Directives

This document is an annex to the decision of our University Senate dated 30.04.2024 and numbered 2024/09-3. Revision–Amendment: annex to the decision of our University Senate dated 19.06.2025 and numbered 2025/12. Revision–Amendment–Approval: Board of Trustees Decision dated 24.09.2025 and numbered 2025/06.

 

Republic of Türkiye
ISTANBUL SABAHATTIN ZAIM UNIVERSITY
MINOR PROGRAMME DIRECTIVE

PART ONE
Introductory Provisions

Purpose
Article 1- (1) The purpose of this Directive is to regulate the principles governing the minor programmes offered at Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University.

Scope
Article 2- (1) This Directive covers the provisions relating to application, admission, enrolment, education and instruction, and continuation in the minor programmes offered at Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University.

Legal Basis
Article 3- (1) This Directive has been prepared on the basis of subparagraph (b) of Article 44 of Higher Education Law No. 2547, the Regulation on the Principles Governing Transfer between Associate and Undergraduate Level Programmes, Double Major and Minor Programmes, and Inter-Institutional Credit Transfer at Higher Education Institutions, and the provisions of the Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University Undergraduate Education and Instruction Regulation.

Definitions
Article 4- (1) In this Directive;
a) CGPA: refers to the cumulative weighted grade point average,
b) GPA: refers to the weighted grade point average,
c) AKTS: The European Credit Transfer System,
ç) Unit: refers to the Faculties affiliated with Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University,
d) Exchange programmes: refers to student exchange and internship programmes such as Erasmus, Farabi or Mevlana carried out within the framework of bilateral agreements between Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University and a higher education institution in Türkiye or abroad,
e) Adaptation: refers to the process of determining the semester/year from which students admitted to undergraduate programmes at Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University will continue their studies, based on the courses they previously took and passed at any higher education institution and for which they have been granted exemption,
f) Exemption: refers to the process whereby courses previously taken and passed are counted in place of certain courses in the curriculum, according to their compatibility in terms of content, credits and ECTS,
g) ÖSYM: refers to the Measuring, Selection and Placement Centre,
ğ) Rector: refers to the Rector of Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University,
h) Senate: refers to the Senate of Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University,
ı) University: refers to Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University,
shall have the meanings set out above.

PART TWO
The Minor Programme and Its Implementation

Minor programme
Article 5- (1) A minor programme is a programme that enables students who are successfully pursuing their major undergraduate programme and who meet the application and admission requirements of the minor programme to obtain a certificate in the relevant field by taking a limited number of courses from another undergraduate programme.
(2) The total ECTS credit value of the courses offered within a minor programme may be no less than 25 and no more than 45 ECTS.

Implementation of the programme
Article 6- (1) Minor programmes are conducted in cooperation with the relevant departments. An academic advisor is appointed for each student by the relevant head of department in order to determine the courses to be taken in the minor programme and the semesters in which these courses will be taken.
(2) The academic advisor appointed for the minor programme liaises with the students' academic advisors in the major programme to ensure that students are properly guided.
(3) The principles applied in the major programme are valid for minor programme education and instruction activities, curriculum changes and similar matters.
(4) In addition to their major programme, a student may enrol in only one minor programme and, at the same time, in one double major programme different from the minor programme.
(5) The courses to be taken within the minor programme are decided by the joint opinion of the relevant departments and are determined with the approval of the relevant faculty boards and the Senate.
(6) Courses included in the curriculum of the major programme and courses equivalent to them may not be offered within the minor programme.
(7) A student may not take courses from the minor programme in which they are enrolled other than the minor courses determined by the Senate.
(8) A student who has qualified for graduation from the major programme but has not yet successfully completed the minor programme may, upon request, be granted an additional period of up to two semesters by a decision of the relevant board of directors. Students submit their requests for additional time to the relevant dean's office with a minor programme extension request petition before course registration begins for the semester(s) for which the extension is requested.

PART THREE
Quotas, Application, Evaluation and Enrolment

Application, evaluation and enrolment calendar
Article 7- (1) The application dates for minor programmes are announced separately for each semester in the academic calendar of the relevant year. The evaluation of applications, the announcement of results, and the enrolment dates for principal and reserve candidates are determined for each semester by the Senate upon the proposal of the relevant Unit Boards and are announced on the University's website.

Quotas
Article 8- (1) The quotas for minor programmes are determined by the Senate upon the proposal of the unit board of directors that decides to open the relevant programme.

Application
Article 9- (1) The requirements for applying to a minor programme are set out below;

a) Applications to minor programmes are made online through the student information system on the dates announced in the academic calendar for each semester,
b) A student may apply to a maximum of two minor programmes at the same time,
c) A student may apply to minor and double major programmes at the same time,
ç) A student whose enrolment in a minor programme has been terminated at their own request or due to failure may not reapply to any minor programme of the University,
d) A student enrolled in a minor programme may not apply to another minor programme,
e) A student may apply to a minor programme at the beginning of the third semester of their major programme at the earliest and the sixth semester at the latest,
f) Students whose CGPA in the major programme at the time of application is at least 2.50 out of 4.00 may apply to a minor programme,
d) In order to apply to a minor programme, a student must have taken and passed all the courses included in the curriculum of the major programme up to the semester of application,
ğ) Students who wish to pursue a minor in programmes whose language of instruction is partly or entirely a foreign language must meet the relevant foreign language proficiency requirements set out in the Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University Foreign Language Preparatory Class Education, Instruction and Examination Directive, or must take and pass the relevant foreign language proficiency examination held by the University. Applications of candidates who do not meet the foreign language proficiency requirement and who also fail the relevant foreign language proficiency examination held by the University are deemed invalid and are not evaluated. In programmes whose language of instruction is partly a foreign language, this requirement is not sought if the language of instruction of all courses offered within the minor programme is Turkish,
h) International students enrolled in undergraduate programmes whose language of instruction is entirely a foreign language and who wish to pursue a minor in programmes whose language of instruction is partly or entirely Turkish must hold a Turkish Language Proficiency Certificate at level B2 or above, or must take and pass the Turkish Language Proficiency Examination held by the University. Applications of candidates who do not hold a Turkish Language Proficiency Certificate at level B2 or above and who also fail the Turkish Language Proficiency Examination held by the University are deemed invalid and are not evaluated,
ı) Students who have received a disciplinary penalty other than a reprimand may not apply to a minor programme.

Admission
Article 10- (1) Admission to a minor programme is carried out according to the candidates' CGPA ranking, by a decision of the relevant unit board of directors upon the proposal of the department in which the programme is offered.
(2) If students have equal CGPAs, priority is given to the student with the higher number of ECTS credits passed; if the tie remains, priority is given to the student with the higher central placement score, and if these students' years of enrolment at the University or types of enrolment differ, priority is given to the younger student.
(3) The principal and reserve students who qualify for enrolment in the minor programme, together with those who do not qualify and those whose applications are rejected, are announced through the application system by the relevant units on the results announcement date determined by the Senate for the relevant semester, and are reported the same day by official letter to the Rectorate and the Department of Student Affairs.
(4) Candidates may appeal in writing to the relevant faculty secretariat within five working days following the announcement of the application results. The petition must state the matters subject to appeal clearly and with reasons.
(5) Appeals are evaluated and decided by the Faculty Board of Directors within ten working days at the latest. The decision is communicated to the student in writing by the faculty secretariat

Enrolment
Article 11- (1) Students who qualify for enrolment in a minor programme must apply to the Department of Student Affairs on the enrolment dates determined by the Senate, in person or through a proxy appointed by notarised power of attorney, with a wet-signed enrolment petition and the documents required for enrolment.
(2) If any principal students fail to enrol on the announced enrolment dates for the minor programme, reserve students must apply to the Department of Student Affairs on the reserve student enrolment dates determined by the Senate, in person or through a proxy appointed by notarised power of attorney, with a wet-signed enrolment petition and the documents required for enrolment.
(3) Candidates who fail to submit the enrolment petition and the documents required for enrolment in full to the Department of Student Affairs on the announced enrolment dates are deemed to have waived their right to enrol in the minor programme and may not claim any right thereto.
(4) Enrolment in more than one minor programme at the same time is not permitted. However, enrolment in a minor and a double major programme at the same time is permitted.
(5) Where it emerges that a person has enrolled at the University with incorrect information, declarations or forged documents, their enrolment is cancelled, all rights acquired through this enrolment are annulled, and legal proceedings are initiated against those concerned.

Documents required for enrolment
Article 12- (1) The documents required for enrolment in a minor programme are set out below;

a) Minor programme enrolment petition,
b) Photocopy of identity document,
c) Student certificate,
ç) Transcript of records,
d) Disciplinary record certificate,
e) Original and photocopy of the high school diploma,
f) Four photographs,
g) Relevant language proficiency certificate (for undergraduate programmes taught in a foreign language).

PART FOUR
Leave of Absence, Withdrawal and Graduation

Leave of absence
Article 13- (1) A student may not take a leave of absence from a minor programme. However, students who take a leave of absence from their major programme, as well as students studying at a different university within the scope of domestic or international student exchange programmes, are deemed to be on approved leave from the minor programme for the relevant semesters.

Withdrawal
Article 14- (1) A student whose CGPA in the major programme falls below 2.29 out of 4.00 is withdrawn from the minor programme by the Department of Student Affairs within the week following the announcement of the examination grades at the end of the relevant semester.
(2) The registration of a student who does not take courses in the minor program for two consecutive semesters is cancelled by the Directorate of Student Affairs within the week following the course add-drop period of the second semester in which the student failed to renew their registration. Semesters spent at another university by students studying abroad or in Turkey within the scope of student exchange programs, as well as semesters for which registration has been frozen in the major program, are not included in this period.

Academic Achievement
Article 15- (1) In order to be entitled to receive a Minor Certificate, a student must take and pass all courses required within the scope of the minor program and must have a CGPA of at least 2.00 out of 4.00.
(2) Students who successfully complete the minor program are awarded a Minor Certificate. This certificate does not replace a diploma.
(3) A student's academic standing in the minor program does not affect their graduation from the major program.

FIFTH SECTION
Miscellaneous and Final Provisions

Exemption and adjustment
Article 16- (1) Exemption and adjustment procedures for students registered in a minor program are carried out in accordance with the principles of the University Exemption and Adjustment Directive. A separate transcript is issued for the courses taken in the minor program.

Tuition fee
Article 17- (1) The duration, types and scope of scholarships and discounts, the application and evaluation processes, the conditions for their continuation and termination, and other implementation principles are determined and announced through the Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University Scholarship Directive.
(2) The provisions of the Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University Scholarship Directive apply with regard to scholarships and discounts.

Transfer
Article 18- (1) If a minor program may be pursued in combination with the major program to which a student has transferred, the student continues their studies in the minor program for which they had previously gained the right to enroll under their former major program; otherwise, their affiliation with that program is terminated.

Cases not covered by provisions
ARTICLE 19- (1) In cases not covered by this Directive, the provisions of the University Undergraduate Education and Instruction Regulation, the Regulation on the Principles of Transfer Between Associate and Undergraduate Degree Programs, Double Major, Minor Programs and Inter-Institutional Credit Transfer in Higher Education Institutions, and other relevant legislation apply.
(2) In addition to the exemption conditions set out in this Directive, faculty-specific supplementary conditions may be determined upon the proposal of the relevant Unit Board and with the approval of the Senate.

Entry into Force
Article 20- (1) This Directive enters into force on the date it is adopted by the Senate.

Execution
Article 21- (1) The provisions of this Directive are executed by the Rector.