Turkey is a country known for its distinctive geographic position in both Asia and Europe, thus considered a Middle Eastern country. Its capital city is Ankara is the largest and most populated city in Istanbul.
Similar to most countries, the Turkish educational system consists of pre-primary, primary, secondary, and tertiary levels. Students pursuing tertiary education can choose to attend universities, conservatories, vocational higher education schools, and even police or military academies.
Humanities is a branch of knowledge concerned with various aspects of human life. It has long been studied throughout history until now. With that, there are many world-renowned individuals in this broad field. Some of these are respected linguist Noam Chomsky, author Stephen King, artist Pablo Picasso, philosopher John Dewey, and activist Asa Philip Randolph.
In this article, we look at the best schools for humanities in Turkey!
Top Schools Offering Humanities Programs in Turkey
1. Istanbul Bilgi University
Istanbul Bilgi University is a private university and a leading school for humanities in Turkey that opened its doors to students in 1996. It is one of the country’s first foundation universities. The institution has three campuses and these are the Santral Istanbul Campus, Dolapdere Campus, and Kuştepe Campus.
As a well-known Turkish university, it is not surprising that the institute is the alma mater of many thriving individuals like jurist and politician Ebru Günay, actress Simay Barlas, singer-songwriter Sıla Gençoğlu, actor and TV presenter Enis Arıkan, and pop musician Kenan Doğulu.
The university’s seven faculties are the Faculty of Architecture, Faculty of Business, Faculty of Communication, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Faculty of Law, and Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities. Aside from these, there are also four schools at the center of learning which include the School of Applied Sciences, School of Aviation, School of Sports Sciences and Technology, and School of Tourism and Hospitality.
Besides the numerous faculties and schools, the university also has three vocational schools, three institutes, and a variety of research centers. The Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities has eight departments that offer a wide range of degree programs for Bachelor’s and Master’s students.
2. Anadolu University
Anadolu University is a public university and a top institution for humanities in Turkey located in the city of Eskişehir. It was established in 1958 as Eskişehir Academy of Economic and Commercial Sciences and 24 years later, this former name was replaced by its current name.
Known as a reputable center of excellence in Turkey, Anadolu has several graduates who turned out to be successful in their respective fields such as educator and Eskişehir mayor Yılmaz Büyükerşen, television personality Beyazıt Öztürk, and actress Nurgül Yeşilçay.
It has 12 faculties, six graduate schools and institutes, three vocational schools, and three schools. Classes are carried out in Turkish, English, French, German, and Russian. Furthermore, the university’s Faculty of Humanities was founded in 1993.
Today, the faculty has nine departments: Department of Archaeology, Department of Art History, Department of History, Department of Philosophy, Department of Psychology, Department of Russian Language and Literature, Department of Sociology, Department of Translation and Interpretation, and Department of Turkish Language and Literature.
3. Üsküdar University
Üsküdar University is one of the best universities for humanities in Turkey that was officially established by NP Group in 2011 as the country’s first-ever institute for higher education specializing in Behavioral Sciences and Health field. The institution has six faculties: the Faculty of Communication, the Faculty of Dentistry, the Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, the Faculty of Health Sciences, the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, and the Faculty of Medicine. Moreover, there are also a few institutes for graduate studies as well as a Vocational School of Health Services at the university.
The university’s Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences offers Bachelor’s degree programs in seven subject areas.
4. Cappadocia University
Cappadocia University is a prestigious humanities university in Turkey that was founded in 2005. Nowadays, there are around 4,500 students and faculty staff at the institution. The university has four faculties, three schools, one graduate school, and a vocational center of learning called Cappadocia Vocational College.
The university has four campuses in Cappadocia which are the Mustafapaşa campus, Ürgüp campus, Uçhisar Art Campus, and Nevşehir Central campus. There is also one in Istanbul referred to as the Sabiha Gökçen campus.
Cappadocia University’s Faculty of Humanities is centered on four learning areas: English Language and Literature, English Translation and Interpreting, Psychology, and Turkish Language and Literature.
5. Sabancı University
Sabancı University is one of the country’s best institutions and a recognized humanities university in Turkey established in 1996. The university has three faculties. Additionally, there are 11 undergraduate programs, 50 graduate programs, and 17 doctoral programs offered at the institute. In 2021, it was deemed Turkey’s most entrepreneurial and innovative foundation university.
The Center of Excellence’s Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences offers Bachelor’s programs in four different fields and Master’s programs in nine subjects.
FAQs: Humanities in Turkey
Is Studying Humanities Currently Important?
Yes! The study of humanities is still important. Knowing the different humanities gives you the chance to have a vast knowledge of the different human cultures, perception, and even their various life experiences. Through learning humanities as a student, you will develop the quality skills needed by employers these days. These include creative thinking, problem-solving as well as communication. We have highlighted a list of universities in Turkey that offer you a chance to study Humanities but you can also browse through our website to check out our list of all available courses in Turkey.
Turkey is filled with world-famous tourist attractions like Ephesus, Pamukkale, Mount Nemrut, Hagia Sophia Mosque, and Patara. But visitors shouldn’t just go there for the breathtaking destinations; authentic Turkish food is a must-try for them, too! A few of the country’s most mouthwatering dishes include ezogelin CORBA, yarak dolma, gozleme, lokum, or Turkish Delight, and, baklava.
We hope this article on the Best Universities to Study Humanities in Turkey was helpful. If you are interested in learning more, check out the Study in Turkey and Programs in Europe for International Students pages.
