Our School with its History and Current Numbers
Istanbul Medeniyet University School of Foreign Languages was established in 2010 together with the other faculties of our University, in accordance with the relevant law, in order to provide contemporary foreign language education to the students of our University. After its foundation, the multifaceted technological equipment works related to academic, administrative and physical structuring were completed in a short time, and our School started education with English Preparatory classes for the first time in the 2012-2013 Academic Year.
In the 2013-2014 Academic Year, the lecturers of our School started to carry out the compulsory English courses in the faculties as well as the education they provide in the preparatory classes.
With the law enforced in 2016, compulsory foreign language preparatory classes have no longer been offered in programs whose medium of instruction is entirely Turkish. For this reason, as of that year, in addition to the compulsory preparatory students whose medium of instruction is English, students who enrolled in Turkish programs and want to take Optional English Preparatory education are also given this opportunity within the quota.
As of the 2019-2020 Academic Year, the Spanish Language and Literature program was opened under the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, and thus, Our School started to carry out a Spanish Preparatory Program. Our Spanish lecturers also conduct elective Spanish courses offered in faculties.
Finally, as of the 2023-2024 Academic Year, our School started to offer Arabic Preparatory Education for the students of Faculty of Theology. In the 2025-2026 academic year, our school started to offer German preparatory education for the students of Theology (German) program.
In addition to the preparatory classes, there is also a French Instructor who conducts compulsory and elective French courses in the faculties.
In summary, as of the 2024-2025 Academic Year, there is a total of 43 lecturers in our School, including 32 lecturers in the English Preparatory Unit, 2 lecturers in the Spanish Preparatory Unit, 4 lecturers in the Arabic Preparatory Unit, 2 French and 2 German lecturers working in the faculties.
Goals and Educational Philosophy of Our School
The main purpose of education in all foreign language classes provided at our School is to educate students who will gain proficiency in foreign languages at a level that can adapt to the modern world, meet the needs of their academic lives and communicate in cultural and social life, within the scope of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. In addition, our School aims to be compatible with the basic goals of our University and, in this context, to raise students who are innovative and entrepreneurial individuals devoted to research, are society and civilization oriented, and can be a part of the international system.
In this context, our School adopts a modern, dynamic and innovative approach in language teaching that prepares students for daily and academic life, and supports 21st Century skills. Within the scope of our educational activities, which are carried out with the aim of making our students autonomous learners, our lessons include pair or group activities, process writing, and authentic materials for listening and reading practices. For this purpose, our School cooperates with publishing houses that are active, successful and influential in the international language teaching arena. In short, the basis of our educational philosophy is to develop language skills through active learning fostering learner autonomy.
More About Our School
1. The Education System at Our Preparatory Classes
Language learning processes in our preparatory programs are carried out in classes created according to the language levels of the students. An academic year consists of a total of 4 periods. In this context, educational activities are carried out for a total of 4 periods- 2 periods in the Fall semester and 2 periods in the Spring semester. Students are not supposed to or not given the opportunity to change levels at the end of each period, but after a period ends, students in each level are randomly mixed among themselves and transferred to their new classes in the new period. Also, in their new classes, students will meet new instructors to teach. The purpose of this system is to enable students to work with different lecturers and experience multiple learning environments where they can meet new student groups.
In all periods, at least 3 different instructors teach at each English preparatory class. Click for detailed information.
For Spanish and Arabic preparatory classes, please click here.
2. Facilities Provided to Our Students
a. Equipment in Classrooms
There is the following equipment in our classrooms:
- Smart Boards
- Sound Systems
- Internet Connection
- Whiteboards
b. Other Facilities Provided in Our Campus
The opportunities offered to our students in our Tuzla-Orhanlı Campus, where our school is located, are as follows:
- Computer Laboratory
- Reader Room
- IMU Tuzla-Orhanlı Campus Library
- IMU Tuzla-Orhanlı Campus Dining Hall
- IMU Tuzla-Orhanlı Campus Canteen
- IMU Tuzla-Orhanlı Campus Sports Fields
- Free parking areas for their private vehicles in the parking lot of IMU Tuzla-Orhanlı Campus
3. Academic Units within our School:
Our school adopts a quality-oriented approach in foreign language education and continues to organize and carry out activities accordingly. In this context, the 12 academic units that continue their activities in our School are as follows:
- Spanish Preparatory Unit
- Arabic Preparatory Unit
- German Preparatory Unit
- Curriculum and Material Development Office
- Testing Office
- Distance Education and Common Language (English) Courses Office
- Professional and Academic Development Office
- Language Courses Office
- Exchange Office
- Website Coordination
- Quality and Accreditation Office
- Strategy Development Office