After obtaining a bachelor’s degree, there are multiple paths to take according to your goals and vision for your career. You can either work in your field of specialty or work in a different field based on your abilities, passions, or circumstances. Another path that some students choose is enrolling in graduate studies, either at the same university or a different one.
If you choose this path, you are a dedicated student who loves science and wants to gain expertise in your field. Pursuing a master’s degree and then a doctorate will make you an expert in your field, capable of transferring your knowledge and experience to others through teaching and writing.
However, earning a doctorate degree requires patience, perseverance, and dedication. It involves diligent research and thesis writing, but the benefits are worth it. Some of the benefits of earning a PhD include:
Benefits of studying a doctorate
A PhD enables you to explore your field in greater depth and become familiar with its finer details. Since the study demands patience and effort, reaching the PhD level demonstrates your passion for the field in which you specialize and your desire to delve deeper into it.
A PhD enables you to become an expert in your field. After conducting extensive research and study, you will become an expert in a specific area of knowledge. Everyone will consult and rely on your opinions in this field.
A PhD qualifies you for prestigious jobs at the highest level.
A PhD makes your CV unique. Unlike a bachelor’s degree, not everyone earns a doctorate degree. Obtaining it demonstrates to employers, research centers, and universities the extent of your experience and high proficiency in research, analysis, and authorship.
Pursuing a PhD can significantly improve your interpersonal skills. During your PhD studies, you will acquire strong skills such as analysis, critical thinking, problem-solving, time management, flexibility, self-reliance, and patience.
Obtaining the title of Doctor (Dr.) can be a motivating factor for some individuals. Obtaining the title of doctor in your area of expertise (Dr.) places you in a high social position and gives you a special status in scientific and professional circles.
Pursuing a PhD allows you to transition from the role of a recipient to that of a professor. After years of acquiring knowledge, conducting research, and gaining experience, obtaining a PhD enables you to make significant contributions to your field. If your major pertains to the social, human, and administrative disciplines, your contributions will take the form of publishing scientific papers that contain your ideas and vision, and teaching them to students. If your major pertains to experimental sciences such as medical, health, and engineering sciences, you will conduct more scientific research to produce results that advance those sciences and produce new technology. Your results will be approved, published, and discussed at international conferences, and you will be able to teach academically.
Pursuing a PhD provides you with ample time to acquire knowledge and training to ensure that you secure the best jobs in your field. If you already have a job, a PhD will enable you to excel and compete.
You can take advantage of travel opportunities to attend scientific conferences or even work.
Pursuing a PhD allows for direct and continuous communication with senior professors and experts in your field, and provides opportunities to collaborate with them academically, scientifically, and professionally in the future.
How long does a PhD study take?
Obtaining a doctorate requires a great degree of commitment. After completing a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree, you will need to devote four years to study and research in order to achieve your dream of becoming a holder of a doctorate in your field of specialization. If you choose to take on this challenge, it will be worth it. Good luck in advance!
Doctorate study in Türkiye
If you are convinced of the benefits of studying for a PhD, it’s time to find the perfect PhD study destination for you. Of course, studying abroad for a PhD is better because it adds four other advantages:
- Traveling and exploring new places
- Mixing with diverse cultures
- Strengthening your English and learning new languages
- Studying in powerful universities with professors from all over the world
StudyYup tells you that Turkey is one of the most preferred destinations for international students to study for a PhD!
- Some distinguished Turkish universities in Istanbul and Ankara provide you with:
- Specialized and approved doctoral study programs
Doctoral study system in Turkish universities
After learning about the advantages of pursuing doctoral studies in Turkey, let’s delve into the Turkish doctoral education system and its details.
Undergraduate programs in Turkey usually adhere to the same educational system used in European universities (ECTS), which is based on the same European quality and standards. This system is also applicable to doctoral programs, and you can also study using the American credit hour system.
Pursuing a doctoral degree in Turkey generally takes four years, during which you will need to conduct your own research (called a thesis) with the assistance of your professor, who will supervise your thesis.
You may also choose to study full-time or part-time, especially if you have a job outside of your studies.
Each university in Turkey has its own system. You can contact us to determine the most suitable university for your specialization and preferences.
Conditions for studying a doctorate in Türkiye
Here are the most important requirements typically needed by most Turkish universities to study a PhD:
- Bachelor’s degree and transcript
- Master’s degree with a score of at least 70%
- English language certificate (such as IELTS or TOEFL)
- Proficiency certificate in Turkish language, if you plan to study in Turkish (such as Tomer certificate)
- Well-written CV
- Research proposal or dissertation plan
- Letters of recommendation
- Motivation letter (explaining why you want to pursue a PhD in that field and at that university)
- Sometimes the university requires students to pass proficiency tests like GMAT, ALES, or GRE
- The university may conduct a personal interview with a committee of faculty members in your major
- A copy of a valid passport
- Recent personal photos with a white background
- Study visa (student visa)
The most important doctoral programs in Turkish universities:
With the diversity and abundance of Turkish universities, especially the distinguished private universities, it is impossible not to find the major you are looking for, whether for a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, or even a doctorate. However, some majors are more well-known for preparing students for a doctorate in Turkey, including:
- Dentistry
- Business Management
- Psychology
- Surgery
- Forensic Medicine
- Health Sciences
- Architecture
- Computer Engineering
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering
- Sufism
- Turkish Language and Literature
- Arts
- Fashion and Textile Design
- Economics
- Political Science and International Relations
- Modern Media and Communication
- Software Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
“In conclusion, I know that some steps in our lives may require effort and patience from us, but in return they make us special people and possess unique skills and experiences. This is how a PhD study is. It is like diving into a large sea that many do not know, but in the end, it brings out valuable pearls for you and teaches you how to become a skilled swimmer who does not know how to drown!”
