PHYSÄ°OLOGY
Third Cycle Programmes
(Doctorate Degree/Doctor of Fine Arts)

D.1. General Information about Program

Since its establishment, the Department of Physiology has been offering postgraduate (medical specialty, Master of Science and doctorate) education programs in the field of Physiology. As one of the first Physiology departments in Turkey, it provided scientists who contributed to establishments of several universities. Major research subjects of our department are molecular physiology, neurophysiology, electrophysiology, hemorheology, mechanism of stress and obesity, smooth muscle physiology, mitochondrial physiology, and sensory physiology.  We have an operation room for animal experiments, laboratories for molecular physiology, hemorheology, neurophysiology, respiratory-circulatory physiology and isolated organ research, and one laboratory for student experiments.

Physiology Doctorate Program is offered under the regulation and association of Institute of Health Sciences at Hacettepe University and within the framework of the relevant regulation. The aim of the Doctorate Program is to graduate fellows who have certain knowledge and laboratory skills on at least one research subject of Physiology, are equipped with educational skills to transfer their knowledge and skills to emerging scientists, are able to independently plan and carry out a research, present the data obtained for the benefit of science and humanity, and the certain ethical and social values as a global scientist in their field. A thesis study is prepared by the student of the Doctorate Program besides lecture, seminar and application studies. The duration of education is 4 years.

The language of Physiology Doctorate Program is Turkish. However, programs with different languages can be open by the suggestion of Institute of Health Sciences, and by the decision of University Senate. Even though, the language of thesis is the same as program, a different language can be chosen by the decision of the management of Institution administration. For the doctorate program carried out in our department, it is necessary to be successful in the Faculty of Medicine Term 2 Physiology course committees, to complete 240 ECTS credits, to prepare a doctorate thesis and to defend the thesis successfully.

The education program includes theorical courses together with laboratory practice. The compulsory and elective courses are given by the faculty members of the Department. The elective courses may also be chosen from other programs within other Institutes of Hacettepe University. The practical laboratory courses are carried out in our research laboratories.

The graduates of Physiology Doctorate Program can also take academic positions in Physiology departments of all universities. They can manage health projects in government and private sectors. In addition, they can continue to their research activities in the universities of foreign countries like some of our past graduates.

D.2 Qualification Awarded

Doctorate

D.3. Level of Qualification

QF-EHEA: 3
EQF-LLL: 8

D.4. Provisions for Registration

You must graduate from Faculties of Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Veterinary or from an undergraduate program of Faculty of Medicine.

Selected committee lectures of second year of Medical Faculty must be taken and passed (If a candidate is not taken committee lectures of second year of medical faculty, this requirement must be satisfied by scientific preparation program under the regulation of the rules of postgraduate education and exam of Hacettepe University). 

To have ALES (SAY / EA) score type and ALES and Foreign Language base score determined by the Health Sciences Institute Board and approved by the Hacettepe University Senate 

http://www.saglikbilimleri.hacettepe.edu.tr/en/menu/ales_foreign_language_scores-252

D.5. Qualification Requirements and Regulations

In order to graduate from the Physiology Doctorate Program, students who are accepted to the program with a master's degree must have at least 21 credits, including the compulsory courses for the program, in order to fulfill at least 8 semesters of education, research and application activities; In the European Credit Transfer System, at least 120 credits of course load and 120 credits of thesis work must be successfully completed. Undergraduate graduates other than Faculty of Medicine, who start directly to the doctorate education, must be successful in the physiology courses (if they have not taken them during their graduate education) in the Faculty of Medicine Term II course committees. At least 50% of the 90 ECTS portion of 120 ECTS credits must be earned from internal and external elective courses, and the remaining 30 ECTS must be completed as preparation for the proficiency exam. According to the provisions of the University's Graduate Education and Examination Regulations, those who successfully complete the courses and provide at least 3.00 general academic average are entitled to take the proficiency exam. The student who is successful in the proficiency exam and whose thesis proposal is accepted prepares his/her doctoral thesis under the supervision of the thesis monitoring committee. The students have to write the results in accordance with the thesis writing rules, present the thesis in front of the jury and defend it orally. The rules of postgraduate education of Hacettepe University are valid at every steps of the program. 

D.6. Specific Arrangements for Recognition of Prior Learning

The appropriate rules of postgraduate education and exam of Hacettepe University are applied 

D.7. Goals and Objectives

The aim of the doctorate program in Physiology is to graduate Philosophy Doctors who have certain knowledge and skills in physiology, reached the certain level at a specific research subject of literature as well as the certain level of skills in the same subject at international level, have teaching abilities to be ableto pass their knowledge and skills to their trainee scientists, are capable of planningi conducting and presenting an independent scientific study for the sake of science and humanity, can produce a new knowledge, have the etic and social values of a universal scientists. Doctorate program contains lectures, proficiency exam, thesis proposal, thesis study and exam of dissertation thesis. The duration of education is 8 half semesters (4 years). First four half years are lecture section and next four half years are thesis section.

D.12. Occupational Profiles of Graduates with Examples

The graduates of Doctorate in Physiology can be in the academic position in Physiology departments of universities. They can work in research institutions and universities. They can participate to projects of public health.

D.13. Access to Further Studies

D.14. Profile of the Programme

Doctorate program of Physiology contains lecture, proficiency exam, thesis proposal, and thesis study and thesis defense. The ratio of elective lectures is 50%. Elective lectures are taken either from the physiology department or other departments. A mandatory credit is 21. According to the European Credit Transfer System, students are responsible for compulsory and elective courses, not less than 120 credits, and thesis work courses, not less than 120 credits. Program lectures are theoretical and practical for each semester. Elective lectures start after first semester. The duration of education is 8 semesters (4 years). First four half semesters are lecture section and next four semesters are thesis section. The student carries out the lecture period under the advisement of a faculty member, and conducts the thesis period under the advisement of at least a faculty member. The attendance is mandatory for theoretical and practical lectures.

D.15. Examination Regulations, Assessment and Grading

The assessment and evaluation methods for each lecture are defined by Lecture Teaching Plan information package that is prepared by faculty members giving those lectures. The appropriate rules of postgraduate education and exam of Hacettepe University are applied for exams and passing grades of lectures 

D.16. Graduation Requirements

In order to graduate, a student should meet all the requirements of Doctorate in Physiology Program and related items of Hacettepe University Post-Graduate Education and Examination Regulations.

http://www.saglikbilimleri.hacettepe.edu.tr/tr/menu/kanun_ve_yonetmelikler-219

D.17. Education Type

1. Full Time Education

D.18. Programme Director

Prof. Dr. AyÅŸen ERDEM

Head of Physiology Department

Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine

Sıhhiye, Ankara

Phone: +90 312 305 15 67

Fax: +90 312 305 21 86

E-mail: aerdem@hacettepe.edu.tr