EVALUATIONS ON THE POSTGRADUATE
COURSES (1949‐2015) IN THE PSYCHOLOGY
OF RELIGION IN TURKEY ‐ I
(Master Degree)
Journal Name:
- bilimname
Keywords (Original Language):
Author Name | University of Author | Faculty of Author |
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Abstract (2. Language):
The field of psychology of religion encompasses scientific researches on
religious and non‐religious individuals as well as on the topics of faith and
rituals in religious traditions by using psychological methodology and
interpretive approaches. Thus, the discipline attempts to define and detail
the origins of religious faith and behaviours of religious individuals in a
correct and proper manner. Although the Psychology of Religion only
appeared as an institutionalised discipline in the late 19th century, it has a
long history that goes back centuries. The discipline includes two main fields
of inquiry, namely theology and psychology. It is safe to assume that, if the
dialogue and interaction between psychology and theology in question
continues to develop, this discipline will gradually gain a firmer position
among other sciences (Koç, 2012: 327).
This article aims to introduce, in brief, the postgraduate courses on the
‘Psychology of Religion’ (1949‐2015) in Turkey in order to assist young
researchers, intending to study for master degree in the Psychology of
Religion and/ or obtaining an undergraduate degree mainly in theology and
in the other relevant majors such as psychology and psychological
counselling and guidance.
This article firstly provides an overall assessment on master degree
programmes on the Psychology of Religion in Turkish universities and
secondly gives information about the course contents, particularly regarding to Psychology of Religion in the master programmes in the Department of
Philosophy and Religious Studies, based on the university samples (n=13).
Method and Data Collection
It is used qualitative design using literature survey methodology in the
article. Comparing to the quantitative design, the qualitative approaches
provide in‐depth information, insights and understandings regarding the
research topics.
The sample of the study consists of only thirteen universities in Turkey
which are in alphabetical order: (i)‐Ankara University, (ii)‐Atatürk
University, (iii)‐Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, (iv)‐Çukurova
University, (v)‐Dokuz Eylül University, (vi)‐Erciyes University, (vii)‐Hitit
University, (viii)‐Marmara University, (ix)‐Ondokuz Mayıs University, (x)‐
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University, (xi)‐Sakarya University, (xii)‐Süleyman
Demirel University, (xiii)‐Uludağ University”.
As a source of information about the postgraduate courses on the
‘Psychology of Religion’ (1949‐2015) in Turkey, (a) the official websites of
the universities, (b) telephone interviews with religious psychologists as an
academic staff, still working at these universities, and (c) e‐mail
correspondence are used in the article.
In order to realize this purpose, a survey is performed among these
universities under the basis of these master degree programmes on the
Psychology of Religion in Turkey. A number of the tables related to the course
contents and their credits in these universities are created by the researcher.
Additionally, thirteen different tables, providing semester periods and
course codes as well as course types (compulsory or elective) and including
the total course period are created and finally the master degree
programmes on the Psychology of Religion in Turkey covering the years
between 1949 and 2015 are scanned by the researcher.
The Findings
It is ultimately determined that according to university samples [n=13],
there are a total of one hundred and sixty‐eight courses [n=168] in the
postgraduate programme of Turkish state universities. Furthermore, it is
emphasized that considering the academic structure of postgraduate
programmes on the Psychology of Religion in Turkey, there is no particular
master programme on the Psychology of Religion, depending on Institute of
Social Science which is the institution of the postgraduate academic
education, but it is taught under master programme on ‘Department of
Philosophy and Religious Studies’ which is an umbrella programme.Furthermore, as major title place on the postgraduate diplomas of the
students, successfully defending their theses which are prepared on the
specific topic of the Psychology of Religion, "Philosophy and Religious
Studies" has been determined to be written instead of "Psychology of
Religion". This can be evaluated as a mandatory result of formal international
accreditation.
As a result of the survey findings, it is seen that state universities which
provide the most detailed and proper information about education
curriculum on their internet portal in Turkey are Uludağ University and
Dokuz Eylül University.
It has been opened approximately six [n = 6] elective courses from each
branch in each semester in the umbrella master programs under the title of
Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies. Therefore, besides the
compulsory courses in the semester, there are 6 elective courses that the
students can choose each semester, particularly in the branch of Psychology
of Religion.
Although application of 'one‐year preparatory/foundational course' for the
candidates who have a different bachelor's degree from Theology or
Psychology is foreseen in the formal process of Turkish education system,
there is no master program, applying this kind of course in practical terms
under the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies as an umbrella
programme in Turkey.
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Abstract (Original Language):
Bu makalenin temel amacı, ‘din psikolojisi’ alanında yüksek lisans yapmayı
düşünen ve başta teoloji olmak üzere psikoloji, psikolojik danışmanlık ve
rehberlik gibi ilgili alanlarda lisans düzeyinde eğitime sahip genç araştırmacılara
yardımcı olmak için adı geçen bilim dalının Türkiye’deki yüksek lisans eğitimi
(1949‐2015) üzerine genel bir değerlendirme yapmaktır. Öncelikle Türkiye’deki
üniversitelerde din psikolojisi alanında açılan yüksek lisans programlarının
genel bir değerlendirilmesinin yapıldığı makalede daha sonra, belirlenen
üniversite örnekleri (n=13) üzerinden Felsefe ve Din Bilimleri Anabilim Dalı’nda
açılan yüksek lisans programlarında yer alan sadece Din Psikolojisi Bilim Dalı’na
ait yüksek lisans ders içerikleri bilgilerine yer verilmiştir. Sonuç olarak
makalede, örneklem olarak alınan on üç [n=13] Türk devlet üniversitesindeki bu
bilim dalında açılan yüksek lisans programlarında, toplam yüz altmış sekiz
[n=168] adet ders verildiği görülmüştür. Ayrıca Türkiye’de din psikolojisi bilim
dalındaki yüksek lisans programlarının akademik yapılanması göz önünde
bulundurulduğunda; lisansüstü akademik eğitim kurumu olan sosyal bilimler
enstitülerine bağlı “Din Psikolojisi Bilim Dalı”na ait bağımsız bir lisansüstü
programı bulunmadığı ve bu alanın, şemsiye program olan ‘Felsefe ve Din
Bilimleri Anabilim Dalı’ altında yer aldığı vurgulanmıştır.
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