational Psychology, Educational Administration, and Measurement and Evaluation).
• Practical Application: The curriculum, especially in the fourth year, includes "Practical Training" or "Teaching Practice" programs, where students teach in basic education schools under the supervision of specialists to gain field experience.

Department Objectives

The Department of Religious Education at the College of Education seeks to achieve a set of fundamental objectives, the most prominent of which can be summarized as follows:

• Preparing Teaching Staff: The primary goal is to graduate competent and professionally qualified teachers to teach Islamic Education efficiently and effectively in basic schools.
• Promoting Moderate Thought: To instill the concepts of moderate Islam and moderation, promote values of tolerance and peaceful coexistence among community components, and reject extremism.
• Academic Development: To keep pace with developments in the field of Islamic and educational studies, and to continuously strive to develop curricula and teaching methods.
• Community Service: To contribute effectively to meeting the educational and religious needs of the local community by holding seminars, conferences, and workshops, and providing specialized consultations.
• Enhancing Scientific Research: To encourage faculty members and students to conduct rigorous scientific research in the fields of Islamic and educational studies, and to contribute to addressing societal problems.