Student Affairs >> Academic Rules and Regulations

SOME ACADEMIC RULES AND REGULATIONS CONCERNING UNDERGRADUATE PERIOD OF STUDY, EXAMINATIONS AND ASSESSMENT

ACADEMIC YEAR

One academic year consists of two 16-week semesters including the registration and final examination periods. The University Senate can extend or shorten the length of semesters if necessary. Summer semesters can be offered when needed, the conditions of which are determined by the University Senate.
 
CURRICULUM

The curricula of undergraduate programs are developed through a process involving several academic and administrative bodies, and are finally approved by the University Senate. Any change in the curriculum of a program is subject to the approval of the Senate.

COMPULSORY, ELECTIVE AND PRE-REQUISITE COURSES

A curriculum consists of compulsory and elective courses. Students must enroll the compulsory courses of the curriculum, whereas they chose the elective courses based on their preferences. Students may be exempted from some compulsory or elective courses of the curriculum by taking a special examination administered by the relevant program. The University Senate determines the courses that may be exempted from, as well as the examination and evaluation process. A prerequisite course is a course that the student must pass, in order to take another course.

CREDIT HOUR RATING

Each course is allotted a predetermined number of credit hours. These include all the weekly lecture hours plus half of the weekly laboratory, practical, or studio course hours. The University Senate determines which courses are to be non-credit, but the weekly theoretical and practical hours of these courses are specified as well.
 
COURSE LOAD

The normal course load of the student for each semester is specified in the curriculum of the academic program. The University Senate determines the course load on the basis of the credit rating of the courses.  Students' normal course load of each semester may be reduced by up to 2 courses at most, if their Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) is less than 2.00, if their course program necessitates it, or if there exist other genuine and valid reasons for doing so. In this case, the course(s) being dropped should be taken in the next semester they are offered. Students with a CGPA of at least 2.00 may increase their course load by one course with the recommendation of their advisors, on the condition that they have fallen behind their program and want to catch up, or want to repeat courses to improve their CGPA. Course loads of students whose CGPA is at least 2.50 can be increased, if they wish, by two courses at most, if recommended by their advisors.
 
ATTENDANCE

Students must attend lectures, practical sessions and examinations.  The instructors follow the students' attendance records.

EXAMINATIONS AND ASSESSMENT

In addition to midterm examinations and other work, students are required to take a final examination. At least one midterm examination is given during each semester. Dates of midterm examinations are announced in the first month of the semester. Final examinations are held at the appropriate place and hour as decided and announced by the University. The course instructor issues a grade by taking into account the midterm examinations, final examinations, the semesters work and attendance.
 
Students may be given a make-up examination for any examination that they have not attended if it is justified by genuine and valid reasons.
 
Courses that do not require midterm and/or final examinations need to be approved as such, in which case the grade is issued by evaluating the work done throughout the semester.
 
The practical and/or laboratory components may be evaluated separately. In this case, the lectures and practical and/or laboratory sessions taken separately must conform to the above regulations.
 
The semester course grade becomes final after being submitted to the Registrar's Office.
 
GRADES

For each course taken, the course instructor issues a grade expressed by letters. The grades, the corresponding coefficients and percentage equivalents are given below.
 

PERCENTAGE	COURSE GRADE	COEFFICIENT
90-100	AA	4
85-89	BA	3.5
80-84	BB	3
75-79	CB	2.5
70-74	CC	2
65-69	DC	1.5
60-64	DD	1
50-59	FD	0.5
49 and below	FF	0

Other grades are; I- Incomplete, S-Satisfactory, U-Unsatisfactory, P-Progressing, EX-Exempted, NI-Not Included, W-Withdrawn.
 
A grade of (I) is issued to a student who provides supporting evidence through genuine and valid documentation of illness or other reasons, which have prevented her/him from completing the necessary course work. In such a case, within 15 days from the day of submitting the grades to Registrar's office, the student must complete the missing work and obtain a grade. Otherwise the (I) grade will automatically become an (FF).

The grade (S) is given to students who are successful in non-credit courses.
 
The grade (U) is given to students who are not successful in non-credit courses.
 
The grade (P) is given to students who are progressing successfully, but not have completed the requirements of a non-credit course.
 
The grade (EX) is given to students who previously attended a higher education institution and entered the university with the University Entrance Examination held by ÖSYM, and to those who transferred to this university from another, on the condition that the equivalence of courses they have taken before are approved by METU NCC. The grade EX can also be given to students who meet the conditions determined by the Senate, such as passing the examination given for exemption. The grade EX is not included in the grade point average, but is shown on the transcript.
 
The grade (NI) is given if the course is not in the curriculum, and is taken on the condition that it is not going to be included in the GPA calculation right at the time of course registration. Such courses are indicated in the student's transcript together with the grades, but do not affect the CGPA. These courses are included in the course load defined before, but are not taken into account in curriculum requirements. The course from which (NI) grade is received cannot be repeated. The status of these courses cannot be changed within the same program.
 
The grade (W) is issued if a student withdraws from a course after the add/drop period within the first 10 weeks after the semester starts, on the recommendation of her/his advisor and permission of the instructor. The following rules apply to these students:
 
a) Students are not allowed to withdraw from courses during the first two semesters of undergraduate programs (courses being repeated which they previously obtained a passing grade are excluded)
 
b) Students are not allowed to withdraw from courses which she/he has to repeat, from which she/he got grade W before and/or from courses which are not included in the GPA calculation.
 
c) Students are not allowed to withdraw from courses, which constitute more than 2/3 of the normal course load.
 
d) Students are allowed to withdraw from a maximum of six courses during her/his undergraduate program (one course at the most in one semester), subject to the recommendation of the advisor and approval of the instructor.

ERRORS IN GRADING

In the event of any error on the Instructor's part arising in the grades announced by the Registrar's Office, the course instructor is required to make an application for correction, which is evaluated by a committee formed. Errors in grading concerning the final examinations have to be corrected within the registration period of the consecutive semester.
 
GRADE POINT AVERAGES

The student's standing is calculated in the form of a Grade Point Average (GPA) and Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) and is announced at the end of each semester by the Registrar's Office.
 
The contribution of a course to GPA is obtained by multiplying the coefficient of its grade by its credit hours. In order to obtain the GPA for any given semester, the sum of contributions of all the courses taken in that semester is divided by the total credit hours. The averages are given to two decimal points. The CGPA is calculated by taking into account all the courses taken, right from the very first semester of the student in the university. Any grade from AA to FF is taken into account in the calculation of both GPA and CGPA. The most recent grade obtained for a repeated course is used to calculate the CGPA. All other grades are shown on the students' transcript, but do not affect GPA and CGPA.
 
SUCCESSFUL STUDENTS

Students with CGPA and GPA of at least 2.00 are considered successful. A student who has taken the normal course load and obtained a GPA between 3.00-3.49 is considered as honor student , and a GPA of 3.50 and above ranks her/him as high honor student. Honor and high honor students are announced at the end of each semester.
 
UNSATISFACTORY ACADEMIC RECORD

Undergraduate students whose cumulative grade point average (CGPA) and / or grade point average (GPA) is below 2.00 are considered unsuccessful. Unsuccessful students in their second or later semesters have to increase their GPA to a minimum of 1.80, by repeating previous courses taken within the last three semesters, in order to be able to register for courses that they have not taken before. These students repeat courses previously taken until their GPA rises to the required minimum. Repeating students cannot register courses withdrawn and courses not taken in the regular term. For these students the course load reductions as indicated before may not be applied. The semesters in which students repeat courses are included in the maximum education period.

DISMISSAL THROUGH ACADEMIC INADEQUACY

Students enrolled in undergraduate programs that are run in cooperation with other universities can be dismissed before the maximum study period ends, in accordance with the regulations of the partner university, due to an unsatisfactory grade point average.

REPEATING COURSES

Courses with grades FF, FD, NA, W or U must be repeated in the next semester these courses are offered. Also, courses that are not taken in their normal semester in the curriculum must be taken in the next semester these courses are offered. Students can repeat courses from which they previously obtained a passing grade, within at most 3 semesters following the semester in which the passing grade is obtained for the first time.
 
CONDITIONS FOR THE AWARD OF BACHELOR'S DEGREE

Students must have a CGPA of at least 2.00 and have completed all the curriculum requirements to graduate with a Bachelor's Degree. Those who have transferred from another university must have completed the last two semesters in the METU Northern Cyprus Campus., to get the Bachelor's degree. Students whose CGPA is between 3.00-3.49 are listed as honor graduates and students whose CGPA is between 3.50-4.00 are listed as high honor graduates. Honor and High Honor standings are specified on the degree certificate.
 
 
PERIOD OF STUDY

The normal duration of a four-year undergraduate program at METU is eight semesters, while that of the five year secondary education, field-specific teacher training programs is ten semesters. Those who fulfill the conditions can graduate in a shorter period of time.

Without a valid excuse stated in the regulations, students have to complete the four-year programs in no more than seven years, and the five-year programs in no more than eight years. Students who cannot graduate within the stated periods are dismissed from the university.

However, with the provision that all other requirements are satisfied, those who have more than five courses left for graduation are entitled to take a full-length examination followed by a make-up examination for previously failed courses. Those who have reduced the number of courses left for graduation to five or less as a result of these examinations are entitled an additional period of three semesters, those who have four or five failed courses left for graduation without having taken the above examinations are entitled an additional period of four semesters, and those who have three or less courses left for graduation are allowed an unlimited additional period of study. During these additional periods, attendance is not required except for the courses based on practical work and those which have not been taken before. The grades of those who are not required to attend classes are determined by the instructor on the basis of the mid-term and final examinations. The students who have been successful in all the courses required for graduation but who face dismissal because their CGPA being less than 2.00 are allowed an unlimited additional period to raise their CGPA in any course they have taken in the last two years.

Students who have been given the right to continue their course work or to take examinations must register and pay tuition fees each semester.  Students who have unlimited time to complete the necessary  courses loose their rights if they fail to register and pay fees, or if they register but fail to appear for examinations for two consecutive semesters or for a total of three semesters.
 
CONDITIONS FOR THE AWARD OF PRE-BACHELOR'S CERTIFICATE

Those students who do not or cannot complete undergraduate programs may be awarded a pre-Bachelor's certificate in accordance with the regulations decided by the Higher Education Council. To be eligible, students must have passed all the courses required to get the certificate by grades at least DD or S.