Boazii University Istanbul Turkey History Robert College was
Boğaziçi University Istanbul, Turkey
History Robert College was founded in 1863 as the first American institution of higher learning outside of the United States. Founders Dr. Cyrus Hamlin and Mr. Christopher Rheinlander Robert chose a location at the top of a hill, overlooking a fortress, Rumeli Hisarı. This fortress was built by Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror prior to his conquest of Constantinople in 1453. Scenic overlooks of the Bosphorus, which connects the Black Sea in the north to the Sea of Marmara in the south, are located along the campuses. In 1971, Robert College merged with the American College for Girls and was passed on to the Turkish government, thus becoming a state university -- Boğaziçi University. Robert College is currently a college preparatory high school. Boğaziçi is Turkish for “Bosphorus, ” so occasionally Boğaziçi University is referred to as “Bosphorus University. ”
Engineering Programs Offered • • Chemical Engineering Civil Engineering Computer Engineering Electrical and Electronics Engineering • Industrial Engineering • Mechanical Engineering
Campus Boğaziçi University is comprised of six campuses. The cornerstone for the first building, Hamlin Hall, was laid in 1869. The original (South) campus houses the administrative offices in the Rectorate Building as well as the Office of International Relations and offices of most of the student organizations. Perkins Hall is home to the Civil, Industrial, and Mechanical Engineering departments within the Faculty of Engineering. The North campus houses the main library and several engineering programs. The Sciences and Engineering Building houses the departments of Physics, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical & Electronics Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Nuclear Engineering. The Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics is in the Park Building. It is about a 10 minute walk (~600 m) between the two campuses. Students can either walk between the two campuses or, for a small fee, take a minivan shuttle that runs frequently. Adjacent to the North Campus is the Uçaksavar Campus. This is the location of the “Superdorm, ” which houses many international students. The Superdorm has 130 apartments, accommodating up to 486 students, laundry, grocery store, cafeteria, hair salon, and other amenities. Boğaziçi University has 11, 027 students (8587 undergraduate and 2453 graduate students).
City/Town Istanbul is located at the intersection of Europe and Asia and is very cosmopolitan. Many religions and cultures are represented including 157 Christian churches, 19 synagogues, 10 monasteries, and about 2500 mosques. The estimated population of Istanbul is 13 million. The city is spread along both sides of the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus, down to and along the shores of the Marmara Sea. Taking a boat ride along the Bosphorus will give you a feel for the difference in elevation from the shore line to the tops of hills (400‘ or 120 m at Boğaziçi University’s South Campus). Be prepared for walking, stairs, and hills. Do not count on elevators; many buildings were built before elevators were common. The official monetary unit is the Turkish Lira (TL). Euros are also readily accepted. Most of Turkey’s economy is based in Istanbul including a majority of banks, employment, source of exports, 1/3 of Turkish companies, and ¼ of the GNP.
Other Geographic Information (topography, climate) • Istanbul’s weather is modified by the surrounding water (the Marmara Sea, The Bosphorus, and the Golden Horn). Turkey is about the same latitude as Iowa. The monthly average temperatures range from 42°F (5. 9°C) in February to 75°F (23. 8°C) in July. The monthly average rainfall ranges from 17. 3 Kg/m 3 (6. 8“) in January to 3. 9 Kg/m 3 (1. 5“) in July. Istanbul is near the Anatolian Fault, which is where the African and the Eurasian tectonic plates meet along a line from Northern Anatolia to the Marmara Sea. Several deadly earthquakes have occurred along this fault line throughout history.
Facilities & Student Services Classrooms and labs are similar to that found at Iowa State, except for computer labs. Students who have attended Boğaziçi University suggest that you bring your own computer with you. Cafeterias are available on campus, and a variety of small restaurants are within walking distance of the main campuses.
Housing can only be guaranteed for summer since fewer students attend during the summer. During the fall or spring, about 60% of the exchange students may be accommodated on campus since they are limited only to dorms that are non-government subsidized. Most American exchange students that stay on campus stay in the Superdorm on the Uçaksavar Campus. Most European exchange students find apartments through businesses that cater to students looking for apartments or online through such sites as Craigslist. Dorm applications are sent to Boğaziçi University at the same time as applying for study.
Student Services The Office of International Relations is a liaison between Boğaziçi University and applicants from other countries, both degreeseeking and non-degree seeking. Staff in this office provides information about admission requirements, the academic calendar, campus life, and about the universities with which Boğaziçi University has exchange programs. They also provide assistance during the application and registration processes. International students, whether degree-seeking or in a non-degree track, will find important information at www. intl. boun. edu. tr.
Transportation • • • Travel to Istanbul is available by many airlines; including: Air France, British Airways, Delta Airlines, Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines; or by European rail. The two major airports are Atatϋrk (on the European side and 30 -40 minutes to Boğaziçi University) and Sabiha Gökçen (on the Asian side and 1 -2 hours to Boğaziçi University). Atatϋrk is the largest and busiest airport in Turkey. A taxi (Taksi) can be taken from the airport. US citizens may acquire entry visas after exiting the plane. You will need $20 in cash to pay for your visa before you would have access to ATM’s or other monetary services. Tips for taxis include: Before leaving for Turkey, find out the approximate cost from Atatϋrk to your destination so that you can agree on the price with the taxi driver before getting into the vehicle. Be aware that there will be someone pushing to have the taxis loaded and exiting the airport as quickly as possible. Fees are per taxi, not person and start at 250 TL on the meter. Tipping is not necessary, but rounding the fare up is common practice. Keep an eye on the meter. If they do not start the meter, use a different taxi. Agree on price (even approximately) before getting into the vehicle. At the end of the ride, exit the vehicle before paying. Check meter upon arrival and agree on the amount before the driver takes the time to get your luggage out for you so that the meter does not continue to run. Pay for the charges with one hand receive change in the other hand at the same time to avoid having your higher bill replaced with a smaller bill. Some taxis are unlicensed so call for a taxi from a reputable company or take one waiting at a reputable hotel. Flag down a passing taxi rather than taking a cab waiting at corners of tourist areas such as the Grand Bazaar. Be prepared that traffic flows differently from that in the US, even in large cities. Besides taxis, travel can be done by bus, subway (Metro), and tram
Academic Program Details When is the best time to go? (semester vs. year-long vs. summer) The fall term begins in mid- to late. September and ends in January. The spring term begins in February and ends mid-June. Terms end with two weeks of final exams. The summer term runs late June to the first week in August and is not part of the exchange program so you would pay tuition to Boğaziçi University (~$275 per credit hour). The spring or summer terms are best for Iowa State students to study at Boğaziçi, in terms of matching well with the ISU academic calendar.
Academic Program Details Format of courses (credits/modules, grading, lectures/labs) Assessment typically consists of 1 -2 midterm tests and a final in addition to assignments, quizzes, and projects. Courses in electrical, chemical, and civil engineering frequently are four credits since they may include a lab. Others with design content may also be four credits. Grading is approximately the same as that at ISU: 4. 0 AA 3. 5 BA 3. 0 BB 2. 5 CB 2. 0 CC 1. 5 CD 1. 0 DD <1. 0 F ABET evaluators say that instructors at Boğaziçi University are hard graders. Top students in high school who never earned less than A’s may only earn C’s at Boğaziçi University. U. S. students frequently find courses a little more difficult than courses at Iowa State, so it is not unusual
Academic Program Details Orientation is held one week before classes begin. During orientation exchange students will receive ID numbers and register for classes. Course requests are submitted on Monday and Tuesday. Various orientation sessions are held on Wednesday. Online registration will take place over the weekend. Exchange students are allowed to take courses in all faculties. Political Science, languages, and history are popular so may fill early. Pre-registration is for summer session only. Each student will have an advisor assigned from the student’s department. Members of the Exchange Student Club (ESN) hold and informal orientation with tours, activities, help with registration and will match a ‘buddy’ prior to arrival.
Course Options Check the Boğaziçi University website: www. boun. edu. tr/en. US/Content/Academic/Undergraduate_Cat alogue. aspx for course descriptions. Many syllabi are posted online. Some public course times and syllabi can be found on the registrations system or on departmental websites.
Places to Visit Sultanahmet Area • Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Camisi) • Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya) • Grand Bazaar (Kapalı Çarşı) • Hippodrome • Topkapı Palace Museum (Topkapı Sarayı Mϋzesi) • Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarayı) Outside of Istanbul • Princes’ Islands (Adalar) • Bursa • Edirne • Troy & Gallipoli • Ankara
Places to Visit Other areas in Istanbul • Egyptian Spice Bazaar (Mısır Çarşısı) • Galata Tower (Galata Kulesi) • Maiden’s Tower (Kız Kulesi) • Çirağan Palace (Çirağan Sarayı) • Ortaköy Mosque (Ortaköy Camisi) • Beylerbeyi Palace (Beylerbeyi Sarayı) • Bosphorus Bridge (Boğaz Köprϋsϋ) • Kucuksu Summer Palace (Kϋçϋksu Kasrı) • Rumeli Fortress (Rumeli Hisarı) • Dolmabahçe Palace (Dolmabahçe Sarayı) • Anatolian Fortress (Anadolu Hisarı) • Sϋleymaniye Mosque • Chora Monastery (Kariye Mϋzesi)
Places to Visit Experiences • Cruise on the Bosphorus (Istanbul Boğaziçi) • Hamam (Turkish Bath) • Shopping in any of the many small bazaars • Watching artists & craftsmen • Walk/shop in Beyoğlu along Istiklal Street from Taksim Square • Ride the tram • Antiques • Visit churches or synagogues • See various architectural styles • Visit cultural centers • See food and fish markets • Eat & drink with locals • Visit francophone pubs, cafés, & restaurants
Places to Visit Museums • The Turkish & Islamic Arts Museum (Tϋrk ve Islam Eserleri Mϋzesi) • Archaeological Museums of Istanbul (Istanbul Arkeoloji Mϋzeleri) • Jewish Museum (Musevi Mϋzesi) • Kϋçϋk Ayasofya (Church of the Saints Sergius and Bacchus) • Istanbul Modern Museum (Istanbul Modern) • Pera Museum (Pera Mϋzesi) • Sadberk Hanim Museum ( Sadberk Hanim Mϋzesi) • Maritime Museum (Deniz Mϋzesi) • Florence Nightingale Museum (Florence Nightingale Mϋzesi) • Depot Museum (Depo Mϋzesi) • Military Museum (Askeri Mϋze)
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