General information

"Psychology and Special Pedagogy"department of the South Kazakhstan University named after M. Auezov is an educational and research unit with qualified teaching staff, modern educational facilities and a high level of education.

The opening of the"Psychology" department is associated with the period of reorganization of a number of universities in the region and the merger of three universities into the South Kazakhstan Humanitarian University named after M. Auezov in 1996.

  Later it was renamed into the "General Psychology"department on the basis of the South Kazakhstan State University named after M. Auezov. The department was headed by: doctor of psychological sciences, acting professor Iskakova M.S., Phd Shalkharbekova N.А,          Phd Sakhieva F.A., doctor of pedagogical sciences, acting Professor Kabylbekov Z.B.

In 2020, the department was renamed into the Department “Psychology and Special Pedagogy”. The department is headed by PhD, Associate Professor Usenova A.M.

For the entire period of the existence of the department, a multi-level system of training psychologists has been created - bachelor's and master's programs in educational programs: 6B03130 - "Psychology", 7M03130 - "Psychology". In addition, specialists are being trained in educational programs 6B01910- "Defectology (speech therapy"), 6B01912- "Deaf education". The best students in terms of academic mobility study at universities in Poland, Russia, and Kazakhstan. Undergraduates are trained at the universities of Russia, Germany, Turkey.

Training is carried out in the state, Russian and English languages of full-time and distance learning. Currently, the number of students is 400. Classes in disciplines are taught by 2 doctors of psychological sciences, 3 doctors of pedagogical sciences, 5 candidates of pedagogical and psychological sciences, 2 PhD doctors, 16 masters.

3 holders of the grant "The best teacher of the university" teach at the department (Ph.D., Professor Zholdasbekov A.A., Hirsch index-3; Doctor of Psychological Sciences, Professor Lekerova G.Zh., Hirsch index -3; Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Acting Professor Kabylbekova Z.B., Doctor of Psychological Sciences, Acting Professor Iskakova M.S.).

Graduates of the department - masters: Ainabek S.B., Auelova K.E., Karakpaeva S., Zhandabaeva I., Akimbaev A.A. provide versatile professional training for students.

In 2022, the student club "Leader" was created and is actively functioning at the “Psychology and Special Pedagogy” department.

The mission of the department

Training of professionally competent, competitive psychologists and special teachers who understand the importance of their profession, the values and educational needs of Kazakhstani society, to predict the prospects for the development of psychological, special and inclusive education, taking into account the requirements of stakeholders.

          The uniqueness of the educational programs of the department:

• Orientation to the regional labor market and social order through the formation of professional competencies of the graduate, adjusted to the requirements of stakeholders.
• Practice orientation and emphasis on the critical thinking development and entrepreneurship, the formation of a wide range of skills that will allow to be functionally literate and competitive in any life situation and be in demand in the labor market.
• There is an opportunity for dual training, mastering knowledge and acquiring practical skills on the basis of general education schools, the Center for Practical Psychology "BOLMYS", the Personality Development Center "Reframe", in educational institutions, special educational institutions, the "Ship of Childhood" center.
• Education on academic mobility in leading foreign universities.

List of qualifications and positions for educational programs of the department:

EP 6B03130-Psychology:

Psychologist (general profile), child psychologist, social psychologist, social psychologist-consultant, psychologist in the field of labor and organizational psychology, social psychologist-consultant (forensic), clinical psychologist, educational psychologist, military psychologist, expert psychologist , teacher of psychology in educational organizations, psychologist in the field of management, personnel service.

EP 6B01900-Special Pedagogy:

Special teacher, teacher in the field of special education, tutor, oligophrenopedagogue, defectology-teacher, speech therapist, early development teacher, deaf teacher, typhlopedagogue, teacher-defectologist of the organization of the Far Eastern Education, teacher-speech therapist of the organization of the Far Eastern Education in the following organizations:

- in the field of healthcare: polyclinics, medical centers and hospitals;

- in state institutions: regional departments for the protection of children's rights, in institutions related to the problems of education and development of the younger generation;

- in educational institutions: preschool educational organizations, schools, orphanages, boarding schools, specialized educational institutions, colleges;

- in public organizations: child development centers, correction and rehabilitation centers, children's clubs; organization of children's leisure and support of children's creativity, full socialization and personal development of the younger generation;

- psychological-medical-pedagogical consultation (PMPC).

The strategic goal of the development of the department:

Ensuring a high quality level in the training of future specialists in the areas of the department, which is implemented in two main trends:

1. Internal integration of the department through the creation of a creative educational environment aimed at developing citizenship, educational, methodological, research activity of students, teachers and staff;
2. External integration of the department into the professional community of Kazakhstan and the impact on its development.

About qualification development work

The quality of education is the quality of teachers' work. And in order to achieve this quality, to organize the process of advanced training in accordance with modern requirements, many short-term and long-term courses are conducted to improve the professional training of teachers. In teaching work, the skills of planning, setting goals for the organization of one's actions and predicting results are extremely important. This is what the activities of the faculty of the department for advanced training were aimed at.

Academic mobility

According to the program of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan "Current selection" to attract foreign scientists to teaching positions in SKU named after M. Auezov in 2022, the "Psychology and special pedagogy"department  for students of the educational program "Psychology", was invited PhD, Professor of the University Gazi, Ankara, Turkey - Yuzhel Gelishli A lecture was held on the topic “Destructive Behavior Among Youth”.

In the lecture, along with consideration of the psychological theories of the genesis of aggressive behavior, the features of the adolescents’ aggressive behavior were considered, and the ways and means of influencing adolescents prone to aggressive behavior were analyzed. Students shared their theoretical and practical knowledge related to the topic. Feedback was provided through free discussion, through questions and answers.