Research training
Our aim is to develop a solid research training in the field of health and sport sciences through the development of knowledge and methodologies in the following areas: integrated strategies for health promotion; research and development of drugs and other compounds for health protection; physical activity and sports science; outdoor educational activities. The PhD program,within a multi- and inter-disciplinary perspective, intends to promote collaborations with national and international research groups and organizations operating in the field of health, physical activity, sports science, and outdoor education. Our educational goals are to increase knowledge, skills and experience in the aforementioned areas; provide in-depth knowledge of the phenomena related to sport, physical activity, and health protection of individuals and populations; train students to plan and accomplish original projects inspired by the principles of the hypothesis-driven and evidence-based research.
Doctoral candidates are expected to carry out activities at different levels. These mandatory activities principally consist of a scientific part devoted to research, and of a didactical part. The core activity is to develop autonomously a research project selected within the topics provided by the Doctoral Program, under the supervision of a tutor and the support of the Doctorate Council. All this will promote the candidate’s organizational skills and the ability to develop empirical and/or theoretical research. Since the Doctoral Program is designed to afford a trans-disciplinary exploration of the nexus among sport, health, and well-being, the didactical part will consist of courses designed for all doctoral candidates (mainly focused on “soft skills” – strategic for the PhD theme – such as relational efficacy, team working and problem solving, that will be the subject of multi-disciplinary seminars), of seminars and of courses both specialized and common to each macro-area. These will become highly optional and with a more specific disciplinary feature (according to each candidate profile) starting from the second year, when a research period abroad will be compulsory. Candidates will periodically present the state of their research during regular meetings with the Doctorate Council, which can then assess the work done. Moreover, candidates will be allowed to carry out a limited integrative teaching activity in official courses of the University of Bologna.
At the beginning of the course, each Doctoral candidate will be assigned a research project consistent with the corresponding discipline and topic. The doctoral training activities will hence offer Doctoral candidates:
- basic activities (to which all candidates are expected to attend) focused on cross-methodological topics (academic writing workshops, bibliographical research seminars, seminars on knowledge transfer valorization);
- specific activities for the chosen disciplinary field aimed at acquiring skills and rigorous knowledge on research methodologies which are needed for the development of each research project.
In addition, Doctoral candidates will attend lectures and seminars held by prominent national and international scholars; where needed, courses chosen between those offered in University Degree Programs or Second-level University Masters may also be attended. During the third year, the Doctoral candidate will focus on the preparation of a final, written dissertation, while supervised by his/her own tutor, who will constantly be part of the research training process. The Doctoral candidate will learn how to deal with informatics tools which are useful for the development of his/her own research; how to perform bibliographic and data base research, data analysis; how to develop laboratory techniques and methodologies, critical and interpretive attitude, papers and research projects.
In order to increasingly acquire extensive abilities and skills and keep abreast of their specific research subjects, Doctoral candidates will attend each side activity that the Doctorate Council deems relevant to the specific methodological training on the Doctoral Program’s topics.
Moreover, Doctoral candidates are expected to participate to symposia that are consistent with the Doctoral Program’s topics, where they can present and discuss their work both in national and international frameworks.