Architecture

For scholarship statuses, you may visit the homepage of the Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences at TOBB University of Economics and Technology.

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Applications to the Master’s Program with Thesis in Architecture may be submitted each semester. The language of instruction of the program is English. The interview, courses, and thesis are conducted in English. The list of required application documents can be accessed at https://www.etu.edu.tr/tr/enstitu/fen-bilimleri-enstitusu/basvuru-bilgileri 

The criteria applied during the admission of students to the master’s program:

1. Bachelor’s Degree and Admission Criteria:

1.1 Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree* and must have obtained a minimum score of 65 for the paid status and a minimum score of 75 for the scholarship status in the quantitative score type of the Academic Personnel and Graduate Education Entrance Exam (ALES), administered centrally by the Ölçme, Seçme ve Yerleştirme Merkezi (Student Selection and Placement Center)..

1.2 Applicants must obtain a minimum score of 70 out of 100 either on the Foreign Language Examination (YDS) administered by the Ölçme, Seçme ve Yerleştirme Merkezi or on the English proficiency examination administered by the University, or must achieve an equivalent score on the internationally recognized Educational Testing Service TOEFL examination corresponding to the required YDS score. Applicants are required to submit the official score reports of the relevant examinations at the time of application..

2. 2. Preliminary Preparation for Application:

Applicants must first review the quota availability for the study topics/fields announced on the Master’s Program in Architecture application page of the TOBB University of Economics and Technology Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, and should prepare in advance in their intended field of study in order to attend the interview well-prepared and adequately equipped.

3. Interview

In the admission of students to the program, candidates are evaluated through an interview (oral examination) conducted in English. The interview assessment is carried out by a jury appointed by the Department of Architecture Board. The interview jury consists of at least three principal and two substitute faculty members proposed by the Head of the Department and approved by the decision of the Graduate School Administrative Board. All procedures are conducted by the Department Chair and the Directorate of the Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences.

4. Assessment

For admission to the program, an applicant who has applied and completed the interview evaluation must obtain a minimum total score of 55 out of 100. The applicant’s success status is determined by this total score. The total score is calculated by adding 25% of the ALES score, 50% of the undergraduate grade point average converted to a 100-point scale (in accordance with the Yükseköğretim Kurulu Conversion Table), and 25% of the Foreign Language score (for the TOEFL international examination, the equivalency scores determined by the University are used). Applicants with a total score of 55 or above out of 100 are ranked by the interview jury according to their scores. The Graduate School Administrative Board determines and finalizes the list of principal and substitute candidates for admission based on the program quota and the applicants’ total scores.

Scholarship, partial scholarship, and paid student admissions are conducted in accordance with the principles set forth in the TOBB University of Economics and Technology Graduate Education and Examination Regulation and the Graduate Scholarship Student Directive.

*The following applicants may primarily apply to the Master’s Program in Architecture:

1) Graduates of the Department of Architecture within the Faculty of Architecture at universities,

2) Graduates of the Departments of City and Regional Planning, Industrial Product Design, Interior Architecture, Urban Design, and Landscape Architecture within the Faculties of Architecture and Fine Arts,

3) Graduates of Engineering Departments within the Faculty of Engineering at universities.

In addition, the program is open to applicants holding a bachelor’s degree in disciplines other than the priority fields listed above, provided that their background is deemed compatible with the Master’s Program in Architecture. The eligibility of such undergraduate degrees for admission is determined at the beginning of each semester upon the favorable recommendation of the interview jury and the approval of the Head of the Department.

Total number of credits required to obtain the master’s degree and the compulsory and elective courses to be taken

A student admitted to the program must complete, excluding courses designated for scientific preparation, a minimum course load of at least 21 (twenty-one) credits corresponding to at least seven departmental courses, successfully complete one seminar course, and defend the master’s thesis in order to obtain the thesis-based master’s degree.

The normal duration for completing the program is six semesters, with a maximum of nine semesters. The seminar course and thesis study are non-credit and are evaluated as pass or fail. In cases deemed appropriate by the thesis advisor or the Head of the Department of Architecture, the student may take up to two courses from the undergraduate curriculum of the Department of Architecture, provided that these courses were not previously taken during undergraduate studies.

The graduate courses offered in the Master’s Program in Architecture are listed below. Which courses will be offered in each semester is determined at the beginning of the term upon the recommendation of the Department Board and the decision of the Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences Board. Students may select courses from the designated curriculum, or, with the approval of the Department of Architecture, may complete their credits by taking undergraduate or graduate courses offered within the University or in relevant departments of other universities. The number of courses that may be taken outside the University is determined by the Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences.

Students enrolled in the master’s program are required to complete at least 21 credits of coursework. They must fulfill this 21-credit course load, consisting of compulsory and elective courses, within the period specified in the relevant regulations and directives. In addition to these courses, students are also required to take the compulsory and non-credit course FBE 600 Scientific Research Techniques and Publication Ethics, as deemed necessary by the Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences.

After completing the coursework, students begin their thesis under the supervision of an advisor recommended by the Department and approved by the Graduate School Administrative Board. Students who successfully complete the seminar course prepare their thesis within the period specified above. Those who meet the requirements for thesis defense are entitled to take the defense examination and, upon successful completion, are awarded the “Master of Architecture” degree.

Whether applicants to the master’s program will be admitted to the Scientific Preparation Program, and which courses will be designated as compulsory or elective, is determined by the thesis advisor with the approval of the Department of Architecture.

In the event of any inconsistency between the information provided here and the information announced by the Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, the information provided by the Graduate School shall prevail. For more information, please visit https://www.etu.edu.tr/tr/enstitu/fen-bilimleri-enstitusu/basvuru-bilgileri
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Courses offered in the master’s program:

The normal duration for completing the thesis-based master’s program is six semesters. Students who have successfully completed their credit-bearing courses and the seminar course but are unable to complete their thesis within six semesters and therefore cannot proceed to the thesis defense may be granted an extension of up to three additional semesters. A student may request to freeze one semester of the program due to a valid excuse, subject to the approval of the thesis advisor and the decision of the Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences. Time spent in the Scientific Preparation Program is not counted toward the duration of the master’s program.

The course list for the thesis-based master’s program is as follows:

Required Courses

Electives

Graduation Requirements:

Thesis-Based Master’s Program

* Details regarding time-limit restrictions can be followed in the Master’s Academic Calendar.

**Until the required number of credits is completed, at least one course (credit-bearing or non-credit) must be taken each semester. A maximum of 12 credits may be taken in one semester. At most two of the courses may be selected from undergraduate architecture courses, provided they were not taken during prior undergraduate study. Where applicable, upon the recommendation of the thesis advisor and the Head of the Department, and with the approval of the Institute Administrative Board, up to two courses offered at other higher education institutions may be selected.

*** Students who have successfully completed their credit-bearing courses and the seminar course but are unable to take the thesis examination because they have not completed the thesis within 6 semesters (2 years) may be granted an additional period of 3 semesters (1 year).

Schoharship Opportunities and Requirements:

Scholarships are available in the form of full tuition waivers, research scholarships, and 50% scholarships, within the quotas determined upon the approval of the University Senate and the Administrative Board of the Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences. Applications for unused scholarships, submitted either during new admissions or by currently enrolled students, are evaluated separately by a committee composed of program faculty members approved by the Head of the Department.

Full scholarship students are expected to contribute to departmental duties on a full-time basis, while research scholarship and 50% scholarship students are expected to provide part-time or partial support to departmental duties. In addition, graduates of TOBB University of Economics and Technology are granted a 25% discount on the condition that they register with the TOBB ETÜ Alumni Association.