The following questions and answers have been arranged according to the YÖK Graduate Education and AGÜ Graduate Education and Examination Regulations; for detailed information and additional details, please refer to the Regulations.
What is a Doctoral Qualifying Exam?
The qualifying exam assesses whether a student who has completed their courses and seminar has a deep understanding of the fundamental topics and concepts in their field and the scientific research depth related to their doctoral study.
When is the Doctoral Qualifying Exam held?
Doctoral qualifying exam dates are determined by the Institute Management Board and are announced on the Institute's website for both the fall and spring semesters.
When do I need to take the Doctoral Qualifying Exam?
A student admitted with a master's degree must take the qualifying exam by the end of the fifth semester, and a student admitted with a bachelor's degree must take it by the end of the seventh semester.
What do I need to do to take the Doctoral Qualifying Exam?
To take the qualifying exam, the student must submit a petition (Form D_4 ) containing the advisor's consent to the departmental doctoral qualifying committee on the dates announced by the Institute. The doctoral qualifying committee evaluates the information provided on Form D_4 and forwards it to the Institute.
Who comprises the Doctoral Qualifying Exam Jury?
The qualifying exams are organized and conducted by a five-member doctoral qualifying committee of the institute department. The committee sets up exam juries to prepare, implement, and evaluate different areas of the exam. The jury consists of five faculty members, including the advisor, with at least two from outside the university.
How is the Doctoral Qualifying Exam conducted?
The qualifying exam meetings are open to participation by faculty members, postgraduate students, and experts in the field. The doctoral qualifying exam is conducted in two parts: written and oral (interview). The written part is divided into basic knowledge and specialization area sections. The basic knowledge written exam is conducted first, followed by the specialization area written exam. The student is taken to the oral exam only if they pass both sections of the written exam. If the student fails any section of the written exam, they are re-examined in the following term. The doctoral qualifying committee evaluates the results of both written and oral exams to decide by simple 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 similarly in the oral exam. After the exam, the results along with Form 5 are submitted to the Institute of Science Directorate within three days.
Can I retake the Doctoral Qualifying Exam if I fail?
A student who fails the qualifying exam is re-examined in the next semester in the section they failed. If the student fails again, their affiliation with the doctoral program is terminated.
Do I need to take courses after passing the Doctoral Qualifying Exam?
The qualifying exam jury may require a student who has passed the qualifying exam to take additional courses, even if they have completed their course load, provided it does not exceed one-third of the total credits. The student must successfully complete the courses determined by the Institute Management Board.
What should I do after passing the Doctoral Qualifying Exam?
A thesis monitoring committee (TMC) is formed within a month for students who pass the qualifying exam.
