Sports Coaching
The field explores how coaches shape athlete learning, performance, and holistic development through evidence-based, pedagogically grounded, and context-sensitive practices. Our work bridges sport science, pedagogy, psychology, and sociology to understand coaching as a complex, relational, and dynamic process. It investigates cutting-edge themes such as athlete-centered coaching, coach learning and expertise, ecological dynamics and nonlinear pedagogy, talent development environments, and well-being and safe sport cultures. Using qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method approaches, we aim to generate impactful research that informs both theory and real-world coaching practice.
This research field is led by Prof. Dr. Mustafa Levent İnce
Motor Learning and Control
This field studies the neurological and physical processes behind how we acquire and execute motor skills. Motor Control looks at how the nervous system coordinates muscles, while Motor Learning investigates how practice and experience lead to changes in movement capability.
This research field is led by Prof. Dr. Sadettin Kirazcı
Physical Activity and Motor Development
This field tracks the evolution of movement from infancy through late adulthood. Researchers look at how physical activity levels influence growth and health, as well as how fundamental motor skills (like running or throwing) develop and decline over time.
This research field is led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Irmak Hürmeriç Altunsöz
Sport and Exercise Physiology
This field explores how the human body responds and adapts to physical activity and training across a wide range of populations, including sedentary individuals, recreational exercisers, youth athletes, and elite performers. Key research questions focus on understanding how different body systems adapt to exercise, how physical fitness can be accurately assessed and enhanced, how athlete monitoring can optimize performance, recovery, and health, and how physical growth and biological maturation influence talent identification and selection in youth sports.
This research field is led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Söğüt
Physical Education Teacher Education
This field focuses on the quality of teaching within schools. It investigates how to prepare teachers (classroom and / or physical education teacher) in physical education to deliver inclusive, engaging, and scientifically sound curricula that inspire students to remain active for life.
This research field is led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Irmak Hürmeriç Altunsöz and Dr. Hakan Taş
Sociocultural and Political Studies of Sport and Sport Management
This field explores the sociocultural and political dimensions of sport and sport management, examining how social and cultural forces shape sport practices and institutions. It also applies policy and political perspectives to understand contemporary sport governance and management, while situating sport within broader contexts of global community, transnational engagement, and international relations.
This research field is led by Assistant Prof. Dr. Dongkyu Na