Bilkent University Quality Management in Education
Master of Science in Physics

Foundation

1987

Qualification Awarded

Master of Science in Physics

Level of Qualification

Second Cycle Degree

Mode of Study

Full Time

Admission & Registration Requirements

All Applicants are required to have a B.S. degree in physics, or in a related field of science or engineering. Students with a B.S. degree in areas other than physics may be requested to take several undergraduate courses in the field to acquire the necessary background. Evaluation of applicants is based on their ALES (Akademik Personel ve Lisansüstü Eğitimi Giriş Sınavı - Academic Personnel and Postgraduate Education Entrance Examination) scores, past academic records, reference letters and an interview. Applicants who are not Turkish citizens and Turkish citizen applicants who are residents of another country may take GRE instead of ALES. All non-native speakers of English are required to submit a proof of satisfactory knowledge of English.

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:

  A+   4.00   B+   3.30   C+   2.30   D+   1.30   F   0.00
  A   4.00   B   3.00   C   2.00   D   1.00   FX   0.00
  A-   3.70   B-   2.70   C-   1.70           FZ   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 : accorded to students who are successful in non-credit courses.
     
U : accorded to students who are unsuccessful in non-credit courses.
     
I : 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.
     
P : progress, used for multi-semester courses.
     
T : 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.
     
W : 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.

National Degree Qualifications

Natural Sciences Basic Field Qualifications (Academic Weighted) - 7th Level - Master
NQF-HETR
LEVEL		 KNOWLEDGE
- Theoretical
- Conceptual		 SKILLS
- Cognitive
- Practical		 COMPETENCES
Competence to Work
Independently and
Take Responsibility 		Learning Competence Communication and Social
Competence 		Field Specific Competence
7th Level Master's
EQF-LLL:
7th Level
QF-EHEA:
2nd Cycle
Qualifications that signify completion of the sixth cycle are awarded to students who
K1. Improving, deepening, statistically analyzing and commenting on the knowledge in the same or a different field to expertise level based on undergraduate qualifications.
K2. Diagnosing interdisciplinary interaction related to the field.
S1. Using theoretical and practical knowledge at expertise level in the field.
S2. Commenting on the knowledge by integrating with those acquired from different discipline areas and creating new ones.
S3. Solving the problems in the field using research methods.
W1. Running a study demanding expertise independently in the field.
W2. Developing new strategic approaches to solve unpredictable complex problems encountered in the applications related to the field and takes responsibility for solutions.
W3. Leadership in environments that require solving problems related to the field.
L1. Critically evaluating the expertise level knowledge and skills acquired in the field, and redirecting learning.
C1. Supporting the current developments in the field and their own studies with quantitative and qualitative data to the groups in and out of the field in a written, oral and visual way systematically.
C2. Critical analyzing and developing of social relations and the norms directing those relations and taking action to change them if necessary.
C3. Communicating orally and in a written way by speaking a foreign language at least on European Language Portfolio B2 general level.
C4. Using informatics and communication technologies together with computer software required by the field at advanced level.
F1. Monitoring, assessing and teaching social, scientific, cultural and ethical values in gathering, commenting on and applying data in the field and announcing the results.
F2. Developing strategies, policies and application plans in the field and assessing the results within the framework of quality processes.
F3. Using the knowledge, problem solving and/or application skills acquired in the field in interdisciplinary studies.
F4. Assessing the persons, events and facts important for the development of the field with regard to the effects on the applications in the field.

Program Outcomes

  1. a. Improve the understanding of the theoretical and experimental physics knowledge and apply it beyond the undergraduate level.
  2. b. Develop a vision for related cross-disciplinary fields.
  3. c. Critically assess, and when needed develop new expertise level knowledge and skills in physics and related fields.
  4. d. Demonstrate independent working ability, and when needed show leadership for the solution of challenging problems.
  5. e. Develop new strategic approaches based on the critical analysis of prevailing concepts in physics, and take incentives to change them when necessary.
  6. f. Use state-of-the-art technological resources and research methods to solve problems in physics and related fields.
  7. g. Disseminate scientific, social, cultural, and ethical values, both in oral and in writing at the international level.
  8. h. Recognize key milestones and concepts in the progress of the expertise field as well as the main contributing scientists and groups.
  9. i. Form social relations with the international members of the research community and take incentives in changing the established scientific and social norms.

Program Outcomes/Degree Qualification Matrix

 Program Outcomes
Qualification(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)(g)(h)(i)
K1✓✓✓
K2✓
S1✓
S2✓
S3✓
W1✓
W2✓✓
W3✓
L1✓
C1✓
C2✓✓✓
C3✓
C4✓
F1✓
F2✓
F3✓✓
F4✓
Qualification
Program Outcome

Program Curriculum

Course Code Course Name Hours Credits Prerequisite Options
Lecture Lab/Studio
/Others		 Bilkent ECTS
GE 500 Research Methods and Academic Publication Ethics 0 0 0 1 [ Syllabus ]
GE 590 Academic Practices 0 0 0 12 [ Syllabus ]
PHYS 541 Electromagnetic Theory I 3 0 3 5 [ Syllabus ]
PHYS 542 Electromagnetic Theory II 3 0 3 5 [ Syllabus ]
PHYS 543 Advanced Quantum Mechanics I 3 0 3 5 [ Syllabus ]
PHYS 599 Master's Thesis 0 0 0 71 [ Syllabus ]
Graduate Elective MS 12 [ Courses ]
Graduate Seminar in Physics [ Courses ]


Elective Courses in the Curriculum

Elective Count Program Outcomes Options
Graduate Elective MS 4   [ Courses ]
Graduate Seminar in Physics 1   [ Courses ]