About the Geomorphology Department

The Department of Physical Geography was established in 2006 in the Faculty of Natural Resources of the University of Kurdistan with two faculty members at the rank of assistant professor and 45 admitted undergraduate students. Following the approval of the Higher Planning Council in the meeting on 11/1/2008, the Department of Physical Geography was divided into two independent departments: Geomorphology and Meteorology. Since then, the Department of Geomorphology has independently admitted undergraduate students in the field of Geomorphology. In 2011, MSc students were admitted in the field of Environmental Hazards (the Natural major) to develop the field of study in the department.
In 2016, the field of Geomorphology (BSc) was changed back to Geography (BSc). In the same year, the department successfully established the field of Hydro-geomorphology for a major in Environmental Planning (MSc). In 2018, the field of Geomorphology was established for a major in Environmental Preparation (MSc).
  Currently, the Department of Geomorphology is active in education and research with 5 full-time faculty members at the ranks of associate professor and assistant professor and 135 students in Geography (BSc), 19 students in Environmental Hazards (MSc) and 16 students in Environmental Preparation (MSc). Therefore, the following programs are available in the department at the moment:
  • Geography (BSc)
  • Environmental Hazards (MSc)
  • Environmental Preparation (MSc).

The Department of Geomorphology involves a Geomorphology Laboratory, with an area of 80 m2, a fully-equipped Map Reading and Remote Sensing Workshop, with an area of ​​60 m2, a GIS Workshop, with an area of ​​67 m2, a GIS Workshop for graduate students, with an area of ​​45 m2, and a Computer Site, with an area of 75 m2.
Furthermore, the faculty members and graduate students can use all the equipment and laboratories of other departments, including Climatology, Rangeland and Watershed Management, Forestry, Environmental Science, etc. This includes a total workshop and computer site space of 498 m2, a total laboratory space of 1041 m2, and a total classroom space of 203 m2.
Further needs of the students can be met by the other facilities available in the University of Kurdistan and elsewhere in the city of Sanandaj and Kurdistan Province, such as the Sanandaj Municipality Wildlife Museum, Environmental Research Institute of the Directorate-General for the Environment, Northern Zagros Forestry Research and Development Center, affiliated with the University of Kurdistan, University of Kurdistan Meteorological Station, and Zarivar International Wetland in Marivan.
Based on the prospect of development of the Department of Geomorphology, it has been predicted that an MSc program in the field of Geographic Information Systems will be established in 2021, along with one in Remote Sensing to be established in 2023.
The prospect also envisages the establishment of PhD programs in the fields of Geomorphology and Environmental Hazards.