History
The Biology Department was established in 1975 within the Faculty of Science and Engineering. Following the renaming of the Faculty to the Faculty of Arts and Sciences in 1982 by the Council of Higher Education (YÖK), the Biology Department was incorporated into the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. In the 2020-2021 evaluation period, the Biology Department undergraduate program underwent its first general evaluation by FEDEK (Federation of Turkish Accreditation and Coordination Boards), and was granted accreditation valid from November 18, 2021, to September 30, 2023. A new 3 year accreditation was granted in January 2024. The accreditation period has been listed on the FEDEK website under the "Undergraduate Programs Accredited by FEDEK" since November 25, 2021.
Degree Earned
Biologist
Admission and Registration Requirements
Applicants must possess a high school diploma or equivalent, achieve a sufficient score on the university entrance exam administered by ÖSYM (Student Selection and Placement Center), or, for foreign students, achieve a sufficient score on the YÖS exam. Students who have completed their registration must register for courses on the dates specified in the academic calendar.
Program Profile
The Biology Department comprises the General Biology, Zoology, Botany, Molecular Biology, and Hydrobiology departments. The undergraduate program in Biology offers high-quality education aimed at equipping graduates with the theoretical and technical professional knowledge and experience relevant to the needs of the modern age in numerous sub-disciplines studying the molecules, living cells, organisms, and systems that constitute life. Students plan their careers from the beginning of their undergraduate studies by choosing courses aligned with their future goals under the guidance of department faculty members. The wide range of "Professional Elective Courses" offered by the department is designed to enhance students' professional achievements in their chosen sub-disciplines, as well as contribute to their "Soft-Skills," or specific personal abilities.
The Biology Department's laboratories, equipped with high-tech devices, allow students to internalize the knowledge they learn in classes by applying it through hypothesis testing, experiments, and observation, and to gain research experience under the supervision of expert faculty members in the sub-disciplines they wish to specialize in. Projects supported by Ondokuz Mayıs University, TÜBİTAK, DPT, and other institutions and organizations, led by department faculty members, are carried out with student participation, and collaborations with universities, research laboratories, and centers at national and international levels are maintained. In the Biology Department's undergraduate program, sectoral needs are continuously monitored, and graduates are trained to possess the skills and knowledge required to meet these needs.
Employment Profiles of Graduates (with examples)
Our graduates can work as teachers in private or public schools if they obtain the required score on the KPSS exam and have the necessary training. Besides the education sector, they can find employment in laboratories affiliated with healthcare institutions, private research institutes, organizations under the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Environment, and in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Candidates pursuing postgraduate studies can work as researchers or lecturers at universities or various institutions.
Transition to Advanced Degree Programs
Candidates who successfully complete their undergraduate education can enroll in master's and doctoral programs provided they obtain a passing score on the ALES exam and possess a sufficient level of English language proficiency.
Exams, Measurement and Evaluation
Students are required to take a midterm exam, in-semester assignment (laboratory work, lab exam, seminar, quiz, homework), and a final exam for each course. The midterm exam contributes 40% to the final grade, and the final exam contributes 60%. All exams are graded out of 100 points. A minimum score of 50 on the final exam is required. Students who receive one of the letter grades (AA), (BA), (BB), (CB), and (CC) in a course are considered to have passed that course.
Graduation Requirements (1) Students who have successfully completed all courses in the program and have a GPA of 2.0 or higher are entitled to receive a diploma. (2) Students who have completed their undergraduate studies and have a GPA of 3.50 or higher graduate as honors students. This is indicated on the student's diploma and diploma supplement. (3) In double major programs, students are not awarded a diploma for the second double major program until they have earned the right to graduate from their major undergraduate program. Students who have earned the right to graduate from their major undergraduate program may receive a diploma for their major undergraduate program even if they do not successfully complete the double major program. (4) Students who have not earned the right to graduate from their major undergraduate program are not awarded a minor certificate. Certificates are issued by the units to which the programs are affiliated. The name of the student's major program is also indicated on the certificates. Students who have earned the right to graduate from their major undergraduate program may receive a diploma for their major undergraduate program even if they do not complete the minor program.
Department Facilities
Our department has 3 classrooms with a capacity of 60 students each, equipped with wireless internet and projectors, and 2 laboratories. We also have research laboratories where master's and doctoral students can conduct their research activities. In addition, our department has a herbarium, an animal museum, a plant growth room, and microscope rooms equipped with imaging systems. Biology students, while continuing their current education, can pursue double majors and minors in Chemistry and Geography starting from their second year, provided they meet the academic requirements. Our final-year students, provided they meet the requirements of the Professional Practice Program Principles and Guidelines, can work for pay at institutions such as TED Samsun College, Private Samsun Exam College Science and Technology High School and Anatolian High School, Nardo Biotechnology Industry and Trade Ltd. Co., Samsun Nano-Lab Analysis and Medical Services Inc., Private Mathematics and Science Anatolian High School, and VM Medicalpark Samsun Hospital, according to the Professional Training Application protocols established between our department and these institutions.
In addition, students are exempt from four elective courses required in the 8th semester upon successfully completing the Professional Practice Program. The first three students who listed this program among their first 15 choices in the 2021 YKS (Higher Education Institutions Examination) and were admitted will receive a "YÖK Scholarship" of 850 TL per month (for 12 months) throughout the compulsory preparatory year and undergraduate studies (4 years, or a maximum of 5 years for students enrolled in a double major program), provided their overall GPA does not fall below 2.5 out of 4 or 65 out of 100. The annual increase rate for "YÖK Scholarships" will be determined by the Higher Education Executive Board. Students who qualify for "YÖK Scholarships" will continue to receive other scholarships and loans they are currently enrolled in during their studies. Detailed information regarding scholarships can be found on the Council of Higher Education's website at https://www.yok.gov.tr/Documents/Ogrenci/BursDokuman/yok-destek-bursu-usul-esaslar-01042021.pdf.
Address and Contact Information (Program Head, ECTS/DS Coordinator)
Prof. Dr. Yasemin Özdener Kömpe Ondokuz Mayıs University, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Atakum, Samsun Tel: 03623121919-5135