METU Graduate Education Regulation

Aim

ARTICLE 1 – (1) The aim of this document is to regulate the procedures and principles regarding admissions and registration to the graduate programs offered by Middle East Technical University Northern Cyprus Campus and the conduct of graduate education, examinations and assessment.

Scope

ARTICLE 2 – (1) This document comprises the regulations concerning admissions and registration to the graduate programs offered by Middle East Technical University Northern Cyprus Campus and those governing the conduct of graduate education, examinations and assessment.

Basis

ARTICLE 3 – (1) This document has been drawn up based on article 44 of the Higher Education Act 2547 dated November 4, 1981 and the Higher Education Council’s Academic Rules and Regulations Governing Graduate Studies, which was in effect on the date this Regulation was issued.

Definition of Terms

ARTICLE 4 – (1) Wherever the following terms appear in this document, they shall be taken to refer to:

a) ECTS: European Credit Transfer System,

b) ALES: Academic Personnel and Graduate Education Exam,

c) Maximum duration: Two academic semesters for academic deficiency programs, three academic semesters for Master’s programs without a thesis, six academic semesters for Master’s programs with a thesis, twelve academic semesters for Doctoral programs, fourteen academic semesters for Ph.D. on Bachelor’s degree programs,

d) CEDS: Comprehensive Examination for Doctoral Students,

e) GPC: Graduate program committees of METU Northern Cyprus Campus,

f) GMAT: The international Graduate Management Admission Test,

g) GRE: The international Graduate Record Examinations,

h) Plagiarism: The practice of knowingly or unknowingly taking and using someone else’s work, ideas, methods or data without crediting the source, and presenting them as one’s own,

i) GSAB: METU Northern Cyprus Campus academic board of graduate studies,

j) EPE: Middle East Technical University School of Foreign Languages English Proficiency Exam,

k) Graduate Program: Master’s programs (with a thesis or without a thesis) and doctoral programs,

l) RO: Directorate of METU Northern Cyprus Campus Registrar’s Office,

m)Teaching staff: Professors, lecturers and instructors,

n) Faculty: Full-time academic staff holding a title of Assistant Professor and higher,

o) Program duration: Two academic semesters for academic deficiency programs, two academic semesters for Master’s programs without a thesis, four academic semesters for Master’s programs with a thesis, eight academic semesters for Doctoral, ten academic semesters for Ph.D. on Bachelor’s degree programs,

p) President: The President of Middle East Technical University,

q) Senate: The Senate of Middle East Technical University,

r) TAC: Ph.D thesis advisory committee,

s) International joint graduate program: A graduate program jointly conducted with an institution of higher education abroad.

t) IUC: Inter-university Council of Turkey,

u) University (METU): Middle East Technical University,

v) University Administrative Board: Middle East Technical University Administrative Board,

w) SFL: Middle East Technical University School of Foreign Languages,

x) HEC: Higher Education Council.

PART 2 Provisions Concerning the Conduct of Graduate Education

Medium of Instruction and Foreign Language Proficiency

ARTICLE 5 – (1) The medium of instruction in METU’s graduate programs is English. Courses that are to be conducted in Turkish or any other language are determined by the Senate.

(2) In order to apply to graduate programs, candidates have to document their proficiency in English. The candidates’ English proficiency is assessed through EPE. Scores obtained fr om international language exams whose equivalences have been determined by the Senate may also be used to this end.

(3) English proficiency documentation is not required from nationals of countries whose official language is English and who have graduated from an English-medium institute of higher education.

(4) Candidates registered to a graduate program at METU for at least one semester within the past four semesters as of the date of their application to a graduate program are not required to document their proficiency in English provided that they hold the EPE score determined by the GPC they are applying to.

(5) The validity period of EPE scores and scores obtained fr om exams deemed equivalent by the Senate is two years fr om the date of announcement of the exam results. This period of validity should not have been exceeded on the date of application to a graduate program. A document which is valid on the date of application will remain valid on the date of registration.

Period of education

ARTICLE 6 – (1) The normal and maximum periods of study for graduate programs are effective as described in the related articles of this regulation.

(2) The period spent in the academic deficiency program is not included in the maximum period of study of the program.

(3) Semesters for which students have been granted a leave of absence by the GSAB are not included in the normal, maximum and additional periods of study.

(4) Semesters which have been spent in institutions of higher education within the country or abroad as part of student exchange programs and international joint programs are included in the normal, maximum and additional periods of study.

(5) All the semesters during which the students have been registered since they first enrolled in a graduate program or which have been spent unregistered due to failure to re-register are included in the normal, maximum and additional periods of study.

(6) Students may graduate in a shorter period of time provided that they meet all the requirements for graduation determined by the concerned graduate program.

Academic year

ARTICLE 7 – (1) One academic year comprises two semesters each of which is minimum sixteen weeks, including the period for final exams.

(2) Summer School may be offered within an academic year. The principles regarding the conduct of education in Summer School are determined by the Senate.

(3) The duration and dates of registration, courses, examinations and other similar activities within an academic year are indicated in the academic calendar.

(4) The weekly course schedules within a semester and during Summer School are prepared and announced by the concerned GPC under the coordination of the RO.

(5) The courses to be offered during a semester and Summer School are specified by the concerned GPC and approved by the GSAB. The sections, capacities and criteria of these courses are determined by the concerned GPC.

Graduate education

ARTICLE 8 – (1) Graduate education encompasses Masters with or without a thesis, Doctoral, and Ph.D. on Bachelor’s degree programs.

(2) A non-thesis Master’s program can also be offered in a second track program.

(3) A graduate program is drawn up by the concerned GPC. It is offered after its recommendation to the Senate by the GSAB, its approval by the Senate and the issuance of consent by the HEC.

(4) The curriculum of a graduate program comprises studies such as course work, laboratory and applied work, workshops, studios, practicum, seminars and thesis work and the distribution of these throughout the academic semesters.

(5) The changes to the title of a graduate program are made after preparation by the concerned GPC, decision of the Senate following the recommendation of the GSAB, and approval by the HEC.

(6) The amendments to the curriculum of a graduate program and the guidelines for the adjustment of students to these are arranged by the concerned GPC and set by the GSAB.

National and International graduate joint-degree programs

ARTICLE 9 – (1) Graduate joint-degree programs may be offered with institutions of higher education within the country or abroad.

(2) Education in such programs is carried out within the framework of the provisions of the concerned Regulation of HEC.

Exchange students

ARTICLE 10 – (1) Exchange programs may be offered between METU campuses and institutions of higher education in the country or abroad within the framework of mutual agreements. The regulations governing these programs are determined by the Senate.

Special students

ARTICLE 11 – (1) Special students are students who are not registered to any program at METU, but who are expected to fulfill the requirements of the limited number of courses they are registered to. The regulations governing these programs are determined by the Senate.

Application and admission to graduate programs

ARTICLE 12 – (1) Student applications and admissions to graduate programs are carried out in accordance with the principles set by the Senate.

(2) At the end of each semester, each GPC recommends, to the GSAB, the provisions regarding applications (EPE, ALES etc.) for the following semester. These recommendations are assessed and resolved by the GSAB and are announced on the official website of the concerned graduate program.

(3) Applications to graduate programs are made to the concerned GPC within the period announced in the academic calendar.

(4) Applicants to graduate programs are to fulfill all the requirements specified and announced by the concerned GPC.

(5) Students who have applied to and earned the right for registration to a program with false or misleading declarations and documents will not be registered and legal action will be taken against them.

(6) Candidates who have completed or are in their final semester of their undergraduate studies may apply to Masters’ with or without a thesis or to Ph.D. on Bachelor’s degree programs, whereas candidates applying to Ph.D. programs are required to have completed or be in their final semester of their graduate studies.

(7) In order to be eligible for application, candidates are to hold an ALES score determined by the GPC which is no lower than the base score specified in the Graduate Education Regulation published in the Official Gazette no. 29690 dated April 20, 2016. In order to be eligible for application to Master’s without a thesis, the requirement for holding an ALES score is determined by the concerned GPC.

(8) A recent ALES score is not required fr om those who dropped out or graduated fr om any graduate program, but are applying to a program once again after a one-semester lapse, provided that they hold an ALES score which is no lower than that announced by the GPC they are applying to.

(9) Instead of an ALES score, candidates may submit a score obtained on an international exam (such as GRE or GMAT) whose equivalence has been announced by the concerned GPC. If conditions regarding the ALES score have not been announced by the concerned GPC, a score obtained on an international exam equivalent to the base ALES score as announced by the HEC may be submitted for application.

(10) The validity period of ALES scores or scores obtained on equivalent international exams is the period designated by the institution that owns the exam and is effective as of the date the candidate took the exam. The validity should not have expired on the date of application to a graduate program. A document which is valid on the date of application will remain valid on the date of registration.

(11) For admission to a graduate program, along with the fulfillment of the general provisions, the candidate should be deemed satisfactory in the scientific evaluation carried out by the concerned GPC. Scientific evaluation may be carried out through such methods as a written and/or oral examination and/or an output portfolio.

(12) For admission to a graduate program, the weight of the ALES or equivalent exam score (provided that it is weighted at no less than 50% in the final mark) as well as the weights of such requirements as the scientific evaluation, EPE or equivalent international exam score, GPA (undergraduate and/or graduate), the letter of reference, and the letter of intent are determined by the concerned GPC.

(13) Admission of students is determined by the GSAB by recommendation of the GPC, and the application results of are announced by the concerned GPC.

(14) The principles governing graduate program applications and admissions of candidates with foreign nationality and Turkish nationals who reside abroad are determined by the GSAB by recommendation of the concerned GPC, provided that the English language proficiency requirements specified by Article 5 of the Regulation remain unchanged.

Special case student admissions

ARTICLE 13 – (1) In accordance with a protocol signed with METU Northern Cyprus Campus, other university students carrying out part of their graduate studies at the Northern Cyprus Campus will/should register for a program that does not award a diploma/a non-diploma program. Such students have all of the rights and obligations/responsibilities accorded to/of students enrolled in the Northern Cyprus Campus graduate programs, excluding the right to receive a diploma. The principles governing graduate program applications and admissions of candidates with foreign nationality and Turkish nationals who reside abroad are determined by the Senate.

Student transfers between graduate programs

ARTICLE 14 – (1) Student transfers between graduate programs are made in accordance with the principles determined by GSAB.

(2) Student transfers cannot be made from Master’s without a thesis second track programs to regular Master’s programs.

The academic deficiency program

ARTICLE 15 – (1) The academic deficiency program is a program aiming at correcting the academic deficiencies of students and enabling them to adjust to the program they have applied to.

(2) Academic deficiency students are to follow an academic deficiency program comprising courses specified by the GSAB.

(3) An academic deficiency program that lasts for a maximum of two semesters may be recommended to students admitted to the program by the GSAB by recommendation of the concerned GPC. This recommendation must be made at admission to a graduate program and all the academic deficiency courses that the student will take must be indicated on the Academic Deficiency Program Form. No changes may be made to the courses indicated on the form during the implementation of the program.

(4) The time spent in an academic deficiency program is a maximum of two semesters. Summer School is not included in this period. The time spent in an academic deficiency program is not included in the maximum duration for the concerned graduate program.

(5) The total amount of course credits in an academic deficiency program may not exceed eighteen credits.

(6) The provisions regarding the academic deficiency program are stated below:

a) An academic deficiency program for Master’s studies consists of undergraduate and/or graduate level courses. The credits of these courses are not included in the course load of the concerned graduate program.

b) An academic deficiency program for doctoral studies consists of undergraduate and/or MA/MS level courses and the credits of these courses are not included in the course load of the concerned doctoral program.

c) During an academic deficiency program, students may enroll in graduate courses with NI status by recommendation of the concerned GPC and approval of the GSAB.

(7) For students to be deemed successful in an academic deficiency program and start their graduate studies, they must earn at least the letter grade CC in the undergraduate and CB in graduate courses they have taken and complete the program with a Cumulative Grade Point Average of minimum 2.50.

(8) The duration of an academic deficiency program may not be extended, excluding semester leaves of absence. Students who are not successful in the academic deficiency period are dismissed from the program.

Initial Enrollment to a program

ARTICLE 16 – (1) The registration of students admitted to graduate programs are conducted by the RO within the period specified in the academic calendar.

(2) The requirements listed below should be fulfilled for completion of enrollment of graduate program admissions:

a) Holding an undergraduate diploma for those admitted to Master’s with or without a thesis and Ph.D. on Bachelor’s degree programs, holding a Master’s diploma for those admitted to doctoral programs.

b) For international students, not having a student visa problem.

c) Fulfilling the provisions regarding tuition and education fees.

d) Fulfilling other requirements announced by the University.

(3) Originals of documents required for registration or their copies approved by the University upon presentation of the originals are accepted. Regarding compulsory military service and judicial records, the application is processed based on the candidate’s declaration. In case students who have earned the right for registration with false or misleading declarations and documents are detected, they will not be registered. If they have already been registered, the registration will be cancelled regardless of the semester they are in, all documents issued to them, including diplomas, will be declared null and void, and legal action will be taken against them. Those in this position are deemed not to have earned a student status and cannot enjoy any rights granted to students in the future.

(4) Students who have completed the registration procedures are provided with a student ID card. The ID cards contain personal information about students.

(5) Those who have not completed their registration within the announced period are deemed to have waived their student rights and thereafter cannot claim any of those rights.

Courses and course credits

ARTICLE 17 – (1) Courses within graduate programs are of two types: compulsory and elective. Compulsory courses are those that are defined in the curriculum and thus must be taken. Elective courses are those whose numbers, types and groups are defined in the curriculum and are selected by students.

(2) Course titles, codes, contents, credits, categories, prerequisites, co-requisites, midterm exams, final exams and other similar features and amendments to be made to these features are determined by recommendation of the concerned GPC and decision of the GSAB.

(3) Prerequisite and co-requisite courses may be specified so that a specific course might be taken. A course which must be taken and successfully completed before a specific course might be taken is called a prerequisite course, whereas a course which must be taken simultaneously with another course during the same semester is called the co-requisite course.

(4) In case of exemption from a prerequisite or co-requisite course, the student is deemed to have fulfilled the prerequisite or the co-requisite requirement(s) of the concerned course.

(5) Apart from prerequisite and co-requisite courses, some additional requirements may be specified by the concerned GPC so that a certain course might be taken.

(6) The credit value of a course consists of all of its weekly theoretical course hours plus half the weekly hours of laboratory, workshop, studio, practicum and other similar work related to that course.

(7) The weekly theoretical and practicum hours of non-credit courses like seminars, fields of specialization, term projects and thesis work are specified; however, a credit value is not allocated for such courses.

(8) At least one graduate course on the subjects of scientific research techniques and research and publication ethics must be taken during a graduate program. Regulations concerning such courses are drawn up by the concerned GSAB.

Course substitution in graduate programs

ARTICLE 18 – (1) Substitution of the courses taken by students from another institution of higher education for courses in the graduate program they are currently enrolled in is made by the GSAB by the recommendation of the concerned GPC.

(2) Course substitution is made in accordance with the current curriculum.

(3) The number of the exempted courses after course substitution cannot exceed 50% of the course load of the concerned graduate program.

(4) Except for the graduate courses taken with NI status, courses taken previously in another diploma program that the student has completed and/or courses taken simultaneously from two different graduate programs cannot be substituted in both programs.

(5) The principles and provisions concerning course substitution are specified by the GSAB.

Extra-curricular courses

ARTICLE 19 – (1) Extra-curricular courses are credit courses that do not exist in the graduate program a student is enrolled in, but which the student additionally takes. The regulations concerning such courses are stated below:

a) Such courses are considered in the status NI (not included in the Grade Point Average).

b) The status of courses falling into the NI status cannot be altered after the registration procedures of the concerned semester are completed.

c) Courses falling into the NI status cannot be substituted for courses in the program or programs the student is enrolled in during the semester they are taken.

d) Except for the courses that must be taken in the NI status in an academic deficiency program, the status of courses not taken in the NI status cannot be rendered NI after the registration procedures of the concerned semester are completed.

e) A course taken in the NI status can only be repeated in the same status.

f) Courses taken in the NI status are not included in Grade Point Average calculations.

g) Courses taken in the NI status are indicated in the transcript along with the earned letter grade.

Semester registrations

ARTICLE 20 - (1) Each semester, students must re-register on the online registration dates indicated in the academic calendar. However, students who enroll in a graduate program for the first time may also register in the add/drop week indicated in the academic calendar. Students who fail to register on the designated dates are deemed unregistered and may not enjoy the rights of registered students.

(2) Semester registration procedures consist of the following phases:

a) The student pays the tuition or education fee and fulfills any other financial obligation (dormitory fee, library fee, etc.) pertaining to previous years, if any.

b) The student registers for the new semester.

c) The student meets her/his advisor to obtain approval for the online semester registration.

(3) Students who have completed their semester registration during the online registration period may add or drop courses or change course sections during the add/drop period indicated in the academic calendar. Advisor approval is required in order for the changes to be valid.

(4) Students who have been granted an additional period in any phase of the graduate program must re-register for the additional period.

(5) Among students who fall into the unregistered status during the normal period of study or maximum period of study, those who wish to register for a semester must apply to the chair of the concerned GPC by stating and documenting a valid reason before the termination of the designated add/drop period for that semester. The student whose excuse is accepted by the concerned administrative board and who meets the requirements for the semester registration is re-registered by the RO.

(6) Students who fall into the unregistered status may register for ensuing semesters on dates indicated for the online registrations in the academic calendar. However, these students must submit a petition to the RO latest by the date online registrations start.

(7) The semesters for which the student has failed to register are included in the normal and maximum periods of study.

Course withdrawal

ARTICLE 21- (1) Graduate students cannot withdraw from courses.

PART 3 Examinations and Assessment

Attendance and examinations

ARTICLE 22 - (1) Students are to attend the courses, practical work, examinations and other academic studies as required by the instructors.

(2) The attendance records of students regarding courses, practical work and similar studies are monitored by the instructor.

(3) The contribution of student attendance, if applicable, to their eligibility to take mid-term and final examinations and their letter grade for the semester, the contribution of mid-term examinations, homework assignments, practical work and other similar studies for which the students are responsible to their letter grade for the semester, and if applicable, provisions for being eligible to take the final exam are determined by the instructor offering the course and all of these are announced to the students at the beginning of the semester.

(4) At least one interim assessment such as a written examination, a project submission, a homework submission, an oral presentation is carried out for each course. The dates of such assessments are announced by the concerned instructor within the first month of the semester.

(5) Students are informed of their semester standing for each course by the concerned instructor. In issuing this information, the confidentiality regarding the personal information of students is protected.

(6) In each course, at least one end-of-the-term assessment such as a written examination, a project submission, a homework submission, an oral presentation is done in each course. The regulations regarding final examinations are stated below:

a) In courses for which a final exam is given, the date and hour are specified and announced by the RO upon obtaining the opinion of the concerned GPC.

b) Announced examination dates may be changed by the RO based on the reasoned recommendation of the concerned GPC provided that they are within the period of final examinations for that semester. This change is made before the period of final examinations for that semester starts.

(7) A make-up opportunity is given to students who have not participated in the required assessment of any course such as taking a written examination, submitting a project or homework or making an oral presentation provided that their excuse is deemed valid by the concerned instructor.

(8) If deemed necessary, courses and exams may be held after weekly working hours and/or on Saturdays and Sundays.

Assessment and grades

ARTICLE 23- (1) Students are assigned a letter grade for each course at the end of the semester they are registered.

(2) This letter grade is at the discretion of the instructor offering the course.

(3) In determining the letter grade, the students’ mid-term and final examination grades, their success in their studies within the semester and their attendance during course and practical work are taken into consideration.

(4) The coefficients of the letter grades and the score intervals used in the calculation of Grade Point Average are indicated below:

a)

Letter Grade	Coefficient	Score intervals
AA	4.00	90-l00
BA	3.50	85-89
BB	3.00	80-84
CB	2.50	75-79
CC	2.00	70-74
DC	1.50	65-69
DD	1.00	60-64
FD	0.50	50-59
FF	0.00	0-49
NA	0.00	*

Letter Grade Status

S Satisfactory

P Progressing

U Unsatisfactory

EX Exempt

I Incomplete

b) The grade NA (not attended) is assigned by the instructor to students for one of the reasons stated below and is processed as FF in the calculation of Grade Point Average.

1) Not having fulfilled the requirements regarding attendance to theoretical and practicum hours specified in the course schedule.

2) Not being eligible to take the final exam due to not fulfilling the requirements regarding the course practices specified in the course schedule.

3) Not having taken any of the midterm exam(s) or the final exam.

(5) Grades which are not included in the Grade Point Average are as follows:

a) The grade S (satisfactory) is assigned to students who are successful in non-credit courses and/or thesis work.

b) The grade U (unsatisfactory) is assigned to students who are not successful in non-credit courses and/or thesis work.

c) The grade P (progressing) is assigned to students who are successfully carrying on their non-credit courses and/or thesis work.

d) The grade EX (exempt) is assigned to students who have been exempted from certain courses in the curriculum. Principles regarding exemptions are determined by the Senate.

e) The grade I (incomplete) is assigned to students who are not able to complete the course requirements by the end of the semester or the summer school for a reason found valid by the course instructor. The grade “I” must be converted to a letter grade within a week from the last day of grade submissions for the semester or summer school. In special cases, however, this period may be extended latest until the date registrations start for the following semester, when it must be converted to a letter grade. These special procedures are conducted by recommendation of the GPC offering the course and the approval of the GSAB.

f) In case of failure to convert the grade “I” to a letter grade within the required period, the grade “I” will be automatically converted to the grade “FF” or “U”. The dates concerning the letter grade “I” are indicated in the academic calendar.

Submission and announcement of grades and grade corrections

ARTICLE 24 – (1) Final grades for the semester are submitted by course instructors on the dates indicated in the academic calendar.

(2) The grades are announced on the related Internet address to be opened to the access of students on the date indicated in the academic calendar.

(3) Any errors in grading are corrected with the approval of the concerned GPC upon the course instructor’s application for correction within a week from the last day for the submission of semester or summer school final grades. In cases wh ere this period is exceeded, the correction of errors must be made by recommendation of the GPC which offers the course and the approval of the concerned GSAB. The dates concerning grade corrections are indicated in the academic calendar.

Success in a course and course repeats

ARTICLE 25 – (1) Provisions regarding success in a course and repeating a course are as follows:

a) In order to be deemed successful in a credit course, students are required to earn a minimum of a grade CC in a Master's program, and grade CB in a doctoral program.

b) In order to be considered successful in a non-credit course in graduate programs, students are required to receive the grade S.

c) Students are required to repeat a course that they have failed.

d) Students who have failed in a course or have not enrolled/could not enroll in a course indicated in the curriculum must take it the first semester it is offered. Courses within the framework of the curriculum and found appropriate by the advisor may replace elective courses that are to be repeated.

e) Students may repeat the course/courses in which they were successful in order to increase their Cumulative Grade Point Averages with the approval of the instructor offering the course. The grade earned in the repeated course is valid regardless of the previous grade.

Grade Point Averages

ARTICLE 26 – (1) Students’ semester Grade Point Averages and their Cumulative Grade Point Averages are calculated at the end of each semester and their standing related to success is determined.

(2) The total credit points obtained from a course are calculated by multiplying the credit value of the course and the coefficient corresponding to the letter grade earned from the course at the end of the semester.

(3) The Semester Grade Point Average is calculated through the division of the total credit points obtained from all the courses the student has taken in the concerned semester by the total credit values of those courses.

(4) The Cumulative Grade Point Average is calculated through the division of the total credit points obtained from all the courses the student has taken up to that time, the semester concerned inclusive, by the total credit values of those courses.

(5) The Grade Point Averages obtained in these calculations are expressed by rounding them off to the second digit after the decimal point. In rounding the numbers off, the second digit after the decimal point does not change if the third digit is smaller than 5, but it increases by 0.01 if the third digit is 5 or greater.

Student Dismissal

ARTICLE 27 – (1) Students who fit any of the following descriptions are dismissed from the programs they are registered in:

(1) Students who are not successful at the end of the academic deficiency period;

(2) Students who cannot complete the course load specified by the GPC in four semesters in Master's with a thesis and doctoral programs, in three semesters in Master's without a thesis programs, or in six semesters in Ph.D. on Bachelor’s degree programs, and/or students whose Cumulative Grade Point Average is below 3.00 at the end of the period specified for taking courses in those programs

(3) Students who receive the letter grade "U" twice consecutively or three times intermittently in their thesis work or related courses

(4) Students who fail the doctoral comprehensive exam twice

(5) Students who cannot successfully complete the courses that are specified by the Doctoral Comprehensive Examination Board and are taken in the NI status with a minimum letter grade of BB or better within the maximum duration

(6) Students in doctoral degree programs whose thesis proposals have been rejected twice

(7) Students whose theses have been rejected

(8) Students whose revised theses have been rejected

(9) Students who have been deemed successful in thesis defense but have failed to submit the bound copies of their theses to the Chair of GSAB in one month from the date of thesis defense, or until the end of the additional period (of maximum one month) for submission granted by the GSAB

(10) Students who cannot complete the program within maximum duration

Graduation requirements and dates

ARTICLE 28 – (1) The following requirements must be fulfilled in order to be eligible for graduation from a graduate program:

a) The success requirements indicated in the concerned provisions of this Regulation should have been fulfilled.

b) The final registered semester must be spent at METU, with the exception of international joint graduate degree programs conducted in collaboration with contracted universities abroad.

(2) The date of graduation from graduate programs is determined as follows:

a) In Master’s programs with a thesis, the graduation date is the date on which the thesis jury members convene and the student successfully defends his/her thesis,

b) In non-thesis Master’s programs, the graduation date is the announcement date of the letter grades for the concerned semester or Summer School as indicated in the academic calendar. For those who graduate as a result of the correction of an erroneous grade and/or the conversion of the grade “I” to a letter grade, the graduation date is the date on which the letter grade is finalized.

c) In doctoral programs, the graduation date is the date on which the thesis jury members convene and the student successfully defends his/her thesis.

Plagiarism

ARTICLE 29– (1) In order for a Master's or doctoral thesis to be defended before a thesis examining committee for the first time or at the end of the additional period granted by the committee, the following requirements should be fulfilled:

a) The report showing the similarity index of the thesis should be received by the thesis supervisor by running the thesis through plagiarism software.

b) The similarity percentage of the thesis should be smaller than the maximum similarity index set by the GSAB.

c) The similarity index report should be distributed to the members of the thesis examining committee together with the thesis after the approval of the thesis supervisor.

(2) After the thesis work is completed,

a) the plagiarism report showing the final status of the Master's or doctoral thesis should be received and approved by the thesis supervisor,

b) the bound copies of the thesis should be submitted/presented to the concerned GPC,

c) the bound copies of the thesis should be approved by the concerned GPC and presented to the Chair of GSAB for approval.

(3) In case of detection of plagiarism in a thesis, disciplinary action will be taken against the student according to the concerned articles of the Rules and Regulations Governing Disciplinary Procedures in Institutions of Higher Education published in the Official Gazette No. 28388 dated 18 August 2012.

PART 4 Provisions Regarding Master’s Programs

Aim and scope

ARTICLE 30– (1) Master’s programs are conducted in two modes, namely, Master’s programs with a thesis and non- thesis Master’s programs.

(2) The aim of Master’s programs with a thesis is to have students access knowledge through scientific research, evaluate and interpret this knowledge and convert this acquisition into an academic product in the form of a thesis.

(3) The aim of non-thesis Master’s programs is to have students gain expert-level knowledge in the related field and the ability to use their existing knowledge in professional applications.

The duration of Master’s programs with a thesis

ARTICLE 31 – (1) The normal duration of a Master’s program with a thesis is four semesters, excluding the period spent in the Academic Deficiency Program. The maximum duration of the program is six semesters.

(2) In a Master’s program with a thesis, the maximum duration for the completion of credit courses and seminar courses is four semesters.

(3) In cases wh ere the examining committee deems necessary, students whose work is found insufficient during their thesis defense may be granted an additional three months to enable them to complete their thesis work.

Course loads and success in Master’s programs with a thesis

ARTICLE 32 – (1) The phases of a Master’s program with a thesis consist of at least seven credit courses with a cumulative minimum total of twenty-one credits, one seminar course, thesis work and the defense of the thesis before an examining committee, corresponding to a minimum total of 120 ECTS-credits.

(2) From the date a thesis supervisor is assigned, the student should register for thesis work or the related courses every semester.

(3) In Master’s programs with a thesis, courses coded 3XX and 4XX may be taken provided that they were not taken during undergraduate education. However, only two of these courses may be counted in the course load of the program.

(4) Students can take a maximum of two graduate courses offered in other institutions of higher education, by recommendation of the GPC and with the approval of the GSAB.

(5) Students who cannot successfully complete the courses (credit courses and seminar course) specified by the GPC in a maximum of two academic years (four semesters), and/or students whose Cumulative Grade Point Average is below 3.00 are dismissed from their graduate program.

Master’s thesis supervisor

ARTICLE 33 – (1) In a Master's program with a thesis, a thesis supervisor and a thesis topic specified by the student and the supervisor are recommended by the GPC to the Chair of GSAB latest by the end of the first semester. The thesis supervisor and the thesis topic are finalized after the approval of the GSAB.

(2) The thesis supervisor is selected from METU faculty.

(3) In cases wh ere the nature of the thesis work calls for more than one supervisor, a second supervisor may be assigned as co-supervisor by recommendation of the concerned GPC and approval of the GSAB. The co-supervisor should be a faculty member of the University or a person from outside the University holding at least a Doctoral degree.

(4) Provisions concerning the assignment and replacement of a supervisor or a co-supervisor are determined by the GSAB.

Preparation and finalization of a Master’s thesis

ARTICLE 34 – (1) The Master’s thesis comprises the phases of thesis work, and following this, its defense before of an examining committee.

(2) Students are expected to successfully complete their thesis work within the maximum duration. At the end of that period, students who fail to attend the thesis defense session are dismissed from the programs they are registered in.

(3) Students who receive the letter grade “U” twice consecutively, or three times intermittently in their thesis work or related courses within the maximum duration are deemed unsuccessful and are dismissed from their programs.

(4) The student whose thesis work has been approved as successfully completed by the thesis supervisor must put her/his findings on paper in English in accordance with the principles indicated in the METU Thesis Manual. The provisions regarding thesis defense are as follows:

a) The student who has completed her/his thesis submits a copy to the thesis supervisor. The supervisor checks the thesis for plagiarism and writes a report on it. The plagiarism report, a copy of the unbound thesis and the thesis jury appointment form are then sent to the Chair of GSAB with the approval of the GPC latest one month before the meeting date of the committee.

b) The latest date on which students may defend their thesis is indicated in the academic calendar for each semester.

c) The thesis jury is appointed by recommendation of the concerned graduate program committee and the approval of the GSAB. The jury is composed of three or five faculty members, one being the thesis supervisor of the student. The jury should include at least one member, excluding the thesis supervisor, from outside the full-time permanent faculty of METU Northern Cyprus Campus (including the visiting faculty). If the jury is composed of three members, the co-supervisor cannot be a member of the jury.

d) The jury members convene within one month as of the date they receive the thesis to have the student defend it. The thesis defense, which must be conducted in English, comprises the presentation of the thesis work and the consecutive question and answer session, and is open to an audience.

e) The date and place of the thesis defense is announced on the official web page of the concerned graduate program.

(5) After the thesis defense is completed, the jury decides, in the absence of the audience and in absolute majority, whether the result is “approval”, “revision” or “refusal”. The Chair of GSAB is notified of the decision of the jury by the GPC latest within three days through an official exam report. The student whose thesis is not approved is dismissed from her/his program.

(6) Students who are asked to review their theses after the defense may be given an extension of maximum three months by the jury. The student makes the required revisions and defends the thesis once again before the same jury. At the end of this period, students who fail to stand before the jury for a defense, or whose thesis is not approved after the defense are dismissed from their programs.

(7) Within one month from the date of the defense, the student found successful in her/his thesis defense must submit to the GSAB Chair, at least three bound copies of the thesis found appropriate as per format by the concerned GS, together with the plagiarism report. Upon the student's request, the submission deadline may be extended maximum one month by recommendation of the concerned GPC and with the approval of the GSAB. Students who fail to meet these requirements cannot receive their diplomas until they do so, nor can they enjoy the rights granted to students. Such students are dismissed from their programs when their maximum period for study expires.

(8) A student whose official jury report has been submitted to the RO after being signed by the concerned GS director is entitled to a Master’s degree.

(9) A student whose thesis has been rejected may be granted, upon her/his request and if the concerned GPC has a standard non-thesis Master's program, an additional one academic semester to complete the course and project load requirements of the program. If the student is also deemed unsuccessful at the end of that period, she/he is dismissed from the program.

The duration of a non-thesis Master’s program

ARTICLE 35 – (1) The duration of a non-thesis Master’s program is two academic semesters, excluding the period spent in the Academic Deficiency Program. The maximum duration is three academic semesters.

Course loads and success in non-thesis Master’s programs

ARTICLE 36 – (1) A non-thesis Master’s program consists of at least ten courses with a total of thirty credits, a Semester Project course and at least ninety ECTS-credits. The student must register for the semester project in the semester it is offered and submit a written report at the end of that semester. The semester project is a non-credit course, and is evaluated as "Successful" or "Unsuccessful".

(2) In non-thesis Master’s programs, courses coded 3XX and 4XX may be taken provided that they were not taken during undergraduate education. However, only two of these courses may be counted in the course load of the program. Furthermore, students can sel ect a maximum of two graduate courses offered in other institutions of higher education, by recommendation of the GPC and with the approval of the GSAB. In second-track graduate programs without a thesis, taking courses outside the program is regulated by the University.

(3) A student who cannot successfully complete the course load (credit courses and the project course) specified by the GPC at the end of the three academic semesters, and/or whose Cumulative Grade Point Average is below 3.00 is dismissed from the program.

(4) A student who successfully completes a non-thesis Master’s program with a Cumulative Grade Point Average of at least 3.00 in maximum three academic semesters is entitled to a Master’s degree without thesis.

Advisor assignment in non-thesis Master's programs

ARTICLE 37– (1) In the first semester a student enrolls in a non-thesis Master's program, either a faculty member or a member of the academic staff holding at least a doctoral degree is assigned as advisor for that student by the GPC for the purpose of course selection and advisor approval, and in the semester wh ere the student is registered for semester project, for supervising the project work.

PART 5 Provisions Regarding Doctoral Programs

Aim and scope

ARTICLE 38 – (1) The aim of a Ph.D. program is to equip students with the skills of doing independent research, interpreting scientific phenomena with broad and in-depth analysis and determining the necessary steps that will lead to new syntheses. The authentic thesis to be prepared following doctoral work must bear at least one of the qualities below:

a) Introducing innovation to science by generating new knowledge.

b) Developing a new method of scientific research and applying this.

c) Developing a new application of a well-known method and applying this.

The duration of a Ph.D. program

ARTICLE 39 – (1) The normal duration of a Ph.D. program is eight academic semesters, excluding the period spent in the Academic Deficiency Program. The maximum duration of the Ph.D. program is twelve academic semesters. In Ph.D. on Bachelor’s degree programs, the normal duration is ten academic semesters, and the maximum duration is fourteen academic semesters.

(2) In Ph.D. programs, the maximum duration for the completion of credit courses and the seminar course is four academic semesters:

(3) In Ph.D. on Bachelor’s degree programs, the maximum duration for the completion of credit courses and the seminar course is six academic semesters.

(4) In cases wh ere the jury deems necessary, students whose work is found unsatisfactory during their doctoral thesis defense may be granted an additional period of maximum six months to enable them to complete their thesis work.

Course loads and success in Ph.D. programs

ARTICLE 40 – (1) A Ph.D. program consists of the phases of at least seven credit courses with a cumulative total of twenty-one credits, one seminar course, the doctoral comprehensive examination, the thesis proposal, thesis work and the defense of the thesis before a jury, as well as a total of at least 240 ECTS-credits.

(2) The phases of Ph.D. on Bachelor’s degree programs consist of at least fourteen credit courses with a cumulative total of at least forty-two credits, one seminar course, the doctoral comprehensive examination, the thesis proposal, thesis work and the defense of the thesis before of a jury, as well as a total of at least 300 ECTS-credits

(3) As of the beginning of the semester following the assignment of the thesis supervisor, the student must register for the thesis work and the related courses each semester.

(4) Undergraduate courses taken in a doctoral program cannot be counted in the course load or towards doctoral credits.

(5) Of the graduate courses offered in other institutions of higher education, students in Ph.D. programs can sel ect a maximum of two, and those in Ph.D. on Bachelor’s degree programs can sel ect a maximum of four courses by recommendation of the GPC and with the approval of the GSAB.

(6) Students who cannot successfully complete the courses (credit courses and seminar course) specified by the GPC within four academic semesters in Ph.D. programs, and in six academic semesters in Ph.D. on Bachelor’s degree programs, and/or students whose Cumulative Grade Point Average is below 3.00 may not sit the doctoral comprehensive examination, and are dismissed from the programs they are enrolled in.

Ph.D. thesis supervisor

ARTICLE 41 – (1) The thesis supervisor is assigned by recommendation of the concerned GPC and approval of the ABGS latest by the end of the second semester.

(2) The thesis supervisor is selected from METU members of faculty.

(3) In cases wh ere the nature of the thesis work calls for more than one supervisor, a second supervisor may be assigned as co-supervisor by recommendation of the concerned GPC and approval of the GSAB. The co-supervisor may be a faculty member from inside or outside the University holding at least a doctoral degree.

(4) Provisions concerning the assignment and replacement of a supervisor or a co-supervisor are determined by the concerned graduate studies board.

(5) In order to qualify as a thesis supervisor, the faculty member should have supervised at least one Master’s thesis which should have been successfully completed.

The doctoral comprehensive examination

ARTICLE 42 – (1) The doctoral comprehensive examination (DCE) is the assessment of the students’ knowledge of the basic subjects and concepts in their field, and of whether they possess the depth of scientific research related to doctoral work.

(2) In order to be eligible to take the DCE, students should successfully complete the courses and the seminar course, and their Cumulative Grade Point Average should be at least 3.00.

(3) A student may take the DCE twice the most.

(4) The DCE is administered twice a year, in May and November. The names of applicants for the DCE are submitted by the GPC to the Chair of the GSAB one month prior to the exam.

(5) Students in Ph.D. programs must take the DCE latest by the end of the fifth semester, and students in Ph.D. on Bachelor’s degree programs must take it latest by the end of the seventh semester.

(6) Comprehensive examinations are arranged and administered by a Doctoral Comprehensive Board of five faculty members who are assigned for a three-year term by recommendation of the GPC and approval of the GSAB. The Board sets up examination juries in order to prepare exams in varied fields, and administer and evaluate these exams. An examination jury comprises five members, at least two of whom are from outside the University and one of whom is the student’s thesis supervisor. The supervisor has a right to vote. The DCE meetings may be open to instructors, graduate students and experts in the field. However, the audience is asked to leave the room during the decision phase.

(7) The DCE consists of written and oral examinations that will assess the students’ competence in the related field and their disposition towards research. The DCE is conducted in English in its entirety.

(8) Students who succeed in the written examination take an oral examination. The exam format and weight, success criteria and the calculation of the exam grades are determined by the Doctoral Comprehensive Board. The jury decides, by absolute majority, whether a student is to be deemed “successful” or “unsuccessful” by evaluating the results of the written and oral components of the exam. The GPC notifies the GSAB of this decision latest within three days in an official report approved by Doctoral Comprehensive Board.

(9) The DCE jury may require a student who is successful in the DCE to take a course/courses additional to those taken even if the course load requirements have been fulfilled. Upon approval by the Doctoral Comprehensive Board, the GSAB is notified of these courses through the concerned GPC. The student must earn the letter grade BB minimum in the specified courses. These courses are taken in NI status and are not counted in the Cumulative Grade Point Average. A student who cannot successfully complete these courses within the maximum period may not defend her/his thesis before a jury and is dismissed from the program.

(10) Students who fail their first exam re-sit the exam in the ensuing semester. If a student is deemed unsuccessful once again, then she/he is dismissed from the program.

(11) Students who fail to sit any phase of the DCE are considered to have exercised their right to take that exam and are deemed unsuccessful in that phase.

Doctoral thesis advisory committee (TAC)

ARTICLE 43 – (1) A TAC is assigned, within one month, to a student who is successful in the DCE by recommendation of the concerned GPC and approval of the GSAB so as to approve the student’s doctoral thesis proposal and to monitor the course of the thesis work in ensuing semesters.

(2) The TAC is composed of three faculty members. In addition to the thesis advisor, there are two other members in the committee, one from the graduate program and the other from outside the graduate program. In cases wh ere a co-supervisor has been appointed, the co-supervisor may attend the meetings if he/she wishes.

(3) In ensuing semesters, TAC members may be replaced by recommendation of the GPC and approval of the GSAB.

Defense of the thesis proposal and monitoring the course of the thesis work

ARTICLE 44 - (1) Within six months latest after the DCE, the student who is deemed successful defends orally and in English her/his thesis proposal which comprises the purpose of the thesis work, the research method and the future work plan before the TAC. The student submits a written report to the TAC members at least fifteen days prior to this meeting.

(2) The TAC decides, with absolute majority, to “approve”, "return for revision" or “reject” the presented thesis proposal. One month is allotted for revision. At the end of this period, and by latest within three days after the defense of the thesis proposal, the GPC notifies, in an official report, the concerned GS of the final decision which is taken by absolute majority as "approval" or "refusal".

(3) Students whose thesis proposals are rejected have a right to choose another thesis topic or thesis supervisor, in which case a new TAC may be assigned. Students who choose to continue the program with the same thesis supervisor defend their proposal once again latest within the ensuing three months, and those who choose a different thesis topic or thesis supervisor do so latest within the ensuing six months. In case of rejection of the thesis proposal a second time, the student is dismissed from the program.

(4) For the student whose thesis proposal has been approved, the TAC convenes twice a year, once between January and June and once between July and December. The student submits a written report to the TAC members at least one month before their meeting. In this report, a summary of the work covered thus far and the work plan for the next semester are given. The letter grade for the student’s thesis work is determined as (S) or (U) by the TAC. Students who receive the letter grade "U" twice consecutively, or three times intermittently, in their thesis work are deemed unsuccessful and dismissed from their programs.

(5) A student who fails to attend the thesis proposal defense session without a valid excuse within the period stated in Article 1 of this Regulation is deemed unsuccessful and her/his thesis proposal is rejected.

(6) In order for the student's thesis to be finalized, at least three TAC reports should be presented.

Preparation and finalization of a Doctoral thesis

ARTICLE 45 – (1) The Doctoral thesis comprises the phases of thesis work, and following this, its defense before a jury.

(2) Students should successfully complete their thesis work within their maximum duration. Students who fail to stand for the defense of their thesis before the maximum duration terminates are dismissed from their program.

(3) The student whose thesis work has been approved as completed by the thesis supervisor must put her/his findings on paper in accordance with the principles indicated in the METU Thesis Manual. The regulations regarding the thesis defense are as follows:

a) Upon completing her/his thesis, the student submits a copy of it to her/his thesis supervisor, who checks it for plagiarism, prepares a plagiarism report, and together with it, sends a copy of the unbound thesis and the GPC approved jury-member appointment form to the Chair of GSAB.

b) The latest date on which students may defend their thesis for each semester is indicated in the academic calendar.

c) The doctoral thesis jury is appointed with the approval of the GSAB by recommendation of the thesis advisor and concerned GPC. The committee is composed of five members of faculty including those in the TAC and at least two members from a different institutions of higher education. The thesis supervisor has a right to vote. In addition to the five members of the thesis jury, the co-supervisor may attend the meeting without a right to vote.

d) The jury members convene within one month as of the date they receive the thesis so as to have the student defend the thesis. The thesis defense, which must be conducted in English and shall comprise the presentation of the thesis work and a consecutive question and answer session, is open to an audience. The audience is asked to leave the room before the decision is announced.

e) The date and the place on which the thesis defense is to take place is announced on the official Internet page of the concerned graduate program.

(4) After the thesis defense is completed, the jury decides in the absence of the audience and in absolute majority, whether the result is “approval”, “revision” or “rejection”. The decision of the jury is sent to the Chair of GSAB by the GPC with the official jury report latest within three days of the defense. Students who are unsuccessful and whose theses are rejected are dismissed from their program.

(5) Students who are asked to review their theses after the defense may be given an extension of maximum six months by the jury. The student makes the required revisions and defends the thesis once again before the same jury. Students who fail to stand before the jury for a defense before this period expires, or whose thesis is not approved after this defense are dismissed from their program.

(6) The student found successful in her/his thesis defense must submit to the Chair of GSAB, at least three bound copies of the thesis found appropriate as per format by the Chair of GSAB, along with the plagiarism report, within one month as of the date of the defense. Upon request, the student may be given an extension of maximum one month for the submission of the thesis by the GSAB. Students who fail to meet these requirements cannot receive their diplomas or exercise rights granted to students until they do so, and are dismissed from their programs if the maximum duration expires.

(7) A student whose official jury report has been submitted to the RO after being signed by the Chair of GSAB is entitled to a Doctoral degree.

(8) Upon request, students in Ph.D. on Bachelor’s degree programs who fail to complete the credit courses and/or thesis work within the maximum duration, and those whose doctoral thesis is not approved by the thesis jury are granted an extension of one semester so that they might meet the requirements like the course load and project load of the standard non-thesis program of the concerned GPC, if any. Students who successfully complete the course load, project load and similar requirements of the non-thesis program within the maximum duration are entitled to a non-thesis Master's diploma. Those who are deemed unsuccessful at the end of that period are dismissed from the program.

PART 6 

Diplomas and documents

ARTICLE 46 – (1) Diplomas, certificates awarded and other documents issued to students and graduates, and the provisions regarding the issuance of these are as follows:

a) Master’s with a Thesis Diploma: This diploma is awarded to those who meet the graduation requirements of a Master’s program with a thesis.

b) Master’s without a Thesis Diploma: This diploma is awarded to those who meet the graduation requirements of a Master’s program without a thesis.

c) Ph.D. Diploma: This diploma is awarded to those who meet the graduation requirements of a Doctoral program or a Ph.D. on Bachelor’s degree program.

d) Provisional Certificate of Graduation: This document is issued only once as a substitute for a diploma to students who are deemed eligible for graduation, and it is valid until the date of the commencement ceremony of the concerned academic year.

e) Diploma Supplement: This is a document which accompanies diplomas and aims at the international recognition of the academic and professional competences of their holders.

f) Transcript: This document is a complete official record of the courses taken each semester, their credits values and the grades earned, the grade point averages for the concerned semesters, the cumulative grade point averages and the standing of a student starting from the student’s admission to the university.

g) Student Certificate: This is a document which shows the University registration status of a student.

(2) Diplomas, certificates and other such documents are signed by the below-mentioned authorities:

a) Diplomas are signed by the President of METU, the Chair of Campus Executive Board and the concerned Graduate Program Coordinator.

b) Provisional certificate of graduation is signed by the Chair of GSAB, the concerned Graduate Program Coordinator and authorized RO staff.

c) The diploma supplement, transcript and student certificate are signed by authorized RO staff.

(3) The graduate program the student is enrolled in is indicated on diplomas and documents.

(4) The format, size and information to be written on diplomas are specified by the Senate.

(5) In the event of the loss of a diploma, a replacement copy is issued, once only. The replacement copy bears the notation “second copy”.

(6) In the event of a change in the name and/or surname of the graduate after the graduation date, replacement copies of diplomas and/or certificates are not issued, nor is the information on them changed.

Academic advisors

ARTICLE 47 – (1) Chairs of each GSD assign an academic advisor fr om among full-time faculty to each student admitted to a graduate program. Once the thesis supervisor is assigned, she/he also performs the function of an academic advisor.

(2) The duties/responsibilities of the academic advisors are stated below:

a) They inform students about the courses they are to take each semester and provide guidance in choosing them.

b) They approve semester registrations after evaluating the courses to be taken with the student according to her/his academic standing.

c) They provide information and guidance to the student in adapting to university life, professional development and career choices.

Disciplinary procedures

ARTICLE 48 – (1) The disciplinary procedures regarding students are carried out in accordance with the provisions of the Middle East Technical University Northern Cyprus Campus Directive for Student Disciplinary Matters approved by the METU Senate.

Student grants

ARTICLE 49 – (1) The provisions governing the distribution of student grants and aids obtained fr om various sources are determined by the Senate.

Health services

ARTICLE 50 – (1) The provisions governing the health services offered to students are determined by the Senate.

Tuitions and other fees

ARTICLE 51 – (1) Tuitions, education fees and other fees are determined by the University Administrative Board within the framework of the Council of Ministers decree.

Leaves of absence

ARTICLE 52 – (1) Students may be granted a leave of absence fr om the University for a maximum period of two semesters with the decision of the GSAB based on obligations related to health, military service, education in an institution of higher education in Turkey or abroad, or financial and familial obligations. In obligatory cases, this period can be extended by the GSAB.

(2) Students who wish to be granted a leave of absence must apply to the concerned GPC with a petition stating valid grounds for the request and the necessary documents latest by the end of the add-drop week of the related semester. The GPC submits the student’s leave of absence request to the GSAB along with the views of both student’s academic advisor/thesis supervisor and the GPC. Excluding unexpected circumstances, applications made after the add-drop week are not processed.

(3) The decision of the GSAB is sent to the RO, which processes the decision and notifies the student and the concerned academic and administrative units.

(4) The academic status of the students whose leave periods have ended may register for the new semester on the dates stated in the academic calendar.

(5) Students who wish to return to University earlier than the termination of the leave period must apply with a petition to the concerned GPC before interactive registrations start. After the application is evaluated by the student’s academic advisor/thesis supervisor, the Chair of GPC and the Chair of GSAB, it is sent to the RO. The status of the student is evaluated within the framework of the related articles in this Regulation. Students who meet the registration requirements may register for the new semester on the dates stated in the academic calendar.

Withdrawal of registration

ARTICLE 53 – (1) Students who wish so may withdraw their registration through the Student Affairs Information System.

(2) Students who withdraw their registration or are dismissed on grounds of disciplinary action must follow the procedures for registration withdrawal specified by the University and fulfill their financial obligations in order that they may receive their diplomas or their personal documents in the RO files.

(3) Students who have withdrawn their registration but wish to return to University may re-apply to the related program. This application is evaluated by the concerned GPC within the framework of the provisions for application and admission to programs.

Notifications

ARTICLE 54 – (1) All types of notification to students are sent to their postal address in the students’ official records or to the e-mail addresses provided to them by the University.

(2) Students are obliged to follow the messages sent to their e-mail addresses provided by the University.

PART 7 Miscellaneous and Final Provisions

Northern Cyprus Campus

ARTICLE 55 – (1) The procedures and principles regarding the implementation of these rules and regulations to the graduate programs carried out at the Northern Cyprus Campus are determined by the Senate.

Invalidated regulation

ARTICLE 56 – (1) The regulation entitled Middle East Technical University Rules and Regulations Governing Undergraduate Studies published in the Official Gazette no. 28907 dated February 08, 2014 has been invalidated.

Articles Governing the Transition Period

TRANSITORY ARTICLE 1– (1) The implementation of the new provisions introduced by this Regulation and the specified periods in it shall be valid as of the 2016-2017 Academic Year Fall Semester.

(2) Students in Master's programs whose theses were refused by the thesis examination jury in the 2015-2016 Academic Year Spring Semester, who were given an extension, and/or whose theses were not approved before the extension period expired may be given, for once only, an extension of two academic semesters. Doctoral students in the same status may be granted an extension of four academic semesters.

(3) The provision included in the Higher Education Council's Academic Rules and Regulations Governing Graduate Studies, stating that students who apply to the Ph.D. on Bachelor’s degree programs must earn a minimum ALES score announced by the concerned GPC providing it is no less than 80 according to the score type/category of the programs, shall be valid as of the application dates for the 2016-2017 Academic Year Spring Semester.

Validity

ARTICLE 57 – (1) This Regulation is effective as of the date of its publication.

Implementation

ARTICLE 58– (1) The provisions of this Regulation are implemented by the President of Middle East Technical University.