Grading/AKTS

Credit/hour load and ECTS credit load of courses

1. Course load is described in two ways: credit/hour load and ECTS load. Credit/hour load is a figure determined based on the weekly theoretical, laboratory and classroom hours of a course. ECTS credit load is a figure determined based on the load of that course and recommended as 30 ECTS credits for each semester. One hour of weekly theoretical class is 1 credit, while one hour of practice or laboratory is 0,5 credit. 1 ECTS credit is equal to 25-30 hours of class in one semester. Credit load and ECTS load of other education activities such as workshop, studio, on-site practice and practical training are determined by the University Senate with the recommendation of respective boards. Credit/hour load of all activities, except for the theoretical part, may not be higher than 4.
    
2. Normal semester/academic year course load a student can take in one semester/academic year is recommended by the boards of respective faculty and vocational school and decided by the University Senate. Non-credit courses are not included in the semester/academic year course load. Course loads of certificate-based courses and similar which are not in the undergraduate curriculum of a department is not counted in student’s semester/academic year course load. Certificate courses and courses taken from similar programs may not be transferred to undergraduate/associate degree, minor and major programs.
    
3. Associate degree and undergraduate programs of each academic year are decided by the University Senate after approvals of respective boards until the end of May of previous academic year.
    
4. Semester/academic year of a student is determined based on the semester/academic year to which the student is registered in the associate degree or undergraduate program.
    
5. Maximum credit/hour course load of a student for each semester is the highest credit/hour load available for one semester in any program of such student’s faculty.
    
6. The course load that a student can take in one semester/academic year may be reduced with the student’s will, academic advisor’s recommendation and approval of the head of related department, in case it is necessary due to student’s weekly schedule or any valid and justified excuse. 
    
7. Students can increase their semester/academic year course load by 3 credits or one course if their grade point average is minimum 2.00 or by maximum 6 credits or two courses if their grade point average is above 2.50.
    
8. Course load of students who are able to gradate in two semesters can be increased by 3 credits every year, in addition to their credit loads indicated above.
    
9. Exempted courses may not be repeated for increasing the grades.
    
10. Students can take maximum four courses with maximum 10 credit/hour course load during the summer term. Courses taken outside the institution are also subject to this condition.
     
11. Grading scheme, grade distribution guidance:
    The official university grading system uses letter grades with pluses and minuses. Passing grades range from A to D; F is failing. The quality-point equivalents of the grades are:
     

    BAU* Grades	A	A-	B+	B	B-	C+	C	C-	D+	D	I	F
    Credits	4.00	3.67	3.33	3.00	2.67	2.33	2.00	1.67	1.33	1.00		0.00

     
    Other grades used are:
    I (Incomplete), S (Satisfactory), PR (Satisfactory Progress), EX (Exempt), W (Withdrawn), NA (No Attendance). These grades do not have quality-point equivalents.
    I: given to the students who have failed to complete the required assignments for a course due to illness or for some other valid reason. Proof of illness or other reason for non-completion must be submitted to the Department Chair within three days after the date of the final exam. A student receiving an incomplete grade for any required course will take a make-up test within 15 days after the exam in order to obtain a grade. Otherwise, a grade of I automatically becomes a grade of F. 
    S: given at the end of the semester for the courses with 0 credits. 
    PR: is given to students who are succesfully continuing thesis.
    EX: reflects approved transferred courses from other universities or other departments in the university. 
    W: is given when a student withdraws from a course with the approval of the student's advisor. A course which is withdrawn is automatically given to the student in the first semester in which the course is offered. 
    NA: is given to students who have failed to regularly attend courses or who have not fulfilled the requirements of the course. NA is processed as an F in computing grades.
    Grade Point Average (GPA) and Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA)
    A student's academic performance is determined at the end of each semester by computing an average of the grades he/she has received during that semester. The required cumulative grade point avarage (CGPA) for graduation is 3.00 out of 4.00 . 
    *According to Academic Rules and Regulations Article 15 : A Master's student must receive at least a C and a Doctoral student must receive at least a B in order to pass any courses taken. Students must repeat courses they have failed or they may substitute failed courses with others accepted as an equivalent by the Department.Students may repeat a course they have passed or take another equivalent course to improve their grade and thereby increase their cumulative grade point avarage (C.G.P.A.)