Doctoral Programme in Sport and Health Sciences
The Doctoral Programme in Sport and Health Sciences offers a path to becoming a high-level researcher and expert in the field of human movement, health, and well-being. The faculty's broad research portfolio and multidisciplinary environment allow doctoral students to utilize diverse research methodologies and focus into their chosen field of study as part of an active research environment that supports the development of critical thinking and the building of an independent research career.
The specialisations in the Doctoral Programme in Sport and Health Sciences are
- Sport and Exercise Sciences
- Health Sciences
The Doctoral Programme in Sport and Health Sciences is led by Professor Taija Juutinen, Vice Dean for Research.
The doctoral programme has also a steering board whose tasks include e.g. supporting the operative management of the doctoral programme, monitoring and promoting the quality of doctoral education in the doctoral programme, monitoring the operation and performance of the doctoral programme, and monitoring the progress of dissertation work and doctoral studies within the doctoral programme.
Specialisations
Read the story of a doctoral student
"I have been very surprised by how enjoyable my entire study journey has been. As a child, I had no interest in school, and it was not until I started in engineering that I became interested in studying. I noticed how motivating it can be, particularly from the perspective of self-development. Some years later, I completed my doctoral degree in biomechanics."
The doctoral degree consists of a doctoral dissertation and additional postgraduate studies.
The doctoral dissertation must be an independent, research-based, scientific study. It represents the student’s ability to independently and critically apply the methods of scientific research and create new scientific information. The research topic of the dissertation has to relate to the focus areas of the Faculty.
You can access doctoral dissertations published at the University of Jyväskylä via the JYX publication archive. By refining your search, you can find dissertations from a specific faculty or research field, for example.
In the Doctoral Programme in Sport and Health Sciences, the doctoral degree includes 40 ECTS credits of doctoral studies in addition to the doctoral dissertation. The curriculum describes the more detailed content, completion methods and learning outcomes of these studies. Each doctoral student makes a personal doctoral study plan based on their career goals.
The doctoral degree (dissertation and 40 ECTS credits of doctoral studies) can be completed with three to four years of full-time work.
Funding
Preparing a funding plan is an essential part of planning doctoral studies, because admission to doctoral studies does not automatically mean that you would get funding from the Faculty. Usually, funding of full-time doctoral studies consists of a combination of many different options. During doctoral studies, there may also be periods when studies are done part-time, for example in addition to other work.
Applying for doctoral studies
If you are interested in completing a doctoral degree in the Doctoral Programme in Sport and Health Sciences, you should apply for a doctoral study right. There are two application periods per year.
The first step is to think about the specialisation that suits your research interests. In addition, remember to familiarize yourself with the application instructions already at this stage.
More information about doctoral studies
