The Department
THE MISSION AND THE VISION
THE MISSION AND THE VISION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TURKISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE
Mission: Researching the written and oral products created in the field of Turkish Language and Literature, which are the primary elements of Turkish culture, sharing the derived information with society, playing an active and determinative role on the relations with other cultures, to train competent scholars and educators.
Vision: Keeping the powerful and competent position of the Department of Turkish Language and Literature academically, to become the most important center of Turcology in the forthcoming process.
EDUCATION FRAMEWORK OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TURKISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE
Our education framework consists of researching the written and oral products created in the field of Turkish Language and Literature, which are the primary elements of Turkish culture, sharing the derived information with society, playing an active and determinative role on the relations with other cultures, to train competent scholars and educators.
Our education philosophy is keeping the powerful and competent position of the Department of Turkish Language and Literature academically, to become the most important center of Turcology in the forthcoming process.
Moreover, programs of double major and minor degrees for utilization of the successful students are possible.
HISTORY
The Department of Turkish Language and Literature is one of the oldest departments of the Faculty of Letters. The Faculty of Letters has separated into four departments as Literature, History, Philosophy and Geography after the First World War. Department of Literature had also included the histories of both Eastern and Western literatures. The Faculty of Letters has also progressed at the Republican period.
By the Reformation of University in 1933, the units of language included by the Literature department were organized as independent departments. Department of Turkish Language and Literature was founded at this date. The head of department was Prof. Dr. Mehmet Fuat Köprülü. There were two branches as “Turkish Philology” and “Turkish Literature” in the department. In the branch of Turkish Philology there were professors like Reşit Rahmeti Arat, Prof. Dr. Ragıp Hulusi Özdem, Assoc. Prof. Ahmet Caferoğlu; in the branch of Turkish Literature there were academics like Prof. Dr. İsmail Hikmet Ertaylan, Prof. Dr. Ali Nihat Tarlan. In 1939 on the occasion of the centenary of Tanzimat, the branch of Modern Turkish Literature was founded in the Department of Turkish Language and Literature. Ahmet Hamdi Tanpınar was appointed as the head of the branch. By the foundation of the branch of Modern Turkish Literature, the Department was consisted of the branches of Old Turkish Literature, Modern Turkish Literature and Turkish Philology. Because for graduating the students of the department needed four certificates, they had to get certificates from the departments like Arab and Persian Philology, Philosophy, Sociology, History, Foreign Philologies. As a result, there were program conflicts and the students were aggrieved. In order to improve this situation, the branch of Turkish Philology was separated into two branches as Old Turkish Philology and Modern Turkish Philology and therefore the department consisted of four branches. Prof. Dr. Reşit Rahmeti Arat was appointed as the head of the Old Turkish Philology branch and Prof. Dr. Ahmet Caferoğlu was appointed as the head of the Modern Turkish Philology branch.
At 6 November 1981 by the law numbered 2547, an academic reconstruction was made again. As a result the system of branch was cancelled and the system of department was accepted. Accordingly the Department of Turkish Language and Literature was shaped as a department consisting of five branches: Old Turkish Philology, Modern Turkish Philology, Old Turkish Literature, Modern Turkish Literature and Turkish Folk Literature.
In the department, a scientific journal named “Turkish Language and Literature Journal” has been published since 1946 (In 2011, 44th issue of the journal was published). In the Department of Turkish Language and Literature, the following academics worked as the head of department respectively:
Prof. Dr. Mehmet Kaplan : 1983-1986
Prof. Dr. Muharrem Ergin : 1986-1990
Prof. Dr. Ömer Faruk Akün : 1990-1993
Prof. Dr. Nuri Yüce : 1993-1996
Prof. Dr. Kâzım Yetiş : 1996-1999
Prof. Dr. Necat Birinci : 1999-2002
Prof. Dr. Mustafa Özkan : 2002-2015
Prof. Dr. Ali Şükrü Çoruk: 2015-