Seminar and PhD Proficiency

Seminar: Refers to the work prepared by students studying for a postgraduate degree during the course period, which consists of a written text that is evaluated by oral presentation and is based on examination and discussion within the scope of the thesis study.
Midterm exams and/or mid-term studies, final exam and/or final project study are evaluated out of 100 raw points. A letter grade is given out of 100 for seminar, thesis study, term project courses and the qualification exam. In order for the student to be considered successful in the relevant course, the success letter grade must be at least CC in the master's degree; and the success letter grade must be at least CB in doctoral and post-graduate doctoral programs.
Doctorate Qualification
(1) In order to take the doctorate qualification exam, the student must successfully complete all courses and have a GPA of at least 3.00/4.00. Students with a GPA below 3.00/4.00 take the course/courses that their advisor deems appropriate until they meet this requirement. The time spent during the taking of these courses is considered as used from the maximum time.
(2) The doctoral qualification exam is held twice a year on the dates specified in the academic calendar.
(3) Students registered in the doctoral program must take the qualification exam by the end of the fifth semester at the latest, and students registered in the postgraduate doctoral program must take the qualification exam by the end of the seventh semester at the latest.
(4) Doctoral qualification exams are organized and conducted by a five-person doctoral qualification committee established for each academic year upon the recommendation of the relevant department/branch head and approval of the institute’s board of directors. The committee establishes exam juries to prepare, implement and evaluate exams in different fields. The exam jury consists of five faculty members, including the advisor, at least two of whom must be from outside their higher education institution. The relevant institute’s board of directors decides whether the advisor has the right to vote. If the advisor does not have the right to vote, the jury consists of six faculty members.
(5) The doctoral qualification exam consists of written and oral exams. Students who pass the written exam are admitted to the oral exam. The format, weights, success criteria and calculation of grades of the exams are determined by the PhD Qualification Committee. Exam juries evaluate the success of the student in the written and oral exams and decide by a simple majority whether the student is successful or unsuccessful. This decision is reported to the institute by the department/branch head within three working days following the qualifying exam.
(6) The PhD Qualification Exam Jury may request that a student who passes the exam take additional course(s) provided that they do not exceed 1/3 of the total course credit, even if the student has completed the course load. These courses approved by the PhD Qualification Committee are forwarded to the relevant institute through the department/branch head. The student must pass the courses they take. The success grade of the courses taken upon the recommendation of the jury is not included in the CGPA.
(7) Students who fail the qualifying exam are re-examined in the next semester for the stage they failed.
(8) Students who do not take the exam at any stage of the PhD Qualification Exam are considered to have used this right and failed at that stage.