Double Major Program Directive
This is an annex to the decision of our University Senate dated 30.04.2024 and numbered 2024/09-2. Revision-Amendment: Annex to the decision dated 19.06.2025 and numbered 2025/12. Revision-Amendment-Approval: Board of Trustees Decision dated 24.09.2025 and numbered 2025/06.
Republic of Türkiye
ISTANBUL SABAHATTIN ZAIM UNIVERSITY
DOUBLE MAJOR PROGRAM DIRECTIVE
PART ONE
Introductory Provisions
Purpose
ARTICLE 1- (1) The purpose of this Directive is to regulate the principles governing the double major programs conducted at Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University.
Scope
ARTICLE 2- (1) This Directive covers the provisions on application, admission, registration and continuation of education and instruction relating to the double major programs conducted at Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University.
Basis
ARTICLE 3- (1) This Directive has been prepared on the basis of subparagraph (b) of Article 44 of Higher Education Law No. 2547, the Regulation on the Principles of Transfer Between Associate and Undergraduate Degree Programs, Double Major, Minor Programs and Inter-Institutional Credit Transfer in Higher Education Institutions, and the provisions of the Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University Undergraduate Education and Instruction Regulation.
Definitions
ARTICLE 4- (1) In this Directive;
a) CGPA: refers to the cumulative weighted grade point average,
b) GPA: refers to the weighted grade point average,
c) AKTS: The European Credit Transfer System,
ç) Unit: refers to the Faculties affiliated with Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University,
d) Exchange programs: refers to student exchange and internship programs such as Erasmus, Farabi or Mevlana carried out within the framework of bilateral agreements between Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University and a higher education institution in Turkey or abroad,
e) Adaptation: refers to the process of determining the semester/year from which students admitted to undergraduate programmes at Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University will continue their studies, based on the courses they previously took and passed at any higher education institution and for which they have been granted exemption,
f) Exemption: refers to the process whereby previously taken and successfully completed courses are counted in place of certain courses included in the curriculum, based on their compatibility in terms of content, credits and ECTS,
g) ÖSYM: refers to the Measuring, Selection and Placement Centre,
ğ) Rector: refers to the Rector of Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University,
h) Senate: refers to the Senate of Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University,
ı) University: refers to Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University,
i) YÖK: refers to the Council of Higher Education,
shall have the meanings set out above.
PART TWO
The Double Major Program and Implementation of the Program
Double major program
ARTICLE 5- (1) A double major program is a program that enables students meeting the application and admission requirements to enroll in two separate diploma programs at the University, to take courses simultaneously and to obtain two separate diplomas.
(2) The courses to be taken in the double major program consist of all the courses in the curriculum of that program, with the exception of the courses the student has taken, passed or been exempted from in the major program.
(3) The total ECTS credits of the courses to be taken in the double major program must be at least 60 ECTS credits, excluding the courses the student has taken, passed or been exempted from in the major program.
(4) When determining the courses to be taken or exempted in the double major program, the higher education field qualifications set by the Council of Higher Education are taken into account.
(5) The double major program is designed in such a way that students acquire the learning outcomes defined according to the minimum knowledge, skills and competencies they are expected to gain at the end of the program.
Implementation of the program
ARTICLE 6- (1) The double major program is carried out in cooperation with the relevant departments/programs. An academic advisor is assigned to each student by the relevant head of department in order to determine the courses to be taken in the double major program and the semesters in which these courses are to be taken.
(2) The academic advisor assigned within the double major program ensures that students are properly guided by communicating with their academic advisors in the major program.
(3) With regard to education and instruction activities, curriculum changes and similar matters in the double major program, the principles applied in the major program are valid.
(4) In addition to the major program, a student may enroll in only one double major program and, simultaneously, in one minor program different from the double major program.
(5) The total ECTS credits of the courses a student takes in the major and double major programs in a single semester may not exceed 50 ECTS credits. Repeated courses are also counted towards the student's normal course load.
(6) For a student who has earned the right to graduate from the major program but has not yet successfully completed the double major program, the period of study is equal to the maximum period of study specified in paragraph (c) of Article 44 of Law No. 2547, counted from the academic year in which the student enrolled in the double major program.
PART THREE
Quotas, Application, Evaluation and Enrolment
Application, evaluation and enrolment calendar
ARTICLE 7- (1) The application dates for double major programs are announced separately for each semester in the academic calendar of the relevant year. The evaluation, the announcement of the results and the registration dates for principal and substitute candidates are determined for each semester by the Senate upon the proposal of the relevant unit boards and are announced on the University's website.
Quotas
ARTICLE 8- (1) The quotas for double major programs are determined by the Senate on a semester basis upon the proposal of the relevant unit boards, provided that they are not less than 20% of the central placement quota of the relevant year for the programs in which the double major is to be pursued, excluding law, medicine, health and engineering programs.
Application
ARTICLE 9- (1) The requirements for application to double major programs are set out below;
a) Applications to the double major program are submitted online through the student information system on the dates announced in the academic calendar for each semester,
b) A student may apply to a maximum of two double major programs at the same time,
c) A student may apply to double major and minor programs at the same time,
ç)A student whose affiliation with a double major program has been terminated at their own request or due to academic failure may not apply again to any double major program of the University.
d) A student registered in a double major program may not apply to another double major program,
e) A student may apply to a double major program at the beginning of the third semester of their major program at the earliest and at the beginning of the fifth semester at the latest.
f) Students whose CGPA in the major program is at least 3.00 out of 4.00 at the time of application and who rank in the top 20% of their class in the major program in terms of academic achievement may apply to a double major program.
g) In order to apply to a double major program, a student must have taken and passed all the courses in the curriculum of the major program up to the semester in which the application is made,
ğ)Students whose CGPA in the major program is at least 3.00 out of 4.00 but who do not rank in the top 20% of their class in the major program in terms of academic achievement may also apply to a double major program, provided that their score is higher than the central placement base score of the double major program for the relevant year.
h) A student who wishes to pursue a double major in an undergraduate program subject to a success ranking requirement must, in addition to the other requirements, have a central placement score without additional points in the score type of the relevant program for the year of enrollment, and a success ranking higher than the minimum success ranking determined by YÖK.
ı)Students who wish to pursue a double major in programs where the language of instruction is partially or entirely a foreign language must meet the relevant foreign language proficiency requirements set out in the University Foreign Language Preparatory Class Education and Examination Directive, or must take and pass the relevant foreign language proficiency examination administered by the University. The applications of candidates who do not meet the foreign language proficiency requirement and who also fail the relevant foreign language proficiency examination administered by the University are deemed invalid and are not evaluated.
i) Foreign national students registered in undergraduate programs where the language of instruction is entirely a foreign language and who wish to pursue a double major in programs where the language of instruction is Turkish must hold a Turkish Language Proficiency Certificate at a level of at least B2, or must take and pass the Turkish Language Proficiency Examination administered by the University. The applications of candidates who do not hold a Turkish Language Proficiency Certificate at a level of at least B2 and who also fail the Turkish Language Proficiency Examination administered by the University are deemed invalid and are not evaluated.
j) Students applying for a double major to undergraduate programs that admit students through a special aptitude examination must, in addition to the other requirements, also pass the special aptitude examination.
k) Students who enrolled in undergraduate programs subject to a success ranking requirement through the DGS (Vertical Transfer), YÖS (International Student) or TCS (Türkiye Scholarship) registration types may not apply to double major programs.
l) Students who have received a disciplinary penalty other than a reprimand may not apply to a double major program.
Admission
ARTICLE 10- (1) Admission to the double major program is carried out according to the candidates' CGPA ranking, upon the proposal of the relevant department/program conducting that program and by decision of the board of management of the relevant unit.
(2) In the event that students have equal CGPAs, priority is given to the student who has successfully completed more ECTS credits; if the tie persists, priority is given to the student with the higher central placement score; and if these students' years of enrollment at the University or registration types differ, priority is given to the younger student.
(3) The principal and substitute students who have gained the right to enroll in the double major program, together with those who have not gained the right to enroll and those whose applications have been rejected, are announced through the student information system by the relevant units on the date determined by the Senate for the relevant semester, and are reported on the same day by official letter to the Rectorate and to the Directorate of Student Affairs.
(4) Candidates may submit a written petition of objection to the secretariat of the relevant faculty within five working days following the announcement of the application results. The petition must clearly set out the matters objected to, together with their justification.
(5) Objections are evaluated and decided by the Faculty Board of Management within ten working days at the latest. The decision is notified to the student in writing by the faculty secretariat.
Enrolment
ARTICLE 11- (1) Students who have gained the right to enroll in the double major program must apply to the Directorate of Student Affairs on the registration dates determined by the Senate, either in person or through a proxy appointed by a notarized power of attorney, with a wet-signed registration petition and the documents required for registration.
(2) In the event that principal students do not register on the announced registration dates for the double major program, substitute students must apply to the Directorate of Student Affairs on the substitute student registration dates determined by the Senate, either in person or through a proxy appointed by a notarized power of attorney, with a wet-signed registration petition and the documents required for registration.
(3) Candidates who fail to submit the registration petition and the documents required for registration in full to the Directorate of Student Affairs on the announced dates are deemed to have waived their right to enroll in the double major program and may not claim any rights in this respect.
(4) Enrollment in more than one double major program at the same time is not permitted. However, simultaneous enrollment in a double major and a minor program is permitted.
(5) Where it emerges that a person has enrolled at the University with incorrect information, declarations or forged documents, their enrolment is cancelled, all rights acquired through this enrolment are annulled, and legal proceedings are initiated against those concerned.
Documents required for enrolment
ARTICLE 12- (1) The documents required for registration in the double major program are set out below.
a) Double major program registration petition,
b) Photocopy of identity document,
c) Original and photocopy of the high school diploma,
ç)Academic record document (Transcript),
d) Disciplinary record certificate,
e) Student certificate,
f) Internet printout of the ÖSYS placement scores. (The document must bear a "Result Document Verification Code"),
g) Internet printout of the ÖSYS placement result. (The document must bear a "Result Document Verification Code"),
ğ) 2 photographs,
h) Relevant language proficiency certificate (for undergraduate programs taught in a foreign language)
ı)For students who will enroll in the Physical Education and Sports Teaching undergraduate program, a medical report obtained from a health institution (family physician) bearing the note “There is no medical objection to participation in sports special aptitude examinations”,
i) For national athletes who will enroll in the Physical Education and Sports Teaching undergraduate program, the original or a photocopy of the National Athlete Certificate issued by the federations and the Ministry of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Türkiye and signed at minimum by the relevant Director General or Deputy Director General,
CHAPTER FOUR
Freezing of Registration, Cancellation of Registration and Graduation
Leave of absence
ARTICLE 13- (1) A student may not request the freezing of their registration in the double major program while they are studying in the major program. However, students who freeze their registration in the major program and students studying at a different university within the scope of national or international student exchange programs are deemed to be on leave in the double major program for the relevant semesters and may not take courses in the double major program in those semesters.
Cancellation of registration
ARTICLE 14- (1) Throughout the entire period of double major study, a student's CGPA in the major program may fall below 2.72 out of 4.00 on one occasion only. The registration of a student whose CGPA falls below 2.72 for a second time is cancelled from the double major program by the Directorate of Student Affairs within the week following the announcement of the examination grades at the end of the relevant semester.
(2) The registration of a student who does not take courses in the double major program for two consecutive semesters is cancelled from this program by the Directorate of Student Affairs within the week following the course add-drop period of the second semester in which the student failed to renew their registration. Semesters spent at another university by students studying abroad or in Turkey within the scope of student exchange programs, as well as semesters for which registration has been frozen in the major program, are not included in this period.
(3) A student whose registration in the double major program has been cancelled may, upon request and provided that they meet the admission requirements of the minor program corresponding to the double major program, enroll in the minor program by decision of the board of management of the relevant unit, without being subject to a quota requirement. Upon the student's request, those courses passed in the double major program that are also included in the minor program are recorded on the transcript of the minor program by decision of the board of management of the relevant unit.
(4) A student whose registration in the double major program has been cancelled is awarded a Minor Certificate, upon request, by decision of the board of management of the relevant unit, provided that they have fulfilled all the requirements of the minor program.
Graduation
ARTICLE 15- (1) In order to graduate from the double major program, a student must successfully complete all compulsory and elective courses in the curriculum of the double major program, excluding the courses taken and passed in the major program and exempted in the double major program, and must have a CGPA of at least 2.72 out of 4.00 in the major program.
(2) In order for a student to graduate from the double major program, the total ECTS credits of the courses taken and passed in the major program and exempted in the double major program, together with those of the courses taken and passed in the double major program, must be at least 240.
(3) A student who successfully completes the double major program may be awarded the corresponding diploma only if they graduate from the major program they are attending.
(4) A student whose registration in the double major program has been cancelled may, upon request and provided that they have passed all the courses in the first four semesters of the curriculum of the double major program and have a CGPA of at least 2.00, be awarded an Associate Degree diploma by decision of the relevant board of management, within the framework of the provisions of the “Regulation on the Award of Associate Degree Diplomas to Those Who Have Not Completed or Are Unable to Complete Their Undergraduate Studies or on Their Adaptation to Vocational Schools” published in the Official Gazette dated 18/3/1989 and numbered 20112. In order to receive an Associate Degree diploma, the student must first graduate from the major program.
CHAPTER FIVE
Miscellaneous and Final Provisions
Exemption and adjustment
ARTICLE 16- (1) A separate transcript is issued for the double major program.
(2) Courses that a student registered in a double major program has taken and passed in the major program or in another program and for which exemption has been granted are recorded on the transcript of the double major program with the same letter grade.
(3) Exemption and adjustment procedures for students registered in a double major program are carried out in accordance with the principles of the University Exemption and Adjustment Directive.
Tuition fee
ARTICLE 17- (1) The duration, types and scope of scholarships and discounts, the application and evaluation processes, the conditions for their continuation and termination, and other implementation principles are determined and announced through the Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University Scholarship Directive.
(2) The provisions of the Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University Scholarship Directive apply with regard to scholarships and discounts.
Transfer
ARTICLE 18- (1) A student registered in a double major program may apply for a transfer to a double major program in accordance with the provisions on intra-institutional transfer between programs applicable in the major program.
(2) If a double major program for which a student had gained the right to enroll under their previous major program may also be pursued in combination with the major program to which they have transferred, the student continues their studies in that double major program; otherwise, their affiliation with that program is terminated.
Cases not covered by provisions
ARTICLE 19- (1) In cases not covered by this Directive, the provisions of the University Undergraduate Education and Instruction Regulation, the Regulation on the Principles of Transfer Between Associate and Undergraduate Degree Programs, Double Major, Minor Programs and Inter-Institutional Credit Transfer in Higher Education Institutions, and other relevant legislation apply.
(2) In addition to the exemption conditions set out in this Directive, faculty-specific supplementary conditions may be determined upon the proposal of the relevant Unit Board and with the approval of the Senate.
Entry into Force
ARTICLE 20- (1) This Directive enters into force on the date it is adopted by the Senate.
Execution
ARTICLE 21- (1) The provisions of this Directive are executed by the Rector.