CORE COURSES
ENGP 101 – Academic English – I
This course is designed to help students improve their critical reading and academic writing skills required of them in their undergraduate studies and develop an awareness of basic academic conventions. Throughout the course, students will read a variety of texts centering on a theme to become aware of the features of texts written for different purposes and use them to put forward well supported arguments in a well-structured essay format in accordance with the academic conventions of writing. Students will also be expected to develop their speaking skills by participating in and contributing to class discussions and giving presentations based on the readings they have done during the course. By the end of this course, students should demonstrate the ability to think and read critically, synthesize information, and write thesis-driven academic essays.
Credit(s):3 ECTS: 6
TURK 101 – Turkish Language – I
Social sciences mainly rely on a language. Correct understanding and interpretation and, fair and proper application of the legal rules is not possible in lack of accurate and proper Turkish. Therefore Turkish is required for all law courses. Development process of Turkish, place of Turkish among other languages, effective use of the language, writing and speaking technics and importance of the language in communication technics will be analyzed in this course.
Credit(s):2 ECTS: 2
HIST 101 – Atatürk’s Principles and Revolution History – I
Turkish Independency War, foreign relations at the time of Ataturk, national sovereignty, Ataturk principals and revolutions will be taught in this course. Political changes due the French Revolution, effects of nationalism movements in the last decades of the Ottoman Empire, debates on multi-party system, new political ambience that was developed in the Republic and difficulties in the process of establishing young, dynamic and western aimed state and finally reflections of these to the Türkiye in present will be analyzed.
Credit(s):2 ECTS: 2
ECON 101 – Principles of Microeconomics
With the objective of forming an introduction to microeconomics, this course covers the core topic of economic analysis: how individual households and firms make their decisions in allocating scarce resources for consumption and production. The course will acquaint the students with the notions of demand and supply, rational decision making, resource allocation, markets as allocation and coordination mechanisms, externality, and competition.
Credit(s):4 ECTS: 7
BUSI 111 – Information Technologies
This course provides a broad introduction to the many elements that comprise an information system and briefly explores the underlying information technologies and their impact on business organizations. Emphasis is placed on managers' information needs, the various kinds of support necessary for decision-making, and the functional and strategic implications of information systems for organizations. Through the use of cases, course participants will be expected to demonstrate an awareness of current developments and the ability to identify dominant issues and possible solutions arising from the adoption of new technologies.
Credit(s): 3 ECTS: 6
MATHS 111 - Calculus for Social Sciences – I
Functions, properties and their graphs. Trigonometric functions. Exponential functions, inverse function and logarithms, geometric series, compound interest, exponential growth and decay. The tangent of a curve, the limit of a function, one sided limits, limits at infinity, continuity. Derivatives and rates of change. The product and quotient rules, Derivatives of trigonometric functions, The chain rule, implicit differentiation, derivatives of logarithmic functions. The mean value theorem. Fundamental theorem of calculus. Indeterminate forms and L’Hospital’s rule. Optimization problems.
Credit(s): 4 ECTS: 7
POLS 102 – Introduction to Political Science
This course aims to introduce the students the basic concepts and topics about the study of politics. Political ideologies which shape the ways people relate to political life and behavior; political institutions and processes; and the political and civil actors are among the topics which will be explored together with the students.
Credit(s): 3 ECTS: 6
ENGP 102 – Academic English – II
This course is designed to build on the skills the students learned in ENG 101, and to advance their skills to a level whereby they can produce a research paper. Throughout the course, students will read a variety of academic articles in order to refine their awareness of the features of texts, develop their ability to evaluate and synthesize information, and conduct basic independent research. Students will also be expected to develop their speaking skills by participating in and contributing to class discussions including the presentation of their research paper.
Credit(s):3 ECTS: 6
TURK 102 – Turkish Language – II
This course will compliment and build on knowledge gained from the course of Turkish Language – I (TURK 101).
Credit(s):2 ECTS: 2
HIST 102 - Atatürk’s Principles and Revolution History –II
This course will compliment and build on knowledge gained from the course of Atatürk’s Principles and Revolution History – I (HIST 101).
Credit(s):2 ECTS: 2
ECON 102 – Principles of Macroeconomics
Macroeconomics is the study of the structure, functioning and performance of an entire economy. The course will cover the central tools of modern macroeconomic theory and economic policy. It will, in particular, introduce the aggregate indicators of economic performance, such as the gross domestic product (GDP), aggregate demand and supply, money and monetary policy, price indexes, inflation and unemployment, savings, investment, interest rates, exchange rates, economic growth, and international monetary relations.
Credit(s): 4 ECTS: 7
POLS 104 – Modern World History
This course intends to examine social and political results of modernization from historical perspective. This course covers especially modern European history, science revolution, reformation, enlightenment, colonization, political revolutions. By this way, this course aims to elaborate upon global effects of the modernization to 20th century in Central Asia, Middle East, Africa, Far East and Americas.
Credit(s):3 ECTS: 7
POLS 201 – History of Political Thought – I
This course aims to make students familiar about the basic concepts of politics such as power, authority, justice and legitimacy. For this purpose, the students examine the writings of the major political thinkers and philosophers from the antiquity up until the 16th century.
Credit(s): 3 ECTS: 5
POLS 203 – Introduction to International Relations
The purpose of this course is to inform students about the emergence of International Relations as a discipline, its evolution, actors, fundamentals and fields of interests and to enable them to grasp and analyses the developments in contemporary international relations. Theoretical approaches in international relations, conflict, cooperation, conflict resolution, political and economic integration, balance of power, use of force, international law, environmental issues etc. will also be examined within the framework of this course.
Credit(s): 3 ECTS: 5
POLS 205 – Comparative Politics
This course prepares the students for the comparative analysis of the political systems across different parts of the globe. For this purpose, it focuses on the comparison of the political regimes and institutions; political actors and social movements and political culture and development among different countries.
Credit(s):3 ECTS: 5
POLS 207 – Introduction to Law
This course, firstly, introduces the meaning of law in terms of its functions. In doing so, it stresses indispensability of law in social life and importance of law in terms of order, social needs and especially justice. It explains the differences between law and related concepts, such as ethics and customs. Finally the course expounds the characteristics of several sciences studying on law and relationships of these sciences with legal practice. Out of lessons students can examine the main material of law practice, they can reach the professional at law, and discuss about their question with them, with the help of the professors and research assistants.
Credit(s): 3 ECTS: 5
POLS 209 – Research Methods in Social Sciences
This course informs the students about the discussions of methodology in social sciences. It provides introductory level information about both the qualitative and the quantitative research methods.
Credit(s): 3 ECTS: 5
POLS 202 – History of Political Thought – II
This course is a continuation of POLS 201 and it also aims to inform students about the historical and the philosophical texts that enquired the basic concepts and structures of politics. This course, in particular, focuses on the period from the 16th century until today; hence it also examines the mutual relationship between the advent of modernity and post-modernity and the political philosophy.
Credit(s):3 ECTS: 5
POLS 204 – Political Sociology
This course will compliment and build on knowledge gained from the courses of Introduction to Political Science and Introduction to International Relations. A major focus is on sociological theories in relation to the nature and development of modern society, the problems of modernity and proposed solutions. This course provides an important introduction to, and consideration of, classical sociological theory, identifying central debates and concerns within the discipline. This course is designed to examine the social and political circumstances which shaped the specific approaches to understanding modern societies of Marx, Weber and Durkheim. Central to this is an exploration of the continuities and contrasts between their respective projects and a critical evaluation of the ongoing relevance of their ideas for contemporary sociology. This course also seeks to introduce students to continuing developments in sociological theory, looking at the challenges and opportunities presented by post modernism and particular theorists such as Giddens and Beck. Students therefore are encouraged to appreciate how sociological thinking has been driven by attempts to grapple with the social, economic, political and cultural changes wrought by the emergence of modern industrial society.
Credit(s):3 ECTS: 5
POLS 206 – Diplomatic History
The purpose of this course is to inform students about the main assumptions of Diplomatic History as an academic discipline, its concepts and research methods; to enlighten them about the evolution of diplomatic history since the Treaty of Westphalia; and to improve their abilities to grasp and analyses major diplomatic events in this period. Particular emphasis will be put on key events of peace and war that shaped diplomatic history up to now.
Credit(s):3 ECTS: 5
POLS 208 – Constitutional Law
Fundamental concepts of constitution law, in comparison with liberal western democracy systems constitute the frame of this course. Main subjects of the course are as follows; constitution, structure and amendment of the constitution, constitutionality, government, sovereignty, the concept of state, state forms, governmental bodies (government regimes), constitutional state and constitution movements, legislative-executive-judicial bodies, political regimes, parliamentary regime, political parties, democracy, elections, election systems, fundamental rights and freedoms and allied subjects.
Credit(s):3 ECTS: 5
MATH 204 – Statistics for Social Sciences
Introduction to statistics with special emphasis on the utilization of statistical methods in social sciences: Organization of data, measures of center and variability. Basic probability concepts. Discrete and continuous random variables and their distributions. Inferences about the mean. Applications using statistical computer programs.
Credit(s):3 ECTS: 5
POLS 301 – International Relations Theories
The purpose of this course is to analyze the various theoretical approaches that have been formed in International Relations discipline and to improve the skills of students in order for them to analyze contemporary issues in international relations studies from different theoretical perspectives. The significance of developing theories and viewing international relations from theoretical perspectives will be especially emphasized. Realism, idealism, Marxism, constructivism, the English School, post-modernism, critical theory, structuralism and feminism will be highlighted within the framework of the course.
Credit(s):3 ECTS: 5
POLS 303 – International Law
The purpose of this course is to inform students about the historical background, sources, subjects and theoretical doctrines of international law, and also help them grasp the interaction between international law and international relations. The relation between international law and ethics, philosophical and political developments that influence international law, the public and private aspects of international law will also be addressed throughout the course.
Credit(s):3 ECTS: 4
POLS 305 – Qualitative Data Analysis
This course continues on from POLS 209 Research Methods in Social Sciences, looking to provide students with the skills to carry out research of sufficient quality and rigor to complete their own independent studies. It also serves, in conjunction with Quantitative Data Analysis, as a basis for further academic and professional studies. All students should have sufficient knowledge of qualitative methodology and data to critique the analysis in literature reviews and data presented through the public media. In order to support this, this course outlines the underlying ontological, epistemological and methodological principles of qualitative research. These core assumptions are reiterated and illustrated in the application of methods to data. This course provides students with the opportunity to develop and apply skills in collecting, managing, analysing and reporting from qualitative data. Ethical thoughts and issues of working with vulnerable populations shall also be discussed.
Credit(s):3 ECTS: 4
POLS 302 – Political Economy
Fundamentals of political economy will be studied in this course and students will be equipped with the skills of understanding and explaining the fundamental dynamics of the relations between politics and economics at domestic and international levels. In this respect, theoretical approaches that shaped and influenced the discussions on political economy, historical evolution of political economy as an academic discipline and political economy conceptions of major global actors will be analyzed in a comparative manner. The course also urges the students to think on issues such as development, poverty, equality and environment from a comparative international perspective.
Credit(s):3 ECTS: 4
POLS 304 – Quantitative Data Analysis
This course aims to provide students the basic hands-on skills to conduct quantitative analysis and to present it. This course introduced students to some of the pioneering and cutting-edge quantitative analyses in social sciences on the one hand, it encourages them to design and conduct a quantitative analysis of their own on the other. STATA is used for the quantitative analysis.
Credit(s):3 ECTS: 4
POLS 306 – Foreign Policy Analysis
The purpose of this course is to inform students about foreign policy decision-making process, the levels of analysis in foreign policy decisions and the structure of the actors than are involved in foreign policy-making process. Improving the analytical ability of students, through different case studies, to make sense of foreign policy decision making process is the main goal.
Credit(s):3 ECTS: 5
POLS 401 – Comparative Democracy
The objective of this course is to discuss theories of democracy and democratization in a comparative perspective. For this purpose, the course first introduces theoretical arguments and discussions on norms and institutions of democratic rule. Then the students are invited to discuss the democratic features by focusing on single and few case studies as well as cross-country studies. Both qualitative and quantitative research skills are prerequisite for this course.
Credit(s):3 ECTS: 7
POLS 402 – Global Governance and International Organizations
This course aims at introducing students to the theoretical discussions on the issues of global governance and international organizations held in the academic discipline of International Relations. The main goal is to examine how international organizations relate to global governance as the structures and dynamics of international relations have been constantly changing. Theoretical insights will be supported by empirical examples from different parts of the globe. This course also aims at informing students about the structure and function of key international organizations as well as their role and importance in global governance issues. Detailed analyses of how the United Nations, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), European Union, Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), Organization of the Islamic Cooperation, Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and etc. operate and contribute to global governance will also be offered.
Credit(s):3 ECTS: 7
