TURKÄ°SH STUDÄ°ES
Third Cycle Programmes
(Doctorate Degree/Doctor of Fine Arts)

D.1. General Information about Program

The Institute of Turkish Studies at Hacettepe University was established after the amendment of the 2. Paragraph of the (e) and (f) sub clauses, which are part of the 9. Clause of the 2809 Law. The Institute has two main aims: 1/ to conduct original research on topics related to the Turkish Culture in an interdisciplinary manner, i.e. on history, language, art, music, folklore, sociology and material culture and 2/ to train though its postgraduate programs researchers on these subjects. Thus, the main characteristic of the Ph.D. program is an interdisciplinary approach of research and teaching done in a holistic manner. This perspective is in accordance with scientific developments in the field of social sciences today. The exigency of specialization in different fields led to more and more isolated units of research at the expense of integrated interpretations. In Turkey programs in Social Science fields have suffered from this approach, leading more to individualistic approaches rather that to a cooperative institutional interdisciplinary perspective and methodology. To use an example, in historical studies, texts are evaluated mainly from the perspective of history rather than as a product of a society. Thus, linguistic and sociological analyses of the text are nonexistent. On the other hand although sociology concentrates on societal structures, it tends to ignore the historicity of the societies investigated, overlooking thus possible continuities from the past. The same can be said for Literature and Linguistic Studies as they concentrate on the technical development of languages and linguistic structures disconnected from the society that produced them. Stemming from this fact our Program envisages to go beyond these disassociations and following the examples of similar Programs abroad (Etudes Turques/Turkish Studies, Turkology) provide an up today methodologically and interdisciplinary approach to different branches of social sciences related to Turkish Culture. In this regard our Institute following new approaches aim at educating graduates students and prepare them to produce fresh and new knowledge on various themes and issues related to Turkish Culture. By applying interdisciplinary approach students will be trained in Turkish language, literature, history, arts, sociology and folklore. Our commitment is manifested in our efforts to renew and enrich our curriculum so that we keep our students informed to the latest trends in scholarship.

D.2 Qualification Awarded

Doctorate

D.3. Level of Qualification

QF-EHEA: 3
EQF-LLL: 8

D.4. Provisions for Registration

1- The candidate should be a graduate of a Masters Program in Social Sciences.

2- The candidate should have obtained at least 60 points from the ALES exam conducted by the Ölçme Seçme ve Yerleştirme Merkezi (ÖSYM) in any of the three fields or to have an equivalent grade from the GRE and GMAT exams in accordance with the regulations of the H.Ü. Senate. The candidate should have at least 60 points in the Foreign Language Exam (YDS) or an equivalent score from an approved by ÖSYM international body.

3- International Student application is considered on the basis of the Senate's decision dated 15.01.2014 and numbered as 2014-28.

4- Rules and regulations not covered above follow the Hacettepe University Post Graduate Education and Exam Regulations.

5- Special Regulations apply to scholarship students of bilateral agreements, State Scholarships, Yunus Emre Institute scholarships, Scholarships of the Ministry of Turks Abroad.

D.5. Qualification Requirements and Regulations

The student should complete 90 ECTS course credits, 30 ECTS the Preparatory to the Ph.D. Qualification Exam Course credit and 120 ECTS thesis credit, a total of 240 ECTS; he/she should complete the course load in four semesters; should be successful in the Ph.D. Qualification Exam; and complete and defend a thesis in the assigned period.

D.6. Specific Arrangements for Recognition of Prior Learning

The rules and regulations on Education and Exam procedures follow the equivalent of Hacettepe University General Rules and Regulations.

According to the regulations, the equivalence of courses taken before is decided after the course content and its credit is assessed.

D.7. Goals and Objectives

The postgraduate program in Turkish Studies at Hacettepe University is the first example of a department in Turkey that employs an interdisciplinary approach. The existing Institutes of Turkish Studies at various Universities also have graduate programs. However in terms of scope and methodology these programs do not differ from the single discipline programs on Turkology part of Social Science Institutes. In that sense they have failed to create an alternative venue for research. Thus, the Ph.D. program at the Institute of Turkis Studies at Hacettepe University aims to educate and equip students with a holistic and interdisciplinary approach on various aspects of Turkish Culture.

D.12. Occupational Profiles of Graduates with Examples

Students completing the Program;

i) Will approach Turkish History and Culture in a holistic way,

ii) Become familiar to the research methods abroad and be able to utilize them to produce original and erudite work;

iii) Analyze the significance and influence of migration, geography, technological and climatic events upon the language, culture and social structures in time and space.

iv) Be able to comprehend and utilize at least one source language related to individual research to achieve originality of scholarship.

v) Trained in such fashion graduates could pursue an academic carrier, work as teachers or utilize their skills in the private and public sector.

D.13. Access to Further Studies

D.14. Profile of the Programme

Classes in the Doctoral program are elective. The student should complete in the first two years upon acceptance to the program 24 credits, 120 ECTS and have an accumulative grade of at least 3.0 out of 4.0. Students who do not fill the above requirements will be dismissed from the Program. In accordance with the regulations doctoral students who complete their course load will have to attend, the following semester, the Preparatory to the Ph.D. Qualification Exam Course and enter the exam in the succeeding semester. In case the student failed to pass the Ph.D. Qualification Exam, he/she may take it for a second and last time in the following semester. The Ph.D. Qualification Exam aims to assess the student's knowledge on methodology and on the specific area related to the Doctoral thesis. Successful students will have two years to prepare their theses. Twice a year the Thesis Supervision Committee -whose member is the thesis supervisor- will evaluate progress. Students whose work is found satisfactory but have not completed the thesis in the assigned period may have an extension of up to 2 more years. The students will have to defend the thesis in front of a Jury that takes decision on the basis of a majority vote.

D.15. Examination Regulations, Assessment and Grading

The student will have to attend classes and acquire the minimum of requirements to be considered successful. These are participation, presentations, final papers and for some courses a passing grade in the final exams.

D.16. Graduation Requirements

The student after completing successfully the course load will have to produce an original interdisciplinary Doctoral thesis. The student will have to defend the thesis in front of jury determined by the Institute's Board and she/he will be either pass or fail.

D.17. Education Type

1. Full Time Education

D.18. Programme Director

Professor Yunus KOÇ

Head of the Department of Turkish Studies