Doktora Yeterlilik Sınavı

Exam Procedure

• The Ph.D. The Qualifier Exam for the PhD in Architecture Program consists of two parts: a written exam and an oral exam.
• The purpose of the written part is to test the breadth of knowledge in the general field of architecture, while the goal of the oral part is to test the depth of knowledge in particular areas of architecture and related disciplines.
• The student must first pass the written exam to be eligible for taking the oral exam.
• Written phase: The student must answer the first two questions and select two areas from the list given in the Compulsory and Related Study Areas Section* the student, together with her/his advisor, must inform the Chairperson of the Architecture Ph.D. Qualifier Exam Committee (the Committee) at least one month before the date of the written exam.
• Oral phase: A student who passes the written exam is eligible to take the oral exam. The oral exam must be taken within one month after the written exam. The earliest date to take the oral exam is one week after the written exam.
• During the oral exam, the student is asked technical questions within the scope of the research areas that s/he selected in the written exam. The evaluation is based on the student’s depth of knowledge in the fields covered by these research areas and his/her ability of presenting knowledge in front of the oral exam jury.

Qualification exam jury

The qualification exam jury consists of at least 5 faculty members (2 of whom must be from another University).

The student’s Ph.D. advisor may participate in the oral exam jury. If a student has 2 advisors, the co-advisor of the student may participate in the jury as the 6th member, but he/she does not have the right to vote.

*Compulsory and Related Study Areas

• Research Methods in Architecture (ARCH 601, ARCH 501, ARCH 690) (Compulsory)**
• Ethics in Architecture (ARCH 601, ARCH 690) (Compulsory)**
• The student must, together with their academic advisor, select two of the following fields in order to determine the elective questions to be asked in those areas in the written examination.
• Architectural Design Research
• History, Theory, and Criticism in Architecture
• Conservation and Cultural Heritage
• Architectural Design Education
• Architecture, Culture and Behavior
• Typological Studies
• Housing Studies
• Building Science, Technology and Sustainability Research
• Project and Construction Management
• Computational Design and Information Technologies
• Interior Design
• Urban and Spatial Morphology    
• City and Architecture
• Environmental (Natural, Cultural, Social) Sustainability
• Digital Fabrication, and Media Studies

**The students are expected to demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of the related graduate-level courses they have taken during the Ph.D. program.

Success Criteria

• In order to take the Ph.D. Qualifier Exam of PhD in Architecture Program, the student must successfully complete the courses and have a GPA of at least 3.00.
• The student can take the qualifier exam a maximum of two times.
• The students have to take the Ph.D. Qualifier Exam by the end of the fifth semester at the latest. Post-graduate students of the PhD in Architecture Program by the end of the seventh semester at the latest.
• Written exam: All questions are of equal weight. A student must get at least 50% from the first two compulsory questions of the written exam. The overall passing grade for the written exam is 60%.
• Oral exam: Each faculty taking part in the oral exam must give either a Pass or a Fail grade. The student passes the oral exam if he/she gets more Pass than Fail grades.
• A failed written and/or oral exam must be repeated in the following semester. If a student passes the written exam, s/he does not need to retake the written exam in case of failing the oral exam.
• The student passes the Ph.D. Qualifier Exam when s/he passes both the written and the oral exam. The qualifying examination jury may require the student to take an additional course(s) even if the student has completed all his/her course requirements and passed the qualifying examination, provided that the total credits of the additional course(s) do not exceed one third of the total ECTS credits of the required course load. In such a case, the student must pass the additional courses determined by the decision of the Graduate School Executive Board.

Faculty responsible for the written and oral exam:

The qualification exam jury consists of at least 5 faculty members (2 of whom must be from other Universities).

The PhD in Architecture Program qualifier exam committee will select 3 faculty members in the jury to prepare and grade the questions for both the written and oral exams. The PhD advisor will propose the 2 members from other Universities to the Ph.D. qualifier exam committee for approval. 

Ph.D. Qualification exam dates:

The written exam for the 2025-26 Spring semester will be on April 13, 2026.

The oral exam will be given within one month after that semester’s written exam.

Exam Application Procedure: 

Ph.D. in Architecture Qualification Committee
Prof. Dr. Aslıhan Ünlü
Prof. Dr. Hülya Turgut
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ebru Karahan
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Derya Yorgancıoğlu
Assist. Prof. Dr. Işılay Tekçe