The Department of Speciality with Educational Psychology Profile at the Gheorghe Dima National Academy of Music in Cluj-Napoca was established as a distinct academic and professional entity on September 23, 2000. It provides educational psychology and methodological training for future teachers and enhances the educational psychology and methodological training of pre-university teachers. This department includes methodologists from the faculties of Musical Performance, Theoretical Faculty, and Performing Arts Faculty.
The Department of Speciality with Educational Psychology Profile benefits students enrolled in the faculties of the Cluj Music Academy, students from the Faculty of Music in Piatra Neamț, students admitted to bachelor’s studies through Distance Learning (ID), as well as graduates of these programs.
The primary role of the Department of Speciality with Educational Psychology Profile is to develop the competencies required for the teaching profession according to the occupational standards included in the current education reform:
– By creating a link between the initial specialized training provided by the faculties of the Gheorghe Dima Music Academy, the training directions of the D.S.E.P. (D.S.P.P.) correspond to the specializations for which the Music Academy is competent;
– The curricula are in accordance with the current legal provisions and are designed to ensure that each student acquires competencies in the specialization(s) they have chosen.
Department of Speciality with Educational Psychology Profile:
– Certifies, through postgraduate courses, competencies in the same directions for graduates from other higher education institutions;
– Ensures the continuous improvement of teaching staff through training and evaluation stages for obtaining permanent certification in education and teaching degrees I and II;
– Conducts periodic and continuous training stages for pre-university teaching staff, focusing on current topics in specialized didactics to develop new skills necessary for active interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary education;
– Both initial training and various improvement stages are already integrated into the national system of transferable credits.
As a Continuing Education Centre, the D.S.E.P. carries out certification activities for all forms of continuous training.
The D.S.E.P. organizes didactic research programs that include mentor and trainer collaborators from application schools (elementary schools and high schools with an artistic focus) as part of the students’ teaching practice.
The D.S.E.P. conducts postgraduate pedagogical research and musical creation activities within the “Musical Creation Workshop for Children” program, in collaboration with doctoral students from the musical creation line and master’s students, focusing on specific topics from updated school programs.
Annually, the D.S.E.P. organizes the research program “National Workshop of Musical Didactics ‘Art and Education‘” with the participation of teaching staff from related universities and faculties across the country.