Contemporary Design Education
Since its establishment in 1986, we work with our students in a dynamic environment that facilitates keeping up with the rapid developments and transformations in the design world. We offer a contemporary education platform for our students to practice a wide range of skills including visual/corporate identity studies; typography and type design; illustrations, posters, brochures and book design; packages, advertisement and editorial design; web and mobile interface design; motion graphics, video production and animation design.
Theory/practice Unity
Uniting theory and practice is our departmental concern that defines our approach. Students explore their own critical thinking and research potentials in an independent, creative and unique intellectual environment. Our goal is educate students as not only following the developments in the field, but become pioneers in the design world. We are equally invested in processes as much as the outcomes. In addition to the studios, we offer many courses on culture including art&culture, history of art&design, analysis of art, philosophy and design issues.
How To Apply
Our Undergraduate Program accepts Turkish students by LYS (Undergrad Placement Exam carried by Evaluation, Selection and Plcm. Center of Turkey - ÖSYM) in the score type TM-2. By 2021, 5 full scholarships, 27 half-tuition scholarships and 4 fee-paying; a total of 36 spots are available. Applicants do not need drawing skills. At the end of 4 years, students graduate with BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts) degree. For International students administration please see Office of International Students Website.
STUDENT WORK
SOCIAL MEDIA
PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS

About Graphic Design
Graphic Design is defined as the process of visual communication and problem solving based on the art or skill of combining text, imagery and other content. It is to design and produce message oriented solutions for target audience by using printed and digital media. This dynamic in the field of visual culture have an important effect on many professions ranging from art to advertising; print media to tv broadcasting. Graphic designers play a key role in all aspects of the visual culture including (but not limited to) advertising and communications sectors.
Facilities
Bilkent University, Department of Graphic Design is an attractive art and design platform with many opportunities in a 3-storey separate building. Professional photography and video labs including 2 studios, analog equipments and a dark room; Advanced computer infrastructure and computer aided animation production facility; large ateliers for studio practices; conference rooms and many classrooms for various seminars. In addition, our students are allowed and encouraged to use other departments’ facilities, studios and equipments, such as Fine Arts screen-printing studio.
Exchange Programs
Our students have the opportunity to go to Europe with Erasmus program, and also to the United States with the Bilkent Student Exchange Program, as exchange students. They can complete some portion of their curricular requirements abroad. For more information about student exchange programs and procedures, please contact our Exchange Program Coordinator Birsu Çeltek, or visit Bilkent Exchange Programs Office website.
After Bilgra
Bilkent Graphic Design alumni continued their career in various fields such as design offices, advertising agencies, newspapers and periodicals, film production companies and TV channels. Some graduates also continued their postgraduate education to choose an academic career. Bilkent's tradition of strong English educational system allows our graduates to pursue careers abroad. Graduating with a wide range of skills, our graduates explore many different design-oriented neighbour activities such as exhibition curatorship, shoe and clothing design, product design, time-based and social media.
CURRICULUM
FIRST ACADEMIC YEAR
AUTUMN SEMESTER
FA 105 FOUNDATION STUDIO I
FA 103 DRAWING I
FA 171 INTRODUCTION TO ART & CULTURE I
GRA 131 DESIGN TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES
ENG 101 ENGLISH AND COMPOSITION I
TURK 101 TURKISH I
GE 100 ORIENTATION
SPRING SEMESTER
FA 106 FOUNDATION STUDIO II
FA 104 DRAWING II
FA 172 INTRODUCTION TO ART & CULTURE II
GRA 133 LETTERING & INTRODUCTION TO TYPOGRAPHY
ENG 102 ENGLISH AND COMPOSITION II
TURK 102 TURKISH I
SECOND ACADEMIC YEAR
AUTUMN SEMESTER
GRA 201 GRAPHIC DESIGN I
GRA 211 TYPOGRAPHY I
GRA 218 ESSENTIALS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
GRA 225 INTRODUCTION TO VISUAL TECHNIQUES
FA 271 HISTORY OF ART I
HIST 200 HISTORY OF TURKEY
GE 250 COLLEGIATE ACTIVITIES PROGRAM I
SPRING SEMESTER
GRA 202 GRAPHIC DESIGN II
GRA 212 TYPOGRAPHY II
GRA 316 INTERFACE DESIGN STUDIO
GRA 317 MOTION DESIGN STUDIO
FA 272 HISTORY OF ART II
GE 250 COLLEGIATE ACTIVITIES PROGRAM I
THIRD ACADEMIC YEAR
AUTUMN SEMESTER
GRA 301 GRAPHIC DESIGN III
GRA 290 SUMMER PRACTICE I
GRA 341 HISTORY OF GRAPHIC ART
FA 361 PHILOSOPHY OF ART I
RESTRICTED ELECTIVE
SPRING SEMESTER
GRA 302 GRAPHIC DESIGN IV
GRA 344 PSYCHOLOGY OF ADVERTISEMENT
GRA 347 DESIGN ISSUES
RESTRICTED ELECTIVE
FOURTH ACADEMIC YEAR
AUTUMN SEMESTER
GRA 401 GRAPHIC DESIGN V
GRA 390 SUMMER PRACTICE II
FA 420 ANALYSIS OF ART WORK I
MAN 333 MARKETING PRINCIPLES
RESTRICTED ELECTIVE
SPRING SEMESTER
GRA 402 GRAPHIC DESIGN VI
GRA 423 PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE
FA 422 ANALYSIS OF ART WORK II
RESTRICTED ELECTIVE
RESTRICTED ELECTIVES
GRA 207 CONCEPTUAL DESIGN
GRA 210 WEB DESIGN
GRA 215 ANIMATION & FILM/TV GRAPHICS I
GRA 216 ANIMATION & FILM/TV GRAPHICS II
GRA 217 MOTION GRAPHICS
GRA 219 ADVANCED PHOTOGRAPHY
GRA 313 TYPOGRAPHIC DESIGN AND THEORIES
GRA 315 INFORMATION DESIGN & DATA VISUALIZATION
GRA 323 LOGOS, SYMBOLS AND SIGNS
GRA 333 PACKAGING
GRA 351 INTRO. TO VIDEO PRODUCTION TECHNIQUES
GRA 421 ILLUSTRATION I
GRA 422 ILLUSTRATION II
COMD 207 HISTORY OF FILM AND MEDIA
COMD 361 SOUND DESIGN I
COMD 362 SOUND DESIGN I
COMD 364 VIDEO PRODUCTION FOR NON-MAJORS
COMD 437 POST PRODUCTION TECHNIQUES
FA 213 INTRODUCTION TO PRINTMAKING I
FA 214 INTRODUCTION TO PRINTMAKING II
GE 401 INNOVATIVE DESIGN & ENTREPRENEURSHIP I
GE 402 INNOVATIVE DESIGN & ENTREPRENEURSHIP II
SUMMER PRACTICES GRA290 & GRA390
GRA 290 Summer Practice I
At the end of the second academic year, graphic design majors must complete a summer internship in a printing house or a digital printing center. The aim of this summer practice is to give students on-site experience in production techniques for third year studio courses.
You can access the detailed procedural information & required paperwork along with formatting guidelines in PDF format below.
GRA 390 Summer Practice II
At the end of the third academic year, students are expected to complete another summer internship in an advertising, design or in-house agency. The aim of this summer practice is to give students knowledge about professional working dynamics to help them with their fourth year studies.
You can access the detailed procedural information & the required paperwork along with formatting guidelines in PDF format below.
FACULTY

Erhan Tunalı
Acting Chair
erhan.tunali [at] bilkent.edu.tr
SHORT BIO

Birsu Çeltek
FB-119, 290 1448
birsu [at] bilkent.edu.tr
SHORT BIO

Gökhan Numanoğlu
FB-105, 290 1918
gokhan.numanoglu [at] bilkent.edu.tr
SHORT BIO

Çağatay Alpay
FB-206, 290 1758
cagatayalpay [at] bilkent.edu.tr
SHORT BIO

Murad Gürzumar
FB-208, 290 1661
gmurat [at] bilkent.edu.tr
SHORT BIO

Yasmine Nachabe Taan
FA-311, 290 2329
yasmine.nt [at] bilkent.edu.tr
SHORT BIO

Can İzzet Birand
FB-306, 290 1740
canbirand [at] bilkent.edu.tr
SHORT BIO

Ekin Kılıç
FBZ-05, 290 2743
ekinklch [at] bilkent.edu.tr
SHORT BIO

Oğuz Akın
FB-207,
oguz.akin [at] bilkent.edu.tr
SHORT BIO

Marek Brzozowski
FB-205, 290 1739
marek [at] bilkent.edu.tr
SHORT BIO

Atıl Kurttekin
FB-307, 290 1745
atilk [at] bilkent.edu.tr
SHORT BIO
STAFF

Nukhet Büyükoktay
Administrative Assistant
bnukhet [at] bilkent.edu.tr

Aydın Ramazanoğlu
Photo Lab. Technician
aydinr [at] bilkent.edu.tr

Ufuk Kaplan
Support Staff
CONTACT INFORMATION
FADA,
Graphic Design Department
TR-06800 Bilkent, Ankara, Turkey
+ 90 (312) 290 1423
Fax: +90 (312) 266 4136
E-mail: gra [at] bilkent.edu.tr
Administrative Assistant
Phone: 290 1629 – 290 1423
E-mail: bnukhet [at] bilkent.edu.tr
DEPARTMENTAL VISITS
You can visit our department for a Department/Profession Presentation with your family. To see the studios, have a face to face meeting please make an appointment with our Administrative Assistant Office (+90-312-290 1629). Also, we will be glad if you participate our events. Please look up to Bulletin Section or Blog Page for exhibition, seminar, workshop and other events.
You can visit Bilkent Graphic together with your school or your class. To do so, your current school administration should make an appointment with Bilkent University Prospective Students Information Office (+90-312- 290 3412) or Faculty of Fine Arts, Design and Architecture (+90-312-290 1486) for a presentation and a tour.