Part I

General Rules

Scope

Article 1 - Undergraduate education, instruction and examinations at Istanbul Technical University Faculties and Departments are carried out according to these rules and regulations, Education and instruction at the Maritime Faculty, the Vocational School of Higher Education and the Turkish State Conservatory of Music are based on different regulations.

Diploma

Article 2- Students who successfully complete their studies at Istanbul Technical University Faculties and Departments according to these regulations are granted a diploma with the name of the Faculty and Department. If necessary, the name of the program is also indicated. Faculties and Departments of Engineering grant Engineering diploma (ITU); Faculties and Departments of Architecture, Urban and Regional Planning and Industrial Product Design award a diploma of Architecture (ITU), an Urban and Regional Planner's diploma (ITU) and an Industrial Product Designer's diploma (ITU) respectively. Other undergraduate Faculties and Departments grant an Undergraduate diploma (ITU). Titles for graduates of new Faculties and Departments to be established are determined by the University Senate.

Student Fees

Article 3 - In every academic year, undergraduate students pay a legally determined fee. Students registered for English Development Instruction are also required to pay a fee equal to the fee of the Faculty they are enrolled in. Students who fail to pay their fees cannot complete their registration and are dealt with according to articles 5 and 6 of these regulations.

Student Affairs

Article 4 - Registration in Faculties and Departments, transfers, instruction and examination procedures and dismissal from Faculties and Departments in each semester are decided the Faculty Administrative Boards. Students can appeal to these decisions by applying to the University Administrative Board with in 15 days.

Part II

Registration

Admission Principles and Final Registration

Article 5- An adequate score on the Central Student Selection and Placement exam, and no enrollment at another Higher Education Institution are requirements for admission to ITU Faculties and Departments

The final registration date, the documents required and the principles to be applied are announced upon their determination by the University Board. Students who register take the English Proficiency Exam set by the university on the date announced.

Those documenting their success on an international or a national exam whose equivalence to the English Proficiency Exam is accepted by the Senate, at a level determined by the Senate, are also admitted as undergraduate students on the decision of the Administrative Board of the Faculty concerned. These students are not required to take the English Proficiency Exam. Students who pass the English Proficiency Exam become undergraduate students and start their undergraduate study on the decision of the Faculty Administrative Board concerned. Those who fail this exam and those who do not take it, register with ITU Department of Languages and History of ITU College of Foreign Languages within a specified period of time and receive ' English Development Instruction' through this department. Students who do not earn the right to begin their undergraduate study at their Faculties and Departments can attend all the English Proficiency Exams in the following academic year including the exam at end of summer school. Failing on those exams leads to dismissal from ITU. According to Article 9 of 'Regulations Relating to Foreign Language Education and Instruction and Principles of Education, Instruction in a Foreign Language at Higher Education Institutions', such students may apply for transfer to universities where instruction in English is not compulsory.

The application principles of English Development Instruction (the English Preparatory Classes) organised by ITU College of Foreign Languages are based on different regulations. Applicants who do not complete the final registration procedures within the set period of time are considered to have withdrawn and cannot claim any rights.

If need be, applicants can petition the Student Affairs Head office for registration through legally notarised proxies, provided that the rules stated above are adhered to.

Re-Registration

Article 6 - ITU students are required to re-register each semester on the days set by the University Administrative Board. Students who cannot re-register on the announced days can do so within a week of the last day of registration. The University Administrative Board annually determines the conditions pertaining to delayed registration. Registration schedule is announced in the last week of the previous term. Failure to re-register in 2 consecutive or in any 2 given terms is grounds for dismissal from the University. The term for which the student has failed to register is considered part of the academic program.

Student Advisors

Article 7- Every student is entitled to an Advisor, who is either a lecturer or an instructor, chosen by the Department concerned. The advisor observes the students' progress and advises the student on the compulsory and elective courses he/she is supposed to take in the Undergraduate, English Instruction and Double Major Programs, whichever the student is attending. During registration and re-registration, the student plans his/her courses with the advisor and has them approved by the advisor.

An advisor with a valid reason for being absent from the University during the registration period notifies the Department Chairman in writing. The Chairman temporarily appoints another lecturer to substitute for this advisor and announces this to the students.

Identification Card

Article 8- The rectorate issues an ID card with identifying photograph to those students who have completed their final registration according to Article 5.

Transfers

Article 9- All kinds of transfers to ITU Faculties from within the University or from other universities are conducted in accordance with the rules in ' Regulations Relating to Principles of Transfers at Pre-degree Certificate and Undergraduate degree Levels among Higher Education Institutions'. Transfers (Yatay) are restricted to quotas set by the Faculty Administrative Board. Adjustment operations are also conducted by the Faculty Administrative Board.

According to these Regulations, students planning to transfer from 2- year higher education institutions and from other 4- year universities have to either document their success in English as defined by the ITU Senate or pass the English Proficiency Exam organised by the School of Foreign Languages of ITU College of Foreign Languages. Students of 4- year Undergraduate Institutions who cannot pass the Proficiency Exam cannot transfer to ITU.

Transfers from 2 - year higher education institutions are based on the rules in the Regulations Relating to the Accession of Vocational School of Higher Education and Open University Pre-degree Program Graduates to Undergraduate Programs.

Part III

Instruction

Academic Year

Article 10- The academic year consists of fall and spring terms and summer school. Fall and spring terms are normally each 14 weeks long. This period may be changed by the University Senate when necessary. The academic calendar is prepared and announced by the Senate before the academic year begins. The application principles of the summer school are based on different regulations. The days and hours of instruction are determined by the University Senate. No classes and exams are held on official holidays. However, the classes and exams of some courses recommended by the unit offering the course can be held on Saturdays and Sundays when necessary, if approved by the University Administrative Board.

Duration and Manner of Instruction

Article -11 The normal period of instruction at ITU Faculties in accordance with these regulations is eight terms excluding the period of English instruction at ITU College of Foreign Languages.

Instruction may be composed of classes, applications project and studio work, workshops, laboratory work, practice, preliminary sketches, field work, seminars, graduation projects, preliminary, and the like. The duration of the compulsory and elective courses in the curricula and of their related activities including projects, laboratory and field work is one term unless otherwise stated by the University State.

The curriculum consists of compulsory and elective courses. Compulsory courses are those the students are obliged to take whereas the elective courses are those the students must choose from certain groups of courses. Over the course of the year, the undergraduate program students must complete a minimum of 30% of their curriculum credit hours in courses offered in English. Upon the approval of their advisors, students can take some courses from the curricula of other faculties of the University.

Curricula

Article 12- Instruction at ITU Faculties and Departments is based on a curriculum determined by the Faculty Board and approved by the Senate taking into account the common courses which are determined by the Higher Education Board and accepted by the Senate in consultation with the Departments .

Students defined as Sophomore when complete at least 35 credits, Junior when coplete at leat 75 credits and Senior when complete 110 credits.

In the first term, students must take the first term courses of the Department curriculum. However, those who start their undergraduate study in the second term (students who have attended English preparatory classes for one term) can take courses from the upper term in addition to the first term courses - provided that there are no prerequisites and that they conform to the credit limits specified in Article 14. Students who complete at least 35 credits by the end of the first year and at least 75 credits by the end of the second year and whose cumulative grade point averages (GPA) are at least 3.00 can apply to the 'Double Major' program. Moreover, these students may exceed the maximum credit limit indicated in Article 14 to graduate in a shorter period of time.

Students can continue their education on the condition that their courses, either with or without pre-requisites, do not conflict, that they abide by the credit limits as stated in Article 14 and that they fulfill the requirements of Article 18, item a.

Internship studies, which are part of the curriculum, are carried out according to department-specific principles set by the Faculties. Classes and applications which must be held outside the University buildings can be held either during the term or during periods specified by the units concerned following the spring term.

Prerequisites

Article13- Course prerequisites are set upon the recommendation of the Department concerned and after approval by the Faculty Board. In order to attend any course in the curriculum, a student must qualify for an exam in the course pre-requisite(s). However, the student may request to be considered successful in the pre-requisite(s) of a course with the department's recommendation and the Senate's approval.

Enrolment

Article14- Every student can enroll in the studies listed in the first paragraph of article 11 on conforming to the conditions below. Except for those on probation as stated in article 18, item a, students of the first term and double major students, all students must take a minimum of 15 with a maximum of 22 credits in one term. Student who has a grade point average of 2.25 can extent maximum credits to 25 and student who has a grade point average of 3.00 can extent maximum credits over 25.The credit load can be changed when necessary upon the decision of the Faculty Administrative Board.

Students can add and drop courses in the first 15 days of the term with their advisors' approval. In addition, students can drop a course in the first month of the term. A student can drop a maximum of 1 course in one term, first term excluded, and a maximum of 7 courses over the course of the whole undergraduate program.

Students may choose not to take a few or any of the curriculum courses in the term if their classes conflict or if they are taking or repeating too many courses. However, the inability to enroll for the above reasons does not affect the adherence to the education period required in Law No. 2547, Article 44.

Graduation Project

Article 15- Every student must complete a graduation project to show that he/she has reached the required professional level. The graduation project is accepted as an eighth term course in the curricula. The project can be done in English if approved by the project supervisor and if it is found to be successful, the project credits may be counted as part of the 30% English requirement.

Graduation project topics can be distributed to students in earlier terms according to the conditions stated in the ITU Senate Principles. Those students who cannot do a graduation project in the last term may accomplish it in the following term. Issues related to graduation projects are defined by the principles set by the Senate, in consultation with the the Faculty Boards.

Part IV

Grades, Symbols, Exams and Achievement

Grades and Symbols

Article 16 - grades, exams and achievement issues relating to English Development Instruction are defined by a different set of regulations.

Article17- Achievement in a course during the undergraduate program is determined by the Relative Evaluation method. In this method, the student's achievement during the term, and his/her final exam grade at the end of the term, are evaluated together and the general achievement level of the class is also taken into account. When evaluating a student's achievement, the course lecturer takes into account both the distribution of the grades and the average class grade.

The degree of achievement which the grades indicate, and their coefficients, are illustrated in the TABLE below.

•  (AA), (BA), (BB), (CB) and (CC) indicate that the student has been successful in the course.
•  (DC) and (DD) indicate that the student has been provisionally successful in the course.

T: The student dropped the course he was enrolled in within the time period stated in Article 14

E: The student could not complete the project, graduation project etc. within the required period of time. The due date will be determined by the lecturer. If the project cannot be completed within the deadline, the student receives FF.

Article 18-

a) Students whose cumulative achieved credits are 75 and below are placed on a probation list when their cumulative grade point average is below 1.80 at the end of any given term. Likewise, students whose cumulative credits are over 75 and at or below 110 are also placed on probation if/when their cumulative grade point average is below 1.90. If a student is placed on probation list twice in succession and cannot raise his/her cumulative grade point average over the defined level at the end of the second probation period, he/she is dismissed from the University. Students are removed from the probation list if/when their grade point averages are over the defined values and they continue their studies as regular students. Students who are dismissed from the University retain their rights as stated in article 25, item (a). Students whose cumulative credits are over 110 and whose grade point averages are below 2.00 are placed on probation lists. If dismissed, they are entitled to the rights stated in item(b) of the 25th article.

Students on probation cannot register for more than 15 credits in one term. These students can take the courses for which they were found unsuccessful or provisorily successful and/or for those which they fulfilled the pre-requisites in any term.

b) When calculating the cumulative grade point average as of the end of the term the student is enrolled in, the courses which the student could not take in the lower terms and the courses which the student withdrew from according to paragraph 3 of article 14 are not taken into account.

Raising the 'Weighted' Grade Point Average

Article 19- To raise his/her cumulative grade point average, a student can repeat the courses which he/she was enrolled in and succeeded in provided that the provisions in Article 14 are observed. In this case, the most recent grades are valid. All the grades and standing the student has been given are indicated on the grade document.

Achievement Grade

Article 20 -

a) A minimum 70% class attendance and 80% attendance at independent application classes such as laboratory and workshops is mandatory. Students who cannot fulfill the attendance requirement cannot sit the final exam at the end of the term. The achievement grade for a course is determined by the course components during the term (midterm exams, quizzes, field work, applications, assignments, workshops, seminars, attendance, laboratories etc.) and a final exam at the end of the term. A week prior to the beginning of each term, the achievement evaluation systems (type and number of term work activities percentages of the term work and of the final exam on the achievement) for the courses to be offered in the term are proposed by the course lecturers who fill in the information in evaluation forms. A proposal must first be approved by the Chairman of the department concerned then finalised by the decision of the Faculty Board and announced by the Dean's Office.

b) The names of students who do not quality for the final exam are listed and posted in the last week of the term. Such students receive (VF) from that course.

c) The contribution of the final exam to the achievement grade cannot be less than 40% or more than 60%. These ratios can be altered if necessary by the decision of the relevant Faculty board.

d) There are no make-up exams for mid - term exams. Students who do not take the mid - term exam receive (0.00) as their grade. However, students who are on duty representing the University and thus cannot take the mid-term exam may be given a make-up by decision of the University Board.

e) A student who cannot attend the final exam at the end of the term with an excuse accepted by the Administrative Board of the Faculty concerned. He/She can take the final make - up exam conducted in the week after the final exams are given. The highest achievement grade awarded on a final make - up exam can be (CC).

f) The course achievement list is announced by the course lecturer within one week of the final exam is given. When deemed necessary, the Faculty Board may require a lecturer to review the achievement evaluation.

g) Students who have a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.00 and who have successfully completed at least 18 credit hours in a term or will graduate at the end of the term with minimal period are awarded an honor degree if their grade average is 3.00 - 3.49 at the end of the term. A high honor degree is awarded if the GPA is 3.50 - 4.00 for that term.

These honor degrees are indicated in the students' grade documents. Students who have FF and/or VF in any term in their documents cannot qualify for honors even if they attain the adequate grade average.

Final Examination Period 

Article 21- In every term, the instruction period is followed by an examination period. The examination period is extended by the number of days on which exams cannot be held due to reasons accepted by the Board of the Faculty concerned.

The final exams of courses which include field work and those in which the student's right to take the exam is dependent on the field work result can be conducted after the field work is completed. Graduation work exams are given either during the term or summer school finals or in the following week.

Examination Schedule and Place Article 22- Final exam schedules are determined by the Faculty Boards and announced at least two weeks before the examination period begins. The exams are held at the set time and as announced.

Manner of Examination Article 23- Finals are usually written exams. However, upon the request of the department, the Faculty Board can decide for the final to be an oral or an oral-written exam. The decision is set out in the achievement evaluation form at the beginning of the term.

Final exams are organised and administered by the lecturers or instructors teaching the courses. In case of the lecturer's or instructor's absence on the exam day, the chairman of the major field appoints on the exam proctor and notifies the Directorate of the Department concerned. All lecturers and assistant instructors in a Faculty may be assigned duties to ensure the proper administration of the final exams.

Appeal of Exam Results

Article 24- A student may appeal his/her achievement evaluation result by applying in writing to the Faculty Dean's Office within a week after the announcement of the achievement results of the course. The Dean's Office requires the lecturer concerned to re-evaluate all the work contributing to the Faculty Administrative Board decision. Both the student's appeal and the lecturer's re-evaluation are taken into account.

Extension Period

Article 25-

a) Students who are to be dismissed in the first year, if they are unsuccessful (FF) in one course at most and those to be dismissed in the second and third year, if they are unsuccessful (FF) in three courses at most, are given the right to sit three exam. They can make use of this right within a three year period. They can use this right during the exam period of the terms when the courses concerned are offered. Students who have not scored FF can use their exam right for the courses in which they have scored DD and DC, as well. If they fail in these exams and/or if they cannot achieve the "weighted" grade point average defined in item (a) of article 18, they are dismissed from the University. Students wishing to benefit from the rights explained above can petition the Student Affairs Head Office.

b) Students of the undergraduate program enrolled in ITU Faculties and Departments are allocated seven years maximum to complete the program (preparatory classes excluded). Senior students who cannot graduate at the end of the maximum allocated period of time are given two additional exam rights (Additional Exam 1 and Additional Exam 2) for all the courses they have failed. These rights have to be used in the exam periods of the first 2 terms in which the courses are offered (Additional exam rights do not apply to courses which the student has not taken or where he/she has not qualified to take the exam). After taking these additional exams, if the number of courses in which the student has been unsuccessful drops to 4 or 5, the student is granted the right to repeat the finals of these courses for another 3 terms. However, if the number of the courses the student has been unsuccessful in drops to 4 or 5 without him/her taking the additional exams, he/she is given the right to repeat those course finals for another 4 years. In cases where the drop mentioned above is greater (to 3 or less than 3 failures) the students is given an unrestricted right to repeat the finals of the courses he/she has been unsuccessful in.

Students who, at the end of the maximum period and the additional exams following it, have 5 or less courses to complete for graduation, must apply for there rights to take the exams of the courses they have not taken before or the courses in which they did not quality for the final exam. To do so, they must register for these courses in conformance with the rules and regulations. They may only take the exams at the set times. Following this, if the number of the courses they have failed does not drop to three or below, they will be dismissed from the Faculty. Students who can reduce the number of courses they did not succeed in to three or less at the end of the extension period can benefit from the indefinite exam right.

In the extended period, attendance is not mandatory except for application classes and courses the student has not taken before or in which he/she did not quality for the final exam. The achievement of students with no attendance obligation is evaluated by their course instructors on the basis of the course components and the final exam results.

Senior year students whose cumulative grade point average is less than 2:00 (the success requırement) although they have succeeded in all courses and have taken 30 % of their classes in English are given an unlimited number of exam rights to increase their grade point average. (Students who are in such a standing before the 7 year maximum period can apply in writing to their Faculty for the same right.)

Students who have three or fewer courses to complete for graduation before the extension period, provided that they have earned the right to take the final exam once, can apply to their Faculty in writing to benefit from the unlimited final exam right.

Students benefiting from the five or four course right pay their tuition fees and also benefit from the rights of being students.

Students using their unlimited exam right continue to pay their tuition fees but cannot benefit from the other rights granted to students. Their final exam grade determines their achievement regardless of their former term grades.

Students who do not use their unlimited exam right for a total of three consecutive or separate academic years are considered to have abandoned this right. Hence, they can no longer benefit from it.

 

Part V

Evaluations

Unit Credit

Article 26- Courses, laboratory sessions, projects, seminars, workshops and graduation projects are evaluated in "credits'. Courses and seminars are allotted one credit per hour per week. Applications, laboratory sessions, projects, workshops and graduation projects are allotted half a credit per hour per week.

Grade Point Average

Article 27- The grade point average (GPA) is a weighted average determined by multiplying the coefficient of the grade received in each course, and in each activity equivalent to a course, such as laboratory session, project, workshop, seminar, graduation project etc, by the number of its credit hours and then dividing the sum by the total number of credits earned. The average is a rounded up figure of the two digits after the decimal point.

Graduation

Article 28- students who have successfully completed the compulsory courses of the department curriculum and the elective courses to fulfil the credit requirement of the department, have fulfilled all studies stated in the regulations (including internship) and have achieved 30 % of the total credit hours in English, are considered to have completed their studies and so will be granted the graduation diploma provided that their GPA is at least 2.00.

The graduates are issued a transcript which indicates the name of the department and program attended, the courses, projects, laboratory, graduation project etc. taken the achievement grade and the grade point average (GPA). Whether the student has been on the probation list or honor list is also stated in the transcript. The courses taken in English which the student has successfully completed are also listed in the transcript.

Part VI

Various Rules

Granting Leave and Legal Guarantee of Rights

Article29- students can be granted leave for maximum two terms at one time for justifiable and valid reasons as determined by the Higher Education Council upon the decision of the Faculty Administrative Board. Students on leave cannot continue their education or take the final exams given at the end of the term during which they were granted leave.

Unexpected reasons such as illnesses, natural disasters, being under arrest and sentence and the removal of military postponement are also grounds for leave during the term. If the reasons mentioned apply during the exam period, the procedure is the same. A leave at any time during the term is considered to have started at the beginning of the term.

When a student requests a leave for the reasons stated above, he/she must apply submitting documents to the Faculty within 15 days after the need has emerged.

Leave for economic reasons and other reasons which may be accepted by the Administrative Boards can be granted only at the beginning of the term. In this case, the application for the leave, explanation of the reasons and documentation must be done within a month after registration has been completed.

When the leave ends, the student continues study from the point where the student left.

Permission for leave arising from justifiable and valid reasons defined by the Higher Education Council and other reasons approved by the university Board do not count towards the education period, provided that this is note din the decision.

A student whose absenteeism throughout the whole academic program exceeds two years due to psychological disorders documented with a medical report given by the health Committee will be required to get a new Medical excuse if he/she wishes to continue his/her education. The Faculty Administrative Board decides whether the student can pursue his/her education or not after analyzing this medical report. The student will be dismissed from the Faculty if the Board decides that he/she cannot pursue his/her studies.

Withdrawal from the University Article 30- Students voluntarily withdrawing from the University, apply in writing to the Dean's Office of the Faculty in which they are enrolled. A student whose registration is cancelled upon his/her application will be given a document indicating his/her standing in the Faculty if he/she wishes, the diplomas submitted to the Faculty for registration and other documents.

Students Sent to Universities Abroad Upon Agreement Article 31- the University can send students to Universities abroad for one or two terms within the framework of student exchange programs in accordance with the agreement between ITU and a University abroad. The student's enrolment at ITU continues during this period and the period is considered part of his academic program.

How the courses taken at the University abroad with the advisor's approval and the student's achievement grades in these courses will be evaluated in relation to his/her achievement at ITU is determined by the faculty Administrative Board in consultation with the Faculty Transfer Commission.

Summer School and Double Major Program

Article 32- Summer School is organized according to the regulations and the Double Major program (ÇAP) is organized according to Senate Application Principles.

Pre-degree Certificate

Article 33- Students who are to be dismissed from their Faculty and have successfully completed the compulsory and elective course credit hours in the curriculum up to the end of the fourth term in accordance with the rules in these regulations are granted a "Pre-degree Certificate" only if their cumulative grade point average by the end of the fourth term has reached at least 2.00. These students are not obliged to have fulfilled the 30% English education requirement.

Temporary Article 1- The rules in the regulations herewith, with the exception of dismissal in the second and third years, are applicable to students who entered ITU in 1996 and attended English Preparatory Classes at ITU's Department of Languages and History of Atatürk Reforms (DIB) in the 1996-1997 academic year as well as to students who started their academic study in their Faculties or departments prior to the 1999-200 academic year. Those students who chose the Turkish program are not held responsible for the 30% English course requirement.

These regulations apply to the above-mentioned student categories starting with the fall term of the 2000-2001 academic year.

Temporary Article 2- ITU Faculties Undergraduate Academic regulations published in the official Newspaper on August 20, 1995, no, 22380 and English Development Undergraduate Academic Regulations apply to those students who started their undergraduate program in their faculties or departments before the 1997-1998 academic year.

Temporary Article 3- These rules and the regulations apply with no alteration to the students who registered at ITU before the 1999-2000 academic year.

Validity

Article 34- "Istanbul Technical University Faculties Undergraduate Academic Regulations" published in the Official newspaper on August 20, 1995, no: 22380 and "Istanbul Technical University Undergraduate Regulations" published in the Official Newspaper on September 5, 1997, No: 23101are no longer valid.

Article 35- These regulations are valid on the date of their publication as of the beginning of the 1999-2000 academic year.

Implementation

Article 36- The rules and regulations herewith are implemented by the Rector of Istanbul Technical University.