The thesis program has two different concentration areas. NGO Management concentration area can be completed by either writing or not writing a thesis and the program with the Civil Society Studies concentration area can only be completed by writing a thesis. The thesis students must indicate their preference during their application and admission process.

Students are eligible to graduate from the thesis program after completing a minimum of 8 courses (24 credits), a one semester long seminar, and the successful completion of a graduate thesis.

The students of the graduate program without thesis must complete a minimum of 10 courses (30 credits) and successfully complete their graduate project.

In order for the students to graduate from a program following their coursework, they must successfully defend a thesis prepared in accordance with the scientific criteria in front of a jury (for thesis program), or defend their graduate project prepared in accordance to scientific criteria (but with a narrower and more practical scope) in front of a jury (for the program without thesis). Acceptance into the graduate program with a thesis requires the student to have an exemplary academic track record.

In order to obtain a Social Projects and NGO Management MA degree, a thesis student is required to take four core curriculum courses with an NGO prefix and four elective courses while a non-thesis student is required to take six elective courses added to four core courses with the NGO prefix. In accordance with the subject area of the thesis or project, a student can also take courses from other graduate programs at İstanbul Bilgi University.

NGO MANAGEMENT CONCENTRATION AREA

In this concentration area, students will be equipped with the knowledge and skills they need to work in local and foreign NGOs and these NGOs’ joint or individual projects or to conduct a scientific study on NGO Management.

CIVIL SOCIETY STUDIES CONCENTRATION AREA

The aim of this concentration area, which is primarily designed for students in thesis programs, is to provide opportunities for students who want to pursue an interdisciplinary academic study in the field of civil society studies. Within the framework of the program, students will be equipped with the necessary academic knowledge and skills, will complete their thesis studies, and with the knowledge they have gained, they will be able to participate in doctoral programs in Türkiye and abroad.