13 - Turkey - Student assessment

Higher education institutions in Turkey are entitled to grant their own diplomas or degrees. In this context all the universities arrange their educational, instructional and evaluation processes, principles and rules by education and examination regulations (Yükseköğreim Kanunu, Article 43/a).

Evaluations are done generally on course and half term basis in faculties and higher educational institutions excluding medicine and dentistry faculties and preparatory schools. In these faculties evaluation is done on committee and year basis. While generally theoretical and practical studies about courses are evaluated in associate degree and bachelor’s degree programs, in master degree programs in addition to these studies evaluations on thesis and proficiency are included.

Course evaluations are accomplished basically through examinations. Generally three examination types can be mentioned for evaluation. Midterm examinations, final examinations and make-up examinations These examinations can be accomplished either orally or written, or orally and/or practically. Projects, exercises, presentations, laboratories, workshops and similar studies within courses can replace examination. The effect of these examinations on the achievement score and lower limits of the minimum scores required are determined by regulations. Completion exams are not required at any stages of higher education.

Principles on examination can be summarized as follows:

Midterm examinations:Holding at least one examination for every course is mandatory. Midterm examinations are related to evaluations of in-term studies.

Final Examination:Final examination of a course is held at the end of the half term when the concerned lesson is completed and covers the whole lesson. Students who take the lesson to their programs and fulfill the compulsory attendance (70% for theoretical lesson and 80% applied lessons) can enter for final examination.

Make-up Examination:At least 15 days after the end of the general examinations that are held at every half term and end of the school term, make-up examinations can be held for the half term/term lessons that are mentioned in the academic calendar. Students who are unsuccessful or unable to enter in general examinations can enter for these examinations. In order to enter for make-up examination compulsory attendance should be fulfilled. In programs which evaluation is accomplished on the basis of course and half term, there is not a make-up examination. Students who are unsuccessful as a result of final examinations have the opportunity to take those lessons within the summer school.

Course or class achievement of students is determined by achievement score. Course achievement score is obtained by the evaluation of both the scores that the student exhibits within the half term/school term (with intermediate examinations, homework, practiced studies etc.) and in final examination/make-up examination. The effect of these examinations on achievement score, number of midterm examinations, minimum scores required for these examinations are determined by the regulations that are issued by universities. In some cases regulations approve authorization for academic staff to make amendments on minimum criteria. In such cases effects of the half term achievement and final examination on course achievement score and the minimum score that is required for students to be deemed as successful and application plan of the lesson are declared to the students at the beginning of the half term by the responsible academic staff member. Raw scores that are obtained from the examinations are turned into scores on a percentage basis and general achievement score is determined. Achievement score of the students are kept by student registration office and declared to students at the end of every term.

Master degree program without thesis consists of minimum ten lessons and a term project without thesis, not less than ten credits totally. Within the frame of principles that are determined by the concerned senate proficiency examination can be held at the end of the master degree program without thesis. Student who accomplishes these stages successfully is graduated.

Master degree program with thesis consists of minimum seven courses; one seminary lesson and one thesis study totally not less than twenty-one credits. Seminary course and thesis study are without credit and evaluated as successful or not. The student defends his/her thesis which is prepared under the guidance of his/her advisor before a panel of three or five persons including student's thesis advisor and at least one of the academic members to be within the higher education institution from another department or from another higher education institution. After the conclusion of thesis examination panel conclude on the thesis by an absolute majority with “approval”, “rejection” or “correction” decision. Student that is given a “correction” defense his/her thesis once more within three months. A student who accomplishes these stages is graduated.

Doctorate program consist of minimum seven courses, one qualifying exam, dissertation proposal and dissertation study totally not less than twenty-one credits. Students who are admitted with bachelor’s degree program consists of minimum 42 credit fourteen lessons, qualifying examination, dissertation (research) proposal and dissertation study. The student who accomplishes his/her courses successfully and is deemed to be successful in one of the foreign language examinations which is determined by Üniversitelerarası Kurul (ÜAK) enter for qualifying examination in order to be tested whether he/she has a depth in basic subjects and doctoral study or not. Doctoral qualifying examination is held in two sections in written and oral. Doctoral qualifying panel evaluates achievement condition of the student in written and oral examination and decide whether the student is successful or not by an absolute majority.

The student who accomplishes doctoral qualifying examination successfully within six months at the latest defends his/her dissertation research proposal that covers the objective, method and study plan of the research to be done before the Dissertation Steering Committee. Dissertation Steering Committee decides on the approval or rejection of the dissertation research proposal which student presents by absolute majority. This committee meets twice a year in between January-June and July-December for the student whose thesis is approved. Student submits a report to the committee members at least one month before the meeting date. In this report summary of the studies that are done to date and study plan to be accomplished in the next year. Thesis study of the student is determined as “successful” or “unsuccessful” by the Committee. Student who has been concluded to be unsuccessful by the Committee consecutively twice or intermittently three times has no further connection with the higher educational institution.

Student has to defense his/her dissertation that is prepared with the guidance of the advisor before the dissertation defense panel orally. Doctoral dissertation panel is assigned by suggestion of the concerned institute’s chairmanship of department and approval by Executive Board of Institute (graduate school). The panel consists of five people who are education staff from the Dissertation Steering Committee and at least one academic staff member from another higher education institution. Panel members hold a dissertation defense examination for the student within one month at the latest beginning from the date the said dissertation is delivered by them. The examination consists of presentation of the dissertation study and question-reply section after this presentation. After the conclusion of the examination panel conclude on the dissertation by an absolute majority with “approval”, “rejection” or “correction” decision. Student whose dissertation is rejected has no further connection with the institution. Student who has given a “correction” decision about his/her dissertation deals with the dissertation and defends it once more before the same panel. Student whose dissertation is rejected at the end of this defense has no further connection with the institution. A student who accomplishes this stage successfully is graduated.

Institutions:


Üniversitelerarası Kurul Genel Sekreterliği 06539 Bilkent Ankara/TÜRKİYE
Tel.:+90 (312) 298 70 00
Fax:+90 (312) 266 47 42
E-mail:  uak@yok.gov.tr
Website:  http://www.yok.gov.tr/uak/kurul.php


Eurydice - the information network on education in Europe

Date: 2009
Privacy Policy