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Common Courses Coordination Office

By integrating different disciplines,
we educate generations that can provide innovative solutions to the problems of the future today.

By integrating different disciplines, we educate generations that can provide innovative solutions to the problems of the future today.

Through the IŞIK Academic Education Model, in the first year of university, we offer all our students, regardless of department or faculty:

  • An interdisciplinary approach,
  • Knowledge transfer about fields outside their own discipline
  • The ability to think multidimensionally to solve complex problems,
  • Creative thinking skills,
  • The capacity for agility, adaptability, and resilience as outlined in our strategic plan,
  • Guidance in discovering their true talents,
  • Education that conveys universal academic knowledge.
Işık Üniversitesi Maslak

At the core of the IŞIK Academic Education Model are a common curriculum and core courses applied from the first year of university. These core courses serve as the foundation for an effective, productive, and successful academic journey for every student at Işık University.

Students at Işık University are introduced to the interactions and intersections between their fields of study, both in theory and practice. They learn how disciplines influence, develop, and transform each other. This approach equips students with the ability to analyze and solve today’s and tomorrow’s multidimensional problems with multidimensional thinking skills.

While some courses may vary based on different program curricula, the system is built on mandatory common courses in the first two semesters of the first year and the first semester of the second year.

In the IŞIK Academic Education Model, core courses are not conducted separately for each program. Instead, they are delivered jointly and in an integrated manner with students from different four-year programs.

For First-Year Students:

  • Core courses are included in the curriculum for the first two semesters.
  • Depending on departmental preferences, one or two faculty introduction courses may also be included in the first year.
  • For Second, Third, and Fourth-Year Students:
  • In the first semester of the second year, depending on the structure of the program, students take 1-3 core courses.
  • The Creative Thinking and Problem Solving course is mandatory for all second-year students in their first semester. In this course, students from different departments propose interdisciplinary projects, building on the interdisciplinary education foundations laid in the first year.
  • From the second year onward, students begin taking faculty and department-specific courses.


Assessment System

Assessments vary based on the nature of the courses and may include:

  • Assignments
  • Exams
  • Multiple-choice tests
  • Book and/or film critiques
  • Quizzes
  • Projects
     

University Core Courses and Course Descriptions

This two-semester course on Modern Turkish History aims to shed light on the political, economic, social, and cultural processes that shaped present-day Turkey. The first semester covers the Ottoman Empire’s political and social structure, modernization efforts, and the period from the early reforms to the end of World War I. The focus is on Ottoman reform and centralization movements and their legacy for the Republic of Turkey.
 

The second semester of this course covers the National Struggle, the transition from the Ottoman Empire to the Republic of Turkey, and the institutionalization of the Republic. It examines the foundations of multiparty politics, democracy’s development, and obstacles such as economic crises, political instability, and military interventions. Topics include migration, urbanization, social movements, and cultural transformations in Republican history.

These two-semester courses explore how modernization movements influenced Turkish literature, analyzing selected essays and literary texts. The first semester covers the period from the Ottoman era to the Republic’s foundation, while the second semester examines modernization in literature from the late Ottoman period through the War of Independence and beyond.

These courses introduce international students to Turkey’s economic, social, and political history, emphasizing key political, economic, and social transformations. The courses cover the Ottoman period and the transition to the Republic, as well as the evolution of democratic institutions, economic fluctuations, and political developments in modern Turkey.

These courses teach basic Turkish language skills for daily life to international students. The language of instruction is English, and only students in English-medium programs can enroll.
Orientation and Career Development

The purpose of the two-term course is to teach international students basic level Turkish that they will need in daily life.

This course equips students with the academic and social skills needed for university life. It covers communication, social responsibility, and ethical awareness, preparing students for 21st-century competencies

 

This course helps students explore career paths, learn about different industries, and develop tools for self-improvement and career success.
Creative Thinking and Major Works

Students develop creative problem-solving skills through interdisciplinary approaches and collaborative projects.

This course examines significant works in literature, cinema, art, philosophy, politics, and science, helping students develop critical and analytical thinking skills.