The information and program qualifications related to the Zero Waste Master of Science Program, under the Department of Zero Waste of the Zero Waste Institute, are summarized below.
Information About The Program
The official title of the program is "M.Sc. Program in Zero Waste with Thesis". The medium of instruction is 100% English. It is designed as the first interdisciplinary graduate program in Türkiye to directly focus on a thematic, comprehensive approach toward zero waste, circular economy, and global sustainability. The program operates under the newly planned Zero Waste Institute, combining the academic strengths and expertise of the university’s existing prominent departments. The curriculum is developed to provide a well-balanced combination of theoretical framework and practical application necessary to succeed as a zero waste manager, sustainability engineer, or circular economy specialist in contemporary corporate and academic environments. By its very nature, the Zero Waste graduate program transcends a single engineering branch or social science field to encapsulate a broader multi-dimensional ecosystem. Strategically positioned at the core of multiple fields, the program integrates Chemical and Materials Science; Food, Environmental, and Mechanical Engineering; Economics; Disaster Management; Energy Systems; and Urban Planning. This collaborative approach enables students from diverse backgrounds to integrate distinct academic perspectives to synthesize pioneering solutions for waste management crises.
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Registration Requirements
Önkayıt Sisteminden Veri Alınamadı.
Active Student Count
Information about the number of students could not be obtained.
Program Profile
The M.Sc. Program in Zero Waste with Thesis is an interdisciplinary graduate program established to develop scientific, technological, and innovative solutions against the global climate crisis, rapid depletion of natural resources, and the waste threat driven by unsustainable consumption patterns. The primary objective of the program is to cultivate leading experts, researchers, and sustainability engineers capable of managing the transition from a linear ("take-make-dispose") economic model to a circular economy model at both academic and industrial levels, in strict alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (specifically SDG 11 and SDG 12) and the European Green Deal targets. It stands as the first interdisciplinary graduate program in Türkiye to directly focus on this theme with a 100% English medium of instruction.
The profile of the program is structured to address waste management and green transformation processes not merely as a technical engineering issue, but as a multi-layered ecosystem that encompasses policy, economics, materials science, and social behavior dimensions. Operating at the intersection of various fields—primarily Chemical, Materials, Food, Environmental, and Mechanical Engineering, alongside Economics, Energy Systems, Disaster Management, and Urban Planning—the department is built upon five core research pillars: policy and governance, zero waste technologies, recovery of critical raw materials, circular business models, and public awareness. Accordingly, the program aims to provide students with an advanced theoretical framework while instilling practical competencies in application areas such as Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), industrial symbiosis, eco-design, and upcycling. The ultimate goal is to enable graduates to be employed in strategic green professions of the future, such as "Green Waste Manager", "Circular Economy Specialist", and "Sustainability Reporting Specialist" within public institutions, local authorities, international organizations, and the private sector, thereby leading our nation's net-zero emission and zero-waste targets.
Program Learning Environments
The M.Sc. Program in Zero Waste with Thesis offers multidimensional and interdisciplinary learning environments designed to provide students with both advanced theoretical competencies and the practical infrastructure necessary to transform innovative research in waste management and circular economy into application prototypes. All educational activities are systematically conducted within the ITU Ayazağa Campus, which is prominently recognized for its proximity to city centers and streamlined logistical access. At the heart of this learning ecosystem is the newly planned building of the ITU Zero Waste Institute. This thematic institute hosts modern smart classrooms, seminar halls, and interactive co-working spaces. Furthermore, through strategic partnerships established with the Zero Waste Foundation, the physical capabilities provided to graduate students are expanded, securing optimized living and research environments via accommodation options, stipend allocation, and R&D support. Owing to the interdisciplinary nature of the program, students leverage a vast infrastructure network that allows them to examine waste management both theoretically, in specialized laboratories, and out in the field. The learning environments consist of the following main components:
Advanced Technology and Engineering Laboratories: Enrolled students actively utilize the cutting-edge research facilities of the Environmental Engineering Laboratories, as well as the advanced infrastructure of the Chemical, Materials, Food, and Mechanical Engineering departments. These spaces facilitate empirical R&D and product development on areas like valorization of treatment sludge through energy recovery, bioactive compound extraction from industrial or agricultural food waste, and bio-based packaging development.
Computational Analysis and Modeling Laboratories: Computer labs fully equipped with state-of-the-art specialized software are accessible to students for designing circular business models, accounting carbon, water, and plastic footprints, and performing extensive Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) simulations.
Field and Campus Application Sites: The ITU Ayazağa Campus operates as a "living laboratory" under frameworks investigating the contribution of university sites to Sustainable Development Goals. This grants students the unique opportunity to test and implement theoretical models directly on campus-wide waste minimization, industrial symbiosis, and zero-waste disposal tracks.
English Proficiency
Regulations and Guidelines
Academic Calendar
Course Plans
Course Schedules
Course Adjustment and Exemption Procedures
Program Educational Objectives
The Program Educational Objectives (PEOs) of the M.Sc. Program in Zero Waste with Thesis describe the career accomplishments, professional positions, and institutional leadership roles that our graduates are expected to achieve within a few years of graduation. Accordingly, the educational objectives of the program are identified as follows:
PEO 1 (Strategic Green Management and Leadership): Our graduates assume strategic leadership and management roles such as "Green Waste Manager", "Circular Economy Specialist", or "Sustainability Engineer" within public institutions, local authorities, municipalities, organized industrial zones, and national/international private corporations. They spearhead corporate green transformation and net-zero emission strategies in accordance with the National Zero Waste Action Plan, the European Green Deal, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
PEO 2 (Technological Innovation and Upcycling Engineering): Our graduates apply advanced engineering principles to complex municipal and industrial waste challenges, designing and supervising innovative technologies for waste prevention, resource efficiency, eco-design, upcycling, and the recovery of critical and strategic raw materials from secondary sources.
PEO 3 (Holistic Sustainability and Analytical Assessment): Our graduates excel as specialized analysts and sustainability reporting executives, successfully managing the establishment of circular business models, the implementation of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) tools, the accounting of carbon, water, and plastic footprints, and the audit of corporate Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) performances based on global standards.
PEO 4 (Interdisciplinary Research and Academic Contribution): Leveraging the multidimensional vision acquired at the intersection of chemical, materials, food, environmental, and mechanical engineering, alongside economics and urban planning, our graduates successfully pursue doctoral-level studies at national and international higher education institutions and actively contribute to zero-waste and sustainability literature through scientific publications and R&D projects.
PEO 5 (Social Responsibility and Scientific Ethics): Our graduates act as pioneering agents of change in promoting waste minimization awareness and driving the circular transformation of corporate and consumer behavior, while strictly upholding social, scientific, cultural, and ethical values in all their professional endeavors and mentoring their peers in these core values.
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
To graduate from the M.Sc. Program in Zero Waste with Thesis and to be awarded the Master of Science degree, students must fulfill all academic obligations structured in accordance with the Istanbul Technical University (ITU) Graduate Education and Training Regulation and Senate Principles. The minimum graduation criteria are outlined below:
Total Course and Credit Workload: Students are strictly required to successfully complete at least 7 courses (comprising a minimum of 4 required/core courses and 3 elective courses) with no less than 21 local credits, in addition to one non-credit seminar course.
Core and Elective Distribution: The curriculum structure demands 4 required courses chosen from the core course pool package based on the students' research track, and 3 elective courses pulled from the graduate course pools of affiliated departments. All coursework must be completed 100% in English.
Minimum ECTS Credits: In alignment with global frameworks, the program dictates a minimum allocation of 60 ECTS credits per academic year, resulting in a total requirement of at least 120 ECTS credits to graduate, which includes the seminar course and the thesis work.
Seminar Course Requirement: Registration for the non-credit graduate seminar course (ZEW596E or equivalent) is compulsory, and students must attain a "Passing/Successful" grade.
Master’s Thesis Defense: Commencing from the second semester, students must register for their Master's Thesis work (ZERYLT or equivalent), author a comprehensive academic dissertation under faculty supervision, and successfully defend it before an approved academic jury.
Academic Standing & GPA: Enrolled candidates must maintain a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) that complies with the minimum passing thresholds specified by the ITU Graduate Education and Training Regulation.
The Awarded Degree and Title
Degree : Master of Science Title : -
Program Employment Opportunities
Graduates of the M.Sc. Program in Zero Waste with Thesis are equipped with the comprehensive skills required to orchestrate green and digital transformation tracks at both national and international levels, owing to their rigorous interdisciplinary training. The curriculum is strictly aligned with the emerging green occupations prioritized by the Vocational Qualifications Authority (MYK) and the contemporary requirements of the global corporate market. The primary employment sectors and formal professional titles available to our graduates are outlined below:
Green Waste Manager: Graduates operate in strategic positions within municipalities, organized industrial zones, public institutions, and private corporations to plan and audit integrated waste management lines, deploy the waste hierarchy, and monitor sustainable urbanization.
Circular Economy Specialist: They manage cutting-edge business models designed to transition production from linear to circular systems, enhance resource optimization, foster industrial symbiosis frameworks, and valorize waste streams into valuable economic commodities.
Sustainability Reporting Specialist: They serve as specialized compliance officers who evaluate corporate Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) footprints, perform extensive Life Cycle Assessments (LCA), and publish performance metrics aligned with international frameworks like the European Green Deal.
Carbon Footprint Analyst: Graduates find employment across industrial manufacturing grids to calculate supply-chain greenhouse gas emissions, manage carbon accounting operations, and formulate carbon mitigation/decarbonization strategies.
Sustainable Design Specialist: They step into R&D and product engineering teams to eliminate waste right at the source by utilizing eco-design concepts, assessing cradle-to-grave parameters, and optimizing circular material choices.
Sectoral Waste & Recycling Specialist (e.g., Textile Recycling Specialist): They lead material recovery and sorting processes in leading commercial sectors (such as the textile industry) to upcycle production scrap into high-value manufacturing inputs.
Academic and R&D Career: Capitalizing on their cross-disciplinary research capabilities, graduates are highly competitive candidates for Ph.D. positions at top-tier research universities or can act as research associates in technology development zones focusing on green innovations.
Number of Graduates
There are no graduates from 2025 or earlier. The 2026 graduate numbers have not yet been transferred to this page.
Program Outcomes
P.O.1 PLO 1 (Advanced Knowledge and Integration): Capable of developing and deepening engineering and scientific knowledge regarding the zero-waste concept at an expert level based on undergraduate competencies; and integrating as well as interpreting data from diverse disciplines (environmental, chemical, materials, food, economics, etc.) to generate novel knowledge.
P.O.2 PLO 2 (Interdisciplinary Application and Problem Solving): Capable of effectively utilizing theoretical and practical knowledge in zero waste, circular economy, and sustainability frameworks within interdisciplinary fields to tackle complex waste management challenges and design innovative processes or products.
P.O.3 PLO 3 (Investigation of Complex Problems and Independent Work): Capable of independently researching and solving complex problems related to the zero-waste concept by implementing contemporary research methodologies (life cycle assessment, mass-energy balances, data analytics, etc.) and novel strategic approaches, while masterfully leading advanced specialized projects.
P.O.4 PLO 4 (Strategic Leadership and Social Competence): Capable of assuming leadership roles in environments requiring the implementation of zero-waste approaches and green transformation initiatives; and critically examining as well as driving change in social dynamics, consumer behaviors, and organizational norms from a circular perspective.
P.O.5 PLO 5 (Data Management, Ethics, and Social Responsibility): Capable of gathering, interpreting, reporting, and deploying data concerning zero waste, resource efficiency, and decarbonization pathways while strictly adhering to social, scientific, cultural, and ethical values, thereby expanding this consciousness across corporate and public levels.
Program Coordinator
Head of the Department
Links