Foundation
1989
Qualification Awarded
Master of Arts in International Relations
Level of Qualification
Second Cycle Degree
Mode of Study
Full Time
Admission & Registration Requirements
Prospective students must have completed the Bilkent University requirements for a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations or equivalent training.
Assessment of Student Performance
Apart from work conducted throughout the semester, students are usually asked to take a final examination and at least one midterm examination for a course. If a staff member considers it appropriate, practical laboratory work or other such assignments may be assessed as midterm examinations or as a final examination.
Grades are finalized when they are announced via the internet on the date specified in the Academic Calendar. Semester grades for practical studies and other non-lecture courses are determined by an evaluation of the student's overall work and performance throughout the semester.
The University grading system uses letter grades with pluses and minuses. Letter grades and their grade point equivalents are: A+ to D; F, FX is failing.
The quality-point equivalents of the grades are:
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A+ |
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4.00 |
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B+ |
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3.30 |
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C+ |
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2.30 |
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D+ |
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1.30 |
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F |
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0.00 |
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A |
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4.00 |
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B |
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3.00 |
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C |
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2.00 |
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D |
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1.00 |
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FX |
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0.00 |
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A- |
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3.70 |
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B- |
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2.70 |
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C- |
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1.70 |
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FZ |
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0.00 |
Other grades used are S (Satisfactory), U (Unsatisfactory), I (Incomplete), P (In Progress), T (Transfer), and W (Withdraw). These grades do not have grade point equivalents.
| S |
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accorded to students who are successful in non-credit courses. |
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| U |
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accorded to students who are unsuccessful in non-credit courses. |
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| I |
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accorded to students who, although otherwise successful, have failed to complete the required assignments for a course due to illness or some other valid reason. Proof of illness or other reason for non-completion must be submitted within two days of the date of the final exam. A student receiving an incomplete grade for any course must make up for the deficiencies within 14 days after the final exam in order to obtain a grade. Otherwise, the grade I automatically becomes FX. At the discretion of the department chair, the period specified above may be extended until the beginning of the following semester.
P : progress, used for multi-semester courses. |
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| P |
: |
progress, used for multi-semester courses. |
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| T |
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reflects approved transferred courses from other universities or from an exchange program. A student with a grade of T is exempted from an equivalent number of credits on the condition that the courses are accepted by the department on the recommendation of the department chair and with the approval of the board of the faculty/school. This grade may provide an exemption for a particular course at the program. |
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| W |
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student has withdrawn from the course before the withdrawal deadline of the respective semester. |
A student with extraordinary performance in a course may be granted an A+ grade. However, the number of A+ grades in a given course is limited based on class size: If the class size is less than 25 students, no A+ grades may be given; if the class size is between 25 and 74 students, only one A+ grade may be given; if the class size is between 75 and 124 students, two A+ grades may be given; if the class size is between 125 and 174 students, three A+ grades may be given; if the class size is between 175 and 225 students, four A+ grades may be given; if the class size is more than 225 students, five A+ grades may be given. (The letter grade A+ was instituted beginning with the 2010-2011 academic year.)
Students who have not met the minimum performance and/or attendance requirements to qualify to take the final exam receive an FZ grade before the final exams begin. Failing students who have not shown up at the final exam receive an FX grade instead of an F.
In graduate programs, in addition to grade S, a grade of C or higher is a passing grade in masters programs and a grade of B or higher is a passing grade in Ph.D. programs. Letter grades lower than C and grade U are failing grades in masters programs and grades lower than B and grade U are failing grades in Ph.D. programs.
A student's academic performance is determined at the end of each semester by computing an average of the letter grades he/she has received during that semester. For each course, the grade point equivalent of the letter grade received by the student is multiplied by the credit units for that course; the sum of these products is then divided by the total credit units taken in that semester to yield the Grade Point Average (GPA) for that semester. The Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) is calculated by multiplying the grade point equivalent of the letter grade by the credit units for each course and then dividing the total sum by the total credit units taken in the program.
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