Doctorate

The doctoral program is a graduate education program designed to enable individuals holding a master’s degree to acquire advanced knowledge, research competence, and the ability to conduct independent scientific work in a specific field of science or specialization. The program consists of the following stages: coursework, a qualifying exam, a thesis proposal, thesis monitoring, the preparation of a doctoral thesis based on original scientific research, and the thesis defense. Students who successfully complete the doctoral program are awarded a doctoral degree.

The duration of study, excluding the time spent in scientific preparation, begins with the semester in which courses for the enrolled program are offered and continues regardless of whether the student registers for each subsequent semester;

• For students admitted to the doctoral program with a master’s degree requiring a thesis, the standard duration is 8 (eight) semesters, with a maximum of 12 (twelve) semesters.
• For students admitted to the doctoral program with a bachelor’s degree, the standard duration is 10 (ten) semesters, with a maximum of 14 (fourteen) semesters.

• For students admitted to the doctoral program with a thesis-based master’s degree, the program consists of 7 (seven) courses totaling at least 21 (twenty-one) local credits, a seminar course, a course on Research Methods and Scientific Ethics, a doctoral qualifying exam, a thesis proposal, thesis progress reports, and the doctoral dissertation. The total course load of the program is at least 240 ECTS credits, with a minimum of 60 ECTS credits per academic term.
• For students admitted directly to the doctoral program with a bachelor’s degree, the program consists of at least 42 (forty-two) local credits, comprising 14 (fourteen) courses, a seminar course, a course on Research Methods and Scientific Ethics, a doctoral qualifying exam, a thesis proposal, thesis progress reports, and the doctoral dissertation. The total course load of the program is is a minimum of 300 ECTS credits, with at least 60 ECTS credits per academic term.
• For students who have previously successfully completed the “Research Methods and Scientific Ethics” course as part of any graduate program, the relevant course may be considered for exemption in accordance with the university’s credit transfer policies.
• For students admitted to a thesis-based master’s degree program, at least four of the courses they are required to take within the first four semesters of their graduate studies, at least four must be included in the curriculum of the Department or Division in which they are enrolled, with the exception of the “Research Methods and Scientific Ethics” and “Seminar” courses.
• For doctoral students admitted with a bachelor’s degree, at least eight of the courses they are required to take within the first six semesters—excluding Research Methods and Scientific Ethics and the Seminar course—must be included in the curriculum of the Department or Division in which they are enrolled.

To pass a course (excluding scientific preparation courses), a minimum grade of BB (3.00/4.00) is required. For scientific preparation courses taken at the bachelor’s level, the passing grade is CC.

• The specialization course consists of 5 (five) hours per week of theoretical instruction for the doctoral program. It carries 0 (zero) local credits and has an ECTS value of 20 (twenty). The days and times are specified in the weekly course schedule.
• The thesis course consists of 1 (one) hour per week of practical work. It has 0 (zero) local credits and a ECTS value of 40 (forty). The days and times are specified in the weekly course schedule.
• Doctoral students who have successfully completed the thesis proposal phase must register for graduate-level thesis and/or specialization courses opened by their advisor within the registration period. These courses continue throughout the year and independent of academic semesters for the duration of the student’s maximum study period, provided the student remains under the advisor’s supervision. The student must be enrolled in the thesis and specialization course in the semester in which they intend to graduate.

1. The qualifying exam assesses whether a student who has completed local credit-bearing or non-credit courses possesses a thorough understanding of the fundamental topics and concepts in their field, as well as the depth of scientific research required for their doctoral work. A student may take the qualifying exam no more than twice in a year.
2. Qualifying exams are held twice a year, during the fall and spring semesters, according to the schedule determined by the Graduate School Council.
3. Qualifying exams are organized and administered by the doctoral/artistic qualification committee.
4. Students who have fulfilled the course/local credit requirements specified by the program;
5. Students admitted with a master’s degree requiring a thesis must complete these requirements by the end of the fifth semester at the latest,
6. Students admitted with a bachelor’s degree must take the qualifying exam by the end of the seventh semester at the latest.
7. The qualifying exam is graded as pass or fail. Students who do not take the exam are considered to have failed.
8. Students who do not take the qualifying exam or who fail it are allowed to retake the exam in the following semester. Students who fail the proficiency exam a second time are dismissed from the program.
9. Students submit their applications for the qualifying exam via e-Institute. The Institute submits the list of students who will take the exam to the Department Chair.
10. Qualifying exams are conducted openly, with the participation of faculty members, graduate students, and experts in the field as observers.
11. The qualifying exam consists of two parts: a written exam and an oral exam.
12. The written exam is administered by the qualification exam committee.
13. The written qualifying exam covers the graduate-level courses defined for the program established within the Department of [Science/Art].
14. The written exam lasts a maximum of 120 minutes.
15. Students must score at least 70/100 on the written qualifying exam. Students who do not pass the written qualifying exam are not eligible to take the oral exam.
16. A minimum score of 50/100 must be achieved on the oral proficiency exam.
17. The arithmetic average of the written and oral proficiency exams must be at least 70/100 points.
18. A student who fails to meet the minimum required score on either the written or oral proficiency exam is considered to have failed.
19. A student who fails must reapply for the exam in the next exam period and will be tested on the section in which they failed. Students who do not apply or do not take the exam are considered to have failed the proficiency exam for the second time. Students who fail a second time are dismissed from the relevant program.
20. Exam documents are forwarded to the Institute by the Department/Division within 3 (three) days following the oral qualifying exam, accompanied by a written record.
21. Exams are held on the dates and at the locations announced by the doctoral/art qualification committee within the timeframe specified by the Institute.
22. The qualification exam committee may require a student who has passed the qualification exam to take additional course(s)—even if the student has completed their course load—provided that the total number of credits does not exceed one-third of the total credit requirement. The student must successfully complete the courses to be determined by the Institute.

1. A student who has successfully completed the doctoral qualifying exam must, no later than 6 (six) months, must submit their thesis proposal—which outlines the purpose, methodology, and work plan of their research—in writing to the thesis monitoring committee 15 (fifteen) days prior to the defense date and submit their application via e-Enstitü. The thesis proposal defense is conducted orally before the committee, with all members present, on the date set by the advisor.
2. The thesis monitoring committee decides by a simple majority whether to accept, require revisions to, or reject the thesis proposal submitted by the student. The student is given one month to make revisions and is then scheduled for a new thesis proposal defense. At the end of this period, the decision—whether to accept or reject the proposal—is communicated to the Department Chair via a written record and reported to the Institute by the Department Chair no later than 3 (three) business days from the date of the meeting.
3. A student who is to undergo a thesis proposal defense for the second time, starting from the date of failure in the thesis proposal defense, will be scheduled for a new thesis proposal defense within 3 (three) months if they wish to continue in the program with the same advisor, or within 6 (six) months if they wish to change their advisor and thesis topic. If the advisor or thesis topic changes, a new thesis monitoring committee will be formed.
4. A student who fails to submit their thesis proposal in writing within the specified timeframe, fails to present it, or has their thesis proposal rejected is considered to have failed the thesis proposal defense.
5. A student may take the thesis proposal defense no more than twice. A student who fails the thesis proposal stage twice will be dismissed from the program.
6. If a student who has successfully passed the thesis proposal defense changes their thesis topic, they will be allowed to take the thesis defense again within 3 (three) months; if they change both the thesis topic and the advisor, they will be scheduled for a thesis defense within 6 (six) months. Students who fail to submit their thesis proposal in writing, fail to present their defense, or have their thesis proposal rejected within these timeframes will be considered to have failed the thesis proposal defense.

1. For students whose thesis proposals have been accepted, the thesis monitoring committee must meet twice a year, once during the January–June period and once during the July–December period.
2. The thesis advisor organizes the thesis monitoring committee meetings.
3. At least one month prior to the meeting date, the student submits a written report on the progress of the thesis work to the committee members. The student submits the application via e-Enstitü and presents the thesis progress report orally before the committee—with all members present—on the meeting date determined by the advisor. This report outlines the work completed and the work plan for the next period. The student’s thesis work is evaluated by the committee as either successful or unsuccessful. The decision is communicated to the Department Chair via a minutes document and reported to the Institute by the Department Chair no later than 3 (three) business days from the date of the meeting.
4. A student who fails to submit a written report on the progress of their thesis within the specified timeframe, or whose evaluation report is not forwarded to the Institute, is deemed to have failed the thesis progress report. If a student who has submitted a thesis monitoring application has a valid excuse, they must submit a written request to the Department Chair within 15 (fifteen) days from the date the excuse arose. Based on the opinion of the Department Chair and a decision by the Academic Affairs Committee, the student may be exempted from the thesis monitoring report for the relevant semester.
5. A student who fails the thesis progress report 2 (two) times in a row or 3 (three) times intermittently will be dismissed from the program.

1. For students who pass the qualifying exam, a thesis monitoring committee is formed within one month at the latest, based on the advisor’s recommendation, the opinion of the Department Chair, and a decision by the Graduate School Executive Board.
2. The thesis monitoring committee consists of 3 (three) faculty members. In addition to the thesis advisor, the committee includes one member from within the Institute’s Department and one member from outside the University. The committee member to be selected from within the Institute’s Department may, when required by the nature of the thesis work, be designated from other Departments based on the advisor’s recommendation, the opinion of the Department, and a decision by the Graduate School Executive Board.
3. If a second thesis advisor is appointed, the second thesis advisor may, if they so wish, attend committee meetings without holding member rights.
4. Changes to committee membership may be made based on the advisor’s reasoned proposal, the opinion of the Department Chair, and a decision by the Executive Board.
5. The student’s first-degree relatives may not be appointed as committee members.

In order for a student to graduate from a doctoral program:

• They must fulfill the course, credit, and ECTS requirements within the maximum duration specified for doctoral programs, maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.00/4.00, and pass the thesis defense.
• They must have registered for their thesis and specialization course in the semester in which they intend to graduate.
• At least 3 (three) thesis progress reports must be submitted and approved.
• For the relevant graduate program, the publication requirement specified in Article 41 of the Yıldız Technical University Graduate Education and Teaching Regulations: Procedures and Principles must be met.
• At least 3 (three) copies of the thesis, signed by the advisor and the committee members and bound, must be submitted to the Institute within 1 (one) month from the date of the thesis defense examination, and the thesis must comply with formatting requirements.

Students enrolled in the doctoral program must successfully complete all academic requirements within the maximum time limits specified for the program.

• The credit-bearing and non-credit-bearing course load specified in the Implementation Procedures and Principles of the Yıldız Technical University Graduate Education and Teaching Regulations must be completed with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00/4.00 by the end of four semesters for students admitted with a master’s degree or six semesters for students admitted with a bachelor’s degree,
• who fail the doctoral qualifying exam twice,
• who fail the thesis proposal evaluation process twice,
• who have failed the thesis monitoring committee evaluations twice in a row or three times intermittently,
• who fail to meet the requirements for the thesis defense exam or do not participate in the thesis defense exam,
• whose thesis work is deemed unsuccessful and rejected by the jury, Additionally, students who fail the thesis defense exam or do not participate in it within the maximum study period,

• Students who pass the thesis defense exam but fail to submit their thesis and meet the formatting requirements within the specified timeframes,

  will have their enrollment at the University terminated.

1. Students admitted to the University’s doctoral program with a bachelor’s degree may apply to transfer to the thesis-based master’s program of the same name no later than the end of the fourth semester.
2. Students applying under this provision must have completed the course load specified in Article 19.
3. Applications must be submitted to the Department Chair in accordance with the graduate application deadlines announced in the academic calendar. Submitted applications are forwarded to the Institute by the Department Chair.
4. Applications are evaluated and decided upon by the Graduate School Council.
5. All courses taken by students accepted for transfer under this program are counted.
6. The duration of study in a doctoral program following a bachelor’s degree is included in the duration of study for a thesis-based master’s program. Students must complete their thesis within the maximum total duration specified for the thesis-based master’s program.