The purpose of the PhD program is to train students for teaching and research positions. The program offers specialization in two different areas: Old Turkish Literature or Modern Turkish Literature. All students will receive the same Doctorate degree in Turkish Language and Literature.
Students who have successfully completed a Master's program in Turkish Language and Literature or in a related field are eligible for the PhD program in Turkish Language and Literature. The requirements for this degree consist of a minimum of 25 credit hours of course work in the first three semesters, a qualifying examination, and a dissertation in Turkish in the third and fourth years. In the program there are seven specialization electives which may be chosen from one of the two specialization areas. To be able to write a dissertation in one of the two specialization areas, a minimum of 16 credits should be completed from the specialization electives of that particular area. A minimum of eight credits will be completed with courses conducted in English.
With the consent of the advisor a maximum of 12 credits may be taken from other graduate programs in related departments such as History, Western Languages and Literatures, Philosophy, Sociology or Translation and Interpreting.
TKL 601 Concepts and Motifs in Old Turkish Literature (4+0+0) 4 (Eski Türk Edebiyatında Kavramlar ve Motifler)
Analysis of the themes, concepts, motifs and heroic figures which feed old Turkish literature from the mythological era on.
TKL 602 Representations in Old Turkish Literature (4+0+0) 4 (Eski Türk Edebiyatında Betimlemeler)
Study of representations of nature, man, geographical regions, wars in old Turkish literature.
TKL 603 Allegory and Allegorical Works (4+0+0) 4 (Alegori ve Alegorik Eserler)
Description of the variations of allegory as a literary mode, its themes and the allegorical readings with reference to the works with allegorical features such as Kelile ve Dimne, Harname, Şem ü Pervane, and Hüsn ü Aşk.
TKL 604 Transition from Oral to Written Literature (4+0+0) 4 (Sözlü Edebiyattan Yazılı Edebiyata Geçiş)
Study of the formal and thematic features of the epics of the pre-islamic era and the first oral products of this tradition in Anatolia (Oğuzname, Dede Korkut, Battalname, Saltukname, Danişmendname).
TKL 605 Comparative Studies on Translated Texts (4+0+0) 4 (Çeviri Eserler Üzerine Karşılaştırmalı Çalışmalar)
Evaluation of the translation attempts from the period of Anatolian principalities to the westernization era in the nineteenth century and comparative treatment of source and target texts with reference to translational norms.
TKL 606 Themes and Style in Masnavis (4+0+0) 4 (Mesnevilerde İzlekler ve Biçem)
Definition of the common structural and thematic features of masnavis with emphasis on the differences between the works to be examined.
TKL 607 Content and Structure of Divans (4+0+0) 4 (İçeriği ve Yapısı Bakımından Divanlar)
Definition of the common features and patterns of divans in terms of structure and content, and analysis of the differences between the texts selected.
TKL 608 Enumeration by Letters and Chronograms (4+0+0) 4 (Ebced Hesabı ve Tarih Düşürme)
Study of the different techniques of chronograms composed to designate the date of the construction of buildings and to mark occasions such as victories, conquests, births and deaths.
TKL 611 Social Life in Divan Literature (4+0+0) 4 (Divan Edebiyatında Sosyal Yaşam)
Starting from the Anatolian principalities era up to the nineteenth century, the study of literary works which reflect the social life, customs and traditions, political events, beliefs of society.
TKL 612 The Concept of Love inDivan Poetry (4+0+0) 4 (Divan Şiirinde Aşk Anlayışı)
Analytical approach to the literary symbols and figures of speech of the concepts of love, the beloved and the lover (both material and divine).
TKL 613 Poet Sultans in Divan Literature (4+0+0) 4 (Divan Edebiyatında Padişah/Sultan Şairler)
Critical approach to the works of poet sultans with a view to analyzing their achievement as poets.
TKL 614 Woman Poets in Divan Literature (4+0+0) 4 (Divan Edebiyatında Kadın Şairler)
Examination of the works of woman poets, starting from Mihri Hatun.
TKL 615 Text and Miniature in Divan Literature (4+0+0) 4 (Divan Edebiyatında Metin ve Minyatür)
Comparative treatment of the texts of old Turkish literature and miniatures with emphasis on thematic integrity.
TKL 616 The Sebk-i Hindî in Divan Poetry (4+0+0) 4 (Divan Şiirinde Sebk-i Hindî)
Development of theSebk-i Hindî in Divan poetry as of the seventeenth century under the influence of Persian and Indian literatures and its major representatives.
TKL 617 Commentary Tradition in Divan Literature (4+0+0) 4 (Divan Edebiyatında Şerh (Açımlama) Geleneği)
Commentary tradition and a comparative study of Turkish commentaries on the masterpieces such as Masnavi, The Divan of Hafız,and Tuhfe-i Şahidi.
TKL 621 Collections and Anthologies (4+0+0)4(Mecmualar ve Antolojiler)
Study of collections and anthologies composed of poems, pastiche as well as treatises on various topics, informative writings and private letters.
TKL 622 Prose Narrative Techniques (4+0+0)4 (Mensur Anlatı Teknikleri)
Comparative study of old Turkish prose works in terms of the characteristics of the narrative techniques with focus on the different stages of their development.
TKL 623 Stories in Prose (4+0+0) 4 (Mensur Hikâyeler)
Critical evaluation of legendary, religious, mystic, epic and didactic stories in prose in relation to their sources, themes, motifs and narrative features.
TKL 624 Verse and Prose Histories of the Ottoman Dynasty (4+0+0) 4 (Osmanoğullarının Manzum ve Mensur Tarihleri)
Study of the narrative forms in the histories of the Ottoman Dynasty (Tevarih-i Al-i Osman ) and the official histories.
TKL 631 Philosophical Poetry (4+0+0) 4 (Hikemî Şiir)
Beginning with Ahmed Yesevi the rise and development of philosophical poetry and the study of the representative works in this tradition.
TKL 632 Religious and Mystical Works (4+0+0) 4 (Dinî-Tasavvufî Eserler)
Study of religious and mystical works in verse (tevhid, münacaat, naat, miraciye, ilahi, nefes, devriye, nutuk, mesnevi) and in prose ( tefsir, fıkıh, kelam, hadis, akaid, siyer, maktel, hilye, tezkiretü'l enbiya, mystical tracts and hagiology).
TKL 641 Gazavatnames (4+0+0) 4 (Gazavatnameler)
Examination of the heroic tales in verse and prose also known as zafername or fetihname.
TKL 642 Surnames (4+0+0) 4 (Surnameler)
Study of the works both in verse and in prose relating the wedding ceremonies of the princesses, the circumcision feasts and the festivities organized on the occasion of the birth of Sultan's offspring with respect to customs, traditions, documentary information and narrative characteristics they imply.
TKL 643 Travel Accounts and Reports of Diplomatic Missions (4+0+0) 4 (Seyahatnameler ve Sefaretnameler)
Study of the written reports of Ottoman diplomatic missions (sefaretnames ) in Austria, Persia, Russia, France, Poland, England, India, Spain, Morocco as well as of travel accounts (seyahatnames ) beginning with Evliya Çelebi, from the seventeenth century on.
TKL 644 Velayetnames and Menakıpnames (4+0+0) 4 (Velayetname ve Menakıpnameler)
Study of the works written on the saints and the leaders of religious orders in terms of content, narrative forms, and mystical elements.
TKL 645 Biographies, Bibliographies and Tezkires (4+0+0) 4 (Biyorafiler, Bibliyografiler ve Tezkireler)
Study of the works containing information on the writers, poets, artists and scholars as well as the prominent statesmen and religious leaders of society with specific reference to the development of the genre.
TKL 680-686 Special Topics in Old Turkish Literature (4+0+0) 4 (Eski Türk Edebiyatında Özel Konular)
Study of a selected topic or text in Old Turkish Literature in terms of both textual analysis and bibliography.
Required Course:
TKL 790 Dissertation (Tez)
Dissertation in Turkish on a particular text or a theme in old Turkish literature.
Specialization Electives in Modern Turkish Literature:
TKL 651 Tanzimat Poetry (4+0+0) 4 (Tanzimat Şiiri)
Study of the poetry of the Tanzimat period in which Turkish poems in the western tradition emerged, with particular emphasis on Ziya Paşa, Namık Kemal and Abdülhak Hamit's poetry and the novelties they brought to Turkish literature.
TKL 652 Tanzimat Theatre (4+0+0) 4 (Tanzimat Tiyatrosu)
Textual study of the first 'western style' plays in Turkish literature according to their themes and techniques and a comparison with traditional Ottoman visual arts to emphasize literary novelties introduced by these plays.
TKL 653 First Modern Woman Writers (4+0+0)4 (İlk Çağdaş Kadın Yazarlar)
Study of the first woman writers of Turkish Literature and their works from 1850 to 1950.
TKL 654 Political Works by Tanzimat Writers (4+0+0) 4 (Tanzimat Yazarlarının Siyasi Eserleri)
Study of the newspaper articles of the Tanzimat poets and writers who shaped almost the whole intellectual opinion, with emphasis on the works like Ziya Paşa's Zafer-name which criticizes the 'sadrazam' and Namık Kemal's Renan Müdafaa-namesi which defends Islam. TKL 655 Literary Criticism in the Servet-i Fünun Period (4+0+0) 4 (Servet-i Fünun Döneminde Edebi Eleştiri)
Study of the Servet-i Fünun period in which the first 'western style' texts on criticism were produced in Turkish literature.
TKL 656 Molière Translations and Adaptations (4+0+0) 4 (Molière Çevirileri ve Adaptasyonları)
Study of the translations and adaptations of the plays of Molière, who influenced Turkish playwrights the most, especially the first fifty years of Turkish theatre history.
TKL 657 Translated Novels from the Tanzimat to the Republic (4+0+0)4 (Tanzimattan Cumhuriyete Çeviri Romanlar)
Study of the novels translated from western languages into Turkish from the period of the Tanzimat to the establishment of the Republic and playing an important role in the evolution of the Turkish novel. Emphasis on the narrative and translation techniques, and comparisons between the original text and the translation.
TKL 661 Leading Writers of the Modern Period I (4+0+0) 4
(Çağdaş Dönemin Önde Gelen Yazarları I)
Study of the most eminent writers of Modern Turkish literature with in depth analysis of their works.
TKL 662 Leading Writers of the Modern Period II (4+0+0) 4
(Çağdaş Dönemin Önde Gelen Yazarları II)
Study of the most eminent writers of Modern Turkish literature with in depth analysis of their works.
TKL 663 The Plays of Musahipzade Celal (4+0+0) 4 (Musahipzade Celal'in Oyunları)
Study of the works of Musahipzade Celal, the most important playwright in the early years of the republican period.
TKL 664 Woman Writers after 1950 (4+0+0) 4 (1950 Sonrası Kadın Yazarlar)
Textual analysis of the novels and short stories of woman writers after 1950.
TKL 671 Modern Literary Theories (4+0+0) 4 (Çağdaş Edebiyat Kuramları)
Study of the twentieth century literary theories ranging from structuralism to post-modernism; comparative analysis of the literary and aesthetic concepts of Turkish literature.
TKL 672 Narrative Techniques in the Contemporary Turkish Novel (4+0+0) 4 (Çağdaş Türk Romanında Anlatı Teknikleri)
Study of the novels of major contemporary Turkish novelists whose narrative techniques are compared to western narrative techniques.
TKL 673 Literary Disputes in Modern Turkish Literature (4+0+0) 4 (Çağdaş Türk Edebiyatında Edebi Kavgalar)
Study of literary disputes which mostly revolved around the old and new, east and west dichotomies from Tanzimat to our age with special emphasis on the disputes of the Tanzimat period as first samples of western style criticism.
TKL 674 Turkish Theatre after 1970 (4+0+0)4 (1970 sonrası Türk Tiyatrosu)
Study of the works of the most prominent contemporary playwrights.
TKL 675 Contemporary Turkish Poetry (4+0+0) 4 (Çağdaş Türk Şiiri)
Study of the poems of contemporary prominent poets.
TKL 676 Memoirs in Modern Turkish Literature (4+0+0) 4 (Modern Türk Edebiyatında Hatıralar)
Study of literary people's memoirs with literary value; comparative study between memoirs and literary works.
TKL 677 The Essay (4+0+0) 4 (Denemeler)
Study of essays, focusing on a period or on one or more essayists.
TKL 678 Literary Journals (4+0+0) 4 (Edebiyat Dergileri)
Thematic study of literary journals, especially those which influenced the history of Turkish literature (such as Servet-i Fünunand Varlık). Emphasis on Tanzimat and Servet-i Fünun periods when the journals became literary centres.
TKL 687-693 Special Topics in Modern Turkish Literature (4+0+0) 4 (Çağdaş Türk Edebiyatında Özel Konular)
Study of a selected topic or text in Modern Turkish Literature in terms of both textual analysis and bibliography.
Required Course:
TKL 790 Dissertation
Dissertation in Turkish on a particular text or a theme in Modern Turkish Literature.