Graduation Requirements

Required Courses:

Regardless of their area of ​​specialization, all of PhD students first take basic courses that will enhance their intellectual knowledge, such as economics, statistics, social sciences and research methods.

General Business Elective Courses:

Students without a business background also take courses such as strategy, organizational behavior, finance, marketing and operations to gain a foundation in different areas of business.

Major Elective Courses:

Each field identifies the core and elective courses that students should take according to their research interests. Basic courses generally include the theoretical foundations of the chosen field and the analytical tools and methods associated with it.

Free Elective Courses:

Independent Study:

At the end of their first year, students begin to work on a research paper to contribute to their field of study. This article may be an extension of a survey paper, a conceptual article, or a previous study conducted by the student's advisor or another instructor.

Qualifying Examination:

Post-Master’s PhD students and Post-Bachelor’s PhD students must take their qualifying examinations by the end of the fifth and seventh semester, respectively. Doctoral students who complete all of their course and seminar requirements must pass a qualifying examination. The qualifying examination is administered in order to establish whether the student possesses the required breadth and depth of scientific research pertaining to fundamental topics and concepts as well as his/her doctoral studies in the respective field. Students are entitled to sit for at most two qualifying examinations in a year. Failing the qualifying examination for a second time results in expulsion from the PhD Program subject to the decision of the respective GSEB.

PhD Thesis Proposal:

Students who pass the qualifying examination present an oral defense for their thesis proposals, which covers the purpose, method and work schedule of the research, within six months of the decision of the respective GSEB.

PhD Thesis Monitoring I-II-III:

For students whose thesis proposals are approved, they continue to work under the supervision and guidance of their doctoral advisors to further develop their independent research skills. The thesis monitoring committee convenes at least two times a year, at least once between January and June and at least once between July and December, for students whose thesis proposals are approved. To conclude a thesis, at least three thesis monitoring committee decisions must be issued.

PhD Thesis Defence:

The jury is made up of five faculty members including the thesis advisor, three of whom are the members of the thesis monitoring committee, and at least two of whom are not affiliated with the University.

Should the thesis be deemed unsatisfactory and rejected, the student is expelled from the University subject to the decision of the GSEB. In a case where the student is asked to make revisions to the thesis, the student must complete the requested revisions and defend the revised thesis again before the same jury within six months. The student whose thesis proposal is also rejected during the second defence is expelled from the University subject to the decision of the GSEB.