General Information

-Student application and admission to the program are done according to the principles determined by the University Senate.

-Candidates, who are going to apply for PhD program, must have a graduate degree of architecture (MSc degree with thesis) and must have standard ALES (Academic Personnel and Postgraduate Education Entrance Exam) score with minimum 60 points.

-Candidates, applying for PhD degree with a bachelor’s degree, must have a bachelor’sgpa at least 3 out of 4 and must have ALES score with minimum 80 points in the field of the program.

-Candidates, who are going to apply for PhD program will be assessed according to the written and oral exam made by department, their graduate grade average, in addition to their ALES score.

-Graduates, trained ten semesters except English preparation class for getting bachelor degree are considered as having master degree.

-The application conditions, deadline, required documents and other particulars are announced by the Rectorate before the application date determined in the academic calendar.

-Applications are fulfilled to the registrar’s office within the period specified in the academic calendar.

-For candidates, who make a pause for maximum one semester after leaving any PhD program, new dated ALES certificate will not be required if their present ALES score ensure required score declared by the institute’s departments.

-Instead of ALES score, candidates can apply with GRE, GMAT or similar equivalent international exam scores announced by the Institute’s departments. Unless it is declared by the Institute’s departments, similar international exam scores equivalent to standard ALES score will be determined by Higher Education Council. These equivalent exam scores can not be lower than the ALES score or the equivalent one determined by the Higher Education Council.

-Candidate must success proficiency evaluation conducted by Institute’s departments in order to be admitted to the PhD program. Scientific evaluation is conducted in writing. In addition to this, oral examination is also hold.

-The entrance achievement score of the applicants who apply for the PhD programs are calculated by taking into consideration the ALES or equivalent exam score,gpa of graduate degree and oral and written examination grades. The success of the applicants is determined by the University Senate.

In order to be graduated, students are required to accomplish the aforementioned courses in four semesters at most (with “CB” Grade at least plus “S” Grade for non-credit seminar course); have Total Grade Point Average of 3.00 out of 4.00; succeed in proficiency exam after accomplishing all required courses; succeed in thesis defense after approved thesis proposal; submit thesis and obtain at least 240 ECTS in total.  

Students are expected to become specialized in one of the fields of building sciences, construction technologies, history of architecture and architectural restoration/conservation through PhD Program in Architecture. In the curriculum of the PhD Program, information is not only conveyed through theoretical and applied for courses but also produced. It is aimed to train researchers and professionals who are able to collate theoretically and applied information. In this context, national and international collaborations and projects are encouraged. Students follow an advanced self-conducted study schedule with the consultancy of a faculty member. Research interests of PhD Program are:

• Cognition in design

• Kinetic architecture

• Semiotic and architecture

• Sustainability in architecture

• Building physics

• Project/construction management

• Principles related to the architecture profession

• History, theory and critics of architecture

• Definition, conservation and rehabilitation of cultural heritage 

1. Gaining an advanced level of knowledge and comprehension providing the essential basis for distinctive studies in the field of architecture, urban planning, design based on the theoretical level of competencies obtained at the level of the bachelor degree.

2. Having a critical awareness of problems regarding nature, resources, production and testing of information at the interfaces between the fields of architecture and design, generally and other fields.

3. Obtaining cognitive and practical skills essential to professional competence in postgraduate studies.

4. Practicing gained knowledge, comprehension and problem-solving skills in new and nonconventional environments related to the field within the broader context of interdisciplinary, multi-disciplinary and supra-disciplinary.

5. Developing new information and methods in related research field and being expert on problem-solving skills essential to merge information deriving from different fields.

6. Carrying out a scientific research critically.

7. Having skills to conduct a specialization-required study independently in related field.

8. To be able to behave independently and take responsibility in working and learning environments and to be able to identify and conduct a project.

9. To be able to contribute to professional knowledge and practices of teams working in related academic or application fields.

10. To be able to share the findings and results obtained from a study and their underlying information and rational with specialized and nonspecialized groups in an open and systematic way.

11. To be able to use computer software at the required level and informatics and communication technologies at advanced level interactively.

12. To be able to conduct a scientific research systematically and critically; to be able to present proceedings and publish articles in national and international academic environments.

13. Gaining valid certification for professional proficiency and having required competences.

14. To be able to merge information by taking into account of social and ethical responsibilities originated from the application of knowledge and its decisions.

15. To be able to develop strategy, policy and implementation plans on related fields and evaluate obtained results within the frame of quality processes.

16. To be able to devise extensive projects related to the field: by using gained knowledge, comprehension and skills in an interdisciplinary, multi-disciplinary and supra-disciplinary way for decisions of designing and planning in different scales.