PhD theses in Turkish sports sciences: A study covering the years 1988–2002

AimsUndergraduate education in physical education is widely common in Turkey. Postgraduate training is provided mostly by institutes of health sciences, educational science and social sciences. The aim of this study was to evaluate the characteristics of PhD theses in sports sciences.MethodsThe database of the Turkish Council of Higher Education has been searched the years 1988–2002 for PhD theses with different combinations of keywords like “Sport(s)”, “All Dissertations” and “Physical Education”. Theses were classified according to the institute, year, university, the title of the mentors and the field of sports sciences. The inter-and intra-validity of ratings were high (Kendall Tau_b=0.84 and 1.00, p <0.01).ResultsMost of theses were prepared in Institutes for Health Sciences (n=196, 86.3%), second mostly in Institutes of Social Sciences (n=25, 11.0%). Theses originated mostly from Marmara (n=90, 39.6%), Gazi (n=59, 25.9%) and Dokuz Eylül Universities (n=25, 11.0%). Ninety two theses (46.9%) were prepared in Training and Movement Sciences, 40 (20.4%) in Sports Management, 29 (14.7%) Psycho-Social Fields of Sports Sciences, 23 (11.7%) Sports Health Sciences and 13 (6.6%) in Sports Pedagogy.ConclusionMost theses were prepared in Institutes of Health Sciences, but the subjects covered the field of training and movement sciences. The unique and multi-disciplinary nature of sports sciences seems to warrant the foundation of an Institute of Sports.