Department of History
The Department of History at University of Mohaghegh Ardabili was established in 2014 (1393 SH) with the admission of students to the B.A. program in History and the M.A. program in History with a specialization in Islamic Iran. In 2016 (1395 SH), the specialization in “Central Asian and Caucasian Studies” was added to the department. Furthermore, in 2025 (1404 SH), the department obtained official authorization from the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology to admit Ph.D. students in History with a specialization in Post-Islamic Iran.
At the undergraduate level, the History program is not confined to a specific historical period. Throughout the four-year program, students are introduced to general history, the history of ancient Iran, Islamic history, the history of Iran after the advent of Islam, and world history—particularly the history of Europe. In accordance with the revised national curriculum approved by the Ministry of Science in 2023 (1402 SH), although the undergraduate curriculum maintains a broad scope, courses are structured in such a way as to help students identify their academic interests and pursue them at the M.A. and subsequently at the Ph.D. level in relevant fields and specializations within the discipline of History.
At the M.A. level, two active specializations are currently offered: “Islamic Iran History” and “Central Asian and Caucasian Studies.” In the Islamic Iran History track, students study the history of Iran from the advent of Islam to the contemporary period. In the Central Asian and Caucasian Studies track, students focus on the historical developments of Central Asia and the Caucasus—regions considered part of the broader Iranian cultural and civilizational sphere—and complete their theses within this field.
At the Ph.D. level, students undertake advanced coursework related to the history of Iran from the Arab conquest to the present era and conduct specialized, research-oriented studies in this domain. The Department also plans to establish a new specialization in “Ottoman and Modern Turkish Studies” in the future, thereby expanding opportunities for advanced education and research in this area.
The faculty members of the Department of History are Dr. Jafar Aghazadeh, Dr. Hassan Asadi, Dr. Sajjad Hosseini, Dr. Mohsen Parvish, and Dr. Farhad Pourianzhad. The current Head of the Department is Dr. Farhad Pourianzhad.
Graduates of this field enjoy diverse employment opportunities and pathways into the job market. These include positions in the Ministry of Education, the Public Libraries Foundation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology, and other governmental institutions. As a result, a considerable number of outstanding graduates from the Department of History at the University of Mohaghegh Ardabili have successfully entered the job market after completing their studies.
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