MASTER’S PROGRAMS (THESIS/NON-THESIS)
FAQ (FOR CANDIDATES)
- How does master’s education differ from undergraduate education?
Thesis master’s programs enables students to gain the ability to access, compile, interpret and evaluate knowledge using scientific research methods. The non-thesis master’s programs shows how to use the existing knowledge in practice by providing students with knowledge on professional issues. (YU Graduate Programs Procedures and Principles Article 2 (1) and Article 8 (1)). The difference of master’s education from undergraduate education is that master’s education is research-oriented.
- What are the differences between Thesis Master’s Programs and Non-thesis Master’s Programs ?
Non-thesis master’s program focuses on how to use knowledge in professional practice, while thesis master’s programs focus on the interpretation and evaluation of knowledge. Thesis Master’s programs enables students to gain the ability to access, compile, interpret and evaluate knowledge using scientific research methods. The non-thesis master’s programs shows how to use the existing knowledge in practice by providing students with knowledge on professional issues. Thesis Master’s programs necessitate to take and successfully completion of a thesis study, while thesis master’s programs necessitate to take and successfully completion of a term project.
Thesis master’s program consists of at least seven courses –provided that the total is not less than 21 local credits– a seminar course and thesis study. Seminar course and thesis do not have local credits and are evaluated as successful or unsuccessful. At least one course including scientific research techniques and research and publication ethics must be taken during graduate studies. Non-thesis master’s program consists of at least ten courses and a term project. At least one course including scientific research techniques and research and publication ethics must be taken during graduate studies. The student is obliged to register for the term project course in the relevant semester and submit a written project and/or report at the end of the semester. The term project course is non-credit and is evaluated as successful or unsuccessful. (YU Graduate Programs Procedures and Principles Article 2 (2) and 8 (2)).
ALES exam result is required for applications to thesis master’s programs, but not required for applications to non-thesis master’s programs. Application requirements can be accessed via the link below:
https://lee.yasar.edu.tr/en/requirements/
ALES Exam score is not required for the admission of students to the departments of faculties of fine arts and conservatory. (YU Graduate Programs Procedures and Principles Article 3 (1), Article 15 (5) and Article 24 (1)).
- What is the duration of master’s programs?
The duration of the thesis master’s program is four semesters, starting from the semester in which the student is enrolled to the program, regardless of whether or not s/he has registered for each semester; and the program is completed in a maximum of six semesters. This period for non-thesis master’s program is at least two semesters and at most three semesters, starting from the semester in which the student is enrolled to the program, regardless of whether or not s/he has registered for each semester. (YU Graduate Programs Procedures and Principles Article 4 (1) and Article 10 (1))
- How can I apply Graduate School programs?
There is an Online Application tab under the Applications tab on the Graduate School website. This tab directs candidates to the application page, and candidates who sign up the system (free of charge) complete their application when they upload the required documents (transcript, ALES score, graduation certificate, foreign language document, etc.) and finalize their registration.
- What are the admission requirements for Graduate School programs?
Application and admission requirements of each program are different and can be accessed via the link below:
https://lee.yasar.edu.tr/en/requirements/
- What are the application evaluation criteria?
The evaluation criteria of each program are different and the criteria can be accessed via the link below:
https://lee.yasar.edu.tr/en/application/evaluation-criteria/
- Can I apply more than one master’s program at the same time?
It is possible to apply more than one master’s program at the same time.
- Can I register more than one master’s program at the same time?
One cannot register more than one master’s program, except for non-thesis master’s programs. (YU Graduate Programs Procedures and Principles Article 17 (7))
- Can I apply for a master’s program in a different field other than my undergraduate graduation?
The undergraduate degrees accepted by each program are different. Programs accepted can be accessed via the link below:
https://lee.yasar.edu.tr/en/requirements/Scientific / artistic preparation programs determined by the department are applicable for PhD/Proficiency in Art program students, who have received their undergraduate or graduate degrees from different undergraduate or graduate programs, and those who have received their undergraduate or graduate degrees from other higher education institutions. Courses required to be taken in scientific / artistic preparation program cannot replace the courses required to complete the relevant graduate program. The time that the student takes scientific / artistic preparatory courses is not counted as the period of education. A student in a scientific / artistic preparatory program can take courses for a graduate program with the recommendation of the relevant department, as well as the approval of the administrative board of the graduate school. In this case, the student is considered to have started the first semester of the education period.
- I am a graduate of non-thesis master program. Can I apply for a PhD program?
Candidates must have a thesis master’s degree in order to apply for a PhD program. (YU Graduate Programs Procedures and Principles Article 15 (1))
- What is the application period for the programs of the Graduate School?
Application period can be accessed via the link below:
https://lee.yasar.edu.tr/en/2020-2021-work-schedule/
- I do not have a foreign language score; does your university open a language exam?
Candidates who do not have a foreign language score are considered successful if they take the FLAT exam held by the university and get the minimum scores specified on the basis of the program in the following link:
https://lee.yasar.edu.tr/en/requirements/
- Can I apply for special student status?
Students enrolled in a Master’s, PhD or Proficiency in Art program can be accepted as special students with the approval of the department of the graduate school in which they are enrolled in graduate courses in other higher education institutions. The exemption procedures of the graduate courses are carried out by the head of the department in which they are registered as special students. (Regulation on Postgraduate Education, Article 31 (1) revision, 22 November 2019)
Students who do not enroll in a graduate program cannot take courses with special student status.
- Whom should get the reference letter from? Is there a template? When should I submit it?
It is recommended that the reference letter is taken from academics who know the candidate. For the template, see: https://lee.yasar.edu.tr/en/application/documents-required-for-application-and-registration/
- What should the letter of intent include?
The letter of intent includes the reason for the candidate’s application to the program s/he wants to study, the subject s/he wants to work on and his/her motivation in this regard. The candidate is expected to explain his/her competence and potential with regard to his/her success in the subject s/he proposed to specialize, through his/her past studies and future goals.
- Do you have English preparation for your English programs?
If there is not a sufficient language score that the candidates can document, they can start to take program courses after studying foreign language in the preparatory class at Yaşar University School of Foreign Languages.
- What are your scholarship and fee discount opportunities? How are scholarships distributed? What are the requirements of receiving a scholarship?
For thesis programs %100 or %25 and for non-thesis programs %25 tuition fee discount (scholarship) is applied within the scholarship quota determined for each semester. Details can be accessed via the link below:
https://lee.yasar.edu.tr/en/application/quota-and-scholarships/
The placement of the candidates in the tuition discount (scholarship) quota is carried out according to the result of total scores’ ranking formed according to the evaluation criteria.
When the students who graduate from undergraduate programs of Yaşar University with an education scholarship apply not later than two semesters following their undergraduate degree graduation and with the condition that they have at least 3.00 / 4.00 CGPA; they are admitted to the graduate programs having their scholarship percentages maintained. Education scholarships cannot be maintained at non-thesis master’s programs.
The scholarship of the student is discontinued in the following cases: Graduate student’s CGPA falls below 3.20 at the end of each semester starting from the end of the 2nd semester; receiving any disciplinary action other than the warning penalty; transferring to another program.
Discounts are applied either with scholarships or within themselves. Scholarships and discounts that students are entitled are combined not to exceed 100%. This application is valid for the regular student period of the program in which the student is registered (3 semesters for non-thesis programs, 6 semesters for thesis programs). (Yaşar University Graduate Education-Teaching Scholarship and Discount Directive Artıcle 31 (1))
30% tuition fee discount is applied to those who work in institutions with a protocol agreement or their relatives at 1st degree.
- Is it possible to transfer from one program to another program? Is it possible to transfer between thesis and non-thesis master’s programs? I am currently a student of a master’s degree at a different university; can I transfer to your university? What are the requirements? Can I request an exemption for the courses I have taken?
Students who have completed at least one semester in another department at Yaşar University or in a graduate program of another higher education institution can be admitted to graduate programs by transfer within the quotas determined by the University. (Yaşar University Regulation on Postgraduate Education 13 (1)). External transfer applications are also possible. For the internal and external transfer quotas, the following link can be viewed: https://lee.yasar.edu.tr/en/application/quota-and-scholarships/
On condition that they fulfill the minimum application requirements, they can transfer to the graduate program with the same name and the same language of instruction, without being limited to the quotas determined. In this case, some or all of the courses taken and succeeded in the non-thesis master’s program can be counted instead of the courses in the thesis master’s program upon the recommendation of the department head. (Yaşar University Regulation on Postgraduate Education 13 (3) and 13(4)).
The student who is entitled to enroll in the thesis master’s program can be exempted from up to 5 courses related to the program with the courses s/he has taken and succeeded before at another higher education institution. The maximum number of courses that can be exempted for students who have the right to enroll in non-thesis master’s programs is 6. (Yaşar University Regulation on Postgraduate Education 29 (1)).
- Is it possible to take courses from outside the institution?
Maximum two courses can be selected from the courses offered at other higher education institutions with the recommendation of the head of the department and the approval of the administrative board of the graduate school. (YU Graduate Programs Procedures and Principles Article 2 (3))
- Is it possible to appoint a co-advisor?
In cases the thesis work requires more than one thesis advisor, a co-advisor, who may be an instructor having at least a PhD degree from inside or outside the university staff, may be appointed. (YU Graduate Programs Procedures and Principles Article 5 (2))