Overview

Teaching Social Studies Department is considered one of the vital departments at the Faculty of Educational Sciences, and it grants a B.A. in Teaching Social Studies major. What distinguishes the department is that the major is interdisciplinary; QOU is the only university in Palestine that combines between History, Geography, Sociology, and Politics to form Social Studies. Moreover, students don’t need to obtain a teacher training diploma since they already have the necessary courses at the BA level to qualify them as teachers.

The Department is also keen on equipping students with skills of efficient planning, assessment, follow up and implementation, as well as matching theory with practice.

Furthermore, The Department promotes applied research in its academic program to find solutions and recommendations for challenges of education in Palestine.

Aims:

The aims of the major emerged from the vision of the University and Faculty of Educational Sciences to provide higher education and training to the largest possible number of beneficiaries, taking into account their various backgrounds and conditions, as well as the current and rising demands of their community.
Moreover, considering the prominent role of social studies in consolidating affiliation of citizens to their state and region, the University is keen on giving special focus on disseminating knowledge in the field of Social Studies. Other important aims of the Department are:

• Provide students with skills, theories, concepts and trends of History, Geography, Sociology, Economics, and Politics to broaden their knowledge and facilitate their mission as prospective teachers.
• Enhance the capabilities of students in the field of leadership, self-reliance and accountability.
• Enhance the capabilities of the students in utilizing the acquainted knowledge and skills to contribute in the development of their community.
• Develop scientific research competencies, and implement the concluded recommendations and frameworks to enhance teaching.
• Familiarize students with values and principles of contemporary Arabic and Islamic culture and its relation to other cultures, in order to strengthen students’ affiliation to Arabic and Islamic region and appreciate their role in advancing civilizations.
• Promote self-learning approach and increase students’ thirst for knowledge. Furthermore, develop their capacities in obtaining knowledge and find suitable resources in the field of social studies to promote concepts of continuing education and self-development.
• Develop students’ capacities to better comprehend their social environment to preserve it and solve its problems.

Prospective Employment

• Teaching at private and public sectors (especially primary levels).
• Teaching at non-governmental and governmental organizations.
• Teaching at institutes, centers and pre-schools institutions.