The information and program qualifications related to the Restoration Doctor of Philosophy Program, under the Department of Architecture of the Graduate School, are summarized below.
Information About The Program
This is a graduate program under the Department of Architecture, provides training in master and doctorate level.
Developed as an interdisciplinary program on the protection of cultural assets within the ITU Faculty of Architecture, Restoration Program aims to train experts who follow international scientific developments in these fields and apply them in their works, by contributing to the documentation and conservation of our country's rich cultural heritage, at the intersection of architecture, urbanism, archeology, art history, and structural engineering.
Click here for the program's website.
Registration Requirements
Application Term : Previous Term / 2024-2025 Spring Semester
Application Requirements (For T.C Nationality) ALES Numerical must be minimum 75 (old system GRE Quantitative minimum 700, new system GRE minimum 155 ). Graduate GPA must be minimum 3.00/4 (76.66/100). Minimum GPA from undergraduate to doctorate must be 3.5/4 (88.33/100). Graduation must be Civil Engineering, Architecture, Urban and Regional Planning. Terms of Application: Applicants should have both a Graduate Degree from Architecture and a M. Sc. Degree from Architectural Conservation. 1) ARTICLE - Submission of existing articles (in Turkish or in English) or, if there is no published article, submission of a 3500-word article based on the master´s thesis (in Turkish). 2) LETTER OF INTENT- A letter of intent (in Turkish) of approximately 1000 words, explaining the fields of architectural/urban conservation that the Phd study will focus on, the reasons for this interest, and how the gap in the literature will be filled. 3) REFERENCE LETTER - A reference letter to be taken from the faculty member who will assume the consultancy of the candidate in case of being accepted to the program. 4) PORTFOLIO - Portfolio presenting the works related to architectural conservation. 5) CV / Portrait Photo. 6) TURKISH PROFICIENCY - Applicants should have a Turkish proficiency exam min 75 points.
Quota (For T.C Nationality): 3
Application Requirements (For International Students) ALES Numerical must be minimum 75 (old system GRE Quantitative minimum 700, new system GRE minimum 155 ). Graduate GPA must be minimum 3.00/4 (76.66/100). Minimum GPA from undergraduate to doctorate must be 3.5/4 (88.33/100). Graduation must be Civil Engineering, Architecture, Urban and Regional Planning. Terms of Application: Applicants should have both a Graduate Degree from Architecture and a M. Sc. Degree from Architectural Conservation. 1) ARTICLE - Submission of existing articles (in Turkish or in English) or, if there is no published article, submission of a 3500-word article based on the master´s thesis (in Turkish). 2) LETTER OF INTENT- A letter of intent (in Turkish) of approximately 1000 words, explaining the fields of architectural/urban conservation that the Phd study will focus on, the reasons for this interest, and how the gap in the literature will be filled. 3) REFERENCE LETTER - A reference letter to be taken from the faculty member who will assume the consultancy of the candidate in case of being accepted to the program. 4) PORTFOLIO - Portfolio presenting the works related to architectural conservation. 5) CV / Portrait Photo. 6) TURKISH PROFICIENCY - Applicants should have a Turkish proficiency exam min 75 points.
Quota (For International Students): 1
Application Page Graduate Education and Training Regulation Senate Principles
Application requirements, application dates, and quotas are updated in real-time from the Application System.
English Proficiency
Regulations and Guidelines
Academic Calendar
Course Plans
Course Schedules
Course Adjustment and Exemption Procedures
Program Educational Objectives
In the PhD program, it is aimed to train experts who have the required knowledge to take part in conservation practices both in academy and public-private sector.
Research areas:
•Methodological research on the documentation, conservation and rehabilitation of historic monuments and sites
•Research on traditional construction techniques
•Research on the basic principles of conservation discipline and in this context, deterioration processes, morphologies and conservation methods of traditional materials (stone, brick, wood, plaster, mortars, etc.)
•Research on the documentation of urban and rural architectural heritage and the development of conservation proposals
•Research on industrial archeology
•Research on conservation history
•Research on the documentation of the 20th century architectural heritage and its restoration with appropriate techniques and methods
•Research on earthquake behavior of traditional buildings
Measurement and Evaluation
Evaluating Student Success
The student success is evaluated considering Articles 56, 57, 58, and 59 of the Istanbul Technical University Graduate Education and Training Regulation Senate Principles.
ARTICLE 56 - Before the enrollment for the courses begins, the faculty member who offers the course informs the Program Executive Committee about the types, number and contribution percentage to the final grade of the studies within the semester, as well as requirements for a right to take the semester final exam. These requirements shall be finalized by approval of the Program Executive Committee and approval of the chair of the department, who declares them to the student and informs the Graduate School.
ARTICLE 57 - A student may appeal the final grade of a course within one week following the announcement of the grades. Appeals must be submitted to the Graduate School in writing. The relevant faculty member shall re-evaluate the student's success status and submit the result to the Graduate School within one week. Appeals not submitted within the prescribed time frame shall not be considered by the Graduate School.
ARTICLE 58 - Courses in graduate programs shall be evaluated according to the following grading system.
| Grade Description |
Grade |
Scale |
| Excellent |
AA |
4.00 |
| Very good plus |
BA+ |
3.75 |
| Very good |
BA |
3.50 |
| Good plus |
BB+ |
3.25 |
| Good |
BB |
3.00 |
| Conditional Pass |
CB+ |
2.75 |
| Conditional Pass |
CB |
2.50 |
| Conditional Pass |
CC+ |
2.25 |
| Conditional Pass |
CC |
2.00 |
| Fail |
FF |
0.00 |
| Fail(No Exam) |
VF |
0.00 |
ARTICLE 59 - Students who wish to improve their cumulative grade point average may retake courses during the course-taking period. The most recent grade will be counted for the repeated courses.
Internship
There is no internship in this program.
Graduation Requirements
In addition to the conditions in the Postgraduate Education Regulation, a minimum of 24 credits in the PhD program is required for graduation.
The Awarded Degree and Title
Degree : Doctor of Philosophy Title : Doctor of Philosophy
Program Employment Opportunities
Graduates of the PhD program can work on management of conservation areas, developing strategies for cultural heritage protection and lead advanced researches in conservation of historic structures and materials.
Number of Graduates
Graduate Statistics
| Year | Number of Graduates |
| 2013 | 2 |
| 2014 | 2 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2016 | 4 |
| 2017 | 4 |
| 2018 | 5 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 3 |
| 2021 | 4 |
| 2022 | 5 |
| 2023 | 5 |
| 2024 | 1 |
Program Outcomes
P.O.1 1 Grasping the inter-disciplinary interaction related to Restoration, reaching original results by using the specialistic knowledge in analyzing, synthesizing and evaluating new and complex ideas (Knowledge II); and contributing to the solution of area-related social, scientific, cultural and ethical problems and promoting the development of these values (Area Specific Competency XVI).
P.O.2 2
Evaluating and using new information in the area of Restoration with a systematical approach (Skill III); critically analyzing, synthesizing and evaluating the new and complex ideas (Skill V); acquiring the most developed skills about using the research methods in studies in the area (Skill VI); and developing area-related new ideas and methods by making use of high level intellectual processes such as creative and critical thinking, problem solving and decision making (Learning Competence X).
P.O.3 3
Developing and intensifying the current and high-level knowledge in the area of Restoration with the use of original thinking and/or research processes and in a specialistic level, based upon the competency in M.S. level (Knowledge I); and contributing to the society’s state and progress towards being an information society by announcing and promoting the technological, scientific and social developments in the area (Area Specific Competency XIV).
P.O.4 4
Fulfilling the leader role in the environments where solutions are sought for the original and inter-disciplinary problems (Competence to work independently and take responsibility IX); and establishing effective communication in the solving of the problems faced in the area of Restoration, by using the strategic decision making processes (Area Specific Competency XV).
P.O.5 5
Expanding the limits of knowledge in the area of Restoration by publishing at least one scientific article in an international peer reviewed journal and/or creating or interpreting an original work (Competence to work independently and take responsibility VIII); establishing effective communication with experts in the international environments to discuss the Restoration-related subjects and defending original opinions, showing one’s competency in the area (Communication and Social Competency XII); and proficiency in a foreign language –at least European Language Portfolio C1 Level- and establishing written, oral and visual communication and developing argumentation skills with that language (Communication and Social Competency XIII).
P.O.6 6
Developing a new idea, method, design and/or application which brings about innovation in the area of Restoration or, applying a conventional idea, method, design and/or application to a different environment; researching, grasping, designing and applying an original subject (Skill IV); contributing to the progress in the area by independently carrying out a study which uses a new idea, method, design and/or application which brings about innovation in the area or, applying a conventional idea, method, design and/or application to a different environment (Competence to work independently and take responsibility VII); and seeing and developing social relationships and the norms directing these relationships with a critical look and directing the actions to change these when necessary (Communication and Social Competency XI).
Program Coordinator
Head of the Department
Links