The Middle East Studies Ph.D. Program, planned to be launched within our university, is designed as an advanced academic program that aims to analyze the historical, political, economic, and social structures of the Middle East from an interdisciplinary perspective. The program has been established in response to the growing strategic significance of the region in the international system and the increasing need for academically trained experts and researchers specializing in Middle Eastern affairs.
Academic engagement with Middle East studies at our university began in the early 2000s with the introduction of elective courses and research seminars within the Department of International Relations. Over time, the scope of these offerings expanded, numerous master´s theses were completed on regional issues, and faculty members conducted research projects on topics such as Middle Eastern politics, social movements, external interventions, and regional security.
In recent years, the university has further strengthened its academic capacity in this field through the organization of scholarly events, workshops, and national and international conferences. Building upon this foundation, the Middle East Studies Ph.D. Program has been structured to offer students the opportunity to combine theoretical knowledge with field-based expertise and to cultivate the ability to produce original, internationally recognized academic research.
The ultimate objective of the program is to train qualified researchers who can contribute to the academic field, serve in public institutions and international organizations, and develop informed analyses and policy recommendations on the region. In doing so, the program seeks to enhance Turkey’s capacity for knowledge production and strategic engagement concerning the Middle East.

Upon successful completion of the program and fulfillment of all program requirements, a Ph.D. degree in the field of International Relations is awarded.

Third Cycle

Applicants to the doctoral entrance examination must hold a Master’s degree. Candidates applying to graduate programs are required to have obtained at least the minimum score set by the Institute in the Academic Personnel and Graduate Education Entrance Examination (ALES), which is administered centrally by the Student Selection and Placement Center (ÖSYM). Applicants must submit a petition specifying the program they wish to apply for, along with documents proving their educational status and any other documents required by the relevant administrative board, within the designated application period to the relevant Institute. Candidates who are subject to a foreign language exam must also indicate the language in which they wish to be tested, chosen from among those approved by the Senate for examination purposes. If the required degree has been obtained abroad, the applicant must also submit a certificate of equivalency issued by the Council of Higher Education (YÖK). In the admission process for doctoral programs, the ALES score is taken into consideration along with, when necessary, the undergraduate GPA and the result of an oral interview. The specific details regarding this evaluation—such as the procedures for interview assessment, additional required documents, their impact on the final evaluation, the minimum passing score, acceptable foreign language examinations, and the minimum language proficiency score expected of candidates—are determined by the Senate based on the recommendation of the relevant Institute Board. If the number of successful candidates exceeds the number of available places announced, applicants are ranked starting from the highest score down to the minimum score determined by the Institute Board. Only as many applicants as the number of available places will be admitted. In cases where applicants have identical scores, priority is given based on the level of the degree: a Master’s degree is prioritized over a Bachelor´s, and among Bachelor´s degree holders, the undergraduate GPA is used to rank candidates. Successful principal candidates, as well as any substitutes, are announced by the relevant administrative board and officially published by the Institute Directorate. Those who are admitted must complete their final enrollment by submitting the required documents to the relevant Institute Secretariat within the dates determined by the administrative board.

The provisions in “Regulation on Transfer among Associate and Undergraduate Degree Programs, Double Major, and Subspecialty and the Principals of Credit Transfer among Institutions in Higher Education Institutions” are applied.

In order to obtain a Ph.D. degree in International Relations, students must successfully complete both the compulsory and elective courses, pass the doctoral qualifying examination, and successfully defend their dissertation in the thesis examination.

The Ph.D. program in International Relations(Middle East) aims to cultivate individuals who are equipped with contemporary knowledge and cultural awareness, possess strong communication skills, demonstrate the ability to conduct research, analyze complex issues, and overcome challenges, and who are capable of leading their communities. The program is dedicated to training patriotic individuals who adhere to international standards and who embrace the responsibility of conducting research and conveying their findings to society in line with universal academic norms.
In this context, the program offers not only compulsory courses but also a wide range of elective courses, both within and outside the department, to ensure that students acquire the necessary qualifications in accordance with their specific career goals.

Our graduates are employed not only in academia but also in various positions across the public and private sectors. In the public sector, they serve primarily in expert staff roles within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other relevant ministries and governmental institutions. In the private sector, they hold managerial positions in the foreign trade and international relations departments of companies operating in diverse industries such as automotive, food, logistics, banking, and many others.

Graduates who successfully complete their doctoral education may pursue postdoctoral studies at national and international higher education institutions, provided that they obtain a valid score on the ALES exam and possess sufficient proficiency in a foreign language.

Each student is required to register for courses at the beginning of the semester and must attend at least 70% of the classes in order to be eligible to take the end-of-semester examination. Students are subjected to at least one final exam for each course. The final exam constitutes 100% of the course’s final grade. All exams are evaluated on a 100-point scale, and the minimum passing grade in the doctoral program is 75 (equivalent to a CB).

The primary aim of doctoral programs is to enable students to develop the ability to conduct scientific research, access and evaluate information, and interpret their findings effectively. A doctoral program consists of at least 10 courses, 1 seminar course, and a dissertation, totaling no less than 60 ECTS credits. In addition, students are required to pass a qualifying examination as part of the doctoral program. Both the seminar and the dissertation are non-credit components and are evaluated on a pass/fail basis. Students are required to write their dissertation in accordance with the rules determined by the relevant academic board and to defend it orally before a jury. Following the dissertation defense, the jury reaches a decision by absolute majority, which may be "accepted," "rejected," or "revision required." This decision is formally reported to the Institute of Social Sciences by the relevant department chair. Provided that the student passes the thesis defense and fulfills all other requirements, they must submit at least two bound hard copies of the dissertation, along with three electronic copies including the full text and abstracts in both Turkish and a foreign language, to the Institute within one month of the defense date. If the dissertation is found to meet the formatting requirements, the student is awarded a doctoral diploma.

Full-Time

Uludağ Üniversitesi
İktisadi ve İdari Bilimler Fakültesi Uluslararası İlişkiler Bölümü
16 059 Görükle Kampüsü, Nilüfer-BURSA
Bölüm Başkanı: Prof. Dr. Tayyar ARI
Tel: 0 224 294 10 52
Faks: 0 224 294 11 72
E-posta: atayyar@uludag.edu.tr
Bologna Koordinatörü: Dr. Öğr. Üyesi Samet Yılmaz
E-posta: sametyilmaz@uludag.edu.tr
Erasmus Koordinatörü: Doç.Dr. Kader Özlem
E-posta:kaderozlem@uludag.edu.tr
Farabi Koordinatörü: Doç.Dr. Mehmet Mustafa Halil Bektaş
E-posta: mhmbektas@uludag.edu.tr
Mevlana Koordinatörü: Doç.Dr. Mehmet Mustafa Halil Bektaş
E-posta: mhmbektas@uludag.edu.tr

The language of instruction in our department is Turkish. Students have access to a library, a reading room, and a computer laboratory. Within the framework of the Erasmus and Farabi programs, they may study at partner universities for up to two semesters.
Currently, the department has a total of twelve faculty members, including nine Professors and three Associate Professors, as well as four Research Assistants actively working in the department.