The Department of Special Education is one of the academic departments in the College of Basic Education, The department was established in the academic year 2016–2017 and admitted 59 students for the first academic year. These students graduated and achieved a bachelor’s degree in 2020. The number of students in the department steadily increased throughout the years that followed.

Our vision is to become a leading institution in teaching, creative thinking, and research at the regional and national levels. We strive to provide our undergraduate students with the highest quality skills to work with gifted and special needs children. We believe that individuals with special needs have the same rights as everyone else, and we are committed to providing them with the educational training and psychological support they need to thrive. By doing so, we hope to empower them to become independent and productive members of their communities.

The department aims to prepare specialists in training people with special needs who suffer from autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, learning difficulties, behavioral and emotional disorders, sensory and motor disabilities, etc., and in developing the capabilities of creative and talented people. The department, with its teaching staff and programs, seeks to prepare specialists with higher degrees through postgraduate programs (master’s and doctorate).

Upon the completion of their studies, students will be able to:

1. Understand the roles and responsibilities associated with the specialists in private centers and public and private schools related to people with special needs and their families.
2. Adopt a valid and reliable assessment and diagnosis for people with special needs based on the nature of the abilities they possess.
3. Use appropriate teaching methods and adapt them to the needs of people with special needs.
4. Develop and use appropriate programs and services for people with special needs and their families.

The teaching methods and procedures adopted in the department are represented in two aspects: first, the theoretical aspect, which is to enrich the student’s information related to his or her specialization through theoretical lectures, classroom and extracurricular activities, and student-centered teaching. The second is practical through continuous field visits and the duration of practice in specialized rehabilitation centers and public and private schools.

The language of instruction in the department is Kurdish for most courses, except for certain modules that are taught in Arabic and English.

The duration of study in the Special Education department is four years of academic study that are divided into eight semesters.