Cultural Education

Specialization in Cultural Education is intended not only to in-service and prospective teachers, providing specialized knowledge for the utilization of art and culture as a necessary teaching tool, as well as a means for approaching students from different cultural backgrounds. It is also intended to those who wish to acquire further knowledge on cultural issues and to use this knowledge in other developing areas, such as cultural tourism. Moreover, this Specialization is intended to fill the cultural knowledge gap in combination with education and aims to provide a high-level theoretical training on specific subjects regarding art and culture, with emphasis on the Greek cultural tradition, in relation to the European and world cultural heritage, as well as to systematically inform postgraduate students about modern approaches to such issues. It also aims at analyzing firstly issues related to the importance of education at school as regards art and culture issues, and secondly ways of its implementation and ways of presenting the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of Greece.

Particular attention is paid to the postgraduate students’ involvement in cultural education activities through visits to archaeological sites, museums, art exhibitions, participation in special tours and organization of other related activities. Students are also expected to get familiarized with the organization of cultural activities and educational programs proviso they have firstly systematically attended similar actions organized by museums, institutions and culture-related stakeholders. The specific aims of the program of this Specialization comprise the effort to enable the attending postgraduate students: to effectively use art in education, to instigate the cultural interests of pupils and to sensitize them to issues of culture and respect for cultural diversity; to undertake in schools the organization of cultural activities, such as the staging of theatrical plays and the establishment of cultural school clubs, the publication of student magazines, the creation of school museums and cultural collections etc.;  to implement innovative activities organized by the Ministry of Education, and to undertake the organization of cultural activities, educational programs, cultural routes and other cultural tourism activities with the cooperation of public local authorities and of the private sector.

This Specialization, in addition to promoting knowledge on cultural issues, to fostering sensitivity to the Greek and world cultural heritage, and to strengthening willingness to protect and make advantage of it, it opens up new professional horizons to its graduates not only in the field of education but also in the area of tourism and culture, providing them with valuable vocational rehabilitation opportunities.