The following questions and answers have been prepared in accordance with the YÖK Graduate Education Regulations and the AGU Graduate Education and Examination Regulations. For more detailed and additional information, please refer to the regulations.


How is the PhD Thesis Proposal submitted at AGU?

A student who has successfully passed the PhD qualification exam must defend their thesis proposal — covering the aim, methodology, and research plan of their study — orally before the Thesis Monitoring Committee within six months. The student must distribute a written report regarding the thesis proposal to the committee members at least fifteen (15) days prior to the oral defense.

The Thesis Monitoring Committee decides by simple majority whether the proposal is accepted, requires revision, or is rejected.


What should be considered when preparing the written thesis proposal report?

  • The bibliography should not be presented as a raw list. Every source listed in the bibliography must be cited within the body of the thesis proposal form.

  • Additional pages, tables, and figures can be included in the proposal form, either within the example template or with further explanations.

  • The thesis proposal must be typed in Times New Roman, 12-point font.

  • The thesis advisor must initial each page and sign the last page of the report.


What if a revision is requested for the thesis proposal I submitted in the AGU PhD Program?

A period of one month is granted for revision. At the end of this period, the Thesis Monitoring Committee makes a decision of acceptance or rejection by simple majority. The result must be reported to the Institute by the department head within three days following the completion of the process, using Form D7.


What if my thesis proposal is rejected in the AGU PhD Program?

A student whose thesis proposal is rejected has the right to choose a new advisor and/or thesis topic. In this case, a new Thesis Monitoring Committee may be appointed.

  • A student who wishes to continue with the same advisor must defend a new thesis proposal within three months.

  • A student who changes the advisor and/or topic must defend a new proposal within six months.

If the new proposal is also rejected, the student's enrollment at the university is terminated.


What happens if I fail to defend my thesis proposal within the specified time frame?

A student who fails to defend the thesis proposal within the designated timeframe without a valid excuse will be considered unsuccessful, and the proposal will be deemed rejected.