ISTANBUL KÜLTÜR UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER ENGINEERING
PhD QUALIFICATION EXAM SCOPE AND EVALUATION FRAMEWORK

Within the scope of the PhD Program in Computer Engineering at Istanbul Kültür University, the PhD Qualification Examination is conducted in two stages to assess the student’s field knowledge, research depth, scientific reasoning ability, and capacity to independently carry out doctoral-level work. The first stage of the exam is written, and the second stage is oral. Students who score at least 75 out of 100 on the written exam qualify to take the oral exam.

1st Stage: Written Examination

The Written Qualification Examination aims to measure the student's fundamental knowledge in the field and the readiness required to carry out doctoral research. The exam consists of 10 questions, of which the candidate is expected to answer 5. The scope of the exam includes the following areas: object-oriented programming, data structures, computer networks, database design and development, logic circuit design, operating systems, artificial intelligence, microcontrollers, discrete mathematics, and information security.

The questions in these areas are designed to deeply assess the extent to which the student has internalized the fundamental theoretical pillars of the discipline, their ability to establish interdisciplinary relationships, advanced problem-solving and algorithmic thinking skills, mastery of both theoretical and applied aspects of computer science, and preparedness to conduct doctoral-level research. The questions will not merely test factual knowledge; they will also evaluate skills such as interpretation, generating solutions, drawing conceptual connections, comparing different approaches, and providing scientific justification.

2nd Stage: Oral Examination

Students who successfully pass the written exam qualify for the oral examination. The oral exam consists of two parts:

First Part – Knowledge Assessment

In the first part of the oral exam, the student’s knowledge level regarding doctoral and graduate coursework, mastery of fundamental concepts, and academic reasoning ability are assessed. If deemed necessary, questions covering undergraduate-level topics may also be asked.
This oral evaluation lasts 40 minutes and aims to assess the student’s academic background together with their ability to articulate their knowledge verbally.

Second Part – Dissertation Proposal Presentation

The second part of the oral exam consists of the student’s dissertation proposal presentation. The student prepares a presentation of approximately 12 slides. The presentation should clearly define the topic, state the purpose and scope of the study, evaluate current approaches in the literature, explain the scientific foundations of the proposed methods and their potential for original contribution, justify the expected results and scientific impact, and present an appropriate timeline.
An important part of the literature review is the classification of sources based on chronological development and level of impact.
This stage lasts 20 minutes, during which the student’s research capacity, scientific presentation skills, methodological competence, and potential to make an original contribution are assessed.

IMPORTANT NOTE

All students who meet the requirements to take the PhD qualification exam must apply to the Graduate Education Institute at the beginning of the semester with a written petition. The date and venue of the written and oral exams are announced during the semester by the Department. The dissertation proposal must be submitted to the committee members three days before the exam. Students who fail to submit their proposal or fail to fulfill the presentation requirement are considered unsuccessful in the oral examination stage.