Introduction and Historical Background: Faculty of Letters and Humanities

Foundation and Early Years

The Faculty of Letters and Humanities was established in 1955 (1334 SH), initially offering a single program in Persian Language and Literature. Dr. Ali Akbar Majidi Fayyaz, a distinguished Mashhad-born scholar and Professor of Islamic History at the University of Tehran, was commissioned by the Ministry of Culture to found the faculty in Mashhad. The institution began its academic journey with a single class of 26 students.

Academic Expansion

The faculty underwent rapid growth in its early years:

• 1956 (1335 SH): The Departments of English Language and Literature and French Language and Literature were established, bringing the total student population to 100.
• 1957 (1336 SH): A combined program in History and Geography was introduced.
• 1958–1959 (1337-38 SH): Enrollment increased to 295 students.
• 1962–1963 (1341-42 SH): The Linguistics department was added to the faculty's curriculum.

By 1979 (1358 SH), the faculty comprised eight academic departments. This structure remained largely unchanged for several years, with the subsequent addition of the Russian Language department

Faculty and Staffing (1999 Snapshot)

By 1999 (1378 SH), the faculty’s academic and administrative strength had grown significantly, featuring:

• 87 Faculty Members: Consisting of 13 Professors, 12 Associate Professors, 27 Assistant Professors, and 35 Instructors.
• Support Staff: 12 educational experts and 95 administrative and service personnel.

Modern Era and Relocation

Currently, the Faculty of Literature and Humanities has 9 academic departments of Persian language and literature, Arabic language and literature, English language, French language, Russian language, linguistics, history, geography and social sciences, which accepts students and researchers in the bachelor's, master's, doctorate and postdoctoral degrees.

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