Istanbul, Turkey

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 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 -- Bo ğ aziçi University. Robert College is currently a college preparatory high school. Bo ğ aziçi is Turkish for “Bosphorus,” so occasionally Bo ğ aziçi University is referred to as “Bosphorus University.”

Chemical Engineering Civil Engineering Computer Engineering Electrical and Electronics Engineering Industrial Engineering Mechanical Engineering

Bo ğ aziçi University is comprised of six campuses. The cornerstone for the first building, Hamlin Hall, was laid in 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 (~600m) 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. Bo ğ aziçi University has 11,027 students (8587 undergraduate and 2453 graduate students). Approximately 460 are exchange students, most (~350) are Erasmus (European) and American (~80-100).

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 120m at Bo ğ aziçi 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.

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.

Classrooms and labs are similar to that found at Iowa State, except for computer labs. Students who have attended Bo ğ aziçi 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 Bo ğ aziçi University at the same time as applying for study.

The Office of International Relations is a liaison between Bo ğ aziçi University and applicants from other countries, both degree-seeking and non-degree seeking. Staff in this office provides information about admission requirements, the academic calendar, campus life, and about the universities with which Bo ğ aziçi 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

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 Atat ϋ rk (on the European side and minutes to Bo ğ aziçi University) and Sabiha Gökçen (on the Asian side and 1-2 hours to Bo ğ aziçi University). Atat ϋ rk 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 Atat ϋ rk 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 per 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 and 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 (Hızlı Tramvay). Be prepared for large crowds using public transportation.

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 Bo ğ aziçi University (~$275 per credit hour). The spring or summer terms are best for Iowa State students to study at Bo ğ aziçi, in terms of matching well with the ISU academic calendar.

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: 4.0AA 3.5BA 3.0BB 2.5CB 2.0CC 1.5CD 1.0DD <1.0F ABET evaluators say that instructors at Bo ğ aziçi University are hard graders. Top students in high school who never earned less than A’s may only earn C’s at Bo ğ aziçi University. U.S. students frequently find courses a little more difficult than courses at Iowa State, so it is not unusual to receive lower grades than expected.

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.

Check the Bo ğ aziçi University website: US/Content/Academic/Undergraduate_Catalo gue.aspxwww.boun.edu.tr/en- US/Content/Academic/Undergraduate_Catalo gue.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.

Sultanahmet Area Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Camisi) Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya) Grand Bazaar (Kapalı Çarşı) Hippodrome Topkapı Palace Museum (Topkapı Sarayı M ϋ zesi) Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarayı) Outside of Istanbul Princes’ Islands (Adalar) Bursa Edirne Troy & Gallipoli Ankara

Other areas in Istanbul Egyptian Spice Bazaar (Mısır Çarşısı) Galata Tower (Galata Kulesi) Maiden’s Tower (Kız Kulesi) Çira ğ an Palace (Çira ğ an Sarayı) Ortaköy Mosque (Ortaköy Camisi) Beylerbeyi Palace (Beylerbeyi Sarayı) Bosphorus Bridge (Bo ğ az Köpr ϋ s ϋ ) Kucuksu Summer Palace (K ϋ ç ϋ ksu Kasrı) Rumeli Fortress (Rumeli Hisarı) Dolmabahçe Palace (Dolmabahçe Sarayı) Anatolian Fortress (Anadolu Hisarı) S ϋ leymaniye Mosque Chora Monastery (Kariye M ϋ zesi)

Experiences Cruise on the Bosphorus (Istanbul Bo ğ aziçi) Hamam (Turkish Bath) Shopping in any of the many small bazaars Watching artists & craftsmen Walk/shop in Beyo ğ lu 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

Museums The Turkish & Islamic Arts Museum (T ϋ rk ve Islam Eserleri M ϋ zesi) Archaeological Museums of Istanbul (Istanbul Arkeoloji M ϋ zeleri) Jewish Museum (Musevi M ϋ zesi) K ϋ ç ϋ k Ayasofya (Church of the Saints Sergius and Bacchus) Istanbul Modern Museum (Istanbul Modern) Pera Museum (Pera M ϋ zesi) Sadberk Hanim Museum ( Sadberk Hanim M ϋ zesi) Maritime Museum (Deniz M ϋ zesi) Florence Nightingale Museum (Florence Nightingale M ϋ zesi) Depot Museum (Depo M ϋ zesi) Military Museum (Askeri M ϋ ze)