Semarang – The Doctoral Program in Social Studies Education (S3 PIPS) at Universitas Negeri Semarang (UNNES) has officially welcomed another doctoral graduate following the successful Doctoral Promotion Examination of Misroh Sulaswari on Wednesday, July 29, 2026. During the examination, Misroh successfully defended her dissertation entitled “Development of Islamic Values-Based Social Studies Learning Materials for Islamic Junior High School (MTs) Students in Kudus.”
The dissertation focuses on developing Social Studies (IPS) learning materials that integrate Islamic values as a strategy to strengthen character education while enhancing the relevance of classroom learning to students’ everyday lives in Islamic Junior High Schools (Madrasah Tsanawiyah/MTs). Through this approach, Social Studies education is expected not only to equip students with social knowledge but also to foster moral, ethical, and spiritual values that align with the educational philosophy and characteristics of Islamic schools.
The Doctoral Promotion Examination represents the highest academic milestone in doctoral education, serving as a formal evaluation of the candidate’s research contributions. During the examination, the doctoral candidate presented the research findings before an academic panel and addressed questions regarding the study’s originality, methodology, scholarly contribution, and its implications for advancing Social Studies education in Indonesia.
Misroh Sulaswari’s dissertation offers a significant academic contribution by proposing an innovative model for developing Social Studies learning materials that systematically integrate Islamic values. The learning materials are expected to provide teachers with an alternative instructional resource for creating more contextual, meaningful, and character-oriented learning experiences for students in Islamic junior high schools.
The successful completion of the doctoral program reflects Universitas Negeri Semarang’s commitment to producing highly qualified scholars whose research addresses contemporary educational challenges. The findings are expected to serve as valuable references for curriculum development, instructional materials, and teaching practices that are responsive to the evolving needs of society and Indonesia’s national education system.
This achievement further reinforces the role of the Doctoral Program in Social Studies Education at UNNES as a center of academic excellence that promotes research-driven educational innovation. The emergence of new doctoral graduates with impactful research is expected to contribute significantly to improving the quality of education, particularly through the advancement of Social Studies instruction that emphasizes character formation, values education, and the development of students’ competencies.
The successful completion of this Doctoral Promotion Examination also aligns with Universitas Negeri Semarang’s commitment to advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The research on developing Islamic values-based Social Studies learning materials contributes directly to SDG 4 (Quality Education) by promoting innovative, inclusive, and character-centered educational practices. It also supports SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) by fostering moral values, ethics, tolerance, and social responsibility through education, while reinforcing SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) by encouraging academic collaboration in generating educational innovations that benefit society. Through this achievement, UNNES once again demonstrates its commitment to producing impactful research that advances education and supports sustainable development in Indonesia.
