The following questions and answers are organized according to the YÖK Graduate Education-Teaching and AGÜ Graduate Education-Teaching and Examination Regulations; for details and additional information provided here, please refer to the Regulations.
What is the PhD Qualification Exam?
The qualification exam measures whether a student who has completed their courses and seminar has a deep understanding of the basic concepts and topics in their field and the scientific research depth related to their doctoral study.
When is the PhD Qualification Exam held?
The dates of the PhD qualification exams are determined by the Institute Administrative Board to be held in the fall and spring semesters and announced on the Institute's website.
When should I take the PhD Qualification Exam?
A student admitted with a master's degree must take the qualification exam by the end of the fifth semester at the latest, and a student admitted with a bachelor's degree must take the qualification exam by the end of the seventh semester at the latest.
What should I do to take the PhD Qualification Exam?
A student who wants to take the qualification exam must submit a petition with their advisor's approval (2nd page of Form_D_4) to the department's doctoral qualification committee on the dates announced by the Institute. The department's doctoral qualification committee evaluates the petition provided in Form_D_4 and forwards it to the Institute through the department head.
Who are the members of the PhD Qualification Exam jury?
The qualification exams are organized and conducted by a five-member doctoral qualification committee in the institute's department. The committee forms exam juries to prepare, implement, and evaluate exams in different fields. The exam jury consists of five faculty members, including at least two from outside the University and the advisor.
How is the PhD Qualification Exam conducted?
The qualification exam meetings are open to the participation of academic staff, graduate students, and experts in the field. The PhD qualification exam is conducted in two parts: written and oral (interview). The written part is conducted in two sections: basic knowledge and specialized field sections. First, the basic knowledge section of the written exam is administered; after the basic knowledge written exam, the student is taken to the specialized field written exam section. The student is admitted to the oral (interview) exam if they are successful in both parts of the written exam (basic section, specialized section). If the student is not deemed successful in any part of the written exam, they retake the exam in the following semester for the unsuccessful section. The doctoral qualification committee evaluates the results of the written and oral exams together and decides by absolute majority whether the student is successful or not. To be considered successful, the student must score at least 80 out of 100 in each section of the written exam and at least 80 out of 100 in the oral exam. After the exam, Form 5 is submitted to the Institute of Science Directorate within three days by the department along with its attachments.
Can I retake the PhD Qualification Exam if I fail?
A student who fails the qualification exam retakes the exam for the failed section in the following semester. If the student fails this exam as well, their registration in the doctoral program is terminated.
Do I need to take additional courses after passing the PhD Qualification Exam?
The qualification exam jury may require a student who has passed the qualification exam to take additional courses, provided that the total credit amount does not exceed one-third of the total credit load, even if they have completed their course load. The student must pass the courses determined by the decision of the Institute Administrative Board.
What should I do after passing the PhD Qualification Exam?
A thesis monitoring committee (TMC) is formed for a student who has passed the qualification exam within one month.
