General Information

Program Profile

The main goal of the Culinary Program is to train qualified professionals who can be employed in various areas of the tourism sector, particularly in hospitality and food and beverage management. During their time at our institution, students will learn many topics that are essential for their professional lives through both theoretical and practical methods from experienced and expert instructors.

Eligibility Conditions and Rules

Students must pass all courses in the program and have no grades of FF or DZ. The student must achieve at least 120 ECTS credits and maintain a minimum GPA of 2.00 on a 4.00 scale. There is a mandatory 30-day internship requirement in this program.

Recognition of Prior Learning

For students wishing to transfer laterally from higher education institutions in Turkey or abroad, the University’s relevant regulations and evaluation criteria for lateral transfers will apply. Lateral Transfer Quotas are announced by the University. The evaluation is conducted by the commissions established at the Vocational School, and the decision is made and announced by the relevant boards.

Lateral Transfer Opportunities for Associate Degree Programs:

There is an opportunity for lateral transfer between vocational schools.

Transfer to Higher Degree Programs

Graduates of the Culinary Program may apply to undergraduate programs through the central Vertical Transfer Exam (DGS).

Graduation Conditions

Employment Opportunities

Graduates of this program can find employment opportunities in all industrial and private enterprises that provide food and beverage services.

Assessment and Evaluation

This program uses various evaluation methods such as midterm exams, assignments, projects, practicals, and final exams. Evaluation methods may include written exams, multiple-choice exams, assignments, performance evaluation, and product evaluation. To graduate, the relevant provisions of the MTÜ Associate Degree, Undergraduate Education, and Exam Regulations will apply to exam and course grades.

Exams

Article 22 - (1) Exams include exemption exams, midterm exams, makeup midterm exams, semester/year-end exams, resit exams, single-course exams, and additional exams. The relevant department council may decide whether these exams are written, written-oral, or practical depending on the nature of the course.

(2) Exemption exams are held for courses determined by the Senate. Students can take these exams at the beginning of the semester/year when they first take the course. These exams are held on the dates specified in the academic calendar.

(3) The midterm exam is held during the semester. The following principles apply to the midterm exam:

a) At least one midterm exam is held for each course during the semester.

b) The number of midterm exams for a course is decided within fifteen days of the start of the semester, based on the opinion of the instructor and approved by the relevant unit council.

c) Midterm exam dates are announced to students at least one week in advance.

d) For courses that span two semesters, at least one midterm exam is held.

e) Assessments for separate course components such as projects, assignments, laboratories, final projects, workshops, etc., may serve as substitutes for midterm exams.

f) Midterm results are announced at least two weeks before the semester/year-end exam.

g) Students who fail to meet the attendance requirements (70% for theoretical courses with practicals, 80% for practical courses) cannot take the midterm exam.

(4) The makeup midterm exam is offered for students who could not attend midterm exams due to valid reasons. Valid reasons are determined according to Article 32.

(5) The semester/year-end exam is held after the conclusion of the semester/year. The following principles apply to the semester/year-end exam:

a) To participate in the semester/year-end exam, students must be registered for the course and have attended at least 70% of theoretical courses or at least 80% of practical courses.

b) Semester/year-end exams are held on the dates specified in the academic calendar.

(6) Resit exams are held at the end of each semester/year as determined in the academic calendar. The following principles apply to resit exams:

a) To take the resit exam, students must be registered for the course and meet the attendance and other requirements.

(7) Single-course exams are for students with a GPA of at least 2.00 who have completed all courses except one. The following principles apply to single-course exams:

a) These exams are held after the semester/year-end resit exams.

(8) Additional exams are for final-year students who have completed their maximum study period but have failed a limited number of courses. The dates for additional exams are set by the academic calendar.

Grade Calculation

Article 23 – (1) The calculation of the course grade follows the principles outlined below:

a) The relative grading system principles are determined by the Senate.

b) The raw grade is calculated by adding 40% of the midterm grade average and 60% of the semester/year-end exam grade.

c) (Amendment: RG-08/03/2020 - 31062) "In the relative grading system, the following limits are applied:

The lower limit of the raw grade is the minimum score a student must obtain out of 100 points. For associate degree programs, the minimum required grade is 35 points, and for undergraduate programs, it is 40 points. This limit may be increased by the Senate.
Regardless of the semester/year grades, the minimum score required on the semester/year-end exam for a student to pass conditionally or directly is 40 points out of 100 for associate degree programs and 50 points for undergraduate programs. This limit may be increased by the Senate. Students who do not take the semester/year-end exam or who score below this limit will receive an F2 grade and be considered unsuccessful."

Grades and Their Corresponding Scores

Article 24 – (1) (Amendment: RG-08/03/2020 - 31062) "The grade intervals and corresponding scores used in faculties and vocational schools are as follows:

Grade Interval	Letter Grade	GPA (out of 4.00)	Meaning
95-100	A1	4.00	Successful
90-94	A2	3.75	Successful
85-89	A3	3.50	Successful
80-84	B1	3.25	Successful
75-79	B2	3.00	Successful
70-74	B3	2.75	Successful
65-69	C1	2.50	Successful
60-64	C2	2.25	Successful
55-59	C3	2.00	Successful
45-54	D1	1.75	Conditional Success
40-44	D2	1.50	Conditional Success
35-39	D3	1.00	Conditional Success
30-34	F1	0.50	Unsuccessful
0-29	F2	0.00	Unsuccessful
0	F3	0.00	Absent

(2) F1, F2, F3, YZ, and GR grades are considered as failures.

(3) The upper limit of the F1 grade is the limit below which the raw grade, determined by the Senate for the relevant department, falls.

(4) The GR, YT, and YZ grades are defined as follows:

a) GR (No Show): This grade is given to students who do not attend the semester/year-end exam. It is assigned without considering midterm grades or semester/year activities. A student with a GR grade is considered unsuccessful, and the GR grade is included in the GPA calculation.

b) YT (Satisfactory): This grade is given for non-credit courses to indicate success.

c) YZ (Unsatisfactory): This grade is given for non-credit courses to indicate failure.

(5) Grades from universities applying the 100-point grading system, for students transferring laterally to the University, will be converted according to the principles determined by the Senate.

(6) A student found to have cheated will receive a grade of zero in the course in which the cheating occurred.

Course Grades and Academic Average

Article 25 – (1) The academic performance of students in faculties, vocational schools, conservatories, and higher vocational schools is determined by the semester (YNO/YSNO) and cumulative (AGNO) grade point averages (GPA). To calculate the GPA, the credit value of each course, as well as the grade coefficient, are multiplied, and the total sum of these values is divided by the total credit value of the courses taken. This calculation is done for courses taken in a specific semester/year for YNO/YSNO, or for all courses taken until the time of calculation for AGNO. The calculation of the GPA is done by rounding to two decimal places. Courses graded as YT are not included in the GPA calculation.

(2) The following principles apply regarding grades:

a) To receive an associate or bachelor’s degree, a student must pass the required number of courses in the teaching plan for the relevant department, which must meet the minimum required ECTS credits. In addition, no course grades can be F1, F2, F3, YZ, or GR, and the AGNO must be at least 2.00.

b) Students whose AGNO is below 2.00 are considered unsuccessful. Such students are not eligible for positions in student associations, clubs, student communities, or sports teams. They are also not nominated for exchange programs or scholarships.

c) A student with an AGNO of at least 2.00 must first retake courses where they received F1, F2, or F3 grades. They can also retake courses in the current semester if they choose. Additionally, the student can retake courses with D1, D2, or D3 grades to improve their GPA. For courses taken to improve grades, the most recent grade will count.

Evaluation of Common Compulsory Courses

Article 26 – (1) The courses on Atatürk's Principles and History of Revolution, Turkish Language, and Foreign Languages are credit-bearing and compulsory. These courses are evaluated using the relative grading system.

Evaluation of Practical Courses

Article 27 – (1) If the relevant administrative boards decide, there will be at least four midterm exams for practical courses taken over one semester, and at least eight for those taken over two semesters. For these courses, students whose midterm average exceeds 70% of the full grade may choose not to attend the semester/year-end exam. These students will not be subject to relative grading. The average of the midterm grades will count as the final grade.

(2) Students who do not achieve an average of 70% or above in the midterm exams will be required to attend the semester/year-end exam, and their final grade will be calculated as per Article 23.

Internships

Article 28 – (1) Internships and practical training conducted in universities' faculties, conservatories, vocational schools, and higher vocational schools are carried out in accordance with relevant regulations and decisions by the Higher Education Council and Senate.

(2) Students can perform practical and applied courses, as well as internships, in relevant public institutions or equivalent private organizations.

(3) During the internship period, students are subject to the provisions of the Higher Education Institutions Student Disciplinary Regulation published in the Official Gazette on 18/08/2012 (No. 28388).

Relative Grading System (RGS)

Article 8 – (1) RGS is a statistical approach that aims to measure a student's performance not against absolute standards but based on the general performance of their peer group. In this system, a grade that deviates positively from the group’s average indicates increased success, while a deviation in the opposite direction suggests decreased success.

Raw Success Grade (HBN)

Article 9 – (1) HBN is the weighted arithmetic average of students’ midterm and semester/year-end exam grades. The HBN is calculated by adding 40% of the midterm grade and 60% of the semester/year-end exam grade. For distance education courses, these percentages are determined by the Senate.

Raw Success Grade Lower Limit (HBNAL)

Article 10 – (1) HBNAL is the minimum required raw grade a student must obtain out of 100. For associate degree programs, the minimum value is 35 points, and for bachelor’s programs, it is 40 points. This limit may be increased by the Senate.

Semester/Year-End Exam Passing Grade Limit (GNAL)

Article 11 – (1) In the RGS, regardless of the midterm or semester/year grades, students must obtain a minimum score on the semester/year-end exam to pass conditionally or directly. For associate degree programs, this score is at least 40 points, and for bachelor’s programs, it is at least 50 points. This limit may be increased by the Senate. Students who do not attend the semester/year-end exam or score below this limit will be considered unsuccessful and receive an F2 grade.

Relative Success Grade (BBN)

Article 12 – (1) BBN is the relative grade used for determining letter grades in the relative grading system. To calculate the BBN, students’ HBNs are first converted to standard T-scores with a mean of 50 and a standard deviation of 10, and then converted to a 100-point system. The following formulas are used in this calculation:

Course Grades and Academic Average

(2) The following principles apply regarding grades:

Evaluation of Common Compulsory Courses

Evaluation of Practical Courses

(2) Students who do not achieve an average of 70% or above in the midterm exams will be required to attend the semester/year-end exam, and their final grade will be calculated as per Article 23.

Internships

(2) Students can perform practical and applied courses, as well as internships, in relevant public institutions or equivalent private organizations.

Relative Grading System (RGS)

Raw Success Grade (HBN)

Raw Success Grade Lower Limit (HBNAL)

Semester/Year-End Exam Passing Grade Limit (GNAL)

Relative Success Grade (BBN)

Course Grades and Academic Average

(2) The following principles apply regarding grades:

Evaluation of Common Compulsory Courses

Evaluation of Practical Courses

(2) Students who do not achieve an average of 70% or above in the midterm exams will be required to attend the semester/year-end exam, and their final grade will be calculated as per Article 23.

Internships

(2) Students can perform practical and applied courses, as well as internships, in relevant public institutions or equivalent private organizations.

Relative Grading System (RGS)

Raw Success Grade (HBN)

Raw Success Grade Lower Limit (HBNAL)

Semester/Year-End Exam Passing Grade Limit (GNAL)

Relative Success Grade (BBN)

Course Grades and Academic Average

(2) The following principles apply regarding grades:

Evaluation of Common Compulsory Courses

Evaluation of Practical Courses

(2) Students who do not achieve an average of 70% or above in the midterm exams will be required to attend the semester/year-end exam, and their final grade will be calculated as per Article 23.

Internships

(2) Students can perform practical and applied courses, as well as internships, in relevant public institutions or equivalent private organizations.

Relative Grading System (RGS)

Raw Success Grade (HBN)

Raw Success Grade Lower Limit (HBNAL)

Semester/Year-End Exam Passing Grade Limit (GNAL)

ARTICLE 12 – (1)

BBN (Relative Success Score) is the relative score used to determine the letter grades of students included in the Relative Evaluation System (BDS). To calculate the BBN, students' raw success scores (HBN) are first converted to standard T scores with a mean of 50 and a standard deviation of 10, and then converted to a 100-point scale. The following formulas are used in this calculation:

Standard T Score Formula

T=[(X−μ)σ]⋅10+50T = \left[\frac{(X - \mu)}{\sigma}\right] \cdot 10 + 50T=[σ(X−μ)]⋅10+50

BBN Conversion Formula

BBN=70+30⋅[2(T−50)−10]2(A−50)−10BBN = 70 + \frac{30 \cdot [2(T - 50) - 10]}{2(A - 50) - 10}BBN=70+2(A−50)−1030⋅[2(T−50)−10]

T: The standard score calculated based on the student’s HBN in relation to the group’s mean (μ\muμ) and standard deviation (σ\sigmaσ).
X: The student’s HBN.
μ: The arithmetic mean of the HBNs of the group.
σ: The standard deviation of the group’s HBNs.
BBN: The T score converted to the 100-point system, used to determine the letter grade.
A: The highest standard T score in the student group.

Students Excluded from the Relative Evaluation System:

Students who fail to meet the HBNAL (Minimum Raw Success Threshold):
Those with a standard T score of 20 or below are directly assigned an F2 grade and considered unsuccessful.
Students with a standard T score of 80 or above:
These students are directly assigned an A1 grade and considered successful.
Students who fail to attend the semester/year-end exam despite eligibility:
These students are assigned an F2 grade and considered unsuccessful.
Students who fail due to absenteeism:
These students are assigned an F3 grade and considered unsuccessful.

ARTICLE 13 – Determination of Letter Grades

Letter grades for a course (HBN or BBN) are determined based on the ranges in Table 1 and their corresponding coefficient values in the 4.0 grading system.
Standard Deviation Criteria for Letter Grades:
- If the calculated standard deviation of HBNs is 8 or below, the letter grade directly corresponds to the student’s HBN as per Table 1.
- If the standard deviation exceeds 8, the student’s HBN and BBN are checked against Table 1, and the higher corresponding letter grade is assigned.
Final Exam Grades:
Grades after the makeup exams are calculated based on the ranges determined at the semester/year-end. If all students fail during the semester/year-end exam, the letter grades for the makeup exam are assigned directly based on the HBNs in Table 1.

Table 1: Grade Ranges, Letter Grades, and 4.0 System Coefficients

Range	Letter Grade	4.0 System	Meaning
95–100	A1	4.00	Successful
90–94	A2	3.75	Successful
85–89	A3	3.50	Successful
80–84	B1	3.25	Successful
75–79	B2	3.00	Successful
70–74	B3	2.75	Successful
65–69	C1	2.50	Successful
60–64	C2	2.25	Successful
55–59	C3	2.00	Successful
45–54	D1	1.75	Conditionally Successful
40–44	D2	1.50	Conditionally Successful
35–39	D3	1.00	Conditionally Successful
30–34	F1	0.50	Unsuccessful
0–29	F2	0.00	Unsuccessful
0	F3	0.00	Absent

ARTICLE 14 – Evaluation of Other Exams

Evaluation of Other Exams

ARTICLE 14 – (1)
The grade obtained from single-course and exemption exams is considered the student's Raw Success Score (HBN). The success criterion for these exams is the General Minimum Passing Limit (GNAL) determined by the relevant department. Students who do not achieve a score above this limit are assigned an F2 grade and considered unsuccessful. Students who score above this limit are assigned a letter grade based on the ranges specified in Table 1.

Graduation Requirements

ARTICLE 30 – (1)
To graduate, a student must complete the required ECTS credits, including common mandatory courses:

Associate Degree Programs: 120 ECTS
Four-Year Bachelor’s Degree Programs: 240 ECTS
Five-Year Bachelor’s Degree Programs: 300 ECTS
Six-Year Bachelor’s Degree Programs: 360 ECTS

(2) To graduate, a student must successfully complete all courses, applications, projects, laboratories, seminars, graduation projects, and mandatory internships specified in their program and achieve a GPA (AGNO) of at least 2.00. Students with a GPA of 2.00 or higher are considered successful in courses where they have received D1, D2, or D3 grades.

(3) Students with a GPA below 2.00 must retake any courses in which they received D1, D2, or D3 grades until their GPA reaches 2.00 or higher. For repeated courses, the most recent grade is considered valid.

Admission and Registration Requirements

Students are admitted through the Student Selection Examination conducted by the Measurement, Selection, and Placement Center (ÖSYM).

Program Outcomes (Competencies)

Conveys basic-level knowledge of theories, facts, concepts, and principles related to the culinary field.
Explains legal regulations, professional standards, and practices in the culinary field.
Applies acquired knowledge in workplace and professional settings.
Identifies and utilizes the physical environment, tools, equipment, and technologies related to the culinary field.
Communicates in a foreign language.
Continuously updates and enhances knowledge, skills, and competencies in the culinary field with a lifelong learning mindset.
Establishes effective interpersonal and intercultural communication.
Possesses entrepreneurial skills.
Adheres to ethical values in the culinary field and protects the natural environment.
Pays attention to personal care, hygiene, attire, and appearance as required by the profession.
Understands and applies social responsibilities.
Regularly conducts health, safety, and risk assessments related to the culinary field.
Works as a team member and takes responsibility.