Doctoral Programs Qualification and Thesis Defense Processes

The qualification, thesis defense, and thesis submission processes for doctoral programs within our Institute will be carried out according to the following phases, based on a participatory, inclusive, and sustainable institutional structure. The developed guides (thesis writing guide) and forms will ensure that these processes are conducted effectively and accurately.

A. Doctoral Programs Qualification Processes

The qualification processes for doctoral programs within our Institute will be conducted according to the following phases.

Phase 1: Doctoral Qualification Exam Application Process

Before the doctoral qualification exam, the following steps and forms must be completed:

1. The student must fill out the ENO.FR.032 form and submit it in person or electronically to the Institute during the dates specified in the Academic Calendar.

2. The application will be communicated to the Institute by notifying the relevant department chair, requesting the ENO.FR.033 form to be sent to the Institute.

3. The juries determined by the department chair will be approved by the Institute's Executive Board.

Phase 2: Doctoral Qualification Exam Process

During the doctoral qualification exam process, the following steps and forms must be completed:

1. The doctoral qualification exam consists of a written exam conducted face-to-face and an oral exam conducted in a hybrid format or face-to-face.

2. A class will be created on MS Teams prior to the defense exam date, as determined by the department chair and approved by the Institute's Executive Board.

Phase 3: Post-Qualification Exam Process

After the doctoral qualification exam, the following steps and forms must be completed:

1. The ENO.FR.034 Doctoral Qualification Exam Minutes Form will be sent through the EBYS system to the Institute Directorate by the department chair.

2. For successful students, the Institute will request the completion of the ENO.FR.082 form to establish a Doctoral Thesis Monitoring Committee, to be sent to the Institute within one month.

3. The student must submit the ENO.FR.081 Thesis Proposal and Modification Form to their advisor within six months of passing the doctoral qualification exam.

4. The mentioned form will be sent to the Institute Directorate via the EBYS system by the department chair.

B. Doctoral Programs Thesis Defense Processes

The thesis defense processes for doctoral programs within our Institute will be conducted according to the following phases.

Phase 1: Pre-Thesis Defense Process

Before the doctoral thesis defense, the following steps and forms must be completed:

1. Thesis Proposal Defense Exam: A request must be made to the Institute's department chair for the Thesis Proposal Defense Exam. The department chair must notify the Institute at least 15 days in advance via the EBYS system about the location and date of the Thesis Proposal Defense Exam. After the defense exam, the ENO.FR.081 Doctoral Thesis Proposal Evaluation Form must be filled out and sent to the Institute via EBYS, accompanied by a Thesis Proposal Report of no more than 20 pages.

2. Thesis Monitoring Exam: Students are required to take at least one thesis monitoring exam during each term between January-June and July-December. A request must be made to the Institute's department chair for the exam, and the date and location must be communicated to the Institute at least 15 days in advance via the EBYS system.

3. Thesis Monitoring Exam Result: Each thesis monitoring exam result will be reported to the Institute via the ENO.FR.039 Doctoral Thesis Monitoring Exam Minutes Form through the EBYS system. Students may enter the thesis defense exam after successfully completing at least three thesis monitoring exams.

4. Plagiarism Reports: The student submits the thesis, which has been prepared according to the thesis writing guide and approved by the advisor, along with the advisor's suitability form (ENO.FR.024) to sbe@klu.edu.tr for plagiarism report acquisition.

5. Plagiarism Result and 7-Item Email: The email sent by the advisor to sbe@klu.edu.tr will be forwarded to klutezkontrol@gmail.com. If the plagiarism result is 30% or higher, both the advisor and the student will be notified, and the thesis will need to be revised. If the plagiarism is 30% or lower, the advisor must send the plagiarism report and Thesis Control Suitability form, along with the following forms accessible at https://sbe.klu.edu.tr/ under the Matbu Formlar section, to the Institute Directorate via the relevant department chair:

   • ENO.FR.024 - Thesis Advisor Suitability Letter
   • ENO.FR.025 - Thesis Control Suitability Form
   • SBE.FR.001 - Thesis Study Plagiarism Report Suitability Letter
   • ENO.FR.041 - Doctoral Thesis Submission and Thesis Defense Jury Determination Form
   • ENO.FR.026 - Exam Date Notification Form
   • The relevant Master's/Doctoral Thesis (in Word format)
   • Similarity Report

Phase 2: Doctoral Thesis Defense Exam Process

During the doctoral thesis defense exam process, the following steps and forms must be completed:

1. Doctoral Defense Exam: The defense exam will be conducted either face-to-face or in a hybrid format. A class will be created on MS Teams before the defense exam date, as determined by the department chair and approved by the Institute's Executive Board.

Phase 3: Post-Thesis Defense Exam Process

After the doctoral thesis defense exam, the following steps and forms must be completed:

1. Post-Defense Documents: The Doctoral Thesis Defense Exam Jury Evaluation Form (ENO.FR.043), jury reports, and the Doctoral Thesis Defense Exam Minutes Form (ENO.FR.042) will be sent to the Institute Directorate via the EBYS system by the department chair.

2. Post-Defense Documents (Successful/Corrections): For successful students, the advisors will send the final version of the thesis for a pre-publication plagiarism check to sbe@klu.edu.tr. The email from the advisor will be forwarded to klutezkontrol@gmail.com. Students and advisors with a final plagiarism report of 30% or below will receive the report. If it is 30% or above, the advisor and student will be notified, and the thesis will need to be revised accordingly.

For students needing corrections, the process will restart within a maximum of six months from Phase 6.1.

3. Thesis Publication: For the doctoral thesis, in accordance with Article 55, Clause 1(c) of the Kırklareli University Graduate Education and Training Regulation, students must meet the publication requirement set by the Senate, and with a final plagiarism report of 30% or below, they will publish their thesis according to the Thesis Writing Guide within one month from the defense date.

4. Thesis Submission: Three printed copies of the thesis, three CDs containing the thesis in PDF format, the ENO.FR.031 - Graduation and Thesis Submission Form, the ENO.FR.012 - Clearance Certificate, and the YÖK Thesis Data Entry Form must be collected along with the output from the Graduate Information System. Students must first deliver one copy to the Library Directorate for signature and then submit the remaining two theses, two CDs, and other forms and documents to the Institute's student affairs office.