About the Master’s Program
The Master’s Program in Philosophy and Religious Studies was established following approval by the Higher Education Executive Board on July 22, 2008. The Thesis Master’s Programs in Sociology of Religion and Islamic Philosophy were approved on February 14, 2024, and the Thesis Master’s Program in Psychology of Religion was approved on August 20, 2025.
Mode of Study: Full-time
Assessment and Evaluation: Students are required to attend at least 70% of theoretical courses, term projects, and seminars, and 80% of practical courses and applications. Students who do not meet the attendance requirement are not allowed to take end-of-term exams. Attendance requirements also apply to repeated courses due to absence or failure.
Instructors specify in the course description forms the types and number of midterm exams and/or other in-term activities (assignments, quizzes, projects, etc.), their contribution to the final grade, and the conditions for taking the end-of-term exam, and implement them accordingly.
The passing grade for courses is 70 out of 100 points. Non-credit courses are assessed on a pass/fail basis.
Degree Awarded: The Thesis Master’s Programs in Philosophy and Religious Studies, Sociology of Religion, and Islamic Philosophy follow the 2-stage degree system with 90/120 ECTS credits. Upon successful completion of the program and fulfillment of the program competencies, graduates are awarded a Master’s degree in the relevant program.
Degree Level: Master’s
Rules for Degree Completion: To graduate from the Master’s program, students must complete at least 8 courses totaling 24 credits or more, complete seminar work and other learning activities successfully, and defend their Master’s Thesis successfully in the Defense Exam.
Progression to Higher Education: Graduates of this program are eligible to apply for doctoral programs.
Recognition of Previous Learning: The Bachelor’s degree is recognized.
Admission Requirements
Required Documents for Application:
Preliminary Assessment Conditions before Scientific Evaluation and/or Interview: For thesis Master’s applications, candidates’ scores are calculated as follows: 50% ALES score, 25% Bachelor’s GPA, and 25% foreign language exam score (if available). Candidates are then ranked from highest to lowest total score.
Assessment Conditions after Scientific Evaluation and/or Interview: For thesis Master’s applications, the final entrance exam score is calculated as follows:
Candidates scoring below 50 in the scientific evaluation and/or interview are considered unsuccessful. Candidates with a total score of at least 50/100 are ranked from highest to lowest and admitted to the program within the available quota.
