Foundation

Qualification Awarded

Level of Qualification

Mode of Study

Admission & Registration Requirements

• Musical scores of 3 recent original compositions reflecting a variety of genres and instrumental combinations


• Recordings of submitted scores if available. Midi recordings are discouraged.

• Ear Training exam: Basic interval and chord identification, singing back simple melodies


• Applicants for the composition program will take an examination/interview covering score recognition, listening analysis and discussion of the submitted pieces.

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.

Bilkent University's official grading system uses letter grades with pluses and minuses. Passing grades range from A+ to D; F, FX is failing. The quality-point equivalents of the grades are:

Other grades used are S (Satisfactory), U (Unsatisfactory), I (Incomplete), P (In Progress), T (Transfer), and W (Withdraw). These grades do not have quality-point equivalents.

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.)

An undergraduate student who receives a grade of C or higher in a course (or S in a non-credit course) is considered to have satisfactorily completed that course.

A student who receives a grade of C-, D+, or D in a course can only be considered to have completed that course if his/her Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) is 2.00 or higher.

A student receiving either F, FX, FZ, or U in a course is considered to be unsuccessful in that course. Students who have failed a course in the curriculum program must repeat the course within the following two semesters. Those who fail first year English courses must repeat these courses the very next semester they are offered. The university may register a student to these courses and not allow for a course to be dropped. Students on probation who received C-, D+ or D grades in previous semesters may repeat any of these courses.

In addition to taking the required courses in a given semester, students with "Satisfactory" standing may also repeat courses taken in the previous two semesters for which they received a B-, C+, C, C-, D+ or D grade, provided there is room in the section. Registration to these courses takes place on the dates as announced by the Rectorate.

On condition that at least one course of all curriculum requirements of an elective set has already been taken, an elective course from this elective set can be taken in place of courses taken before for this elective requirement. In this case, the previously taken elective course will appear in the transcript but will not be included in the CPA calculation. Once established, such course matching cannot be changed. The previously taken elective course can be repeated to fulfill another curriculum requirement.

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. 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.

Education Objectives

Program Outcomes

1. a. Students will be able to apply knowledge of the history, materials and techniques of classical music traditions.
2. b. Students will be able to identify, formulate, and solve musical and performance related problems
3. c. Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of professional and ethical responsibility with an acknowledgement of the ethical, social and financial structure of his/her field.
4. d. Students will be able to communicate effectively with collaborators and function on multidisciplinary teams in order to participate relevantly with social engagements
5. e. Students will recognize the need for an ability to engage in life-long learning in order to be able to update the knowledge of evaluation criteria.
6. f. Students will be able to use the techniques, skills and musical knowledge at professional level to compose original music that is technically adept, musically sophisticated and displaying idiomatic awareness and creativity
7. g. Students will develop critical and analytical thinking and skills of research and writing about the history, traditions, practices, and cultures of music and arts.
8. h. Students will develop working knowledge of the structure of music, demonstrated through written, applied, and aural mediums, based on fundamental theoretical principles.
9. i. Students will able to compose with stylistic insight, technical proficiency and musical artistry.
10. j. Develop writing and communication skills necessary for effectively organize ideas, thoughts and convey them to various audience.

Program Outcomes/Degree Qualification Matrix

Program Curriculum

Elective Courses in the Curriculum