[by courtesy of Cemal Emden]
Faculty of Architecture
The Faculty of Architecture is focused on the investigation of natural and artificial systems encompassing cities, buildings, and industrial products. The faculty's structure and curriculum are shaped by two main disciplinary axes: design and planning. Project-based courses, field studies, and studios aim to integrate knowledge, methodology, theory, and high-level professional skills, addressing a wide range of problems extending from the production of industrial products and architecture to landscape and settlement systems.
The fundamental aim of the curriculum is to develop the students' professional capacity. In this context, students learn to establish relationships between the local and the universal in the design and planning processes of space, built form, and industrial products; to identify and formulate problems through knowledge generation and interpretation concerning the relationships between the discipline under study and social and cultural contexts; to enhance their technical knowledge, aesthetic sensibilities, and ethical concerns; and to specialize in key interdisciplinary areas. Furthermore, they aim to raise the quality of research and design at every scale of the individual-environment interaction, with a special emphasis on settlement forms that both reference our cultural heritage and are universal in nature.
The Faculty of Architecture has extensive opportunities for academic and applied research, as well as design studies involving faculty members and students at different levels. The objective of the faculty's research programs is to contribute to scientific knowledge, promote good design and integrated planning, and provide suitable content for a comprehensive education. Students are encouraged to participate in research at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels, enabling them to directly interact with real-world conditions and practical issues in Turkey and abroad. In line with its principles, the faculty aims to develop its relationships with national and international universities, undertaking functions of basic and applied research, consultancy for public and private sectors, and cooperation in professional settings both nationally and internationally.
The Faculty of Architecture is equipped with modern laboratories, workshops, computer centers, and a unique archive of slides, maps, and printed materials. To share this wealth of resources and experience, it regularly organizes exhibitions, symposiums, and events in collaboration with national and international organizations. It has a developing publication program, an international journal included in WOS, and a dynamic community of students and faculty members who participate in a wide variety of academic, professional, and extracurricular activities, both nationally and internationally. All these contribute to maintaining the tradition of the METU Faculty of Architecture in graduating qualified professionals with a broad range of sensibilities, skills, engagement, and principles.
Since the founding years of METU, student and staff exchange through Erasmus Programs and other international programs and projects has always been a priority. In this context, the graduates of each department have made significant contributions to the institutional development of their professions in Turkey and abroad. The departments of Architecture, City and Regional Planning, and Industrial Design have, over time, produced internationally renowned professionals.
Department of Architecture
Established in 1956 as the first department at METU, the Department of Architecture offers undergraduate and graduate degrees. The four-year undergraduate program culminates in a Bachelor of Science degree in Architecture. The focus of the undergraduate education is on architectural design studios, which aim to freely develop students' investigative aspects, creative personalities, and ways of thinking. Students have the opportunity to pursue minor programs in different fields such as business, building technology and structure, and industrial design during their undergraduate studies. The department also offers research-oriented graduate programs in Architecture, Building Science, Conservation of Cultural Heritage, and History of Architecture. [
Department of City and Regional Planning
The Department of City and Regional Planning hosts three Research Units: the Urban and Regional Studies Unit, and the Urban Design and Housing Studies Unit. In addition to these research units, various individual studies are carried out by the department faculty. The research topics and interests of the department staff cover a wide spectrum: urban and regional geography, regional planning and policy, urban and regional governance, institutional transformation, history of planning, strategic planning, disaster risk analysis and planning, housing policy, urban history, urban conservation, urban archaeology, urban transportation, and urban design. [
Department of Industrial Design
Established in 1979, the Department of Industrial Design is one of Turkey's leading programs, attracting students with the most competitive profile in the country. The department follows a design education philosophy that emphasizes the integration of innovative and critical thinking with technical ability and technological awareness. The department offers a four-year undergraduate program resulting in an Industrial Design degree, as well as interdisciplinary Master's and Doctoral programs. As part of its educational strategy, it attaches importance to developing strong ties with local firms and the professional community, collaborating with leading companies in various sectors such as automotive, furniture, electronics, ceramics, sanitaryware, and white goods, as well as many small and medium-sized enterprises. The department also organizes joint events with many international design schools and conducts international student exchange programs. [