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.