The Undergradute Program

The General Structure of the BA/BS Degree Programs

All of the four-year Bachelor of Arts and Sciences programs have the same course structure: common core, area, and elective courses. The common core demonstrates the University’s educational philosophy and provides the building blocks of the educational process. The basic philosophy underlying the core courses is that every Koç graduate must be broadly educated and trained in a particular academic discipline. All of our undergraduates must devote half of their studies to the common core, which constitutes their first two years, as do language programs that continue longer.

The area courses are those necessary for the student’s specialization in a particular field and such courses delineate the various degree programs. Area courses start in the second year, to allow students to take basic prerequisites for the last two years of courses in their area of interest. Since there are only two second-year area courses offered in some areas of specialization, the second year student may be able to select courses from two different areas of concentration. This permits a student to make a more informed choice of an area of concentration or, if appropriate, to choose dual concentrations.

The electives are unrestricted but are subject to advisor approval. A student must take independent study courses in some programs before graduating. These courses are intended to individualize the program to fit each student’s personal goals and talents. Students are encouraged to choose elective courses outside of their area of concentration.

Most courses count for three credits. Those carrying four credits are marked respectively with an asterisk sign (*). The four-year programs leading to a BA or a BS are described on the following pages.

The Core Program

The basic philosophy underlying the core program is that every Koç graduate must possess not just depth of education that results from being trained in a particular academic discipline, but also a breadth of knowledge. The core program aims at the mastery of different approaches to knowledge, rather than the absorption of a body of specific information. The common core’s unifying aspect is its emphasis on methodology, ways of thinking, and problem solving.

The common core provides a structure for most of the student’s first two years.

Humanities and Social Sciences Core

These courses enable the students to understand the modern world by presenting the human saga through the ages, the cultures and events that shaped our present day societies. Basic concepts and methods to study societies are covered within the global context in general and Turkey in particular. The courses also explore important issues in human behavior at individual level as well as at group levels. Philosophical and literary works are studied to gain a comparative perspective on universal issues concerning human beings.

Humanities and Social Sciences Core courses are organized in three groups below:

  • Social and Cultural Studies and Human Behavior
    CIVL 201: World Civilizations
    PSYC 100: Psychology
    SOCI 100: Introduction to Sociology: Understanding Societies
    SOCI 101: Introduction to Sociology: Culture and Society
    SOCI 102: Introduction to Sociology: Gender and Society
    SOCI 103: Introduction to Sociology: Consumption and Society
    ECON 200: Introduction to Economics
    ECON 201: Economics I: Micro-Economics
    ECON 202: Economics II: Macro-Economics
  • Historical Studies
    HIST 201: Anatolian Civilizations from 9000 to 500 BC
    HIST 207: Modern History
    HIST 208: Europe and the Ottoman Empire: Cultural Encounters through the Centuries
    HIST 210: Mythology and Religion
    HIST 301: The Turkish Revolution I
    HIST 302: The Turkish Revolution II
  • Literature and Thought
    PHIL 202: Philosophy and Modern Mind
    PHIL 302: Philosophy and Literature
    LITR 203: Global Literature I
    LITR 204: Global Literature II
    LITR 206: American Literature
    LITR 305: Introduction to Fiction
    LITR 306: Introduction to Poetry and Drama
    LITR 307: Mythology, Religion, and Culture
    LITR 312: Biography & Autobiography Writing (in Turkish)
    LITR 401: Contemporary Turkish Poetry
    LITR 402: Turkish Prose
    LITR 403: Classic Literature (in English)
    LITR 430, 431: American Literature and Intellectual History
    COMM 301,302: Arts and Ideas I, II

From the above groups all students are required to take PSYC 100, CIVL 201, HIST 301 and 302. All students must choose one course from SOCI 100, 101,102; one course from HIST 201, 207,208, 210; and one course from the group of Literature and Thought courses. Depending on their majors students must take one or more of ECON 200, 201 and 202.

Communication Core

This track provides students with the electronic and verbal means of and skills for understanding modern oral, written and computer-based communication.

  • COMM 101: Basic Writing Techniques
    COMM 102: Advanced Writing Techniques
    ENGL 100: English
    TURK 100: Turkish - Speech and Composition
    COMP 100: Computer Applications
    COMP 110: Introduction to Computer Programming with Matlab
    COMP 130: Introduction to Programming (Java)

Depending on their majors students take one of the computer courses.

Natural Sciences Core

This part of the common core provides students with quantitative reasoning, general understanding of the natural world and foundations of sciences.

  • Quantitative Reasoning: Mathematics
    MATH 100: Elements of Finite Mathematics and Calculus
    MATH 101: Finite Mathematics
    MATH 102: Calculus
    MATH 103: Introduction to Abstract Mathematics
    MATH 104: Honors Calculus
    MATH 106: Calculus
    MATH 201: Statistics
    ENGR 200: Probability and Statistical Methods for Engineers
  • The Natural World: Science
    SCIE 103: Life Sciences
    SCIE 104: Exploring the Universe
    SCIE 105: Materials and Society
    SCIE 106: Fascination of Light
    SCIE 107: Energy and Environment
    SCIE 108: World of Chemistry
    PHYS 101, 102: General Physics I,II
    CHEM 101, 102: General Chemistry I, II
    CHEM 103: General Chemistry

Science courses, SCIE 103-108, are taken by majors other than chemistry, math, physics and engineering. Students have to take one science course from SCIE 103-108 as part of the core requirement.

Courses in the Common Core

CHEM 101, 102
General Chemistry I, II (for Chemistry majors)
Atomic structure, chemical bonds, compounds, solutions, stoichiometry. Electrochemistry, thermodynamics, kinetics, acids and bases, basic organic chemistry. Prerequisite for CHEM 102: CHEM 101 or consent of the instructor.

CHEM 103
General Chemistry (for Engineering majors)
Atomic and molecular structure, spectroscopy, stoichiometry, chemical thermodynamics, electrochemistry, structure and properties of materials.

COMM 101
Basic Writing Techniques
Introduces students to increasingly complex rhetorical modes including description, analysis, persuasion and argumentation, with an emphasis on elements of style.

COMM 102
Advanced Writing Techniques
More advanced and complex writing for a variety of academic and professional purposes. Includes research paper and oral presentation components.

COMP 100
Computer Applications
It teaches the students basic computer skills required to become a competent computer user. The topics covered are organized around document preparation, spreadsheet use, numerical computation, data organization, and basic scripting.

COMP 110
Introduction to Computer Programming with Matlab
COMP 110 is a first course in computer programming. The objective is to introduce the principles of computer programming and algorithm development using Matlab, with particular emphasise on scientific computation and data processing. Topics covered include basic computer literacy and organization; variables, operators, expressions, data types, arrays, matrices; conditional and repetition control statements; modular programming, built-in and user-defined functions; string manipulation; text and binary file processing; structures; debugging; data plotting and visualization; graphical user interfaces.

COMP 130
Introduction to Programming (Java)
This course is a general introduction to programming using the Java programming language. It emphasizes the structured programming language aspects of Java and de-emphasizes its object-oriented aspects. The latter are covered only to the extent that enables students to use standard Java libraries for common tasks. Students who complete this course successfully should gain a solid foundation in algorithmic thinking and structured programming, and should be able to perform basic, common computational tasks easily and efficiently.

CIVL 201
World Civilizations
Themes covered in the course include creative expression, religion, science, state and society, nonelites in society, war, trade, settlements and cities, the family, education and traditions.

CIVL 202
Encounters between Civilizations
The study of critical moments of encounter with a focus on reaction and re-organization in the face of encounter. Emphasizes the agency of peoples and social groups on both sides of encounters to prompt students to think of how ordinary people make history within different contexts.

COMM 301,302
Arts and Ideas I,II
Philosophical statements, poems, novels, biographies, political tracts, landmark examples of fine arts and essays on competing artistic and literary styles and forms, chosen from various eras and countries; an introduction to post-modern aesthetics nature.

ECON 200
Introduction to Economics
Economic reasoning; basic concepts and processes in microeconomics and macroeconomics; identification and discussion of current economic issues covered in popular economics publications.

ECON 201
Economics I: Micro-Economics
Fundamental economic concepts; exchange, production; demand, supply, and market equilibrium; opportunity cost; time and risk; efficiency and comparative advantage; economic agents such as consumer, firm, and government; firm behavior under different market structures.

ECON 202
Economics II: Macro-Economics
Workings of the economy as a whole; focus on national income, economic growth, aggregate demand and supply, unemployment, inflation, money, balance of payments, and other aggregates; the role of government in stabilizing the economy through fiscal and monetary policies.
Prerequisite: ECON 201

ENGL 100
English
This is a remedial course for students whose basic English skills need further refinement. The focus of this course is on Listening and Speaking, Writing and Grammar, and Reading and Vocabulary. Students will engage in a variety of activities, which build on and test their abilities in each of these skills.

HIST 20
Anatolian Civilizations from 9000 to 500 BC
Introduction to the ancient civilizations of Anatolia. Important human social developments in the past, such as the establishment of first temples in the world, origins of agriculture, emergence of cities, extensive use of metals and long-distance, international trade. Settlement organization and architecture, religion, economy, trade and artistic expression in ancient Anatolia. The period from 8000 BC to 600 BC including the prehistoric and protohistoric times and the Assyrian colonies of Anatolia, Hittites, Urartians, Phrygians, Lydians and the Persian conquest of Anatolia in 550 BC.

HIST 207
Modern History
Chief themes and events in modern history, roughly since 1848. Industrialization, the American Civil War, start of true ‘globalization’ – the spread of westernization, the rivalries of the Great Powers, World War I. The spread of Americanization, the rise of Communism, the Russian Revolution; the peace-treaties of the period 1919 – 1923 (Versailles to Lausanne).

HIST 208
Europe and the Ottoman Empire: Cultural Encounters through the Centuries
Interactions between Europe and the Ottoman world through the centuries. Ottoman political presence in Europe and its impact on European culture starting with the 15th century. The ‘image of the Turk’ in Europe shifting in the following centuries with different political alliances and different economic interests. The changes in Ottoman interest in the west starting in the 17th cenrtury, introduction of westernisms in technology, social life and the arts in view of political and economic relations.

HIST 210
Mythology and Religion
Introduction to many of the religious traditions from the Mediterranean and Near Eastern regions including ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, the Hittites, Judaism and Christianity. Study of the history and cultural contexts of these religions in order to better understand how the belief systems developed over time. Discussions on the myths and traditional stories of these religions as well as religious practices and beliefs. Comparison of the mythology of different areas according to themes in mythology such as creation myths, hero myths, the afterlife, fate, and the relationship between people and divine power.

HIST 301
The Turkish Revolution I
 The evolution of the reforms from the Tanzimat Period to the Kemalist period is studied through the period between 1839 and 1923, including their political, economic and social aspects.

HIST 302
The Turkish Revolution II
The institution of the Republic and a study of historical conditions and events following Atatürk’s reforms. Covers the period from the beginning of the Turkish Republic to the 1990s.
Prerequisite: HIST 301 or consent of the instructor.

LITR 203
Global Literature I
Critical approaches to selected short stories, poems, and plays from contemporary world literature, including works of such writers as Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Virginia Woolf, and Naguib Mahfouz.

LITR 204
Global Literature II
Personal and social themes in contemporary stories, novels, dramas, and poems of various nations, all read in English. Readings emphasize both culturally unique experiences and international and cross-cultural approaches to common challenges.

LITR 206
American Literature
This course will focus on major 19th and 20th century American writers from different regions of the country. Several genres-essays, plays, poems-will be read and considered from various critical angles. Most of the course will be devoted to close reading and discussion tracing major themes, patterns of images, and symbolism in short stories written by American authors.

LITR 305
Introduction to Fiction
Two novels and a selection of short stories by major world writers, read in English. Close readings of the texts, giving particular attention to elements of narrative technique, character development, and social and philosophical commentary.

LITR 306
Introduction to Poetry and Drama
Major world writers, read in English. Analysis of poetic techniques: different verse forms, imagery, metaphor, symbolism and allegory. Analysis of plays by dramatistic from several periods and cultures. Prerequisite: COMM 101 and COMM 102.

LITR 307
Mythology, Religion, and Culture (Also SOCI 307)
Readings in the major mythologies of the world. Examines the function and significance of myth in culture, literature and religion with special emphasis on the dynamics of its formation and transformation.

LITR 312
Biography & Autobiography Writing (in Turkish) (Also HIST 312)
This course is designed to introduce students to memoirs (biography & autobiography) as a discipline of both literature and history. The students will examine the selected examples of biographical writings from both classical and modern periods of Turkish literature by paying particular attention to the various techniques used in writing life stories. The course requires the active participation of the students in class-room discusions on the different ideas, methods, and styles employed in both the research and actual writing stages of the memoirs. Each student has to conduct live interviews with a selected person and write his/her biography for a course paper.

LITR 401
Contemporary Turkish Poerty
Major literary trends, styles, and themes in twentieth century Turkish poetry; questions of modernism, identity, and East-West concerns; selected writings in contemporary literary criticism related to poetry in both Turkey and the West.

LITR 402
Contemporary Turkish Prose
Development of both short story and novel in Turkish literature in the 20th century. Structures, plots, characters, and themes with special emphasis on the questions of modernism, identity, and East-West concerns; contemporary literary criticism related to prose in both Turkey and the West.

LITR 403
Classic Literature
Stories, poems, novels, and plays from many nations, all read in English. A typical semester might include authors as various as Goethe, Chekhov, Poe, Dante, Li Po, and D. H. Lawrance.
Prerequisite: COMM 101 and COMM 102.

LITR 430, 431
American Literature and Intellectual History (Also HST 430, 431)
Major writers of American literature from the early 18th century to the present; Poe, Hawthorne, Melville, Emerson, Thoreau, Dickinson, Whitman, Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Faulkner, and Bellow.

MATH 100
Elements of Finite Mathematics and Calculus (for History, Psychology, Sociology and Law majors)
Elements of finite Mathematics and Calculus Tools for quantitative reasoning and basic college level mathematical concepts for social science students. Mathematics of finance, linear equations and matrices, probability, game theory, derivative, integral, special functions: log, exp, trigonometric and function sketching techniques.

MATH 101
Finite Mathematics (for Bus Admin, Econ and Intl Rel majors)
Linear algebra and matrix theory; mathematics of finance; counting and the fundamentals of probability theory; game theory.

MATH 102
Calculus (for Bus Admin, Econ and Intl Rel majors)
Limit of a function; Continuous functions and their properties; Derivative and applications; Extreme values; Indefinite integral; Riemann integral and fundamental theorem of calculus; Logarithmic and exponential functions; L’Hospital’s rule; Sequence and series of numbers; Power series and their properties.

MATH 103
Introduction to Abstract Mathematics (for Math majors)
Mathematical logic, methods of proof; sets, relations and mappings; finite sets and combinatorial results; infinite sets and cardinales; properties of real numbers; real sequences and series; field of the complex numbers.

MATH 104
Honors Calculus
A more rigorous treatment of calculus than MATH 102. The topics covered include curvilinear coordinates, complex numbers, vector calculus, and line integrals in addition to those in MATH 102.

MATH 106
Calculus (for Science and Engineering majors)
Limits and continuity; Derivative and properties of differentiable functions; Mean value theorems; Taylor’s formula; Extreme values; Indefinite integral and integral rules; Riemann integral and fundamental theorem of calculus; L’Hospital’s rule; Improper integrals; Sequence and series of numbers; Power series and their properties; Taylor and Maclaurin series.

MATH 201
Statistics
Descriptive statistics; measures of association, correlation, simple regression; probability theory, conditional probability, independence; random variables and probability distributions; sampling distributions; estimation; inference (confidence intervals and hypothesis tests). Topics are supported by computer applications. Prerequisite: MATH 100 or MATH 101 or consent of the instructor.

PHIL 202
Philosophy and the Modern Mind
An introduction to philosophy from the Renaissance to the present, emphasizing the development of modern science, social and political history, law.

PHIL 302
Philosophy and Literature
An analytical approach to the philosophical contents of some major works in literature. Comperative perspectives on the philosophical and literary works in terms of the universal issues concerning human beings. Major figures such as Plato, Dostoevsky, Ibsen, Kafka, Sartre, Nietzsche, Beckett, Camus and Beauvoir.

PHYS 101
General Physics I (for Physics and Engineering majors)
Physical quantities; rectilinear motion; motion in two and three dimensions; Newton’s laws of motion; work and energy; momentum; conservation laws; collisions; rotational dynamics; gravitation; periodic motion; fluid motion.

PHYS 102
General Physics II (for Physics and Engineering majors)
Electric charge and electric field; Gauss’s law; electric potential; dielectrics; electric circuits; magnetic field and magnetic forces; sources of magnetic field; electromagnetic induction; electromagnetic waves. Prerequisite: PHYS 101 or consent of the instructor.

PSYC 100
Psychology
Foundations of psychology; perception; learning; motivation; intelligence; personality and social relations.

SCIE 103
Life Sciences
General overview of living organisms. Selected topics on the control of cellular mechanisms. Gene technology and evolution.

SCIE 104
Exploring the Universe
Sources of modern astronomy. Study of motion in the sky. Universal gravitation. Observation of outer space: Telescopes. Our planetary system. Stars and Galaxies. Life cycle of stars. Universe at large. Exploration of outer space: Rockets and Satellites. Space travel. Global positioning systems. Remote sensing.

SCIE 105
Materials and Society
Modern materials such as plastics, transistors, alloys, etc. resulted from ingenious scientific breakthroughs. This course will introduce the basic principles, in a historical perspective, that lead to breakthroughs in materials science and technology, and will discuss the impact of modern materials on our society and civilization.

SCIE 106
Fascination of Light
Does light behave as waves or particles? How does light interact with atoms? What is special about the speed of light? The revolutionary theories of light that have emerged over the recent centuries. Topics include a historical survey of the milestones and pioneers, wave nature of light, photons, quantum theory, Einstein’s relativity theories, and interaction of light with atoms. Lasers, fiber optics, and other technological applications based on light.

SCIE 107
Energy and Environment
Energy production from non-renewable sources such as fossil fuels, oil and natural gas. Comparative discussion of the present and future (renewable) alternative energy resources (solar, geothermal, wind, biomass, hydrogen) and technologies for their commercialization. Environmental consequences, greenhouse effect and global warming, destruction of ozone layer and water pollution. Recycling and sustainable development.

SCIE 108
World of Chemistry
Chemical facts; matter and energy; nucleus, atom and periodic law; chemical bonding; chemical reactions; polymers. The impact of scientific methods and chemical discoveries on our standard of living. Understanding contemporary issues related to atmosphere, hydrosphere, air and water pollution; global warming and renewable energy; recycling.

SOCI 100
Introduction to Sociology: Understanding Societies
This course aims to familiarize the students with basic concepts, methods and approaches to the study of society. The areas covered will include various social, cultural, and political systems and structures and the constitution of and conflicts of individual-society dynamics in social institutions. The topics covered in this course will range from small-scale studies of interaction to the analysis of various forms of social systems which influence our lives extensively. The discussions around these topics will be situated within the global context in general and for Turkey in particular.

SOCI 101
Introduction to Sociology: Culture and Society
This course aims to familiarize the students with basic concepts, methods and approaches to the study of society. The areas covered will include consumption and culture, media, globalization and culture, economy and culture. Culture is an important source of both, social integration and disintegration. On the one hand, it provides unified symbolic frames and shared normative understandings such as language and media. On the other hand, its productions is a highly contested area, subject to, for example technological change and innovation. This course looks at culture from both angles. It examines the dynamics of symbolic and objectified meaning production, and analyses how culture affects, and is in turn affected by, social conditions and political institutions.

SOCI 102
Introduction to Sociology: Gender and Society
This course aims to familiarize the students with basic concepts, methods and approaches to the study of society. The areas covered will include the key institutions in the construction of gender such as family, state, and workplace through which students can understand the social, economic, and cultural factors that shape the construction and performance of gender. The relationships between gender, social class, sexuality, age, ethnicity, and nationality will also be analyzed.

SOCI 103
Introduction to Sociology: Consumption and Society
This course aims to familiarize the students with basic concepts, methods and approaches to the study of society. The areas covered will have a particular focus on consumption. Basic concepts, theoretical perspective, and methodological orientations of contemporary sociology. The course will present a general overview of the sociological studies on consumption at an introductory level.

TURK 100
Turkish - Speech and Composition
The course has two modules that are designed to build up students’ oral and written competence in their mother tongue for effective high level scientific and professional communications. During the first module, students learn the technical aspects of both informative and persuasive speech styles. The second module promotes students’ critical thinking skills, analytical reading, and expository expression emphasizing the improvement of writing style, and the rhetorical modes of composition.

Double Major Programs

Double major programs offer the opportunity for a student to obtain two undergraduate degrees simultaneously. These are honor programs restricted to a limited number of high achieving students. To be considered for inclusion in the program, a student must have completed his/her freshman year with a minimum GPA of 3.00. Basic requirements of the program itself are the successful completion of twelve area courses in a second program (this usually necessitates an overload) while maintaining a minimum 3.00 GPA throughout undergraduate studies. Cross-listed courses will apply towards both majors. If a student enrolled in this program allows his/her GPA to fall below 3.00 at any time, including the semester preceding graduation, he/she will be withdrawn from the Double Majors option and returned to his/her original program.

The Executive Councils of the Colleges of the university announce the number of slots available for double major programs in each of their degree programs in the fall semester. A student is accepted to the double majors program by action of the Executive Council of the College the student is applying to for the second major. A student can withdraw from the Double Majors Program at any time and return to his/her original program. The duration of the Double Major Program cannot be extended beyond the normal time required for graduation in a single major. The students who complete the double majors program are awarded two diplomas, one for each of the majors at the time of graduation.

The Koç University Writing Center

The Writing Center is a place where students can receive guidance in their efforts to use English writing, reading and speaking effectively in their coursework. In individual sessions, students learn ways to improve their communication skills and academic habits through working on their writing with a tutor. Students may work with tutors on organization, grammar, style and clarity in their writing, research techniques, and documentation. The Writing Center also offers periodic workshops aimed at developing particular academic and professional skills that will enable students to be more effective communicators. For more information, see the Writing Center web page on the Koç University site.