The examination of graduate-level studies on religious education in Turkey in terms of content and methodology

In this study, graduate-level studies on religious education in Turkey are examined in terms of content and methodology. The main goal of the study, in the related literature, is to introduce a source concerning to the distributions of subject and methodology. This study is a quantitative-descriptive study and survey-modelled in which 'cross-sectional survey' desing used. The population of the study consists of 955 graduate-level studies on religious education of which 786 (%82) are master-level and 169 (%18) are PhD-level studies. Sample taking method is not applied since the intention is to reach the whole population but some thesis' could not be reached due to the lack of access authorization. Accordingly, in the study, totally 610 thesis' are examined which include 504 (%82) master-level and 106 (%18) PhD level thesis'. In the study, ''The form of examining the religious education thesis'(DETİF)'' which is developed by the researcher, is used as a mean of data collecting. As to data analyzing, Chi-square test is used along with percentage and frequency. The descriptive results obtained by this study are as follows: The first graduate-level study in this area was completed in 1971. 275 (%28,8 ) studies were completed in Marmara University which is the most in numbers. All the sduies were completed in 19 universities. Besides, 270 (%28,3) thesis' were completed between the years 2005-2009 are the most in numbers. Methodological results obtained by this study are as follows: As a result of examinations it has been observed that 'problem' is pointed out in %56,7 of graduate level studies, 'purpose' in %90,3, 'importance' in %76,7, 'premise' in %76,6, 'limitation' in %64,1, methodology in %78, 'population' in %32,4, 'sample' in %32,9, 'conclusion' in %100, 'suggestions' in %48, 'abstract' in %64,4 and 'keywords' in %42 of the studies. As a methodology in religious education thesis', 'document examination' was used mostly (%19,5) and as a model, 'survey model' was used mostly (%53,7). As a mean of data collection in religious education thesis', 'survey' was used mostly (%27,8) and 'success test' was used fewest. The 'frequency and percentage' was the most preferred data analyzing technique. The results concerning subject distribution obtained from the study are as follows: The most mentioned religious educaiton subject in religious education thesis' is 'religious teaching programmes' (%15,9), the most mentioned religious education modern subject is 'character and values education' (%56,7). Also, the most mentioned notion is 'moral and religious values' (%11,8), the most mentioned education style is 'formal religious education' (%60,5), the most mentioned education level is 'primary school' (%50), the most mentioned mass is 'document/piece' (%33,7), the most mentioned institution is 'school' (%57), and the most mentioned teaching, methodology, technique and approach is 'multiple methods and techniques' (%58,4). Key Words: Science of Religious Education, doctoral thesis, master's thesis, researce topics, metodology.