University of Kurdistan (; Dâneshgâh-e Kordestân) is the largest university in Iranian Kurdistan Province, located in the south of Sanandaj. The University of Kurdistan was ranked as the eighth top university in Iran (categorized by quantity and quality of research activities) in academic year 2007-2008 and was ranked as the first top developing university in Iran in academic year 2006–2007.
Overview of UOK The University of Kurdistan (UOK) commenced its activities as the Higher College of Sanandaj, an affiliate of Tarbiat Moallem (Teacher Training Institute), Tehran in the academic year 1974–1975. Its first intake of students was in the field of Mathematics Teacher Training. In the following academic year, the college became an off campus faculty of Kermanshah's Razi University and was thereafter named the Sanandaj Faculty of Teacher Training. In addition to admitting students in Mathematics Teacher Training, it began to accept students in Chemistry and English. By expanding its pedagogical activities and conducting research in a wide variety of fields, this teacher training unit was granted university status by the Ministry of Higher Education and Culture in 1991. Henceforth it became known as the University of Kurdistan. Since then a great range of courses at various levels have been added to the university's graduate and postgraduate programme lists including a postdoctoral course offered by the Department of Chemistry. Currently, University of Kurdistan has over 9000 students, of which over 25 per cent are postgraduate students. University of Kurdistan has an autonomous college (Pardis), 8 faculties and 45 departments offering 170 undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Moreover, UOK employs approximately 339 full-time academic faculty members with over 95 per cent having Assistant Professorship or above grading (16 Full Professors and 68 Associate Professors). In addition, many part-time teaching staff are employed and the number of administrative staff totals 385.
Currently, the university has 8 research institutes and 7 academic journals and has its own publishing press with many yearly publications. Moreover, UOK has plentiful research and teaching laboratories to aid students and staff at all faculties.
UOK has a non-centralized administrative structure managed by the Board of Trustees (which has the highest position in the University and overlooks future educational expansion, financial projections and other major plans of the University), the Chancellor, 5 Vice Chancellors (Vice Chancellors for Educational and Academic Affairs, Research Affairs, Student Affairs, Financial Affairs and Cultural and Social Affairs), Board of Directors and the University Council.
Faculties University of Kurdistan has the following faculties: Faculty of Agriculture Faculty of Art and Architecture Faculty of Engineering Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Faculty of Language and Literature Faculty of Natural Resources Faculty of Science Bijar Faculty of Science and Engineering
Faculty of Agriculture
The Faculty of Agriculture was founded jointly with the Faculty of Natural Resources in 1991. In 2007, the Faculty of Agriculture separated from the Faculty of Natural Resources and commenced its academic teaching and research activities on an independent basis. It is currently one of the major providers of research in agricultural fields in the region. Both training and research are undertaken at the highest professional level and a wide range of agriculture based scientific courses are offered to graduate and postgraduate students. The faculty's mission is to develop resources and technology to provide contemporary and future needs of the agricultural sector of Kurdistan province, to advance and disseminate knowledge and to provide advice and guidance in the field of agriculture for sustainable economic development. The faculty has 8 departments, offering 12 undergraduate degree programmes and 24 postgraduate degree programmes (including 7 PhD degree programmes):
Plant Production and Genetics Animal Science Soil Science Horticultural Science & Engineering Biosystems Engineering Water Sciences and Engineering Agricultural Economics Plant Protection
At present, the Faculty of Agriculture has over 1000 students and 69 full-time academic members of staff. The faculty has 28 laboratories including Soil Chemistry Laboratory, Soil Physics Laboratory, Plant Breeding Laboratory, Plant Pathology, Genetics Laboratory, Entomology Laboratory, Poultry Production Unit, Quail Production Unit, Dairy Cattle Production Unit. In addition, this faculty has four greenhouses and 50 hectares of agricultural research fields.
Faculty of Agriculture List of Degree Programmes Department Degree Programme BA/BSc MA/MSc PhD Animal Science Animal Science * Animal Breeding * * Animal Physiology * * Animal Nutrition * * Agronomy & Plant Breeding Production and Plant Genetic Engineering (Agrotechnology & Biotechnology) * Plant Genetic and Breeding * Agroecology * Agricultural Biotechnology * * Agronomy (Crop Physiology) * Horticultural Sciences and Engineering Food Science & Technology * Landscape Engineering * Horticultural Science & Engineering * Horticultural Science & Engineering: Fruit Trees * Horticultural Science & Engineering: Vegetables * Horticultural Science & Engineering: Medicinal Plants * Horticultural Science & Engineering: Ornamental Plants * Soil Science Soil Science & Engineering * Soil Biology and Biotechnology * Soil Physics & Conservation * Soil Resources & Land Evaluation * Agricultural Economics Agricultural Economics * Agricultural Policy & Development * Agricultural Extension & Education * Plant Protection Plant Protection * Agricultural Entomology * Plant Pathology * * Water Sciences & Engineering Water Sciences & Engineering * Irrigation & Drainage Engineering * Hydroinformatics * Biosystems Engineering Mechanics & Biosystems Engineering * Design and Construction * Postharvest Technology * Renewable Energies * Food Industry Machinery Engineering *
Faculty of Art and Architecture
Because of the importance of Art, architecture and planning at national and international levels and the rich history of the arts in western Iran, especially in Kurdistan, the University of Kurdistan launched programs in the aforementioned fields in the early years of its establishment as a university. The University of Kurdistan commenced offering degree programs in Architecture, Planning and Music in 1999, 2006 and 2016, respectively. These two departments were initially part of the Faculty of Engineering but in 2012 became part of the newly established Faculty of Art and Architecture. In light of its expansion and development plans, the Faculty of Art and Architecture is in the process of establishing degree programs in Handicraft as well as aiming to offer its existing degree programs at PhD level in near future. In total, the faculty currently has three departments: Urban Planning Architecture Music (Iranian) The Faculty of Art & Architecture has 12 full-time academic staff and numerous part-time staff with a total student population of 302.
Research in the faculty is clustered around a number of research themes including architecture, urbanism public sphere, environmental psychology, informal settlements and sustainability. Faculty of Art & Architecture List of Degree ProgrammesDepartmentDegree ProgrammeBA/BScMA/MScPhDArchitectureArchitecture**Urban DevelopmentUrban Development*Urban & Regional Planning*Urban Design*MusicIranian Music*
Faculty of Engineering The Faculty of Engineering at present has 7 Departments offering 9 undergraduate degree programmes and 21 postgraduate degree programmes (including 3 PhD programmes). Department of Chemical Engineering Department of Civil Engineering Department of Computer & IT Engineering Department of Electrical Engineering Department of Industrial Engineering Department of Mechanical Engineering Department of Mine Engineering
Faculty of Engineering List of Degree ProgrammesDepartmentDegree ProgrammeBA/BScMA/MScPhDChemical EngineeringChemical Engineering*Chemical Engineering – Design Process*Civil EngineeringCivil Engineering*Remote Sensing*Earthquake Engineering*Hydraulics & Water Resources Management*Structural Engineering**Electrical EngineeringElectrical Engineering**Electronic Integrated Circuits*Micro and Nano-Electronic devices*Communication Systems*Electrical Control Engineering*Power Systems Engineering***Computer Engineering and ITComputer Software Engineering*Information Technology*Artificial Intelligence*Industrial EngineeringIndustrial Engineering***Logistics & Supply Chain*System Optimization*Mechanical EngineeringMechanical Engineering*Mechanical Engineering - Applied Design*Energy Conversion- Heat & Fluids*Mine EngineeringMine Engineering*Mineral Exploration*
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences currently has 11 departments that are involved in teaching and research activities. It has approximately 2500 students who are on 9 programmes leading to an undergraduate degree, 18 programmes leading to master's degree and 4 programmes leading to a PhD: Accounting Business Management Educational Sciences Physical Education Law Shafe’ee Jurisprudence and Law Psychology Sociology Counseling Economics Islamic Studies This faculty has two student computer centers, an advanced computer teaching, a sport sciences laboratory and research centre, two other laboratories for counseling and psychology departments, Hazhar Library, and conference and seminar facilities including Ferdowsi, Mastoureh Ardalan and Mawlawi Halls. The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences currently has 64 permanent academic members of staff and numerous part-time teaching staff.
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences List of Degree ProgrammesDepartmentDegree ProgrammeBA/BScMA/MScPhDAccountingAccounting**Business AdministrationBusiness Administration*Tourism Management*Marketing Management*MBA*PsychologyPsychology*Clinical Psychology*Cognitive Psychology*Economic SciencesEconomic Sciences – Theoretical Economics*Economic Sciences*Economic Development & Planning*Educational ScienceEducational Administration & Planning*Curriculum Planning*Educational Planning*Educational Administration**Higher Education Development Planning*CounsellingFamily Counselling*School Counselling*LawLaw*Criminal Law & Criminology*Shafe’ee Jurisprudence & LawShafe’ee Jurisprudence & Law**Physical EducationSports Life Sciences*Sports Management*Sports Physiology*Marketing Management in Sport**Sport Physiology - Sports Biochemistry and Metabolism*SociologySocial Sciences Research*Sociology*
Faculty of Language and Literature
The Faculty of Language and Literature activities officially began its teaching and research activities in October 2012 and prior to that it was part of the Faculty of Literature and Humanities. It is worth mentioning that the disbanded Faculty of Literature and Humanities was established in 1991 as the second faculty of the University of Kurdistan, but began its teaching activities much earlier in 1976 by accepting students majoring in English language teacher training and later establishing 14 departments. The Faculty of Language and Literature currently has 4 departments offering 5 undergraduate programmes, 5 Master's programmes and 1 PhD programme to over 760 students:
English Language and Linguistics Persian Language and Literature Arabic Language and Literature Kurdish Language and Literature At present, this faculty has 30 full-time academic members of staff and many part-time teaching staff.