ECTS - - Modeling and Design of Engineering Systems (MODES)
Students who are admitted to an academic deficiency programme (PhD) may enroll in maximum six courses of 18 credits. The academic deficiency programme lasts one academic year. The period of the programme is not included in the maximum duration of education for the concerned PhD programme mentioned in this Regulation.
a) (Amendment:O.G.-31/03/2009-27186) Students who are enrolled in the academic deficiency programme (PhD) shall only take undergraduate and Master’s courses upon the recommendation of the Department and with the approval of the Administrative Board of the Graduate School.
b) (Amendment:O.G.-31/03/2009-27186) Graduate students enrolled in the academic deficiency programme shall accomplish the courses with a CGPA of minimum 2.50. They shall not receive a grade lower than CC in their undergraduate courses and BB in their graduate courses in order to continue their regular graduate studies. The grades in the academic deficiency programme are not included in CGPA calculations of graduate studies.
c) (Amendment:O.G.-31/03/2009-27186) Students who fail to maintain a CGPA of at least 2.50 or to complete the academic deficiency programme in due time shall not have the right to begin the Doctoral programme.
Doctoral Program
Purpose and Scope
ARTICLE 29 - (1) The aim of the doctoral program is to equip students with the skills to conduct research independently, study and analyze the scientific events with a broad and in-depth point of view and capability to determine the steps required for reaching new syntheses. The dissertation to be prepared at the end of doctoral program studies must meet one of the criteria specified below: the novelty to science, a new scientific method development, applying a known method to a new field.
Period and course load of Doctoral Program
ARTICLE 30 – (1) Doctoral program contains minimum 240 ECTS credits including minimum seven credit courses not less than 60 ECTS credits in an academic year, proficiency exam, thesis proposal and thesis study for the students admitted with thesis master degree. For those having undergraduate degree, the program consists of minimum fourteen credit courses, seminar course, qualifying exam, dissertation proposal and dissertation studies provided that total credit is not less than 300 ECTS. The courses of doctoral program must be completed with minimum cumulative general point average of 3.00.
(2) The thesis advisor for a student in doctoral program is proposed by the relevant EABD and assigned with decision of relevant EYK not later than the end of the second semester. Where the doctoral thesis requires more than one advisor, the second advisor may be appointed. The second thesis advisor to be appointed may be one of the academicians out of the university having minimum doctoral degree. The thesis advisor shall be appointed among full time faculty members of the University who have conducted at least one successful master thesis and given course at undergraduate program or master program for minimum four semesters. If the university does not have an instructor as qualified as required, EYK may select an instructor from another higher education institution as a thesis advisor within the frame of the principles stipulated by the Senate. Provisions concerning appointment and substitution of thesis advisor and second advisor shall be specified by the relevant graduate school board.
(3) The determination of the courses to be taken by the student and registration procedures are conducted by EABD until appointment of thesis advisor.
(4) A student passing qualifying exam successfully is obliged to register in thesis studies every semester.
(5) Students in doctoral program may take undergraduate courses. Undergraduate courses are not included in course load and doctorate credit. In doctoral programs, the students who are admitted with their master degree may take maximum two courses while the students who are admitted with undergraduate degree may take maximum four courses with the approval of EYK and proposal of Major Science/Art Department of Graduate School.
(6) The extra courses to be taken by students completing their minimum course load requirement specified by the relevant EABD shall not be considered in general point average but indicated in the transcript.
(7) Regardless of whether students register in each semester, the completion period of doctoral program for the students admitted with thesis master degree shall be eight semesters starting from the semester in which registered curricular courses are given. This period shall not include scientific preparation period and shall be completed within maximum twelve semesters. The period shall be ten semesters for the students admitted with undergraduate degree and must be completed within fourteen semesters. Maximum period to complete credit courses required for doctoral program is two years for those admitted with master degree and three years for those admitted with undergraduate degree. The student who fails their credit courses and achieve the minimum grade point average stipulated by the University within this period is dismissed from the University. The student who completes credit courses and passes doctoral qualifying exam successfully and whose dissertation proposal is accepted but cannot complete thesis study within twelve or fourteen semesters is dismissed from the University. Those applying to doctoral program with undergraduate degree and failing to pass doctorate dissertation successfully will be granted non-thesis master degree upon their requests, provided that required credit load, project and other similar requirements have been fulfilled.
Doctoral qualifying exam
ARTICLE 31 – (1) Doctoral qualifying exam is conducted to evaluate whether the student who has passed proficiency exam, credit courses and seminar successfully has fundamental subjects and concepts in related field and scientific research skills with regard to doctoral study. Doctoral students with master degree take the doctoral qualifying exam before fifth semester at the latest while those with undergraduate degree take before the seventh semester at the latest. The names of the doctoral qualifying exam applicants are submitted to relevant Graduate School by the relevant EABD. A student can only enter maximum two qualifying exams per year.
(2) Doctoral qualifying exam is held twice a year, one in May and one in December.
(3) Qualifying exam is held and executed by a doctoral qualification committee consisting of five members proposed by relevant EABD and approved by relevant EYK and assigned for an office of three years. The committee establishes exam juries consisting of five full members one of which is student’s advisor, minimum two from outside University and two alternate members to prepare, administer and evaluate exams in different fields. Relevant Board of Directors decides whether the advisor has right to vote. If the advisor does not have right to vote, the jury shall consists of six academic members.
(4) Doctoral Qualifying Exam consists of written and oral exams to determine the student’s ability in related field and his/her tendency for research. The student who pass written exam enters oral exam.
(5) Doctoral qualifying exam committee evaluates the written and oral exam results together and make a decision for success or failure with simple majority. The decision is submitted to the Graduate School by relevant EABD as an attachment to minute within maximum three days.
(6) The student failing the qualifying exam is taken to qualifying exam for the parts s/he has failed, again during the next semester. The student who also fails this exam is dismissed from the doctoral program.
(7) Doctoral Qualifying Committee may require a student successfully passing qualifying exam to take maximum 2 courses from the field the committee considers that the student is incomplete in even if the student has completed course load. The student is obliged to pass the courses to be determined with the decision of relevant Graduate School. Extra credit courses are of (NI status) and minimum CB grade should be earned.
(8) A student admitted based on undergraduate degree and passing minimum seven courses may be transferred to a master program.
Thesis Monitoring Committee
ARTICLE 32 - (1) Thesis monitoring committee is established for the student being successful in the qualifying exam, within one month with proposal of the related EABD and approval of the relevant EYK.
(2) Thesis monitoring committee is composed of three faculty members. In addition to thesis advisor, one member is selected from other related graduate school department and one from outside. In case of second thesis advisor, if the second thesis advisor wishes, s/he may attend the committee meetings.
(3) During the semesters after establishment of the thesis monitoring committee, members can be replaced with proposal of the related EABD and EYK’s approval.
Thesis proposal defense
MADDE 33 – (1) The student who passes doctoral qualifying exam successfully defends his/her thesis proposal covering the purpose, method and study plan of the research before the thesis monitoring committee within maximum six months. The student delivers the written report about the thesis proposal to the members of the committee minimum fifteen days before oral defense.
(2) Thesis monitoring committee decides on the acceptance, correction or refusal of the thesis proposal submitted by the student with simple majority. The decision is submitted to the Graduate School by relevant EABD within three days following thesis proposal as an attachment to minute. The student is given one month for correction. The decision on acceptance or refusal taken with simple majority is notified by Major Science/Art Department of Graduate School to the graduate school within three days following the end of transaction.
(3) The student whose thesis proposal is refused is entitled to select a new advisor and/or thesis subject. In such a case, a new thesis monitoring committee may be appointed. The student wishing to continue the program with the same supervisor makes his thesis proposal defense within three months while the student changing his advisor and thesis topic makes thesis proposal defense within six months. The student whose thesis proposal is rejected in this defense session again is dismissed from the University.
(4) For the student whose thesis proposal is accepted, the thesis monitoring committee convenes twice a year, once between January and once June and July and December. The student submits his/her written report to the committee members at least one month prior to meeting date. The report gives summary of the studies conducted up to that date and the plan of study to be conducted in one year thereafter. The thesis study of the student is determined to be successful or unsuccessful by the committee and informed to the graduate school with a minute. The student who is evaluated by the committee to be unsuccessful twice consecutively and thrice at intervals is dismissed from the University.
(5) The student who does not attend the thesis proposal defense within the period specified in the first paragraph without any excuse is decided to be unsuccessful and his/her thesis proposal is rejected.
Conclusion of the doctoral thesis
ARTICLE 34 - (1) The student completing his/her doctoral thesis studies within time period specified under article 30 shall be obliged to write the thesis results in the form as specified under thesis writing instruction of the University and defend the thesis before committee. For the programs conducted in English, the thesis must be written in English, as well.
(2) To be eligible for doctoral thesis defense, the student must have minimum one article on the thesis authored by him/her or co-authored with other researchers in the related field, of which publication in national or international refereed journals has been approved. The student who meets such condition and whose thesis is accepted by thesis advisor shall apply to the relevant EABD to take thesis exam. The EABD submits to the Graduate school the unbound thesis checked and approved by the advisor in respect to content together with thesis jury proposal, a copy of paper sent for publication as specified under this article and plagiarism report. If case of any plagiarism in the report data, the thesis is sent to the Board of Directors of Graduate School for a justified decision. The deadline for thesis exam is specified under the academic calendar.
(3) In order for the conclusion of the thesis of the student, minimum three thesis monitoring committee reports must be submitted.
(4) Doctoral thesis jury is appointed with the proposal of advisor, Major Science/Art Department of Graduate School and approval of Board of Directors of the Graduate School. The jury consists of five academic members three of which are the academic members included in thesis monitoring committee and minimum two of which are out of the University. Relevant Board of Directors decides whether the advisor has right to vote. If the advisor does not have right to vote, the jury shall consists of six academic members. In addition, the second thesis advisor may be involved the jury without the right to vote. In addition, two alternate members shall be appointed to the jury outside university.
(5) The jury members gather within maximum one month from date of delivery of the thesis and take the student to thesis defense exam. Thesis exam consists of presentation of thesis works, and the question-answer part following thereupon is open to audience. The audience consists of teaching staff, graduate students and field specialists.
(6) Upon the exam the jury, without the presence of the audience, gives the decision of acceptance, rejection or correction by simple majority vote. The jury's decision is submitted to the Graduate School by relevant EABD as an attachment to minute. The student whose thesis is accepted is evaluated to be successful. The student whose thesis is rejected is dismissed from the University. The student whose thesis needs to be corrected makes the necessary amendments and re-defends it before the same jury again within six months at the latest. The student who also fails this exam is dismissed from the university. Those admitted to doctoral program with undergraduate degree and failing to pass dissertation successfully will be granted non-thesis master degree upon their requests in accordance with the 7th paragraph of article 30. The student must register for the extended semester.
Doctorate diploma
ARTICLE 35 – (1) The student who completed his/her thesis study submits the copies of the thesis as requested by the advisor. Along with the written statement about the conformity to spelling rules, the advisor submits the copies of the thesis to relevant graduate school through the Major Science/Art Department of Graduate School.
(2) The student providing the relevant Graduate School with the three bound copies of doctoral thesis and CD copies of pdf format within one month following the thesis exam date and approved in respect to thesis format are entitled to be awarded with doctorate diploma provided that other conditions are also met. Board of Directors of the Graduate School may extend the submission period for maximum one month upon request. The student who does not meet these requirements cannot receive his/her diploma and benefit from the rights granted to students and dismissed from the University at the end of maximum period.
(3) The Doctoral diploma states the approved title of the program in the graduate school department studied by the student. Graduation date is the thesis exam date when the thesis is accepted.