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PhD Degree in Physical Education

Doctor Stefan Kolimechkov

On the 15th of November 2018, I was awarded the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

 

PhD Degree

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

 

NATIONAL SPORTS ACADEMY
'VASSIL LEVSKI' - SOFIA, BULGARIA

DEPARTMENT OF PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY

National Sports Academy - Sofia

I commenced a three-year higher education distance learning PhD programme on 1 July 2015 at the Department of Physiology and Biochemistry at the National Sports Academy 'Vassil Levski' in Sofia, Bulgaria, which led to a PhD Degree in Pedagogy of Physical Education (01 Education - 011 Education Science - 0114 Teacher Training with subject qualification, [ISCED, 2015]).

Accredited PhD Programme: Physical Education in the Educational System.

Doctoral Thesis Title: Nutritional and Physical Fitness Assessment of Pre-School and Primary School Children Practising Artistic Gymnastics. Read more about the PhD Research here »

Doctoral Student: Stefan Kolimechkov

Doctoral Supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Albena Alexandrova PhD
(Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria)

Co-Supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Dr Lubomir Petrov PhD
(Department of Physiology and Biochemistry at the NSA, Sofia, Bulgaria)

 

PhD Degree (2015-2018)

As of 30th of May 2018, I, Stefan Kolimechkov (PhD student, N339), have been admited to the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Here is a full list of all modules, credits, trainings, grades and requirements at the PhD level.

PhD Modules

N PhD Modules ECTS†
credits
Year Grade‡
PhD I. Theoretical Modules
PhD I.1 Introduction to Sports Science 5 1 Excellent 6.00
PhD I.2 Research Knowledge and Competencies 5 1 Excellent 6.00
PhD I.3 Statistical Methods and Data Analysis 5 2 Excellent 6.00
PhD I.4 English 5 1 Excellent 6.00
PhD II. Specialised Modules (PhD II.2 Physical Education Pedagogy)
PhD II.2.12 Physical Activity and Sport - Disease Prevention in Children and Adolescents 1 1 Excellent 6.00
PhD II.2.13 Nutrition Needs of Children and Adolescents 1 1 Excellent 6.00
PhD II.2.14 Health Risks for Children and Adolescents 1 1 Excellent 6.00
PhD II.2.15 Methods for Assessing Growth and Development in Children and Adolescents 1 1 Excellent 6.00
PhD II.2.16 First Aid and Prevention of Sports Injuries in Childhood 1 1 Excellent 6.00
PhD III. Research Training Modules
PhD III.1.1 Fundamentals of Adult Training 1 1 Excellent 6.00
PhD III.1.2 Presentation of Scientific Papers 1 2,3 Excellent 6.00
PhD III.1.3 Managing the Research Process 3 2,3 Excellent 6.00
PhD III.2 Preparation of 2 Scientific Articles in Connection with the PhD Thesis 4 2,3 Yes
PhD III.3 Projects and Activities 6 2 Excellent 6.00
PhD IV. PhD Final Examination
PhD. IV Final Doctoral Exam 20 2 Excellent 6.00

†ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System) is a standard for comparing the study attainment and performance of students of higher education across the European Union. For successfully completed studies, ECTS credits are awarded [European Commission, Education and training].

‡Grading system: the highest grade is Excellent 6.00, the lowest passing - Average 3.00
Excellent 6 = 92-100% = A
Very Good 5 = 75-91% = B
Good 4 = 59-74% = C
Average 3 = 50-58% = D
Weak 2 = 0-49% = F

 

Requirements for publications

Requirements for obtaining a PhD degree Required Published
Publications in Connection to the Doctoral Thesis: 3 3
- one of which in an international journal 1 1
- one of which as the only author 1 1
- one of which as a first author 1 1

 

Here it comes the most important part of my PhD degree and this is the actual research itself.

PhD Thesis

Research ECTS†
credits
Year Completed
Doctoral Thesis
(preparation, quality & defence)
120 1-3 YES

 

Official Public Defence

of a thesis for obtaining the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree

This video contains the main highlights from the Defence
Bulgarian language + English subtitles

Video format: MP4 | Watch it on YouTube

NEW

Find more about my Doctoral thesis »

 

My Remarkable Moments (2015-2018)

Dr Stefan Kolimechkov - Ofiicial Public Defence

Official Public Defence of a thesis for obtaining the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree, NSA, Sofia, 30.May.2018

 

Physical fitness assessment in children and adolescents: a systematic review - Certificate of Publication

Certificate of Publication for the research paper entitled 'Physical fitness assessment in children and adolescents: a systematic review', in the European Journal of Physical Education and Sport Science, 8th of April 2017

 

Kolimechkov at the BASES-FEPSAC Conference 2017

Presenting a Poster at the flagship event of the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences in Nottingham, 2017

 

Ofiicial Public Defence of Stefan Todorov Kolimechkov

It was my honor to present my Doctoral Thesis in front of this audience, including lecturers and scientists from 3 Departments at the NSA, parents of the gymnasts I coached and their children, as well as the Scientific Committee for my Official PhD Defence, 2018

 

Kolimechkov - FIEP New Leader 2017

I was part of the FIEP New Leaders Programme 2017 at the 12th FIEP European Congress in Luxembourg

 

Prof. Dr Maria Toteva DSc presents her review on Kolimechkov's Dissertation

Prof. Dr Maria Toteva DSc (on the left) presents her official review of my PhD thesis, 30 May 2018

 

PhD Module I.2.Research Knowledge and Competencies at the NSA

After completing the PhD Module I.2.Research Knowledge and Competencies at the NSA, Sofia with my research fellows and Assoc. Prof. Mihail Galov, Ph.D. (in the middle), 2015

 

International class consists of PhD students

Our PhD programme consisted of students from Bulgaria, Greece, Serbia and Sudan, NSA 2015

 

Stefan Kolimechkov at the I-st International Congress of Applied Sports Sciences at the NSA

I presented research at the I-st International Congress of Applied Sports Sciences at the NSA, Sofia, Bulgaria, 2017

 

Physiology and Biochemistry Department - Mr Kolimechkov

Mr Kolimechkov and Assoc. Prof. Stanislav Mavrudiev, PhD

Statistical Methods and Data Analysis, NSA 2016 - Mr Kolimechkov

 

National Sports Academy at the FIEP Congress

12th FIEP European Congress in Luxembourg, 2017

 

Stefan Kolimechkov - International Advisory Board of the European Journal of Physical Education and Sport Science

Stefan Kolimechkov - International Advisory Board of the European Journal of Physical Education and Sport Science

 

Internal PhD Defence at the Department of Physiology and Biochemistry at the National Sports Academy

Internal PhD Defence at the Department of Physiology and Biochemistry at the National Sports Academy, 16 April 2018

 

Fundamentals of Adult Training - Mr Kolimechkov

BeepShuttle Junior at the 12th FIEP European Congress in Luxembourg 2017

Projects and Activities, NSA 2016 - Mr Kolimechkov

 

PhD student Stefan Kolimechkov presents at the Ist ICASS Conference in Sofia

PhD student Stefan Kolimechkov presents at the Ist ICASS Conference in Sofia, 2017

 

PhD Module Introduction to Sports Science at NSA

PhD Module Introduction to Sports Science at NSA at the National Sports Academy in Sofia, with my PhD research fellows, 2015

 

National Sports Academy - Teacher's Faculty - PhD Students

After one of the major exams, 'PhD IV. Final Doctoral Exam', at the Teacher's Faculty (Prof. A. Slavchev, Assoc.Prof. K. Lazarova, K. Kanalev, S. Kolimechkov, C. Traikova and Prof. E. Mileva), 13th of December 2016

 

1066 Gymnastics - Physical Fitness of Young Gymnasts - STK SPORT PhD Research

Physical fitness assessment at Sutton Gymnastics Academy

Stefan Kolimechkov - Registered Scientist in the UK

 

Overview

What is a PhD?

PhD is short for Doctor of Philosophy, and is the highest level of degree which can be achieved. Furthermore, it is a globally recognized postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities and higher education institutions to a candidate who has submitted a doctoral thesis, based on extensive and original research in their chosen field.

How did it all start?

I started thinking about writing a Doctoral thesis at the end of 2012, after graduating from the National Sports Academy with flying colours and obtaining my Master's degree. In January 2013, I moved to the United Kingdom, where I have been working in the fields of Physical Education and Sports Coaching (Gymnastics), and in the same year I published two papers with the help of my supervisors from the University in Sofia. In 2014, I started preparing my project for a PhD thesis and a few universities were selected for application purposes. After deciding on a complete title and purpose statement for the thesis, in addition to many improvements in the methodology, I started collecting data for my research in the United Kingdom at the beginning of January, 2015. A few months later, the project proposal was sent to the National Sports Academy, which my supervisors and I deemed to be the best option as far as universities are concerned at this point in time. On the 1st July 2015, I was officially registered as a PhD student.

The University

The National Sports Academy (NSA) was founded in 1942 to meet the need for PE teachers in the country. The NSA is a specialized higher education institution in the Bulgarian university system with more than 70 years of history, and it is the only university which fully specializes in Sports Science in Bulgaria, as well as being one of the few sports universities in Europe. The Sports Academy organizes educational programmes in the field of Sports, Physical Education and Physiotherapy at Bachelor, Master and Doctor degree levels [NSA.BG].

 

References:

ISCED (International Standard Classification of Education) , Fields of Education and Training 2013 (ISCED-F 2013), UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 2015

NSA.BG - Official website of the National Sports Academy 'Vassil Levski' - Sofia. Retrieved 24.August.2016. <www.nsa.bg>

 

Education

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

Physical Education

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

Issued on 17 September 2018 by:
National Sports Academy & Ministry of Education Youth and Science (Bulgaria)
Reg.N: 304; Diploma N:000304

and one dream came true...

Stefan Kolimechkov PhD