The information and program qualifications related to the Maritime Transportation Engineering Doctor of Philosophy Program, under the Department of Maritime Transportation Engineering of the Graduate School, are summarized below.
Information About The Program
The Maritime Transportation Engineering Doctorate Program is designed to educate highly qualified engineers and researchers who can respond to the rapidly evolving technical, managerial, and environmental needs of the maritime sector. The program offers an interdisciplinary educational structure that integrates engineering fundamentals, maritime transportation systems, ship operations, safety, legal frameworks, and management perspectives.
Within the scope of the program, students gain advanced knowledge in areas such as engineering mathematics, maritime transportation economics, ship energy management, maritime risk management, safety engineering, maritime legislation, port and terminal management, maritime logistics, and research methodologies. In addition, the program provides opportunities for specialization through elective courses focusing on contemporary and strategic topics such as alternative fuels, environmental management, maritime technology and innovation, ship maintenance management, and maritime policy.
The doctoral-level course pool includes advanced research-oriented topics such as optimization techniques, thermo-economic analysis of ship systems, maritime traffic engineering, machine learning applications in the maritime industry, modelling and simulation, human element research methods, organizational management, and troubleshooting modelling in marine systems. Through this structure, students develop strong competencies in academic research, scientific publishing, and creating innovative solutions to sectoral challenges.
The program combines theoretical instruction with simulator-supported training, laboratory work, and project-based learning approaches, strengthening students’ academic and professional capabilities. Graduates are well prepared to take active roles in shipping companies, ports, logistics firms, classification societies, public institutions, and academic careers.
Click here for the program's website.
Program Profile
The Maritime Transportation Engineering Doctorate Program aims to educate graduates who:
1. Possess advanced theoretical and practical knowledge in maritime transportation systems, ship operations, port and terminal management, and maritime logistics.
2. Develop the ability to analyze complex problems in the maritime sector and propose innovative, sustainable, and safe engineering solutions.
3. Acquire strong competencies in scientific research, data analysis, academic writing, and ethical research practices.
4. Gain expertise in maritime safety, risk management, environmental protection, and regulatory frameworks at national and international levels.
5. Develop interdisciplinary thinking skills by integrating engineering, management, law, and environmental sciences in maritime applications.
6. Are capable of using modern engineering tools, simulation technologies, and digital systems in maritime transportation engineering.
7. Demonstrate leadership, teamwork, and effective communication skills in multicultural and multidisciplinary professional environments.
8. Contribute to the maritime sector through innovation, technological development, and sustainable practices aligned with global decarbonization goals.
Registration Requirements
Application Term : 2025-2026 Spring Semester
Application Dates : 10.11.2025 09:00:00 - 26.01.2026 17:00:00 ( UTC/GMT+3 )
Application Requirements (For T.C Nationality) ALES Numerical must be minimum 70 (old system GRE Quantitative minimum 675, new system GRE minimum 153 ). Applicants who will apply for PhD programs after their undergraduate level degree are required to have Numerical score minimum 80 from ALES. Graduate GPA must be minimum 3.00/4 (76.66/100). Minimum GPA from undergraduate to doctorate must be 3.5/4 (88.33/100). Graduation must be Offshore Engineering, Naval Academy Engineering Departments, Marine Technology Engineering, Maritime Transportation Management Engineering, Maritime Transportation Engineering, Department of Maritime Transportation and Management, Maritime Studies, Naval Architecture Engineering, Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, Marine Engineering, Shipbuilding and Ocean Engineering, Deck Department.
Quota (For T.C Nationality): 10
Application Requirements (For International Students) ALES Numerical must be minimum 70 (old system GRE Quantitative minimum 675, new system GRE minimum 153 ). Applicants who will apply for PhD programs after their undergraduate level degree are required to have Numerical score minimum 80 from ALES. Graduate GPA must be minimum 3.00/4 (76.66/100). Minimum GPA from undergraduate to doctorate must be 3.5/4 (88.33/100). Graduation must be Offshore Engineering, Naval Academy Engineering Departments, Marine Technology Engineering, Maritime Transportation Management Engineering, Maritime Transportation Engineering, Department of Maritime Transportation and Management, Maritime Studies, Naval Architecture Engineering, Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, Marine Engineering, Shipbuilding and Ocean Engineering, Deck Department.
Quota (For International Students): 5
Transfer Quota : 5
Click here for quotas and conditions for all semesters. Application Page Graduate Education and Training Regulation Senate Principles
Application requirements, application dates, and quotas are updated in real-time from the Application System.
Program Learning Environments
The learning environments of the Maritime Transportation Engineering Ph.D. Program includes, in addition to the classrooms within the Faculty of Maritime, the faculty’s student, research, and computer laboratories, ITU-licensed distance education software, and the Ninova e-learning center, whose software has been developed by ITU. The learning environments also include student laboratories and the Simulator Center. Students also advance their learning process through one-to-one work carried out with academic staff and their peers.
English Proficiency
Regulations and Guidelines
Academic Calendar
Course Plans
Course Schedules
Course Adjustment and Exemption Procedures
Program Educational Objectives
Mission
To be a program that trains nationally and internationally leading manpower with high-level scientific competence and research and development skills in the field of maritime, respectful to the environment and ethical values, and to ensure its continuity. To keep the university-industry cooperation at the highest level and to conduct researches in order to develop interdisciplinary research.
Vision
To be a graduate program with a specialization in the ever-developing maritime sector, in compliance with national and international regulations, adapting to developing technology and gaining an understanding of innovation and entrepreneurship for research in the scientific field. For this purpose, it is aimed to train maritime academicians as well as senior managers.
Measurement and Evaluation
Evaluating Student Success
The student success is evaluated considering Articles 56, 57, 58, and 59 of the Istanbul Technical University Graduate Education and Training Regulation Senate Principles.
ARTICLE 56 - Before the enrollment for the courses begins, the faculty member who offers the course informs the Program Executive Committee about the types, number and contribution percentage to the final grade of the studies within the semester, as well as requirements for a right to take the semester final exam. These requirements shall be finalized by approval of the Program Executive Committee and approval of the chair of the department, who declares them to the student and informs the Graduate School.
ARTICLE 57 - A student may appeal the final grade of a course within one week following the announcement of the grades. Appeals must be submitted to the Graduate School in writing. The relevant faculty member shall re-evaluate the student's success status and submit the result to the Graduate School within one week. Appeals not submitted within the prescribed time frame shall not be considered by the Graduate School.
ARTICLE 58 - Courses in graduate programs shall be evaluated according to the following grading system.
| Grade Description |
Grade |
Scale |
| Excellent |
AA |
4.00 |
| Very good plus |
BA+ |
3.75 |
| Very good |
BA |
3.50 |
| Good plus |
BB+ |
3.25 |
| Good |
BB |
3.00 |
| Conditional Pass |
CB+ |
2.75 |
| Conditional Pass |
CB |
2.50 |
| Conditional Pass |
CC+ |
2.25 |
| Conditional Pass |
CC |
2.00 |
| Fail |
FF |
0.00 |
| Fail(No Exam) |
VF |
0.00 |
ARTICLE 59 - Students who wish to improve their cumulative grade point average may retake courses during the course-taking period. The most recent grade will be counted for the repeated courses.
Internship
There is no internship in this program.
Graduation Requirements
Required conditions for graduation are determined by ITU Graduate School - Graduate Regulations and Senate Principles. Relevant documents can be accessed at https://lee.itu.edu.tr/belgeler
The Awarded Degree and Title
Degree : Doctor of Philosophy Title : Doctor of Philosophy
Program Employment Opportunities
Main employment areas include:
- Shipping and ship management companies, especially in operations, planning, and fleet management departments
- Port authorities, terminal operators, and free trade zones in technical and managerial positions
- Maritime logistics, shipping, and multimodal transportation companies
- Classification societies and inspection/conformity assessment organizations
- Marine engineering, consultancy, and project companies
- Marine insurance companies and P&I clubs
- National and international public authorities and maritime administrations
- Ship agencies, brokerage, and chartering companies
- Organizations working in maritime safety, risk analysis, and safety management systems
- Institutions and projects focused on sustainability, environmental management, and decarbonization
- Universities, research centers, and technology parks in academic and R&D positions
Number of Graduates
Graduate Statistics (Last Five Years)
| Year | Number of Graduates |
| 2020 | 6 |
| 2021 | 6 |
| 2022 | 8 |
| 2023 | 15 |
| 2024 | 13 |
Program Outcomes
P.O.1 Developing and intensifying the current and high-level knowledge in the area with the use of original thinking and/or research processes and in a specialistic level, based upon the competency in M.S. level
P.O.2 Grasping the inter-disciplinary interaction related to one’s area; reaching original results by using the specialistic knowledge in analyzing, synthesizing and evaluating new and complex ideas
P.O.3 The ability to evaluate and use new information in the area with a systematical approach
P.O.4 Developing a new idea, method, design and/or application which brings about innovation in the area; or, applying a conventional idea, method, design and/or application to a different environment; researching, grasping, designing and applying an original subject
P.O.5 The ability to critically analyze, synthesize and evaluate the new and complex ideas
P.O.6 Acquiring the most developed skills about using the research methods in studies in the related area
P.O.7 Contributing to the progress in the area by independently carrying out a study which uses a new idea, method, design and/or application which brings about innovation in the area; or, applying a conventional idea, method, design and/or application to a different environment
P.O.8 Expanding the limits of knowledge in the area by publishing at least one scientific article in an international peer reviewed journal and/or creating or interpreting an original work
P.O.9 Fulfilling the leader role in the environments where solutions are sought for the original and inter-disciplinary problems
P.O.10 To be able to develop new thoughts and methods in the field by using high-level mental processes such as creative and critical thinking, problem solving and decision making.
P.O.11 Ability to see and develop social relationships and the norms directing these relationships with a critical look and the ability to direct the actions to change these when necessary
P.O.12 The ability to establish effective communication with experts in the international environments to discuss the area-related subjects and to defend original opinions, showing one’s competency in the area
P.O.13 Proficiency in a foreign language and establishing written, oral and visual communication and developing argumentation skills with that language
P.O.14 Contributing to the society’s state and progress towards being an information society by announcing and promoting the technological, scientific and social developments in one’s area
P.O.15 Ability to establish effective communication in the solving of the problems faced in the area, by using the strategic decision making processes
P.O.16 Contributing to the solution of area-related social, scientific, cultural and ethical problems and promoting the development of these values
Program Coordinator
Head of the Department
Links